The Chronicles of NARN

It was March 6, 2004 when the Northern Alliance Radio Network conducted its inaugural broadcast on AM 1280 The Patriot. 

My friend and valued NARN colleague Mitch Berg has been a part of that collection since day one, so he obviously has a much better perspective on the 20th anniversary of the Twin Cities' best conservative grassroots political talk show. 

I’ve told the story so many times, I sometimes wonder if the details have gotten burnished in the re-telling.

Many of the things in my life that actually worked out, started as offhanded, sarcastic, frustrated or intoxicated jokes. My move to the city, my career, this blog…

…and, in 2003, the kind of “what the heck, why not?” vibe that caused me to send an email to the other principals of the “Northern Alliance of Blogs” and ask “Why not try to do a talk radio show?”

The answer was…well, “find the opportunity, and we’ll think about it”. I can’t imagine how far out of left field the idea must have sounded to the rest of the guys – John Hinderaker and Scott Johnson of Powerline, Brian and Chad and Atomizer and JB Doubtless from Fraters Libertas, Ed Morrissey then of Captain’s Quarters, King Banaian of SCSU Scholars, and – trivia alert – a husband and wife pair of lawyers from a short-lived blog called Spitbull whom Hugh Hewitt had added to the NAoB in a frenzy of solicitousness, who weren’t interested in doing the show, and whose names I can’t even begin to remember.

So on Halloween 2003, we met with AM1280 – and to my amazement, they were interested. On January 23, 2004, at a get-together with Hugh Hewitt at the long-defunct Billy’s Lighthouse in Wayzata, we got the formal go-ahead.

And 20 years ago today, the Northern Alliance Radio Network did its first show.

Definitely check out Mitch's entire piece.  

I didn't become aware of the NARN until the summer of 2004. But once I tuned in for the first time, the Saturday broadcast became appointment radio for me (there was only one show the first few years -  11:00 AM until 2:00 PM Saturdays). That fall I met most of the guys in person at a downtown Minneapolis hotel ballroom where they were hosting a presidential debate party ahead of the third and final debate between President George W. Bush and opponent John Kerry. About twice per year, the NARN gang would put on "blogger parties" at the now defunct Keegan's Irish Pub in northeast Minneapolis. I would go every chance I got in an effort to rub elbows with insightful, funny and smart people in addition to dropping subtle hints that I too have done talk radio before. 

It was the 2007 Minnesota State Fair where I opened the door just a crack in an effort to perhaps get some air time on AM 1280. It was the second Saturday of the fair that year when the guys had on as a guest former St Paul Mayor Randy Kelly. Despite being a Democrat, Kelly endorsed President Bush's reelection bid three years earlier, a move that resulted in Kelly being voted out of office in the 2005 mayoral race. Anyhow, Kelly was a fellow St Paul Harding High School alum and once made a visit to my political science class in 1986 when he was a MN House member. To earn extra credit for that class, I dropped literature as well as knocked doors in an attempt to register voters for the upcoming election cycle. When sharing that anecdote on air with Mr. Kelly, NARN host Brian "St Paul" Ward was impressed with my poise and demeanor while knowing I was on the radio. Upon the show's conclusion, Brian took me aside and asked if I'd be willing to guest co-host if ever his regular radio partners John Hinderaker or Chad "The Elder" Doughty were away "on assignment" (the trio collaborated on one of what was three active Saturday shows by then).  I basically asked where could I sign up!

It was two-and-a-half years later that Brian reached out asking if I'd be interested in joining him for a broadcast at the River Centre in St Paul on a Saturday in January. So on January 16, 2010, I made my debut on the Northern Alliance Radio Network. Little did I know that 18 months after that I would be offered a chance to host a solo program Sundays 1-3 PM Central Time (for the first few months, however, it was 3-4 PM Saturdays). A mere 12 years & 9 months later, I'm still in that 1-3 time slot. 

As I wrapped up this past Sunday's show, I thanked many people who had a hand in assisting me in achieving and sustaining a decades long dream. If I had to be done broadcasting right at this moment, I could still honestly say that I've gotten way more from hosting my radio show than I've ever put into it. Seriously, I almost feel pangs of guilt being able to do this for as long as I have. 

So here's to 20 years of the NARN! I have no idea how long it'll soldier on but I don't sense a stop sign on the horizon. 

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