Walking away a winner!

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker turned back the recall effort with a resounding victory Tuesday!

As it became pretty apparent that Walker was going to emerge victorious, the leftist spin machine all of sudden was outraged, OUTRAGED I tellz ya, at the tremendous amount of money an incumbent Governor was able to raise, especially from out of state. Once again, my friend and Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg had leftists pinned perfectly when conveying "Berg's Seventh Law" several years ago:

" When a Liberal issues a group defamation or assault on conservatives’ ethics, character or respect for liberty or the truth, they are at best projecting, and at worst drawing attention away from their own misdeeds."

 By the way, do you recall this logo put which was designed by the union allies?

I'm in need of a capable graphic artist who can re-design the fist playing the sad trombone.

And now......ON WISCONSIN!

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Total Recall

Today the voters in Wisconsin finally get to decide whether or not Governor Scott Walker should be able to keep his job, a mere year-and-a-half into his term.

While I am beyond hopeful that Walker will get to serve out his full term, I will be grateful when this whole disgusting saga is over, win or lose. The tactics employed by several members of Wisconsin public employee unions and certain fleebaggers Democrat legislators has been nothing short of totalitarian. It's been almost laughable to see the lefty spin machine try to demean the elimination of significant budget shortfalls (not to mention the saving of several educators' jobs) brought about by Governor Walker's reforms. As a friend of mine said via Twitter recently, the Democrat position on the recall has been little more than "give unions their cushy sh-t back!"

As of late Sunday evening, according to Public Policy Polling, Walker was clinging to a slim 3-point lead (50-47) over Democrat challenger (and Milwaukee mayor) Tom Barrett. Given that PPP is the poll endorsed by the far left Daily Kos, that is a very good sign for Walker. Alas, the Governor's supporters are taking absolutely nothing for granted, as GOTV calls will continue into this evening.

Let's just say I'm very cautiously optimistic.

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One year ago today....

It was Saturday, June 4, 2011. The inaugural edition of The Closer was on the air from 3:00-4:00 PM on AM 1280 The Patriot!
 
I recall showing up to the AM 1280 studio a whole two hours before my show started, a bundle of nervous energy. As I look back, I chuckle at how I was so overly concerned about being able to fill up a whole entire hour of air time. Ah, but the fact I had the Congressman Anthony Weiner "sexting" scandal to talk about should have eliminated those concerns. The New York Congressman was still in full fledged denial mode about tweeting an explicit photo of a...ahem...."turned on" male, but no one was buying his story about his Twitter account being hacked. Two days later, Weiner admitted to online dalliances with several women, so I got another week out of that saga!



Here I am one year later with a whole two hours of broadcast time, now every Sunday from 1-3 pm. Aside from the free studio time every week, this endeavor has also allowed me to hang around prominent national radio hosts like Dennis Prager & Michael Medved, interview Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and get credentialed seating to events like the MN State GOP convention. Oh, and free parking and admission to the MN State Fair on days I'm broadcasting are nice perks also!

Yes it's safe to say that hosting a weekly radio show has given me much more than I've put in to it.

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I've never had a hand for solitaire - it's so unfair.

Today seems like a mighty fine day to emerge from the Patriot bunker and participate in a remote broadcast. With that in mind, today's edition of The Closer will be on the air live from the first annual Minnesota Cheese Festival, which will take place at the MN State Fair Grounds from Noon until 6:00 PM. I will personally be in my usual broadcasting slot from 1-3 PM Central time.

Given the venue, it's likely to be all cheese all the time but there's a distinct possibility we'll delve in to the news of the week as well. Guess you'll have to tune in!


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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The sun sets on Dark

I was shocked to learn of the passing of Twin Cities media guy George "Dark Star" Chapple, who was found dead in his home on Friday afternoon. Dark was 66 years old. 

The one and only time I met Dark was in January of 1992 (coincidentally, at the same event where I made an arse of myself hitting on a preacher's daughter), the day after Super Bowl XXVI took place at the Metrodome. I remember thinking that he looked like a silver haired Moe Howard. Anyhow, I merely said "Hey, Dark Man!" To which he politely replied "How are ya, sport?" 

As the years passed I would occasionally tune in to Dark's late night WCCO radio talk show, which first aired from Midnight until 3:00 a.m. nightly before he found a long term home in the early 90s, which was the 9:00 pm until 1:00 a.m. time slot. I guess I was always fascinated by Dark's story, since he was a regular guy who worked a "real job" until he caught his big break in the media biz. How he got in to the inner workings of Twin Cities media was the stuff of folklore. In 1985, while unwinding in a tavern after a long day at his office job, Dark overheard an inebriated patron (who happened to be connected to the Vikings brass) saying that Bud Grant would retire as Vikings head coach only one season after reassuming the reins from the disastrous one-year tenure of Les Steckel. From there, Dark called in to AM 1500's Monday Night Sports Talk, hosted by then St Paul Pioneer press scribes Joe Soucheray and Pat Reusse, to break the news. Since there had been no hint of Grant moving on, the phoned in declaration was dismissed as empty speculation. However, Grant did indeed resign after the '85 season, which prompted Soucheray and Reusse to give Dark his props. From there, the sports duo helped get Dark on the payroll at the Pioneer Press as a handicapper, an act of generosity which Dark never forgot.

I recall an interview Dark conducted with a local magazine some years ago where he discussed his career in radio. There was one quote which always stuck with me. "The minute you take (the radio) business more seriously than it takes you, you're finished." Yes, after nearly twenty years in the business at the time, Dark never took any of his success for granted. In fact, when he was let go by WCCO in 2010, Dark was as gracious as he could be saying he "stole every penny" he ever made working in radio. He was the epitome of that old saying where if you make money doing what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.

As I listened to reaction from the likes of Reusse and KFAN colleague Paul Allen, the one thing both mentioned is that Dark had not been feeling all that well lately and made a pledge to see a doctor. In what turned out to be his final TV broadcast of his weekly Sunday night program "The Sports Show" (which he co-hosted with Mike Max, nonagenarian scribe Sid Hartman and Reusse) six days ago, it was obvious Dark was struggling to breathe normally.




I didn't know Dark personally, but given all the stories I've heard from all who knew him, it's pretty obvious that he was a personality that has rarely been seen around these parts.

R.I.P., Dark.

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Box Score of the Week

The 1984 NL champions San Diego Padres took on the Atlanta Braves on August 12 that season.

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It happened 25 years ago today.....

May 30, 1987.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. That evening I was going to attend a youth banquet sponsored by our church. Since we didn’t have to be to the downtown St Paul Radisson until 6:30 (and dinner wouldn’t be served until 7:30), a few us decided to meet at the Red Lobster in Maplewood. After enjoying a couple hours of food and fellowship we then got ready to head downtown. My buddy Scott had gotten a ride to the restaurant so he needed a lift to the Radisson. I was more than happy to oblige. My mom had lent me her 1985 Honda Accord for the evening. Since I was set to graduate from high school in less than a week I already had my official cap and gown. I took my “Class of 1987” tassel off of the cap and hung it on the rear view mirror of my Mom’s car (Of course, I didn’t do that until after I pulled out of the garage). Yes, I was looking forward to a fun evening.

I was following my friend, Todd, to the Radisson since I had never driven there on my own. As we were on 35E South a black, jacked-up Chevy Impala came flying up next to us. Since I didn’t want to let Todd out of my sight, I sped up so the Impala could get behind me. I didn’t want the guy to cut in front of me for fear I would lose sight of my friend. It was at that time that Scott started laughing at these guys in the Impala. Since Scott was a guy who knew so many people, I assumed the three guys in the big, black car were acquaintances. After a couple more minutes passed, I looked to my right to see three agitated occupants of the Impala, screaming obscenities and challenging us to fight. The guy in the back seat even showed us a baseball bat. At this point the driver was looking to plow us into the cement barrier which separated 35E North and South. I no longer worried about keeping up with Todd and starting concerning myself with ditching these lunatics. I deliberately did not exit off 10th Street since these guys would have easily caught us in the midst of downtown traffic. Instead, I veered off 35E South onto 94 West in an effort to ditch these guys. Seeing that, the Impala driver swerved over a couple lanes to get off the same exit and continue following us. Since I was not interested in causing an accident on the freeway, I got off the Rice St exit. As I drove north on Rice Street, I slowly pulled up to a green light figuring I would gun it through the intersection as soon as the light turned red. That way, the Impala would get caught in the traffic coming east-west through the intersection. No such luck, since there were no cars at this light.

As we continued north on Rice, we suddenly spotted a cop car in front of a café. Seeing the cop about to enter the café, I honked vigorously in an effort to get his attention but to no avail. This particular member of St Paul’s finest was safely inside. Within seconds after failing to flag down the cop, I heard a loud crash in the backseat of my car. The guy with the bat had just smashed in the rear windshield!! They then pulled up beside us with all three guys now challenging us to fight. They all had maniacal looks on their faces and were literally frothing at the mouth. I quickly took a right turn off of Rice and started heading east toward 35E. At some point, I exclaimed to Scott “What did you say to tick ‘em off??!!!” Scott said he was merely laughing at the guys. Since Scott was one of your more mischievous characters, I knew I wasn’t getting the whole story. Nevertheless, that wasn’t my immediate concern.

I was going dangerously close to 60 MPH down a side street but was still unsuccessful in shaking the Impala. In all of the chaos I came to my senses for a brief moment and told Scott to get the license plate number of the car that was again riding our bumper. Since we didn’t have a pen, he repeated it to himself over and over (“ABC 123”, “ABC 123”, “ABC 123…). That’s not the real plate number but I do in fact remember what it was, amazingly enough.

We finally got onto 35E North, and by this time we were going over 90 MPH…..in a Honda Accord!!! Unfortunately, we were no match for a muscle car with a V-8 engine. We were in the far left lane when the Impala pulled up beside us then in front of us. The Impala completely stopped (on the freeway, mind you), parked and the driver got out of his car and started running towards us. Absolutely petrified (good thing I was wearing a dark suit that night), I did what any scared-out-of-his-mind 18-year old would do: I put the car in reverse and started driving backwards….ON THE FRIGGIN’ FREEWAY!!! I was literally going 25-30 MPH in reverse with cars swerving to avoid me as they were driving north. After going in reverse for about 50 yards, I pulled onto the shoulder. I told Scott “We are not moving one inch until they drive away. If they want a piece of us they’ll have to come get us.”

After evading the lunatic driver, he and his two cohorts got back in the car and got off the Larpenteur Ave exit. I then got back on 35E north and went home to St Paul via 694. I didn’t want to take the chance of those maniacs finding us again driving on a side street.

I arrived back home trying to explain to my Mom what had happened. We then called the police, who came to our house to take our statement. Thankfully they were able to track down the perpetrators with the license plate number we gave to them. As it turned out, the three guys were brothers. Interesting gene pool, to say the least.

The following Monday, Scott was in school when one of his fellow students informed him that John Doe wanted to kick his butt. Scott was perplexed since he didn’t know John Doe. The other kid told Scott that Doe was looking for him because Scott was messing with him on the freeway over the weekend. Totally freaked out, Scott proceeded to run to the student parking lot and what do you suppose he found when he got there? You guessed it. That same black Chevy Impala. Since graduation was to take place at Scott’s school that week, he left that day and never went back. Scott even went so far to call “John” on the phone to try to reason with him. Apparently, John still hadn’t cooled down. Combine that with the fact that John’s old man came down pretty hard on him since he had to foot the bill for the broken windshield. Thankfully, Scott was able to avoid John and the certain retribution that was to come.

Out of curiosity, I decided to do a Google search on “John Doe” since I remembered his real name. Turns out, he’s married with two kids and is successful in the business world. Since he was merely a hot-headed dumb punk twenty five years ago, I won’t reveal his real name.

As for Scott, I haven’t seen him since the summer of 1999, shortly after the birth of his son. In his teens and 20s, Scott was one of those tragic figures. While he was the life of everyone’s party, a funny, talented showman, he could never avoid certain temptations in life. Things like drugs and sex always seemed to overtake Scott to the point where he would disappear from church for months at a time. I’d like to think that the birth of his son has caused him to walk the straight and narrow.

Despite the fact Scott and I didn’t hang out a whole lot in our younger years, we will be inextricably linked to a May evening in 1987.

--------------------------------------------

Wrong on Wright

As a country music fan, I like Chely Wright. I believe she is an incredibly talented singer whose songs were equally fun (Sea of Cowboy Hats), heartfelt (I Already Do) and...uh....somewhat risque (Jezebel).

So two years ago I didn't suddenly dislike Wright's music when she publicly announced that she is a homosexual. Naturally many cultural elites focused their attention on the country music industry, waiting to pounce on their alleged intolerance.

Leave it to Oprah's buddy Gayle King to finally just come out and say it (Emphasis mine).

The Obama-supporting anchor targeted the country music industry for supposedly giving Wright the cold shoulder: "I'm a little disappointed and surprised by the reaction of the country music industry....they do seem, Chely, to have rejected you, ever since you came out."

King also gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up the musician's new documentary about her "coming out process." The CBS personality gushed, "Chely Wright, I have to say, your documentary took my heart and ripped it out a couple times when I was watching you."

The close associate of Oprah Winfrey previewed the Wright interview: "When she opened up about being gay, the door to country music stardom closed.

As I said at the outset, I personally love Wright's music. Unfortunately not enough other people do but it has nothing to do with her being gay. You see, Wright came out only two years ago. However, she hasn't had a top 40 hit since 2004, including her last four singles which didn't even chart. Wright isn't so much shunned from the industry for being gay as much as she's just not a big draw anymore. It's business.

For whatever reason, country music has seen scores of artists burst onto the scene only to vanish in less than five years. Does anyone happen to recall the names Wade Hayes, David Lee Murphy, Ty Herndon(Whoops. He's gay - ed.), Jeff Carson, Doug Supernaw and Bryan White? All topped the country charts in the mid-90s (around the same time Wright burst onto the scene) but none had any real success once the 21st century rolled around.

Maybe the country music industry also has a vendetta against heterosexual white males.

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Back to the way it was

Today, after 18 months of contract work, I begin a new venture in the permanent employment milieu! Yes, over a one week span I endured several interviews and meetings with various members of a certain downtown Minneapolis firm, which finally resulted in an official offer on May 17.

While I felt I represented myself very well in every step of the screening process, I didn't take for granted that I was a shoe in for the job. You see, I've been in similar situations in the past where I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was going to be hired by a company only to be usurped by another candidate. As such, it was extremely difficult to get geared back up for the job I was actively working due to my becoming so emotionally invested in leaving. I was careful not to make that mistake this time. In fact, I took great comfort in the promise that the Lord sees the end from the beginning, meaning if this endeavor wasn't meant for me the ideal scenario will eventually come along. Combine that with the fact that family and close friends were offering up prayers on my behalf, I was at total peace as I awaited word on the final decision.

I don't mind telling you that when I received an official offer letter to join this company, I shed tears of joy! Months of uncertainty that accompanied working on a contract basis (I was inactive 14 weeks over the past year-and-a-half) can finally be put to rest. And some of the perks that go along with my new venture are pretty nice, too. There is an express coach bus I can take to and from my workplace, which means less wear and tear on my vehicle and no commuting nightmares! I also love the atmosphere of downtown Minneapolis, as I will be a mere three blocks from Target Field. But most of all, I feel confident in the fact I will enjoy my new co-workers.

To God be the glory.

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Still many just don't understand about the reasons we are free....

It's the Memorial Day edition of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, as I will be hosting The Closer from 1:00 until 3 PM Central today. As such, I will be paying my respects to our fallen heroes by exercising one of many constitutional rights which they fought to protect.

In the first hour I will pay tribute to one soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice in July 1970 while serving in Vietnam. James Robert (Bob) Kalsu, Sr. (who played for the NFL's Buffalo Bills in 1968) was the first professional athlete to be killed in combat. You can hear his remarkable story as I am tentatively scheduled to be joined by Bob's widow Jan and daughter Jill.

 

December 2004 - Pointing out Bob Kalsu's name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

In the second hour we'll take a look back at the news week that was, which includes endorsement battles at the local level, lawsuits filed by the Catholic church and a certain vapid daughter of a former GOP Presidential candidate.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

-------------------------------------------

Box Score of the Week

Going back to June 27, 1986 at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium where the Reds hosted the San Francisco Giants.

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Giants infielder Robby Thompson set a rather inauspicious record by getting caught stealing four times in four attempts in this game, which is a record that still stands today.

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Snobby misdirection

Leftist elites are quite snobbish about education. Their cohorts can be miserable failures in a given endeavor but somehow they're supposed to be given a pass because of their hoity toity Ivy League education (of course, that courtesy was not extended to Harvard grad George W. Bush, the only President to ever receive an MBA).

I point that out as I refer you to the Star Tribune's "Letter of the Day" Tuesday.

State Rep. Kurt Bills, newly endorsed by the Republican Party in the U.S. Senate race, is quoted as saying "we sent a lawyer, a community organizer and a comedian to Washington, D.C., and we get an economy that looks like it does today."

The line is cute, "quippy" and closely follows the Republican playbook established years ago by Karl Rove. In football, it is called a misdirection play. In politics, it says that when your qualifications are nowhere near those of your opponent, go personal and cute while avoiding actual résumé or accomplishment comparisons.

The avoidance/misdirection here is the omission of the qualifications of that lawyer (Sen. Amy Klobuchar), community organizer (President Obama, who's actually a lawyer, too) and comedian (Sen. Al Franken).

The three possess undergraduate degrees, respectively, from Yale, Columbia and Harvard. Klobuchar's and Obama's law degrees come from the University of Chicago and Harvard, respectively. And none of these individuals received a legacy admission.

Depending on the source, the lowest-ranked of those five degrees is Harvard Law, at No. 5 nationally. Franken, with his undergraduate degree from the No. 2 undergraduate university in the United States (No. 2 in the world) is really pulling down the average here.

Bills' alma mater, Winona State University, is a nice local school that doesn't attract the same caliber of student and whose graduates would be better served not denigrating people whose academic accomplishments dwarf their own.

NICHOLAS G. DOLPHIN (ed.- I'm calling "fake name"), MINNEAPOLIS

The letter writer offered up a stunning display of irony here when he called Bills' attack a "misdirection play." Notice he does not refute Bills' assertion of the lefty triumvirate's dismal performance in handling the economy but instead diverts attention to the three's allegedly superior educational background.

The writer also goes on to make a definitive statement when saying a small school like Winona State doesn't attract the "same caliber of students" as an Ivy League school. To me, that's irrelevant. It's what a college graduate makes of his/her post-education life regardless of which college he/she attends. Ah, but in the writer's world, it's an empirical fact that someone who graduates from Harvard at, say, age 20 is somehow superior to a person who graduates from tiny Eureka College in central Illinois. With that in mind, the writer's logic would have you believe that "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski's accomplishments dwarf those of Ronald Reagan.

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Bussin' it

Picture this: A 40-something Minnesota educator decides to jump into the political fray and challenge a popular, well-funded incumbent US Senator. Using a grassroots campaign, the upstart candidate makes campaign stops throughout the state in a custom school bus.....and emerges victorious.

Think that's a stretch?

Well, that exactly what happened in 1990 when college professor Paul Wellstone knocked off incumbent Senator Rudy Boschwitz.

Yes, I know the parallels aren't exactly the same, as Wellstone was a far left Democrat and 2012 GOP endorsed candidate (and HS economics teacher) Kurt Bills is a libertarian-ish Republican. But like Wellstone, Bills is going to have to rely on a strong grassroots backing in a effort to to overcome the well-funded and well-liked Senator Amy Klobuchar, all while making the rounds in "The Liberty Bus."

But the most interesting aspect of this contest will be the MN Ron Paul supporters, of whom a large majority worked to get Bills the endorsement. The Paul supporters, for the past several years, have been the proverbial dog chasing the the car down the country road but never catching it. However, one always wonders what would happen if the dog catches the car. Well now that has happened. The Paul supporters have their preferred Republican candidate running in a high profile national race. And as they're about to find out, winning a party endorsement and claiming victory in a statewide election are two entirely different animals. If the MN libertarian contingent is going to put Bills over the top, there will definitely have to be broader appeal. That won't happen if they revert to the tactics of claiming that their candidate's detractors hate liberty and the Constitution.

 As usual, stay tuned!

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I got shot through a space not long ago, I thought I knew the place so well.....

Back from a well-deserved week off, I am back for this week's edition of The Closer from 1-3 pm Central.

It was quite a weekend at the MN GOP state convention, so I'll spend much of the first hour rehashing the events. Perhaps the biggest news of the weekend was Kurt Bills securing the Republican nomination to oppose Sen. Amy Klobuchar this fall. Bills should join me sometime during the initial hour of the program (UPDATE: Bills to join the program via phone at 1:30!).

In the second hour I'll take a look at the end of the MN legislative session as well as the latest on the gubernatorial recall efforts in Wisconsin.



So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Live from the MN State GOP convention!

I plan on tweeting the festivities, so please check out my twitter feed - @Brad_Carlson

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Box Score of the Week

Recently Josh Hamilton hit four home runs in one game for the Texas Rangers. With that in mind, let's take a look at a game from 1993 where the St. Louis Cardinals' Mark Whiten went deep four times against the Cincinnati Reds.

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When Josh Hamilton hit four home runs a week-and-a-half ago, it seemed to be a statistical anomaly when the same teammate (in this case, Elvis Andrus) was on base all four times. However, the same thing happened in September 1993 when the Cards' Mark Whiten went deep four times ---- teammate Gerald Perry scored in front each occasion.

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MN Senate endorsement

I'm of the same mindset as Mitch Berg and Mark Heuring when it comes to political endorsements in that no one really cares what I think. I find it laughable that I've received inquiries from the three campaigns wanting to publicly announce my support for their guy. Like that would carry any weight.

But since I'm a delegate to the MN GOP state convention this weekend, I'm going to have to cast a vote for one of the three candidates vying to oppose Sen. Amy Klobuchar this fall. So which candidate will receive my support?

Why, whichever one receives the actual endorsement of course.

Here's my strategy: On the first ballot, I will cast a vote for Candidate "A." When the results of the first ballot are announced and, say, Candidate "B" receives 56% of the vote (60% is needed for endorsement), I will switch my support to Candidate "B" to expedite the endorsement process. After all, the bottom line is to coalesce behind one candidate and move forward in ousting Klobuchar.

As I've alluded to previously, it's been a rather contentious atmosphere amongst the supporters of Dan Severson, Pete Hegseth and Kurt Bills. I'd rather save my invective for a Democrat, thanks very much.

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John and Mary

No, I'm not referring to the 1969 Romantic Drama featuring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow. Actually I'm alluding to a dramatic back and forth amongst Minnesota politicians named "John and Mary" which had none of the romantic overtones of its cinematic namesake

A very public war of words is brewing between two popular and controversial Minnesota House Republicans.

Over the weekend, Rep. John Kriesel logged onto Twitter to share parts of a bitter letter sent to him by Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer. In it, she wrote that the war veteran has “no courage.”

The frustration appears to have stemmed from the Vikings Stadium passage.

Kriesel sat in the front row when the Vikings bill was signed, which is a major accomplishment of his short legislative career. And he says for anyone to say he’s running away from it, or anything else, is absurd.

“I think to say that that’s not the reason I am not running is crazy,” said Kriesel.

But that’s exactly what fellow Kiffmeyer said. She’s telling voters the stadium bill was “forced” through the legislature — and Kriesel says that’s a “lie.”

While I have always disagreed with Kriesel's support of a Vikings stadium, I believe it's Kiffmeyer who's in the wrong in this war of words. Kriesel had been a proponent of the stadium from day one but never hinted of not seeking reelection until the past couple of months. As Rep. Branden Petersen told me via Twitter, Kriesel has never been concerned with political expediency as indicated by his support for the stadium as well his objections to the MN Marriage Amendment (he was one of only four House Republicans to vote "No" on putting the amendment on November's ballot).

Also, I was rather put off by Kiffmeyer's assertion that Kriesel lacked courage in not being willing to seek reelection, thus he wouldn't face the music for his stadium support. Any person who has lost both legs (as Kriesel did in Iraq in 2006) while fighting on behalf of our country can hardly be accused of backing down from a fight. Given that his military obligations, subsequent injuries and time in the Legislature over the past 5-6 years has put a heavy burden on his wife and two young sons, Kriesel decided that he owed it to his family to take a step back. I don't doubt for one second that was the catalyst for his decision.

Still seething from Kiffmeyer's criticism Sunday, Kriesel said via Twitter (tongue-in cheek, I'm assuming) that he would consider taking out a second mortgage on his house to donate to Kiffmeyer's opponent. Upon reading that, my pal Sheila Kihne zinged with "Well, that type of funding-mechanism would certainly fit nicely with your Vikings stadium financing logic."

I only wish Kiffmeyer had stuck to the issue at hand in that same fashion.

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Box Score of the Week

We're going "new school" this week as we look at the Cubs-Reds game from just last week.

------------------------------------------

This matchup marks the first time in MLB history where both starting pitchers (Ryan Dempster and Homer Bailey) were celebrating a birthday.

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With gay abandon.....

My sense is President Obama had decided some time ago that he was no longer opposed to same-sex marriage.

I recall a press conference he conducted around Christmas 2010, just after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The President was asked by ABC's Jake Tapper if it's "intellectually consistent to say that gay and lesbians should be able to fight and die for this country, but they should not be able to marry the people they love?"

Even then the President said he struggled with the issue and that his long-time stance of opposing gay marriage was "evolving."

But he made it official Wednesday

Mr. Obama had been under intense pressure this week to lay out a clear stance on same-sex marriage after Vice President Joe Biden and other top advisers endorsed it. Mr. Obama said that after years of lengthy discussions with friends and family, including his wife and two young daughters, he now "personally" believes gays and lesbians should have the right to marry.


"I've been going through an evolution on this issue. I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally," Mr. Obama said in a television interview with ABC. "At a certain point I've just concluded that, for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."

The timing is very interesting given that voters in North Carolina, a key swing state in the November election, overwhelmingly passed an amendment Tuesday which defined marriage as only between one woman and one man.

But overall, will this really harm Obama politically? Hard to say for sure. Despite the majority of Obama's largest constituency (the black community) being opposed to gay marriage, I don't see enough of them peeling away support to make much of an impact.

However, it will be interesting to see what happens in other key swing states like Florida and Ohio. In the sunshine state, which stance will Hispanics (the majority of whom are social conservatives) issue the larger rallying cry? Obama's gay marriage support or Mitt Romney's hard line position on immigration? Ohio, on the other hand, could be more problematic for the President. A recent poll showed only 35% of Ohioans surveyed favor same-sex marriage while 52% oppose it.

This fall, three states --- Minnesota, Maryland and Washington --- all have a marriage amendment of the ballot. While it is sure to draw a lot of social conservatives to polls, I find it difficult to believe that any of those states will flip to the "R" column as a result.

In the end, the President making such a declaration has little affect on me personally. Whether he's for or against same-sex marriage, Obama will never get my vote.

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Circular firing squads

I've said for some time now that we in the Minnesota GOP have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to US Senate candidates. Truth be told, I like 'em all. And the advantage of having a radio talk show is I can use it as my own personal vetting process, as Dan Severson, Kurt Bills and Pete Hegseth have all appeared as guests on my program.

As I write this, I have yet to make a firm decision as to whom I will endorse come the state convention in 11 days. But if I had to rely on any of the three candidates' supporters to make their case via Twitter, I would truly be lost. Over the past few weeks, the proverbial circular firing squads amongst the three camps has reached a fever pitch as some tweets are delving in to the ad hominem attacks. Instead of touting the strengths of the candidate they support, the rhetoric all too often is how the other two candidates suck pond water.

With that in mind, I would like to ask a simple question of the supporters in each camp: What attributes drew you to the Senate candidate you're supporting? If it's because you truly believe the other two guys are duds, then so be it. But if there's a leadership attribute or policy stance or set of core values that really fired you up, then let's hear it!!! There are still GOP delegates to the state convention (myself included) who are willing to be convinced.

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It seems like yesterday, but it was long ago....

Happy Seis de Mayo! To celebrate, I plan on convening to the AM 1280 bunker for yet another installment of The Closer, which will air from 1:00 pm until 3:00 CT.

In addition to looking back at the week that was in political news, I'll also look ahead to what is sure to be an action-packed final week of the MN legislative session. As such, I will be joined by Rep. Branden Petersen at 1:30. Petersen was a chief co-sponsor of an education bill to repeal "last-in, first out," which protects teachers with the most seniority when school districts are hit with layoffs. Said repeal measure was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton. Oh, and don't be surprised if a certain pro sports stadium enters the conversation.

Then at 2:30 I will be joined by baseball wonk Corey Ettinger to talk of the wretched play of the 2012 Minnesota Twins and if there's any hope for the immediate future.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Box Score of the Week

Let's go back to May 15, 1989 when the Chicago White Sox visited Tiger Stadium to take on the Detroit Tigers.

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Last Sunday the St. Louis Cardinals lost at home to the Milwaukee Brewers with the final out being recorded when Cards base runner Tyler Greene was caught trying to steal home. The last time an MLB game ended in such a manner? May 15, 1989 in the White Sox-Tigers game I referenced above.
 
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Air of inevitability

Regarding the Vikings stadium, I have been saying from day one that the MN Legislature will figure out a way to jam it down the collective throats of Minnesota taxpayers. And despite a setback for the pro-stadium folks Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning, it appears the momentum has been reestablished.....for now.

The one thing that has rankled me throughout this whole process is how Gov. Mark Dayton has called this the "people's stadium." Well if that is really the case, why not have "the people" who use it actually pay for it?

Earlier this week, I heard a proposal along that line which actually might make some sense.

An unlikely trio of Minnesota senators has been pushing for a new twist in Vikings stadium financing: user fees.

The issue nearly derailed the stadium last week, after a proposal for a sales tax from DFL Sen. Tom Bakk morphed into a measure that put the entire bill for state share of the Vikings stadium on fans and spectators.

The issue actually prompted the Senate Taxes committee to adjourn at one point, because no one had any idea of the burden the user fees might represent. Now, it looks like they have an idea: Sen. John Howe, R-Red Wing, said an 18 percent levy on stadium activities -- including the Vikings share of NFL TV revenue -- would more than cover it. He said he's been working with Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, and Sen. Roger Chamberlain, R-Lino Lakes, to refine the idea.

Howe said this afternoon that an estimate from the Minnesota Department of Revenue may even lower the user tax.

"Right now, it's an 18 percent user fee, to make [the state's stadium funding share] 100 percent user based, and we wouldn't have to do the charitable gambling electronic pull tabs," Howe said. "We're waiting to get that revenue estimate back, but it looks like it'll be less than 18 percent."

I still say that even facilitating the logistics for funding a sports stadium goes beyond the scope of government. However, if indeed a Vikings stadium is inevitable (like I believe it is) then why not enact a veritable "you use it, you pay for it" plan? Naturally the Vikings are not thrilled with this idea since there is a maximum amount for which they would charge fans for tickets. User fees would certainly eat in to their profit margin.

For the latest on this issue and where it goes from here, I direct you to Mr D's post from Wednesday evening.

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It's late - is it just my sickly pride?

Back on the radio this evening as a guest co-host on The Late Debate. I'll be filling in for regular co-host Jack Tomczak, who is still away on assignment.

With the end of the Minnesota legislative session looming, Benjamin Kruse and I plan to go over some of the prominent legislation still being discussed. As of now, we're working on booking as guests some legislators to give us the very latest on end-of-session business. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Vikings stadium may rear its ugly head.

Tune in to Twin Cities station FM 95.9 WLKX or watch us via UStream tonight from 10 pm until Midnight CT.

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Yes, in this generation of millionaires, it's hard for me to keep decent clothes to wear....

A lot going on locally and nationally this past week, so I have quite a bit to cover on this week's edition of The Closer, live from 1-3 pm Central today on AM 1280 The Patriot.

Whether it's renewal of old grudges against the MNGOP or Vikings stadium politics or the latest in the Presidential race, there's no shortage of talk show fodder. That's especially fortuitous since I have no guests scheduled on the program for the first time in a while.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

-------------------------------------------

Box Score of the Week

It's an early 1987 matchup featuring the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets.

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Jack Buck was the long time radio voice of the Cardinals. On this day, his son Joe turned 18-years old. While sitting in the back of the Shea Stadium broadcast booth about halfway through the game, Joe was stunned to hear his father Jack say "...And now, for the fifth inning, my son, the birthday boy, Joe Buck."

Yes, this game was technically the broadcasting debut of Joe Buck, one of the more prominent announcing voices in MLB today.


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Draft night

The National Football League is essentially a 12-month sport. As such, tonight may well be considered the Super Bowl of the NFL offseason.

As a Vikings fan, I'm often reminded by sports talking heads of my club's alleged ineptitude in back-to-back drafts a decade ago.

With the #7 pick in the 2002 draft, the Vikings had their eye on both the Offensive and Defensive lines. That'll happen when a 5-11 team can neither protect their own quarterback or put pressure on the opposing QB. Anyhow, the Dallas Cowboys were on the clock for the #6 overall choice when their allotted 15 minutes expired. As a rule, the team next in line has the right to submit its pick in such a scenario. The Vikings quickly ran to the podium with their draft card, which indicated they wanted to select DT Ryan Sims out of North Carolina. However, the league ruled that the Cowboys had successfully completed a trade in time with the Kansas City Chiefs for the sixth choice, so the Vikings were not allowed their selection. Of course, the Chiefs undercut the Vikes by drafting Sims. The Vikings instead selected OL Bryant McKinnie, who turned out to be a solid left tackle for the club for nine seasons.

The 2002 incident can hardly be chalked up to any ineptitude on the Vikings' part. However, the bungling of their 2003 draft choice almost cost them the pick.

After a 6-10 finish in the '02 season, the Vikings once again found themselves in a position to pick seventh overall. Rumor had it the Vikes were looking to trade down in the first round which would allow them to accumulate additional later round picks. This time, however, it was the Vikings who allowed their allotted 15 minutes to expire. As a result, the Jacksonville Jaguars were next in line and thus allowed to submit their choice, picking QB Byron Leftwich. Also seizing the opportunity was the Carolina Panthers, who quickly snapped up OL Jordan Gross. Because they were caught napping, the Vikings #7 choice turned into the ninth pick, which they used on DT Kevin Williams, the player they insisted they wanted all along. The running joke was that perpetually cheap owner Red McCombs would argue that he should only have to pay money for the ninth selection in the first round choice instead of a seventh.

This year the Vikings pick third overall, and it seems likely they will select a possible franchise left tackle in USC's Matt Kalil. There's also been rumblings that the Vikings are seriously considering CB Morris Claiborne out of LSU. I suspect the latter scenario may be posturing since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (who pick fifth overall) also have Claiborne high on their wish list. The intent would be the Vikings to swap first round picks with the Bucs to ensure Tampa is able to select either Claiborne or Alabama RB Trent Richardson. This would ensure Kalil would be available to Vikings at #5 since the Cleveland Browns (choosing fourth) already have their franchise LT. Such a move would also bring to the Vikings an extra pick (or picks) in later rounds. Yes, a team fresh off a 3-13 season always looks for quantity this time of year.

Let's just hope if the Vikings do enact such a trade that the transaction is completed before their 15 minutes is up.

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Make or Break

It was Labor Day 2008 when I met Colonel Joe Repya for the first time. He was leading a group of grassroots GOP supporters in downtown St. Paul in an effort to keep a watchful eye on the radical group of protesters who came to town to disrupt the Republican National Convention. It was difficult not to be impressed by Col. Repya, given he had honorably served our country in three different wars.

After a failed run for MN GOP chair in 2007, Repya was very critical of the reelection of then chair Ron Carey, and predicted much peril would face the state party down the road. Two years later, Repya penned an op ed stating why he was leaving the Republican party. One key paragraph appeared to be hauntingly prescient.

When a political party becomes so dysfunctional that it no longer can operate without tyrannical domination over the grass-roots, it is time to stop enabling bad behavior from that party. I have come to the conclusion that a majority of Minnesotans and many Republicans no longer trust the message of the Minnesota GOP. After years of ineffective party leadership resulting in a record number of defeats, lack of transparency in party dealings, alleged financial impropriety by former party employees, and numerous Federal Election Commission problems, can you really blame the electorate for abandoning the Minnesota GOP?

At that point in the Summer of 2009, I felt that the sentiment of most GOP supporters was that it was grassroots activists, not some state party officials, who were the lifeblood of the party. As such, the wave of enthusiasm amongst the grassroots in the 2010 election cycle allowed the MN Republicans to attain a majority in both chambers of the legislature for the first time in nearly forty years. Unfortunately, the state party issues were an impediment in the Governor's race as well as all the Constitutional offices, all of which went to the Democrats.

With all 201 state legislative seats up for election this November as well as a US Senate seat, Repya ponders in his latest op ed whether the MN GOP can survive the "one-two-three punch it has taken since the beginning of the year." Specifically, Repya refers to the state party's financial mess (including being threatened with eviction from its party headquarters), the inappropriate relationship involving then Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and Brodkorb, and finally the "civil war" pitting the party "establishment" against the Ron Paul supporters. 

I don't have a crystal ball to see how all this will end. But from where I'm sitting it does not look good for MNGOP, which won the state House and Senate in 2010 and whose lawmakers are all up for re-election.

The DFL smells blood in the water and sees an opportunity to regain both legislative chambers. We are very possibly witnessing the death of MNGOP as we know it. If so, it will have died from within, not from outside causes.

Just imagining the distinct possibility that this state could be under complete DFL control ought to be more than enough incentive to fight for maintaining the legislature. Hopefully the MN Republicans can cease with the circular firing squads long enough to focus on the real opposition.

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Respectfully decline

Jerry Sandusky is the former Penn St. assistant football coach accused of molesting several young boys over the course of nearly twenty years.

Gerry Sandusky is a sportscaster in Baltimore.

You can imagine the veritable hell the latter endured as details of the despicable scandal involving the former began to surface last Fall.

Taking it all in stride, Gerry posted a picture on his Facebook page which showed a letter addressed to his son. The correspondence contained a letter of invitation to a certain university in the Keystone State.

Photo courtesy of Gerry Sandusky

In the understatement of the century, Gerry said of the above letter: "Do they really think anyone with the last name Sandusky would want to attend Penn State?"

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Cab fare to nowhere is what you are...

After filling in for Mitch and Ed on The Headliners yesterday, I'm back in the AM 1280 bunker again today. I'll be live at the usual 1:00 pm until 3:00 Central time slot.

At 1:30, I will be joined by libertarian conservative blogger Katie Kieffer, who maintains her own personal blog as well as writes for Townhall.com.

Then at 2:15, NARN colleague/Economist/MN House member King Banaian will share his views on the Vikings stadium debate, not only from a legislative process but also an economic perspective.

Finally in the 2:30 segment, I will look back at the life of Chuck Colson, who passed away this weekend. Colson was a political operative in the Nixon administration during the Watergate scandal and wound up serving prison time for his role in said scandal. Upon release from prison, Colson dedicated his life to evangelizing to inmates via his Prison Fellowship ministries. Kristine Steakley, who worked with Colson at PFM in the early 2000s, will join me via phone to discuss Colson's work.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics I plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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A personal request

My friends Jack Tomczak and Benjamin Kruse host a Twin Cities nightly talk radio show called The Late Debate, which can be heard every Sunday thru Thursday evening from 10 pm to Midnight CT.

In the 12-1/2 months they've been airing their program, Jack and Ben have built an equally informative, entertaining and irreverent program which has increased in listenership/viewership/itunes downloads month over month. In addition to the hosts' witty banter back and forth, Jack and Ben have built up a lengthy and power-packed guest list (242 different guests in the first year). Whether it's celebrities (like Adam Baldwin and Donna D'Errico), local politicians (MN House Speaker Kurt Zellers, MN Senators Michelle Benson & Mike Jungbauer, just to name a few) or everyday grassroots political activists, The Late Debate has something for everyone. Who could forget the night of April 1st when the guys stunned their listeners when four progressive/liberal Democrats were allowed to take the reins of the program for the entire two hours?

But with any radio program, there are inevitably a few detractors. A certain listener with a political (and later, personal) axe to grind decided to file an FCC complaint when Jack spoke of an attempted encounter with said listener at his public workplace. While the actual complaint didn't fall under the purview or jurisdiction of the FCC, the station which carries The Late Debate on the actual airwaves, FM 95.9 WLKX, has chosen to suspend Jack for an indefinite period of time. While this seems to me an unfair meting out of a punishment, Jack will abide by the decision without incident.

A wise man once said that out of every adversity lies a seed of equal or greater benefit! With The Late Debate's ever expanding fan base, the natural transition for the show is to go a little more mainstream. With that in mind, I make an appeal to my fellow LD fans and conservative talk radio enthusiasts alike to contact Program Director Andrew Lee at Clear Channel.The current lineup on News Talk AM 1130 would be a perfect fit for The Late Debate, and we need to show Mr. Lee how their station would receive an infusion of new and enthusiastic listeners willing to tune in late nights.

Andrew Lee can be reached at: AndrewLee@ClearChannel.com

Thanks for your support!

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I work so hard, man, so don't trip me up....

With Mitch Berg and Ed Morrissey out on assignment, I will be hosting The Headliners edition of the Northern Alliance Radio Network on AM 1280 The Patriot.

From 1:00 pm until 3:00 Central time today, I will look back at the week that was in political news. In addition, I will play a pre-recorded interview with national radio host Dennis Prager, who will be in town on Monday, April 30 for Taking Back America, which will take place at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center from 7-9 pm. We also discussed Prager's new book, the presidential race and the Buffett Rule.

From there, who knows? Hopefully Mitch will be done fending off the Ronulans at the CD4 convention to join me in studio for the festivities.


So please give us a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

-------------------------------------------

Box score of the week

Today we'll flash back to an interleague contest from June 9, 1999, when the New York Mets hosted the Toronto Blue Jays.

----------------------------------------
 I'll let Bob Costas explain the significance of this game.







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Jim was "Rather" sloppy

Full disclosure: I typically enjoy Jim Souhan's work as a sports radio guy and Star Tribune columnist. His commentary on all things sports are very thought provoking and insightful. And when Souhan teams up with Tom Pelissero on 1500 ESPN's Sunday Sports Talk every week from 10 am until Noon, it is, in my opinion, the finest sports conversation you'll hear in the Twin Cities market.

As such, I've rarely heard Souhan delve into political commentary (unlike his Strib colleague Patrick Reusse) other than to take gratuitous shots at Herman Cain or one time making a comment about Republicans not believing in evolution.

But it appears Souhan's myopic zeal may have gotten the best of him in his Wednesday column where he roundly criticized Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-Grove City) regarding the Vikings stadium debate. Apparently Urdahl was making the point that many citizens are loathe to want to subsidize a billionaire's business venture, which in this case is an NFL franchise. Souhan appeared to have attributed that sentiment to Urdahl himself.

I can respectfully disagree with politicians who take consistent, principled, stands against stadiums. Those like Urdahl who shamelessly pander to the simple-minded people should not be taken seriously. Next time you ask a question about the stadium, Mr. Urdahl, please get help from someone with a better grasp of stadium politics, like, oh, a Kardashian.

Oh, did I forget to mention that Souhan takes pride in the belief he possesses a rapier wit?

I digress.

One minor flaw in Souhan's assertion - Rep. Urdahl actually voted yes on the stadium. As a result, Souhan's newspaper issued the following clarification in Thursday's edition of the Star Tribune:

Jim Souhan's column critical of Rep. Dean Urdahl's questions about the Vikings stadium plan did not mention that the Republican legislator voted in favor of the stadium Monday night as a member of the House Government Operations and Elections Committee.

Courage, Jim. Courage!

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Vikings stadium shot dead?

Shot dead? That's a rather crass analogy, no? Well, not in the eyes of a certain local journalist anyways.

I'll come back to that.

But first, I've long held the assumption that a Vikings stadium bill would somehow get rammed through despite this being an election year. Now? Who knows.

After clearing two House committees with relative ease this month, a bill to use public money to help build a Minnesota Vikings stadium in Minneapolis was defeated Monday night, April 16, in a third, dealing a potentially fatal blow to the project's chances this legislative session.

In a 9-6 vote that was bipartisan in its opposition, the House Government Operations and Elections Committee declined to go along with even a watered-down motion to pass the bill "without recommendation" to the House Taxes Committee.

Bill sponsor Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, called the vote "very disappointing" and said that for the bill to have any chance now to pass this session - which is expected to conclude by the end of the month - "Somebody's going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat."

Vikings vice president Lester Bagley called the outcome "extremely disappointing" and said "it's a mistake" for people to assume the Vikings and the NFL will continue operating under the status quo.

He said that isn't a threat that the team will leave, but "Minnesota's in control of their destiny.

"We've done everything we've been asked," Bagley said. The question for the state is: "What else would you expect us to do?"

Uh, for some reason, rosary beads come to mind.

Obviously a taxpayer subsidized stadium has always been a proverbial game of "hot potato" since such a project violates both parties' sensibilities. For Republicans, it flies in the face of "fiscal conservatism" and for Democrats it's a "handout to billionaires." But on the other had, both sides have no desire to face the wrath of their constituents if the most popular professional sports franchise in Minnesota leaves town.

Naturally, a game of pointing fingers ensued once this latest bill was shot down.

On 1500 ESPN's Reusse and Mackey Tuesday afternoon, Rep. Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley, who voted "no") pointed out that the GOP has pretty much done what they have wanted when it comes to passing legislation, specifically referring to Voter ID and the Marriage Amendment, both of which will be on the ballot this November. Therefore this failure is on the Republicans. But as is Winkler's wont, he leaves out key facts: Five of the nine Republicans on the House Government Operations and Elections Committee voted "yes" on the bill, whereas only one of six Democrats acquiesced. During the interview, Reusse (a professed lefty) also piled on, saying that committee head Joyce Peppin could've voted "yes" and then flip at least one other GOP "no" vote in the process, thus conjuring up the eight votes necessary.

But the prevailing sentiment from some Capitol reporters is Governor Mark Dayton, a stadium supporter, was betrayed by two Democrat colleagues on the HGOE Committee. Apparently one of the DFLers who voted "no" gave the Governor assurances he/she would vote "yes." From there, needing one more "yes" vote, Dayton attempted to reach out to another Democrat, only to not have his phone call returned. Had those two DFLers given their approval, the bill would have indeed made it through committee by an 8-7 margin.

But perhaps the most stupefying analogy for this stadium bill failing came courtesy of veteran Minneapolis journalist Larry Fitzgerald (via Twitter).

Vikings get kicked in the teeth again, 9-6. When it comes to the Vikings they get treated like Trayvon Martin. They get profiled and disrespected!

I've read this over and over and am still baffled how a teenager who was shot to death is analogous to a professional sports team being denied a taxpayer subsidized stadium. Huh.

Oh, and in totally unrelated news, if you're on Twitter, check out the new handle @LAVikings2013.

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A buffet of stupidity

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed nearly 30 jobs bills that have not even been brought to a vote by the US Senate. In addition to that, the Senate has not passed a budget in nearly three years.

So what has the "laziest Senate in 20 years" been focusing on lately? Well, since the upper chamber is controlled by Democrats, it's gimmicky class-warfare games of course. At the insistence of the White House's current occupant, the Senate has attempted to bring up for a vote the "Buffett Rule" which looks to increase minimum tax rates to 30% for those earning more than $1 million per year.

Unfortunately for the President and his Democrat colleagues, there weren't sixty votes for cloture in the Senate, thus killing the proposal

The Senate on Monday rejected the so-called “Buffett Rule” on a largely partisan roll call that was more of an election year show vote than a substantive debate on tax policy.

The procedural vote was 51-45, falling short of the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

The Buffett Rule — named after mega-investor Warren Buffett, who famously disclosed that he was paying a lower tax rate than his secretary – was designed to ensure that millionaires don’t skirt the higher tax rates often paid by the middle class.

First of all, that is such a disingenuous and utterly asinine way to measure taxes being paid.

The lower tax rate is often applied to investment income, which means the money initially earned (aka ordinary income) to make the investments was already taxed at the higher rate. Also, it boils down to simple math. Suppose someone who earns $2 million is taxed at, say, 15%. Then hypothetically that person hires a secretary who earns $75,000 and pays 20% of her salary in taxes. Who has the higher rate? The latter, of course. But who pays more in taxes in actual freaking dollars?!?!?! The former, to the tune of $300,000 to $15,000 for the latter, a 20-to-1 ratio!

What makes this demagoguery even more despicable is the fact that the Federal government is currently running annual deficits of more than one trillion dollars. Nevertheless, the Democrats continue to play these nonsensical class warfare games that, by the White House's own admittance, does nothing to solve the most pressing problem we face: out of control spending.

In closing, I'd like someone to answer a question for me. If this is such an important issue, the fact that the "one percent" should pay the same tax rate on their investment income as the middle-class pays on ordinary income, why wasn't this brought up when Democrats had complete control of Washington (including a "Super Majority" in the Senate) in 2009? It could've been rammed through within a week with that kind of control.

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My oh my, I'm seeing the potential. Let's just see what we can do......

Happy Tax Day! Since April 15 falls on a Sunday, you actually have a reprieve for filing your income tax returns until Tuesday! However, you're not so fortunate as to receive yet another week off from The Closer, which will air 1-3 pm CT today on AM 1280 The Patriot.

This week I am honored to welcome into the Patriot bunker for the entire two hours friends and fellow conservative talk radio pundits Jack Tomczak and Ben Kruse from The Late Debate !

We'll delve into such topics as "War on Women", Rick Santorum suspending his Presidential campaign, MLB managers praising dictators and college football coaches being fired in disgrace.


So please give us a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to discuss any of the topics we plan on addressing. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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Box score of the week

Someone once said that baseball manager Gene Mauch was "put on this earth to suffer" given some of the heart-wrenching losses he's endured (See 1986 ALCS Game 5 when his California Angels were one strike away from going to the World Series).

With that in mind, let's go back to 1961 when Mauch was in the midst of managing a dreadful Philadelphia Phillies squad that finished 47-107. Here's one of their rare victories that season.

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The 1961 Philadelphia Phillies set a Major League Baseball record for longest single-season losing streak by dropping 23 consecutive games from July 29th thru August 20th. The box score I've featured here is the game where that losing streak was finally snapped.

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Bon voyage, Bobby

When one has a well documented track record of lacking integrity and exhibiting a weak character, a public death knell to one's livelihood is almost inevitable. Sure, you'd like to think that such a person can be introspective and thus make the necessary changes which lead to behaving with a measure of decorum. Alas, such would not be the case with an embattled football coach.

Arkansas fired coach Bobby Petrino on Tuesday, saying he engaged in reckless behavior that included hiring his mistress and then intentionally misleading his bosses about everything from their relationship to her presence at the motorcycle accident that ultimately cost him his job.

"He made the decision to mislead the public, (and it) adversely affected the university and the football program," athletic director Jeff Long said at an evening news conference, choking up at one point as he discussed telling players the news. There was a "pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior to deceive me."

It was a stunning fall for Petrino, who had built Arkansas into a Southeastern Conference and national power over four seasons, including a 21-5 record the past two years. But Long made it clear that the success on the field was overshadowed by a laundry list of deceptive acts.

The 51-year-old Petrino was injured in an April 1 motorcycle accident. He was put on paid leave last week after admitting he lied about the presence of the 25-year-old employee, Jessica Dorrell, who had been riding with him.

Long said his investigation, which took less than a week, found that Petrino had even given Dorrell $20,000 at one point, though he wouldn't disclose what it was for. He also said Petrino was fired "with cause" -- meaning he will not receive a multimillion-dollar buyout -- and there were no discussions about ways to keep Petrino at Arkansas.

While the deception displayed by Petrino over the past couple of weeks certainly took on a new (and rather bizarre) twist, he's had a pattern of devious behavior over the past five-plus years.

After three seasons as head football coach with Louisville, Petrino signed a 10-year contract extension with the program just prior to the 2006 season. After winning the Orange Bowl in January 2007, Petrino bailed less than a week later to take the head coaching job with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, where he inked a 5-year deal.

Petrino appeared to be doomed from the start in Atlanta. A mere three months after Petrino accepted the Falcons coaching job, franchise QB Michael Vick was implicated in a dog fighting ring which led to a prison sentence that summer. Just like that, Petrino's new club was without its All Pro quarterback.

After twelve games of the 2007 season, the Falcons were 3-9 when they had an upcoming Monday night game against the New Orleans Saints. However, the week leading up to that contest, there was a persistent rumor that Petrino was looking to go back to the college ranks to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks. When confronted by Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Petrino vehemently denied said rumor. The Falcons were drubbed at home by the Saints on December 10. Less than 48 hours later, Petrino was at an introductory press conference in Fayetteville, AR leading fans and cheerleaders in their famous "Woo Pig Sooie" chant. He not only flat out lied to Blank he didn't even have the intestinal fortitude to tell the Falcons players in person that he accepted the head coaching job at Arkansas. In fact, when the Atlanta players arrived in their locker room that Wednesday morning, each team member had in their respective locker stalls a four-sentence goodbye letter from Petrino.

In the end, this latest incident where Petrino lied about the particulars of his motorcycle accident appeared to be a mere perpetuation of deceptive behavior. Even had this been an isolated incident, I find it hard to fathom how University of Arkansas officials could have kept him on as coach. When one's job involves sitting across a kitchen table from an 18-year old kid and reassuring his parents that he'll be in good hands for the next four years of their son's life, one must have an almost pristine reputation to earn that trust. Petrino put a severe crimp in that rep five years ago when walking away from a 10-year commitment. He effectively destroyed it with this latest round of deceit.

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Sayonara, Santo

The latest and perhaps most formidable non-Romney candidate amongst the GOP Presidential crop looks to be moving on.

Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign on Tuesday, bowing to the inevitability of Mitt Romney’s nomination and ending his improbable, come-from-behind quest to become the party’s conservative standard-bearer in the fall.

“We made a decision over the weekend, that while this presidential race for us is over, for me, and we will suspend our campaign today, we are not done fighting,” Mr. Santorum said.

Mr. Santorum made the announcement at a stop in his home state of Pennsylvania after a weekend in which he tended to his 3-year-old daughter, Bella, who had been hospitalized with pneumonia.

Mr. Santorum, who was holding back tears, did not exactly specify why he was ending his presidential bid. He referred to his daughter’s illness, but said she was making great progress and was back home after being hospitalized over the weekend.

Mr. Santorum called Mr. Romney earlier in the day to tell him of his plans to suspend his campaign. Mr. Santorum told Mr. Romney that he is committed to defeating President Obama, but that he is not going to endorse immediately, said a source familiar with the call.

Look, I never felt Santorum was a serious candidate, in terms of being able to oust the incumbent President. Sure, he made some serious headway in the GOP nomination process as an alternative to Romney, something that came as quite a surprise to many. But in the end, this campaign cycle will be based upon which GOP candidate can adequately revive the economy in addition to having the best chance to defeat Barack Obama. It would have been rather difficult for people to place faith in a candidate like Santorum who lost his last election by 18 percent while running as an incumbent US Senator in 2006.

But what may have been the final nail in the proverbial coffin was Santorum's insinuation that voters may as well stick with President Obama if Romney becomes the Republican nominee. Sure, Santorum made an attempt to walk back his comments a couple of days later, but it appeared to be too little too late. Nearly two weeks after those comments, Romney swept the three primary races in Wisconsin, Virginia and Washington, DC. Combine that with the fact that Romney is within two points of the lead in Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania (primary to take place April 24) in addition to receiving key endorsements from conservative stalwarts Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio, it's apparent that the GOP electorate and politicians alike want to shift the focus to Obama.

In my mind, Santorum provided a valuable service in his pushing Romney in so many primaries and caucuses. The fact the Romney has been battle-tested, as opposed to this process being a glorified coronation, will serve him well the remainder of this campaign cycle.

Yes, the real battle is only beginning.

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Quick Hits: Volume LV

-Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is utterly inept. A mere three days after getting his proverbial finger slapped for usurping the legislative branch of state government, Little Lord Fauntleroy Gov. Dayton allows us to hearken back to the days of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood by visiting the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

In a symbolic gesture, Dayton on Monday, April 9, vetoed of the voter-identification bill that the Republican-controlled Legislature sent him last week.

But the issue will be on the Nov. 6 statewide ballot anyway.

"Although I do not have the power to prevent this unwise and unnecessary constitutional amendment from appearing on the Minnesota ballot in November, the Legislature has sent it to me in the form of a bill," the DFL governor wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "Thus I am exercising my legal responsibility to either sign or veto the amendment."

He said he would "do whatever I can" to urge voters to reject the amendment.

Dayton also used this moment as an opportunity to show his propensity to be a short-sighted nimrod by proclaiming the Republican majority in the legislature is merely enacting a strategy to pass "whatever polls well to enhance their chances in November." Uh, a couple of things wrong with that bilge. First, the Republicans have, for at least four years now, been proposing some semblance of legislation requiring photo identification to vote (Heck, it was one of the signature issues in the 2010 campaign). However, the GOP hasn't had a majority in both chambers of the legislature in about forty years, so any efforts to pass such a bill were in vain. Second, it appears that a majority of Minnesotans support "Right to Work." So if Dayton's overall assertion were true, such legislation wouldn't be held up in committee at this point.

But hey, such pesky little facts aren't vital when one is seemingly detached from reality.


-Can you imagine if in his first season as New York Yankees manager in 2008, Joe Girardi had expressed some sort of admiration for Adolf Hitler? That on its face would be bad enough. But to do so in an area containing the largest population of Jewish people in America? Unconscionable.

I believe that fictitious scenario is analogous to what actually took place in a real-life interview in Time magazine.

In his nine years as a big-league manager, Ozzie Guillen has spit out insult after insult in his blunt style, offending, among others, gays, opponents of illegal immigration and even fellow Venezuelans.

Guillen has managed to get away with his polarizing screeds by offering up contrition after the fact.

But not even Guillen can hug the third rail of Miami discourse — praising Cuban leader Fidel Castro — without paying a steep price.

Guillen, the Miami Marlins’ first-year manager, has come under withering criticism locally after saying he has respect for Castro and “I love Fidel Castro,’’ in an interview with Time magazine.

He has since apologized for those comments, but that hasn’t stopped mushrooming outcry from some South Florida Cuban Americans, a group his ballclub hopes will fill the team’s new Little Havana stadium in coming years.

“Ozzie is quick at the mouth; always has been,” said Andy Gomez, an assistant provost and senior fellow at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami. “He’s a great manager, but he should stick to something he knows.”

With Tuesday being an off-day for the Marlins, Guillen plans to leave Philadelphia to return to Miami for a press conference to address the issue. He has offered up a large number of mea culpas for his coarse behavior in the past. But I daresay that his job has never been at stake to the degree that it may be at this point in time.

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Gone like the tears that used to tide me over....

Yes, I will not be live on the air for The Closer this week in order to commemorate the Easter Holiday.

But be sure to tune in to AM 1280 The Patriot from 1-3 pm Central next week for a very special edition of the program!

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Overreach thwarted

It's no secret that MN Governor Mark Dayton is in the bag for labor unions. As such, he attempted to circumvent the Legislature in an attempt to unionize child care providers. Such a gesture never made a lot of sense given the fact the licensed day care workers are independent contractors.

As a result, the Governor got his proverbial finger slapped.

A Ramsey County District Court judge issued a ruling on Friday saying that the executive order issued by Gov. Mark Dayton last year authorizing an election of state child care providers is “null and void.”

According to Judge Dale Lindman, Gov. Dayton exceeded his authority because the order was an “unconstitutional usurpation of the Legislature's constitutional right to create and or amend laws” and violated the Separation of Powers doctrine.

“By Executive Order 11-31, the Governor is attempting to circumvent the legislative process and unionize child care providers by executive order rather than adhering to a valid legislative process,” Lindman wrote in his ruling. “In doing so, the Governor has improperly superseded the Legislature’s authority and violated the separation of powers clause as set forth in the Minnesota Constitution.”

This ruling somewhat assuages the regret over the now unlikely scenario of a "Right to Work" amendment appearing on the ballot in November.

Truth be told, I wouldn't be at all shocked if the push for RTW legislation was merely posturing in the first place. As we have now learned, not enough Republicans are willing to experience the backlash similar to what Wisconsin GOP lawmakers endured when enacting such reforms.

Regardless of the outcome, the mere possibility of such legislation being crafted likely scared the unions blind, so all was not totally lost.

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Box score of the week

Yes, baseball is back! As is my wont, I will resume the publishing of an MLB box score every Friday throughout the baseball season.

Let's check out a game from early in the 2002 season featuring the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.

As always, I challenge you to ascertain the significance without Google, etc.

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Ron Wright, a 26-year old rookie with the Seattle Mariners, made his major league debut in this game. In three official at-bats, Wright accounted for six outs by striking out, hitting into a triple play and finally a double play. A few days later he would be sent back to the minor leagues. Injuries curtailed a return to the majors so he retired later that year.

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Snarlin' Arlen

Is it merely coincidental that just after Senator Arlen Specter became a Democrat in April 2009 that he turned into an insufferable jackass?

It was January 2010 while on Dom Giordano's radio program that Specter condescendingly demanded that Rep. Michele Bachmann "act like a lady" while discussing health care legislation. Can you imagine the veritable firestorm had someone like a Senator Mitch McConnell sneered towards Nancy Pelosi in the same manner?

I digress.

Then this past Friday on The Jason Lewis Show, Specter, who was on the program to shill for his new book, apparently didn't like sitting through a commercial break. Upon returning from said break, the octogenarian Specter bitched and moaned about having to endure such treatment and then promptly hung up.



Perhaps a nap or an adult diaper change was in order.

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It's more than a contest, it's more than a race...

Today on my radio program The Closer, I have the privilege of delving into two passions of mine: Politics and Sports.

In the 1:00 hour, I will be joined in studio by U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hegseth, who is vying for the GOP endorsement to oppose incumbent Senator Amy Klobuchar. In the final segment of the first hour, I am tentatively scheduled to be joined via telephone by MN state Senator Mike Jungbauer. Senator Jungbauer was recently redistricted into the new SD31 and was the runner-up in yesterday's GOP endorsement battle with fellow Senator Michelle Benson.

In the 2:00 hour, I will talk March Madness and NBA with great basketball mind Mike McCollow. Then to put a big bow on the guest-a-palooza, the aforementioned Michelle Benson will call in at 2:30 to talk about her receiving the GOP endorsement in SD31 as well as what lies ahead for the state of Minnesota.


So please give me a call at (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to chat with any of the guests joining the festivities. You can also text comments/questions to (651) 243-0390.

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 on your radio dial. In and out of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, you can listen to the program on the Internet by clicking this link.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #narn or "Like" our Facebook page.

Until then.....

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