The NARN Closer's playlist - 3/8/2026

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Sometimes, I get the feeling that I'm stranded in the wrong time........

Given it's "spring forward," I may be operating on one less hour of sleep, but today's edition of my radio show The Closer will still be in its usual 1-3 PM Central Time slot. 

In the first hour, we'll discuss the latest in the conflict in Iran, and how progs are miserable when it appears America is having success. Here in Minnesota, Dems try desperately to turn attention away from the rampant fraud. 

At 2:00, political wonk (and adviser for Sen. John Cornyn's reelection campaign) Matt Mackowiak will join the broadcast to discuss Texas politics, the latest regarding the 2026 midterms, etc. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCIX

 - It was long past due, but this is the correct move. 

Most people had seen enough, and now President Trump has, too.

On Thursday, Trump announced that he had decided to oust Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland security and was nominating Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace her. Hours earlier, our own Audrey Fahlberg was the first to report Trump was contemplating this change.

The former South Dakota governor was never well suited to the job, and neither was her partner in running the department, the loose-cannon former Trump consultant Corey Lewandowski. But Trump picked her and, as a practical matter, the two of them anyway.

Perhaps the most unforgivable aspect of Noem's tenure? Turning a popular issue (i.e. deportation of illegal immigrants) into a deeply loathed one. Border czar Tom Homan had the more politically prudent approach of deporting the "worst of the worst" whereas Noem, Lewandowski et al were willing to raid car washes and Home Depot parking lots. But the final straw was Noem's dismal showing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. In that testimony, Noem insisted the President was aware of a $200+ million DHS ad campaign, an allegation that left Trump furious. 

While Noem's dismissal is something progs have been calling for, I'm certain there is some level of disappointment among them that they can no longer use her presence as a "bloody shirt." 

- If you wanna know why there's a perception that Minnesota Dems don't seem overly concerned about the billions of dollars of fraud in the state, perhaps this might be a clue. 

... What?

Rep Pinto (D-St. Paul): "Yesterday, there was a presentation from a group seeking to change how we address organized retail theft... It would have been good to make sure that they would study the benefit of shoplifting and of retail theft because perhaps people are… pic.twitter.com/2NhXrY1Pre

— MN House GOP Rapid Response (@MNHRCWarRoom) March 5, 2026

I'm sure the small business owners in this state who are constantly being gouged by destructive prog policies appreciate that their businesses being further pillaged may be of "benefit" to the pillagers. 

- Yes, President Trump's approval rating barely more than a year into his second term is quite low. And if you hear the prog media spin it, he's the most unpopular second term POTUS perhaps in the history of the republic. 

But the numbers don't quite bear that, specifically when looking at the most recent two terms presidents. 

 

President Trump, Obama, Bush Approval on March 5, Second Year, Second Term

🔴Trump: 43.3%
🔵Obama: 42.5%
🔴Bush: 38.7%

RealClearPolitics Polling Average pic.twitter.com/8hWSfUavBZ

— RealClearPolling (@RCPolling) March 5, 2026

To be clear, this isn't something Trump fans should be taking a victory lap over. Both Bush and Obama were repudiated in the midterm elections within their respective second terms as the opposing political party garnered a net gain of double digits House seats in both cycles (+31 for Dems in 2006, +13 for Republicans in 2014). Given the GOP has a razor thin majority in House currently, attaining a majority doesn't appear to be too high a bar for Dems to clear in November. 

The one saving grace for Trump? His party has a better chance to retain its Senate majority, unlike his predecessors. 

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You've heard of schadenfreude.....

As some of you may know, I stan for conservative commentator Erick Erickson. And my admiration of him only grew this week when he coined a brand new term: Trumpenfreude. 

It's going to only get worse for the likes of Bill Kristol, Max Boot and Jen Rubin if indeed the administration's objectives are accomplished within their stated one month goal. That is because it is overwhelmingly popular with Americans. 

CBS POLL: Approve/Disapprove of Military action against Iran if think conflict would last...

🟢 Days/Weeks: 76-24 (+52)
🟤 Months: 46-54 (-8)
🔴 Years: 13-87 (-74)

YouGov | 3/2-3 | 1,399 A pic.twitter.com/BYEnUIGkS5

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) March 3, 2026

All involved will be in my fervent prayers.

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 3/1/2026

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Show me what it's like to be the last one standing......

Welp....I had my show all planned out by Thursday evening, only to have to alter it upon a certain epic event occurring Saturday. Regardless, I'll be able to adapt as my radio show The Closer will air today, 1-3 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, geopolitical wonk Amanda Peterson will join the broadcast to discuss Operation Epic Fury in Iran. With the strike having killed the Ayatollah Khamenei, what will be the fallout going forward? 

Then at 2:00, Sue Liebel of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America will join us via phone to weigh in on the dangers of the "abortion pill" mifepristone and how the FDA is not releasing a study showing its ill effects. 

In non-guest segments, I'll definitely want to talk about prog media looking to undermine the U.S. Men's Olympic hockey team's accomplishments simply because they accepted President Trump's invitation to the White House. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics we plan on addressing.

 

You can listen live in the Twin Cities at AM 1280 or, if you're near downtown Minneapolis/West Metro area, 107.5 FM 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, or check us out via iheart radio as well as Amazon Alexa (just say "Alexa, play The Patriot Minneapolis"). If you're unable to tune in live, please check out my podcast page for the latest show post.

And if you're so inclined, follow along on Twitter at #NARNShow or "Like" our Facebook page, where we also conduct a "Live Stream" of the broadcast.

Until then.....

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Answered prayers

I'll have a lot more to say about the U.S./Israeli military operations in Iran, one which eliminated Ayatollah Khamenei. 

For my money, this video footage from three weeks ago is what's on my mind at this moment. 

Iranian Christians singing Waymaker in Farsi, crying out to God for Iran pic.twitter.com/MOn2PK0OEp

— Jimmy (@v_howerton) February 7, 2026

This was in the aftermath of thousands of protesting Iranian citizens having been slaughtered by the regime. It would appear God heard the pleas of their fellow countrymen.

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Prog media just can't help themselves

It's been nearly a week since the USA Men's hockey team won the Olympic gold medal, but the prog media chooses to focus on their acceptance of well wishes from President Donald Trump as well as players laughing at what the press believed was a misogynist joke. 

This entire week the media and leftist pundits have been rushing to their podcast microphones, Substack pages, etc. to discuss the "fallout" from this "scandal." Apparently these folks see themselves as some sort of moral arbiters on what is a scandal and thus their breathless coverage of it is what constitutes a fallout. 

Thankfully, as Charles C.W. Cooke points out, not even the media can steal the unadulterated joy of U.S. citizens celebrating the epic of achievement of their fellow Americans. 

 

If you were to stop 100 people on the street at random and ask them about the USA’s victory on Sunday, how many do you think would fixate on the supposed jingoism of the team, or on President Trump’s phone call and White House invitation, or on Kash bloody Patel? Two? If that? Meanwhile, the other 98 would be busy talking about where they were when it happened, reflecting on whether they thought we were going to pull it out, and meditating upon that glorious moment — played over and over and over in the days since — when Jack Hughes smashed the puck into the back of the goal, and Kenny Albert shouted “Jack Hughes wins it, the golden goal for the United States, for the first time since the 1980 miracle!,” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird started up, and the boys in the band sat drinking beers during the press conference and talking about the thing that had everyone except the pencil pushers watching in the first place: hockey.

There were five members of the men's team who play for NHL squads based in Canada. You have some suggesting that Canadian citizens do what so many Americans refuse to do, which is essentially ostracize those players for choosing to appear with the eeeeeeeevil Trump. Once again, Charlie Cooke nails it. 

Ultimately, being an American involves accepting that the people who oppose you on some extremely important things are also Americans, and agreeing to coexist with them nevertheless. The progressive hockey fans who are devastated that their favorite players were happy to go to the White House are simply refusing to do that. That is their right, but there is no reason for anyone else to indulge their solipsism.

And I also adamantly refuse to let any individual, even someone as prominent as a sitting POTUS, have so much control over my mindset that I lose all semblance of rational thought. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCVIII

- The Public Safety Committee presented two gun control bills on Tuesday. And of course, Gov. Tim Walz, DFL legislators and other gun grabbers all attempted to stack the deck with emotional appeals since basic facts are not on their side. 

Undeterred, Amy Swearer brought the cold, hard (and indisputable) facts. 

And while gun grabbers have anointed themselves a compassionate and caring lot while labeling law-abiding gun owners as ghouls who care more about firearms than children, there was one anti-gun individual in particular who put forth a shameful display. 

Not exactly a great ambassador for Catholicism, eh? 

In the end, both bills failed to advance in committee, but the fight is not over. The speculation is Dems will wait until there is a public safety bill on the House floor and then attempt to amend the two gun control bills into that legislation. 

Definitely follow the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus to stay up on all the happenings. 

- Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse is a national treasure. Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer late last year, he's not long for this world. However, he has tremendous peace in where he'll spend eternity. 

This past Sunday was his 54th birthday. And since you attract what you are, Sasse likely has some jovial, fun-loving friends. And that was evidenced by the inscription on his birthday cake. 

(I have the best friends….) pic.twitter.com/usr0GFnbBZ

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) February 22, 2026

Last birthday on Earth? Quite likely. But leaving behind a legacy of unabashed faith, good cheer and humor? Most definitely.  

- Because the USA men's hockey team graciously accepted President Donald Trump's invitation to the White House as well as Tuesday's State of the Union address, they've been pilloried by prog sports media. 

Perhaps the most egregious offender is former Washington Post sports gal Sally Jenkins. 

epic meltdown by The Atlantic staff writer over USA Men’s Hockey pic.twitter.com/4wiZghrrSx

— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) February 24, 2026

As we've witnessed regularly, progs dealing in emotion over facts rarely ends well for them.  

Sally, do the profit/loss statement for the leagues next please. Then add the context of comparing local ratings to national ratings. Then add attendance comparisons. Then add which league is fully subsidized by a parent organization. You know, journalism stuff https://t.co/DrEhIEekPa

— John Kincade (@JohnKincade) February 24, 2026

Personally, this is where I stand. 

If you can look at these two photos and only celebrate one of them, politics has broken your brain. pic.twitter.com/PokFjWujEc

— Josh Wood (@J_K_Wood) February 23, 2026

I am extremely proud of any American athlete who represents the U.S.A. well, regardless if they align with my worldview. Sorry progs, but you ain't stealing my joy.  

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