Monday, December 02, 2024

Utterly predictable

If I were a betting man, I woulda gone with January 19th, 2025 for this to occur. 

Yes, despite multiple assurances from his administration (which we knew were lies anyways), President Joe Biden pardons his son Hunter

Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.

The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.

No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.

For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.


If President Biden really believes all of this, then he needs to pardon Donald Trump over his 34 felony convictions handed down six months ago. I mean, can anyone make a coherent argument that Trump wasn't "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted" and that these charges were in no way brought about by his "political opponents?" Sure, the sentencing of Trump in the hush money convictions is postponed indefinitely while he serves his 4-year term as POTUS, but there's still a nonzero change he could be saddled with jail time come 2029. But Biden pardoning him would ensure that never happens. 


This part of the statement is the proverbial chef's kiss - "I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice." Like manipulating legal statute to turn misdemeanors into felonies, which could lead to jail time, all to prevent someone from running for President again? 


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Sunday, December 01, 2024

On today's NARN.....

I am traveling for my day job, but there will be a special edition of my radio show The Closer today from 1:00 PM until 3:00 Central Time. 


Abshir Omar, who was one of a handful of Minneapolis Somalis who left the Democrats to support Donald Trump last month, will be guest hosting today. Sadly, Abshir's nephew was murdered Thanksgiving Day, further validating his decision to split with leftists over their fecklessness concerning violent crime in Minneapolis. Nevertheless, Abshir has chosen to fulfill his commitment to guest-hosting today's show. 



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.
Until then.....


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Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Thankful

I begin my daily prayers with the same sentiment every time - "Heavenly Father, thank you for this day You have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." So now that we're approaching the Thanksgiving holiday, it's not difficult for me to express gratitude since I'm in the mode of doing so daily. 


Something I've been conveying a lot lately in our weekly "Connect Group" is how I've been reflecting on things I prayed for consistently 10 and 20 years ago, and how so many of those prayers have since been answered. So whenever I catch myself expressing dismay over anything these days, I do a "self-check" by reminding myself that I have so much of what I've been praying for. As such, it immediately triggers a spirit of thankfulness while also serving as a reminder of God's precious promises. Sure, there are still going to be seasons where there are struggles. But my go-to scripture for decades now has been 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which says "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." It may seem counter-intuitive to give thanks in a circumstance involving, say, a death of a loved one or a financial crisis. But notice it doesn't say to be thankful for those things, but rather in those circumstances. Because in every circumstance, God is faithful and thus will never leave us nor forsake us.


For my money, that's the ultimate reason to give thanks......and not just during the holiday season. 


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Sunday, November 24, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 11/24/2024



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Well, it rolls like a train that's a-comin' on down the track.........

 It's the final Sunday of November, and we'll be live on the air for today's edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour broadcast will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 


In the 1:00 hour, I'll discuss the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz for U.S. Attorney General and how President-elect Trump dodged a bullet. Also, the Dems' attempts to steal the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate election rightly failed. 


The in the 2:00 hour, I'll weigh in on political issues which have a Minnesota angle. 


At 2:30, Ralph Drollinger of Capitol Ministries will be on to promote his weekend radio broadcast which can be heard on The Patriot. 



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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Thursday, November 21, 2024

There's an "AG" in Gaetz, but only in his last name

I can't say I'm devastated about this





Even if Gaetz got all the way to confirmation hearings before the Senate, there was virtually no chance of 50 out of 53 Republican Senators voting yes (with VP J.D. Vance breaking the tie). Truth be told, the Gaetz pick itself was a bucket of cold water thrown on the good vibes of President-elect Trump's solid early cabinet/leadership staff picks. 

With the GOP having the legislative trifecta in D.C. for at least two years, this nomination just seemed like Trump (intentionally or not) setting the stage for contentiousness with Senators whom he definitely needs in order to implement an impactful agenda. Thankfully we've avoided the prospects of Trump openly calling out Senators of his own party once they inevitably started to signal that Gaetz's confirmation was in peril. And this also shuts down the fantasy talk of Trump installing Gaetz as a recess appointment

Trump isn't even President yet, but this whole saga had the potential to be one of his classic (and utterly avoidable) dumpster fires. It's nice to have this reprieve, though I suspect it'll be temporary. 

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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Quick Hits: Volume CCCLX

 - Since the riots at the U.S. Capitol on 1/6/2021, not a day has gone by where at least a few Dems and fervent anti-Trumpers haven't shrieked about how Republicans will never again accept election results if they lose. 


But when three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) looks to have lost re-election this cycle to Republican challenger Dave McCormick, yet refuses to concede? Suddenly those concerns of "election denial" have disappeared faster than set of rims in the parking lot of a hip hop concert. 


In at least four counties — Bucks, Philadelphia, Centre and Montgomery — local election officials are acting in open defiance of a ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that arrived weeks before the election. The court found that mail ballots that are missing the date on the outer envelope, or have the wrong date, cannot be counted for this election.

The Bucks County election commission felt differently.

“It is a pretty stupid thing to not count someone’s vote simply because they didn’t date an envelope for a ballot,” said Robert Harvie Jr., the chairman of the board and a Democrat, during a meeting on Tuesday where the board voted 2-1 to count 405 ballots with date errors on the envelope. He added that election officials know when ballots were printed for voters, making the outer envelope date requirement meaningless.

“The law needs to be changed,” Mr. Harvie said.


Undermining democracy for we, not for ye. 


Also, one official in particular determined that if the law needs to ne changed, just go ahead and ignore what's currently on the books. 

 

Bucks County commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia infamously contended, “I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country, and people violate laws any time they want.”

As a reminder, the woman who declared “people violate laws any time they want” serves on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. I guess she was brought on for her expertise in how criminals justify their lawbreaking.


Any prog from here forward who cites January 6 as a direct attack on our democracy but willingly ignores what's occurring in the Keystone state should be mercilessly mocked and ridiculed. 



- Sure, Kamala Harris losing the 2024 presidential election was a good thing for America. But we conservatives oughta be thanking her for more than merely being a terrible candidate so as to spare us from her occupying the Oval Office the next four years. 


 



Thank you for your 2A advocacy, Madame Vice President!



- Say, remember how for the past four years many Democrat U.S. Senators advocated getting rid of the legislative filibuster so as to implement a vast array of radical far left policy? Anyone with half a brain knew then that it wasn't exactly a principled stance, rather an attempted power grab. Soon-to-be Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pretty much confirmed that after the latest election cycle. 

 

“To my Republican colleagues, I offer a word of caution in good faith: Take care not to misread the will of the people, and do not abandon the need for bipartisanship. After winning an election, the temptation may be to go to the extreme. We’ve seen that happen over the decades, and it has consistently backfired on the party in power. So, instead of going to the extremes, I remind my colleagues that this body is most effective when it’s bipartisan. If we want the next four years in the Senate to be as productive as the last four, the only way that will happen is through bipartisan cooperation.”


Translation: Sorry for all that sabre rattling on that filibuster thingy. We didn't really mean it. Pinky swear.


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Sunday, November 17, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 11/17/2024



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In a world of pain I have no peer.......

I'll be back live in the Patriot bunker for today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Despite the 2024 election cycle being pretty much behind us, some people wanna re-litigate what happened in 2020. Also, where do Georgia's elected Republicans go for their apology over the misinformation regarding their voter reform bill from 2021?

At 1:30, political wonk Matt Mackowiak will join the broadcast to weigh in on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks thus far. 

Then at 2:00, GOP communications consultant Preya Samsundar will stop by to discuss how the MNGOP can learn from previous mistakes to make inroads on winning statewide. 


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.....


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

Thursday, November 14, 2024

A new U.S. Senate Majority Leader

At the 2006 Minnesota State Fair, my wife and I volunteered at the Mark Kennedy for U.S. Senate booth. With Sen. Mark Dayton not seeking reelection, this Senate seat would be an open contest. We figured a multi term Congressman like Kennedy was in a good position to defeat a glorified ambulance chaser like Amy Klobuchar, who was taking her first crack at national political office (oh how naïve we were). 

There was also extra incentive for Jennifer and I to volunteer this day as the junior U.S. Senator out of South Dakota was going to be in town campaigning on Kennedy's behalf. We were especially thrilled to meet this young Senator since he was a mere 21 months removed from ousting chief George W. Bush antagonist Tom Daschle. 



 
As of this past Wednesday, that South Dakota Senator (now the state's senior Senator in his fourth term) is the Senate Majority Leader!




Congratulations, Sen. Thune!

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Eat multiple crows

If you would have asked me back in August how I thought my Minnesota Vikings would fare this season, I was in the camp of at least 7 wins (not exactly a high bar given they won 7 games in 2023 while starting four different quarterbacks), with a ceiling of 10 victories. 

While I felt good that the offense was stacked (and thus even a pedestrian QB like Sam Darnold could succeed), I wasn't sure how the defense would fare. But with Brian Flores still the D-coordinator, the team would at least be competitive while they transition to their franchise QB JJ McCarthy starting in 2025. As such, their Super Bowl window should be open in 2026. 

While I was fine if the Vikes had a relatively down year in '24, I found myself rooting like heck for them to reach that 7-win threshold when this blowhard hit his social media community with this take last May: 




A couple of months later, his trolling of my Vikings continued: 




Self-anointed expert guy apparently forgot the Vikings have on their roster a generationally talented WR in Justin Jefferson, a solid #2 in Jordan Addison (who was terrific as the top target in 2023 when Jefferson missed several games due to injury) and a top 5 TE in TJ Hockenson. Add to that free agent RB Aaron Jones and I would argue the Vikes have at least the third best complement of weapons in the NFC North, maybe even second behind the Detroit Lions. When called out on his ignorance, "TroyNFL" hit back with how McCarthy isn't ready to lead such a dynamic offense. It was then I knew he was talking out of his a** since McCarthy (even before his injury) was not slated to begin the season as a starter. 

I know what you're probably thinking. Why do I care what some random bozo on the internet believes? And while I'm one to merely roll my eyes at smack talkers, I get irritated by guys who talk sh*t while also exhibiting unearned arrogance. So when "Troy" was asking in that first video "Where the hell are these seven wins gonna come from?," I was positively giddy (and perhaps a little smug) this past Sunday that I could reply to that video with "FOUND THE 7 WINS!!!!!"

And perhaps the most gratifying? One of those wins were over his personal favorite club - the San Francisco 49ers!

I still maintain that Vikings' ceiling this season is 10 wins and maybe a single playoff victory, but I can definitely say the season will not be a lost cause for me personally. 


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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

The kind of stand-up act you give......

 ....when you know that you're "un-cancelable."


Or, in the case of comedian Bill Burr, you no longer give a squat. 





If you watch the video closely, there is a woman among the band located behind Burr. I can't tell if she was highly offended or attempting to stifle laughter. 

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

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Quick Hits: Volume CCCLIX

 - Say, remember when the walking cadaver in the White House claimed Georgia's 2021 voter reform bill would suppress the black vote? 'Cause I 'member.





After yet another election cycle where Georgia saw all-time records in early voting and overall turnout, Jeff Jacoby at The Boston Globe is wondering where Georgia's elected Republicans go for their apology. 

 

It may be too much to expect the president to retract anything he has said about Trump specifically. But if he sincerely wishes to cool the overheated atmosphere of the past few years, he might start by publicly taking back his slanders about Georgia’s election law. Nearly four years of data have now proven conclusively that there was no attempt to prevent Georgians from voting. The “Jim Crow” line of attack was sheer racial demagoguery with no basis in fact.

Biden ought to say so and apologize for his role in promoting such an ugly libel. Not just because it would be the right thing to do but because it would set an example of how a mature and moral leader can make amends for contributing to the rancor and meanness of our civil discourse. Such a demonstration of contrition by the outgoing president might give the incoming president something to think about and — who knows? — perhaps even emulate.


To be fair, I'm not 100% convinced that Biden didn't merely spout was being shown on a teleprompter. I mean, if Pinocchio conveyed something so nasty, would it be he or Geppetto who should relay the apology? 



- With Minnesota voters thankfully ending the DFL trifecta in state government this election cycle, there's a way forward to actually secure majorities in the Minnesota Legislature. And dare I say there's groundwork established for winning state wide?


Just prior to Election Day, State Rep. (and conservative powerhouse) Walter Hudson gave his perspective at Hot Gas Air


(The) radical agenda (implemented in 2023 & 2024) is the result of eligible conservative voters who stayed home in 2022, voters whose values align with the Republican platform. Contrary to the familiar media narrative, those voters include a growing number of minorities. If Minnesota Republicans and allied organizations can organize and engage these voters, Minnesota could shift from blue to red. We’ve already seen this realignment since 2016, when Trump came within 2% of winning the state, and the traditionally Democratic Iron Range flipped to red. This year, we’re on track to secure rural Minnesota and make inroads in urban areas. In fact, just a few percentage points’ shift in key counties could be enough to tip future elections.

In conversations with community members in the Twin Cities and North Minneapolis, I constantly hear stories of political fatigue. Minneapolis and St. Paul, under decades of Democratic leadership, have promised “change” and “progress,” but many residents feel nothing improves in their neighborhoods. I’ve often heard Black residents say they don’t vote because it doesn’t seem to matter: “Nothing ever changes in the neighborhood.”


Let's face it: it's highly unlikely a MN GOP candidate will ever win an election in an urban Senate or House District. But if they start attaining upper 30s, maybe even 40% of the vote in a given race? That would go a long way to breaking the nearly 20-year losing streak in statewide elections. 


Thankfully, many activists are learning that bolstering that kind support will require more than candidates being airdropped into those districts mere weeks before an election.  



- I've seen many instances of this particular graph being circulated on social media since the morning after Election Day. 





People on both sides of the aisle were citing Kamala Harris' 15 million less votes than Joe Biden as proof some shenanigans were afoot. Some (not all, but some) Harris supporters claimed that her 2024 votes were being hidden or destroyed while some Trump supporters suggested this validated their assertions that millions of extra votes were fraudulently cast in 2020.

Of course, both groups are full of crap. 

The fact of the matter is this chart represents a snapshot of votes counted in less than 24 hours after polls closed on Tuesday, November 5. It typically takes at least a week (sometimes longer) for all ballots to be tabulated. Also, who's the buffoon who designed that bar graph? They started the y-axis at 50 million (instead of the standard 0) to make the 15 million vote discrepancy appear even more daunting. 

In the end, 158.4 million votes were cast in 2020. When it's all said and done, 2024 turnout is expected to come in at 156.2. That's still fewer raw votes overall, but ain't FIFTEEN MILLION less. 

Here is a schematically accurate bar graph to show how the '24 POTUS race will ultimately shake out:
 



In short, stop being an idiot. 


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Sunday, November 10, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 11/10/2024



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They wanna come up real quick before they start to clown......

No mystery what we're gonna talk about today. 


With the 2024 election cycle finally behind us, I'll recap why Trump and Republicans were able to seize power in Washington, D.C. Also, if the five days since Election Day is any indication, progs have learned exactly zero lessons as to why their lunacy was rejected at the ballot box. 


I'll also weigh in on the Minnesota political landscape and what failed VP candidate Tim Walz will face now that he has to get back to his job as the state's governor. 



You can listen 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.

Until then.....


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Thursday, November 07, 2024

Welcome back, Gov. Walz

At least we were spared from having to witness a U.S. Vice President doing this over the next four years: 






With Democrat VP candidate Tim Walz now having to come home to Minnesota to reassume his current job as the state's governor, the dynamic will be a little different than the previous two legislative sessions. 


As I write this, Minnesota Republicans have flipped three DFL-held MN House seats to forge a 67-67 tie in that legislative body. With two DFL seats (14B in St Cloud and 54A in Shakopee) subject to a recount (incumbents have miniscule leads in both), there's a nonzero chance the GOP could seize the majority when it's all said and done. But for this exercise, let's assume the membership remains deadlocked. If House Republicans stay unified, it's possible the only substantive legislation to get through this next biennium would be the 2025 state budget. This means the DFL would actually have to (GASP!) garner GOP input if any bills are to make it to the governor's desk. For my money, gridlock is far preferable to the buffet of lunacy that sailed through the 2023 and 2024 sessions. 


With Walz still smarting from being part of a losing presidential ticket, thus having to return to Minnesota with his tail tucked between his legs, how will he handle national leftists (and many media members) no longer fawning over him now that access to the "buffet" has been blocked? I've heard from many legislators how thin-skinned the guy is in addition to his being a bad faith negotiator. Granted, those traits weren't as apparent the past two years since DFLers gave the wave off to any GOP input. But since Walz no longer has the luxury of turning his back on the right these next two legislative sessions, my guess is he'll be downright pissy over the next couple of years. And if he intends on seeking a third term for governor, how is he going to navigate his reelection message if he's shown to not being able to work well with others? 


One final thought: what happens if Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) is ultimately forced to step away due to issues surrounding her alleged felony burglary? With the Dems holding a scant 34-33 majority in the MN Senate, that would leave both chambers deadlocked. It would be quite entertaining to hear which party comes up with the more creative way to label their political opposites as "obstructionists."


While I always lament the beginning of a Minnesota legislative session, I gotta confess that I'm pretty intrigued by the 2025 gathering. Popcorn's poppin'. 


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Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

The Chronicles of NARN: Election 2024

Mitch Berg, Jack Tomczak and I will be broadcasting live from MN GOP Headquarters in Bloomington this evening, starting at 8:00 Central Time. 


We'll pore over incoming results as well as give our perspective on what's at stake.  



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.

Until then.....


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

Election 2024: Prediction time

Based on little more than gut instinct, here's how I see this cycle shaking out.


MN House: The DFL holds a 70-64 majority, meaning the Republicans need a net gain of four seats. I've talked to about two dozen GOP candidates this cycle and a significant number of them told me that voters are most concerned about economic issues, which overwhelmingly favors Republicans this cycle. 

If I could have only one of two outcomes of Donald Trump being elected President or the GOP taking the majority in the MN House, I wouldn't hesitate in going with the latter. 

Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but I say Republicans take back the House with a 5-8 seat gain. 


MN Senate: While the entire Senate is not up for election, there is one DFL-held seat (Senate District 45) that is in play. Incumbent Sen. Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven) resigned her seat to run for Congress in Minnesota CD3. 

GOP candidate Kathleen Fowke is putting in the work necessary to flip this seat and thus ensure at least one legislative chamber be a backstop against a far left agenda. And if this was an off-year "special election," the race might be more of a wildcard. Unfortunately, normal election turnout signals that a solid DFL seat remains in that column. 

I'm ripe for a surprise, but I believe that DFL candidate Ann Johnson Stewart emerges with close to a double digit victory. 


U.S. House delegation from Minnesota: Republican incumbents Brad Finstad, Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber will win their reelection bids in Minnesota's First, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Congressional Districts, respectively. 

Dem incumbents Betty McCollum (CD4) and Ilhan Omar (CD5) will also prevail. 

With Democrat incumbent Dean Phillips not seeking reelection in CD3, Dem candidate Kelly Morrison will likely defeat Republican challenger Tad Jude in what has become (unfortunately) a solid blue district. 

The only "toss up" among the 8 Congressional Districts is the Second, where Democrat Congresswoman Angie Craig is receiving a serious challenge from GOP candidate Joe Teirab. Rep. Craig has won three elections in CD2, but none by more than 5.5%. While she's played up the "moderate Dem" label throughout her career, Craig was more than willing to accept assistance on her campaign from local candidates who are down with "defunding the police." Rather curious given she was endorsed by the MN Police and Peace Officers Association. You know that the DNC is worried about this seat when House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries came to town to help out. Not really sure how a radical leftist like Jeffries is supposed to be an asset to self proclaimed moderate like Craig, but whatever. 

Of all the candidates Craig has faced, Teirab has appeared to be the most organized and well funded challenger, even more so that Jason Lewis. I don't know what more he could've done to seize this race. 

With all that said, I see Craig surviving, albeit barely. Call it a 2-3% margin of victory. 


U.S. Senate race in MN: Three-term incumbent Sen. Amy Klobuchar has never garnered less than 58% of the vote in a U.S. Senate race nor has she ever won by less than 20%. Both streaks might be in jeopardy here against Republican Royce White, but she will still win comfortably.


U.S. House: Right now the Republicans hold a razor thin majority at 220-212 (3 seats are currently vacant). The GOP has 201 seats considered "Leans GOP" or better. If they capture all those plus the 17 Republican seats considered "toss ups," that puts them right at 218, the minimum needed for a majority. 

Based on nothing but guesswork, I say Republicans wind up with 220-225 seats to maintain a slim majority. 


U.S. Senate: The only prediction I'm confident in is the Republicans will take control of the Senate. With Dems clinging to a 51-49 majority, Republicans need to flip two Dem held seats. Right out of the gate, the GOP should easily take West Virginia (Gov. Jim Justice will prevail, taking over for retiring Dem Joe Manchin) and Montana (Jon Tester will be denied a fourth term by Tim Sheehy). 

Given there are no Republican held seats in legitimate danger of flipping, this would be a great opportunity to run up the score. Other vulnerable incumbent Democrats include Tammy Baldwin (WI), Bob Casey, Jr. (PA) and Sherrod Brown (OH). With Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) not seeking reelection, Michigan is also in play for Republicans. Of those states, it would seem Ohio is the best opportunity to flip given Donald Trump will win that state comfortably. As such, GOP candidate Bernie Moreno will be the beneficiary of Trump's coattails. 

Within the past week, Arizona's open Senate seat has suddenly moved to the toss-up category as the state's citizens are finding out Democrat Ruben Gallego is a leftist in the motif of "The Squad." Unfortunately, GOP candidate Kari Lake alienated a lot of Republican voters with her disdain towards the late Sen. John McCain who, whatever you think of him, was borderline revered by many Arizonans. I guess it's no wonder Independents comprise the largest voting bloc in the state given the best the GOP could do for this race was nominate a failed 2022 gubernatorial candidate. 

By all rights, Nevada Republican Sam Brown should be doing much better in his race against Sen. Jacky Rosen. While it's technically a "toss up," I don't recall him being any closer than 4 points. 

In the end, I believe Republicans will wind up with a minimum of 52 seats, with a realistic potential to reach 55.


President of the United States: If Donald Trump wins all the states he won in 2020, that gives him a baseline of 235 Electoral Votes. From there, I believe he has the easier path to 270. Of course, I said in 2016 that Hillary Clinton had the more realistic path to victory, so.....


In addition to the 235 EVs securely in the Trump column, I believe he wins Georgia (16 EVs) and Arizona (11) to put him at 262. If he gets there, then he only needs to win one of the three "blue wall" states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Kamala Harris needs all three to prevail, which is absolutely not beyond the realm of possibility. 

With Trump at 262, I say he'll also take Nevada as well as the one electoral vote in Nebraska which he lost in '20 but won in '16 (Nebraska allocates their EVs by Congressional District). 







If that's all Trump gets, here's what the map looks like: 



 



Yep. I'm chickening out by not predicting an outright winner. 

I am honestly prepared for every scenario with the exception of a Harris blowout. And given we've been living in "unprecedented times" for what seems like a decade now, I actually wanna see the 12th Amendment put into play here. 


As always......happy voting. 

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Sunday, November 03, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 11/3/2024



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Don't use your gender to drive a stake right through my soul.....

Two. More. Days. 

It feels as though we've been talking about the 2024 election cycle for two solid years, so we're about ready to "land the plane." Yes, I'll be on the air live today for the usual broadcast of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll talk with two different Republican candidates for MN House. At 1:00, Sue Ek will join us via phone to tout her candidacy in House District 14B (northern St. Cloud). Then at 1:15, Rep. Elliott Engen will be on to discuss his reelection bid HD 36A (Lino Lakes, Centerville, Circle Pines, North Oaks, northern White Bear Township). 

In the 2:00 hour, I will come to bury the mainstream media, not to praise it. 


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.....


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

Friday, November 01, 2024

They *still* think you're stupid

Given the media wasn't able to effectively cover for President Joe Biden referring to Donald Trump supporters as "garbage," they have to fabricate a story to ensure Trump is seen as the blood-thirsty fascist they claim him to be. 





Prog journos like this Hunt gal know full well this is a complete mischaracterization, but it's a necessary evil to perpetuate the narrative


If there's one area where Trump has been consistent over the years, it's his disdain for sending American soldiers into war (heck, he was a civilian in 2008 when he said George W. Bush should've been impeached for "getting us into the (Iraq) war with lies."). So anyone with half a brain can surmise that Trump was saying it's easy to vote on sending Americans to combat zones when the people authorizing such actions never have theirs or their kids' lives ever being in danger. We can debate whether that's a logical argument, but it's what he's conveying nonetheless. And how convenient that the clip was cut before Trump's statement regarding his assertion that Cheney "always wanted to go to war with people." But that would have provided actual clarity, so we can't have that. 


It's not exactly a new development that the mainstream media is utterly corrupt, and this quote from an "anonymous TV exec" shows the continued lack of introspection. 





Making this quote public may only fortify Trump's chances of victory next week. One could argue it's an in-kind contribution.


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

Thursday, October 31, 2024

They think you're stupid

For at least four decades now, the vast majority of American media members have clearly chosen a political side. So it should come as zero surprise that they're attempting to clean up (instead of, y'know, reporting facts) after the latest faux pas from the walking cadaver in the White House. 




This was in response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's remarks at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally this past Sunday. 


 



First off, Hinchcliffe is a professional roaster, so that context is important. Also, this wasn't aimed so much at Puerto Ricans as it was the actual island which has been overrun by mounting trash. While I'm not certain it's the wisest course of action to have an edgy comedian speak at a presidential rally nine days before an election, Hinchcliffe's remarks are hardly commentary on specific policy


With all that in mind, I'll let you be the judge on if Biden was referring to a comedian's intolerance or Trump supporters themselves. 





Look, it's possible a feeble 82-year old man was attempting to convey that the only garbage he saw was "intolerance" but it came across badly since he no longer possesses the capacity to make coherent remarks. But if that's the case here, then that opens up a whole new can of worms. Specifically, how this confirms the media and White House comms team were gaslighting the American public when spinning yarns of Biden running circles around staff young enough to be his grandchildren. Either way, the only explanations for Biden's comments are 1) incoherent ramblings of a mentally degraded ol' fella or 2) a sitting POTUS calling half the country "garbage."


Conservative commentator Erick Erickson noticed something in another laughable attempt at cleaning up aisle 46.

 

After the fact, the White House went into damage control and released a transcript where they added an apostrophe to “supporters,” turning it into “supporter’s,” but it makes no sense in context. Because here is the full context:

 


So it was a single supporter’s garbage or “his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable?”

I realize we are at the point where progressives think a single person can be a “they,” but now a single supporter has garbage? No, the only way this makes any sense at all is without the apostrophe that someone added after the fact for damage control, i.e., (1) “the only garbage I see is his supporters” and (2) “his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American.”

It boggles the mind to think Biden believes otherwise, considering his whole party already believes anyone who attends a Trump rally is a Nazi. Again, you can hear Joe Biden in your own words talk about Trump’s supporters as garbage and then pivoting to talk about Trump himself.


The media (specifically the WaPo) are willing to parse prog remarks in the motif of Bill Clinton's "it depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is," yet willfully ignore full context of Trump referring to a Biden election as a proverbial bloodbath for the American automobile industry, instead suggesting Trump meant literal blood being spilled if he loses. 


That the media is so unwilling to engage in even a scintilla of introspection as to why trust in their profession has degraded is a far greater threat to democracy than Trump himself. 


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

Monday, October 28, 2024

Box Score of the Week (Final one of 2024)

It's World Series time!


In honor of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees meeting for the 12th time in the Fall Classic, let's go back to 1947 for Game 1 of the then Brooklyn Dodgers taking on the Yanks


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

With the Dodgers' Jackie Robinson having broke baseball's color barrier earlier that year, this was the first ever integrated World Series. Also, it was the first Fall Classic to appear on broadcast television, albeit limited to a handful of markets in the New York state area. 


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Sunday, October 27, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/27/2024



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

Now we'll try to stay blind to the hope and fear outside.....

Welp....we're down to single digit number of days until Election Day, so we're looking to finish strong the next couple of weekends. My 2-hour radio show The Closer gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time today. 


It's certainly no secret that we need to flip the Minnesota House of Representatives to a GOP majority, so that means more Republican House candidates today. 


1:30 - Doug Willetts, House District 52B (northeastern Eagan, Mendota Heights).


2:00 - Angeline Anderson, HD 56B (Rosemount, southeastern Eagan, southeastern Apple Valley). 


2:30 - John Bristol, HD 37B (eastern Maple Grove). 


Also, I'll weigh in on the latest in the presidential race. 



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.....


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

Thursday, October 24, 2024

"The Hill" opinion writer ponders: Say, maybe that doddering old fool wasn't so bad after all

How dire things must be for Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris when less than two weeks from Election Day someone writes this.


No matter who wins, we have to ask: Would President Biden have been a better candidate and choice despite suffering from the effects of age and 81 years? Further, suppose that the disastrous June 27 debate with Trump had not taken place, or that Biden had been firing on all cylinders that night. Would Biden have been forced to withdraw? And whether Harris loses or wins, some will ask whether Biden might still have been a better candidate.

First off, there was no official reason given for Biden's departure. Had Harris, Tim Walz or any other prominent elected Dem suggested that the President's feeble mindedness and/or physical degradation resulted in his withdrawal from the race a mere 3-1/2 months before Election Day, it would've been a p.r. disaster. Specifically, they would've had to answer for why they downplayed (or flat out denied) Biden's frailties. 

Quite simply, Biden was "forced to withdraw" due to the fact that he was losing to Trump. That's it. And because he couldn't even adequately perform his job outside a window of 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM, it would've left little to no ability to navigate the grind of a reelection campaign. Leftists knew this of course, but they and their media lapdogs chose to gaslight the American people by saying he was as sharp as ever. 

Another reason the author theorizes Biden might've been a superior campaigner to Harris? Why, that dignified lady just isn't savaging Trump enough. 

For some reason, the Harris campaign has downplayed (Trump's criminal) conviction and his three other pending cases, as well as Trump’s major character flaws.

You mean Harris suggesting that Trump would be Hitler-like in that he'd demand the military be loyal to him as opposed to the Constitution???? I mean, someone allegedly possessing a fascist nature seems like a significant character flaw to me. Or maybe, juuuuuuust maybe Harris knows her far left bona fides aren't a general election winner, so her default campaign message is basically "at least I'm not evil like TRUMP!!!!!" But if the "tRuMp Is LiTeRaLlY hItLeR" didn't stick in 2016 (especially since he served a full term as President without his exterminating his detractors), it ain't gonna fly this cycle. 

Harris's inept campaign serves as a reminder of why she had to withdraw from the 2020 race as well as why some leftist outlets suggested barely more than a year ago that Biden drop the most unpopular VP in history from the ticket. She is so awful that some are now pining for the days of a walking cadaver campaigning via Zoom. And yet, Trump himself is so deeply flawed that this race is somehow still a tossup. 

I'm beyond ready for this campaign to be over. 

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

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

History rhyming?

As we're two weeks out from Election Day, I continue to be fixated on the Minnesota House races. Bottom line is if the Republicans don't seize control of that chamber (they need a net gain of 4 seats this election), it'll be another two years of unshackled DFL power from which my beloved state may never recover. 


I expressed a variation of this take recently on the radio show when a friend of mine texted me during the broadcast. He reminded me the MN Senate is technically up for grabs. Indeed, while the entire Senate is not up this cycle, there is a special election taking place in Senate District 45. Given that this is a DFL held seat and the Dems hold a mere 34-33 majority in the Senate, the Republicans would gain control of that chamber if GOP candidate Kathleen Fowke prevails. 


When I thought more about the dynamics of the 2024 MN legislative races, I couldn't help but recall the 2016 cycle and how it nearly parallels this year. 


In 2016, incumbent DFL Senator Terri Bonoff (Minnetonka area) did not seek reelection in order to run as the Democrat in Minnesota's Third Congressional District. This year, incumbent Sen. Kelly Morrison (Minnetonka area) resigned her position in the aforementioned SD 45 in order to run as the Democrat in Minnesota's Third Congressional District. 


In 2016, Republican candidate Paul Anderson prevailed in Bonoff's district by a mere 195 votes (a 0.39% margin of victory), giving the GOP a net gain of six seats in the Senate to give them a....you guessed it.....34-33 majority. It will definitely be a significant upset if Fowke emerges victorious in what is basically the same district Anderson won in '16. But the similarities to what happened 8 years ago will be undeniable if that occurs. 


Here's hoping! 


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

Monday, October 21, 2024

Box Score of the Week (POSTSEASON EDITION)

Game 6 of the 1986 National League Championship Series - New York Mets at Houston Astros.


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


At 16 innings, this was the longest game in LCS history. 


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

Sunday, October 20, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/20/2024



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

Those diamond dreams, they can't disguise the truth.....

The calendar says mid October, but the Twin Cities weather screams June. Regardless, I'll be in the Patriot bunker for today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour festivities get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 


By now you've sensed a theme on my show the past few months where I've hosted myriad political candidates looking to restore sanity to MN state government. As such, there will be three more Republican candidates for the MN House joining the broadcast today. 


1:00 - Alex Moe, House District 32B (eastern Blaine, Lexington). 

1:30 - Ken Navitsky, HD 25A (northern Rochester, Oronoco). 

2:00 - Aaron Paul, HD 54A (Shakopee). 


In the non guest segments, I'll definitely weigh in on Kamala Harris's one-on-one interview with Fox News Channel's Bret Baier. 



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.....


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

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Far from over

In all seriousness, I applaud Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris for sitting down with Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday evening for a one-on-one interview. Granted, it's pretty late in the game to be doing so given we're less than three weeks from Election Day, but it's obvious Harris's struggling campaign needed a jolt. 


The fact Harris herself is a vapid, demagogic leftist should disqualify her from being a serious presidential candidate (heck, she was drummed out of the 2020 Democrat primary before the Iowa caucuses because she preferred to appeal to uber online lefties). However, if she has legitimately moderated her far left positions from 2020 and thus could coherently explain why, there are enough undecided voters (and perhaps Republicans disaffected by the MAGA movement) who could potentially be had. And in a race that is as close as this 2024 POTUS contest, there's a chance she can make up ground. 


But as Erick Erickson points out, she likely failed to meet those objectives. 


(Harris) does not really understand her target audience, i.e., Republican voters who do not like Trump but are not warmed up to her. That is why the interview did not work. She needed to reassure those voters, and she missed that opportunity.

Now, after the fact, we know her handlers tried to cut the interview short, and she showed up late. They clearly had second thoughts about the interview but could not cancel it after ridiculing Trump for canceling on CNBC.

The reality is that the campaign and Harris personally have terribly prepared for tough interviews. She had CBS News edit her answers, but Baier was not willing to do that. Harris, outside of bubble wrap, breaks.

Again, it is crucial to understand why she broke down here. It was not because you, who are a diehard supporter of Donald Trump, hated her answers. It was because she could not offer reassurances to Republican voters who hate Trump but are unsure about her.


This could also serve as a warning to Minnesota Republicans looking to seize the majority in the MN House. There are plenty of independent voters and perhaps a handful of moderate Dems who were abhorred by the radical legislation to come out of the previous two Minnesota legislative sessions. As such, GOP candidates competing in first ring suburban districts represented by DFL reps need to understand that running to the fringe of the right wing may not be a winning strategy. 


So for those Republicans who were jumping around like poo flinging monkeys over what you perceived was a poor performance by a trailing Harris, I express the sentiments of Han Solo when Luke Skywalker expressed overexuberance upon taking out a couple of enemy ships: 





As with any Republican in a good position to win, never underestimate their ability to screw up a good thing. 


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

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Quick Hits: Volume CCCLVIII

 - For all the talk about national political races (i.e. President and Congress), I will be paying rapt attention to the battle for the Minnesota House. With the DFL holding a 70-64 majority, the GOP has to gain a net four seats to wrest control. Unless the GOP pulls off a minor miracle and wins in the Senate District 45 special election, the House would be the only backstop against two more legislative sessions of unshackled Democrat control. And if Kamala Harris wins the presidency? Gov. Tim Walz goes to D.C. as Veep, leaving us with a.....{gulp}....a Gov. Peggy Flanagan. That alone should incentivize Minnesota voters to opt for divided government. 


So do the MN Republicans have what it takes to pull this off? I have no idea, but I do get a sense that the DFL believes their House majority is in peril given their pet issue in key swing districts is abortion, abortion, abortion......an issue which was settled even before the DFL's extreme law passed in 2023. 


I'll definitely have my obligatory election predictions come early November.



- Imagine reading these two statements just a year ago: 







And this Sunday my Vikings host the Detroit Lions in what is legitimately the marquee matchup for week 7. 


I've been a Vikings fan for almost 50 years, so I've seen literally dozens of contests between these North (and up until 2002 - NFC Central) rivals. I'm confident in saying this is the first time in a half century where both teams are simultaneously legit contenders for the NFC crown.


Game on!



-  As a fan of actress Lea Thompson (specifically her stellar role as Marty McFly's mom in the Back to the Future trilogy), this particular tweet she posted was horribly disappointing but, given the industry she's a part of, not surprising. 





This is in response to a report on how Dem POTUS candidate Kamala Harris is not polling nearly as well with white women as her predecessors. 


Let's be honest: leftists like Ms. Thompson do not believe even a shred of the hyperbole they spew about "losing rights." Heck, I'd suggest that Lea is so full of it that she wouldn't even bet her Howard the Duck residuals that women would "lose rights" in a second Trump term. 


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

Monday, October 14, 2024

Box Score of the Week (POSTSEASON EDITION)

In the immortal words of Yogi Berra: It's like deja vu all over again. 


Like last week, we're featuring a game from the 1973 National League Championship Series pitting the Cincinnati Reds against the New York Mets. Coincidentally, the Mets manager that season was Berra himself!


Anyhow, let's check out the decisive Game 5 of the '73 NLCS


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


In winning the 1973 N.L. pennant, the Mets became the first team in MLB history to reach the World Series after being 11 or more games under .500 during the regular season. 


Interestingly, the 2024 Mets were 11 games under .500 on June 2, yet are currently 1-1 in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 


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Sunday, October 13, 2024

The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/13/2024



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

Same old sad-eyed news man on my same old TV set......

Fall is in the air and we're a mere 23 days out from Election Day, so a ton to get to in today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour extravaganza will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

On today's guest-a-palooza: 

1:00 - Rita Hillmann Olson, Republican candidate for MN House District 58A (Northfield, New Prague, Lonsdale).

1:30 - Wendi Russo, Republican candidate for MN House District 49B (Eden Prairie).

2:00 - Patty Bradway Republican candidate for MN House District 36B (White Bear Lake, Vadnais Heights).

2:30 - Eric Hovde, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate out of Wisconsin. 


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.....


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

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Whoa!

When the Minnesota Twins' once promising 2024 season collapsed like Tim Walz's national credibility, the morale of the fan base was approaching apathy not seen since 1993 to 2000 when the team endured eight consecutive losing seasons. 

Given there's stiff competition for the Twin Cities sports dollar with the Vikings as the perpetual #1 in this town as well as a championship caliber Timberwolves team, the Twins were is serious danger of becoming persona non grata if they entered the offseason signaling they'd be going with the status quo. Sorry, but firing assistant coaches isn't going to motivate an already dwindling fan base to return to Target Field. 

Admittedly, the organization made a step in the right direction earlier this week when they announced an online streaming option to view Twins games. This move ensured fans would no longer have to endure blackouts of games. This is especially crucial when you consider that while the Twins were in the midst of a 12-game win streak on May 1, they suddenly were no longer available to Comcast/Xfinity cable subscribers. So despite the fact the Twins had one of the best stretches of play from late April to mid August, very few fans were plugged in. 

So is a new and more convenient viewing option a cure all for a frustrated (and, in some cases, downright pissed off) fan base? Of course not. And short of going on an offseason spending spree to augment the roster (something which has been said, off the record of course, will not happen), what is the only other scenario which could placate fans? The overwhelming response is for the ownership group comprised of the Pohlad family to sell the team. And while I agreed that would be a good thing, I never got a sense if/when that would ever happen. 

Then I saw this via Twitter  "X."




I don't believe it's hyperbolic to say that the immediate reaction of Twins fans (myself included) was ecstasy on par with the team signing Aaron Judge as a free agent. The difference being that this won't necessarily translate to additional season ticket sales (or even full retention) like a major on-field acquisition. But since the team still has a solid core of players on the MLB roster in addition to a top 5 prospect pool, the future suddenly doesn't look at all hopeless. 


The question now is how quickly can the team be sold? While it's en vogue to own an NFL or NBA franchise, MLB's business model (unless you're in NYC or L.A.) doesn't exactly whet the appetite of wealthy business people who look for ways to enhance their fortunes. In an ideal world, the new Twins owner would be someone who actually has a passion for baseball which the Pohlads clearly did not. As such, this would be a forward thinking person who would be OK to take an operating loss for the first few seasons knowing that the team has a promising on-field future. And if that success comes to fruition, this will entice fans to come to back to the ballpark in addition to ponying up for a TwinsTV subscription, thus generating significantly higher revenues. 


I honestly have no insight as to whom would even have tacit interest in buying the Twins, but there's one scenario which has me curious. The sale of the Timberwolves is slated for arbitration after current owner Glen Taylor took the transaction off the table when he contended that prospective buyers Marc Lore et al didn't meet certain requirements. While Lore's group may prevail, any sale would still have to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors. Let's say the sale is *not* approved for whatever reason. Any chance Lore and business partner Alex Rodriguez (who just happens to be a former MLB superstar) swoop in and make a bid for the Twins???? Something to keep an eye on. 


At the end of the day, this is a positive development. Let's all hope for a drama-free process.


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

Wednesday, October 09, 2024

Eternal vigilance

Sadly, we're long past the mantra of "I may disagree with what you say but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Today, particularly on the left side of the political spectrum, mere tolerance is no longer acceptable. What progs demands is full acquiescence. 


A certain cake shop owner in Colorado knows this all too well


The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit brought by an attorney who’s been harassing cake artist Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, for more than 12 years.

Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys have been defending Phillips since 2012, when he was first sued for declining to create a custom cake celebrating a same-sex wedding because it violated his religious beliefs. Around that same time, the attorney who filed the most recent lawsuit against Phillips first contacted him, calling him a hypocrite and bigot. For more than 12 years now, Phillips has been relentlessly pursued and mocked by government officials and activists who disagree with his views.

“Enough is enough. Jack has been dragged through courts for over a decade. It’s time to leave him alone,” said ADF Senior Counsel Jake Warner. “Free speech is for everyone. As the U.S. Supreme Court held in 303 Creative, the government cannot force artists to express messages they don’t believe. In this case, an attorney demanded that Jack create a custom cake that would celebrate and symbolize a transition from male to female. Because that cake admittedly expresses a message, and because Jack cannot express that message for anyone, the government cannot punish Jack for declining to express it. The First Amendment protects that decision.”


Keep this in mind as the current Democrat presidential ticket keeps telling us that they're running on a platform of "freedom." 


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

Monday, October 07, 2024

Box Score of the Week (POSTSEASON EDITION)

It's officially the MLB postseason!


Let's check out Game 3 of the 1973 National League Championship Series - Cincinnati Reds at New York Mets


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


With hit king Pete Rose having passed away just last week, I thought I would feature a memorable postseason game of his. 


In the top of the 5th inning, the Reds' Joe Morgan hit into a seemingly routine 3-6-3 double play. However, lead runner Rose slid in to second base with a hard slide to which Mets' shortstop Bud Harrelson (who also passed in 2024) took exception. The two exchanged punches, resulting in benches clearing. Neither Rose nor Harrelson were ejected. 





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