Box Score of the Week

San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres - April 25, 1986.

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 4/27/2025

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Controversial deal in another show of congressional reports.....

The last Sunday of April, meaning we're about a third of the way through 2025. Wow.

Anyhow, I will be on the air today for my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour stint gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll weigh in on a lot of Minnesota news, specifically the Soros-backed Hennepin County Attorney going soft, the MN AG getting rebuked by SCOTUS, Gov. Tim Walz's focusing more on national during his "State of the State," etc. 

Then in the second hour, longtime friend of the show (and lifelong Catholic) Mark "Mr. D" Heuring will join the broadcast to discuss the legacy of Pope Francis, what we might expect in Francis's successor, 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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Huh. What changed?

Sen. Tina "The Butcher" Smith (D-MN) reacting to the arrest of a Wisconsin judge allegedly flouting the law. 

Understand what this is: If Kash Patel and Donald Trump don’t like a judge, they think they can arrest them. This is stunning — we must stand up to this blatant power grab.

Republicans: How is this not a red line for you?

— Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) April 25, 2025

Compare those sentiments to what she conveyed almost five years earlier. 

No one is above the law.

— Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) July 9, 2020

The title to the post is one of those rhetorical questions by the way. 

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Walz: Pay no attention to the party who squandered an $18 billion surplus

In his State of the State address on Wednesday evening, Nebraska Fats Gov. Tim Walz basically used much of his allotted time as an extension of his national townhall tour. 

Walz excoriated (President Donald) Trump, saying he’s chosen to “destroy the federal government’s ability to help people” and “throw our economy into turmoil.”

In his primetime speech to a narrowly divided Minnesota Legislature, Walz positioned himself as a foil to Trump while expressing his willingness to work with Republicans at home. He looked at his legacy over the past six years, framing it around investments made in schools and families. The speech was reflective of Walz’s ambitions as a governor who’s mulling running for re-election while also leaving the door open to a possible national bid in 2028.

“As governor, I will continue to do everything in my power to protect Minnesotans from getting hurt, and continue to provide shelter from the storm,” Walz said.

Not really sure how prioritizing a far left prog agenda, unabashedly supporting a culture of death and squandering an $18 billion budget surplus squares with those objectives, but I'm certain Walz doesn't know either.   

In the aftermath of Walz's address, my state Rep. Harry Niska (R-Ramsey) rightfully called out Walz's demagoguery. 

 

Like @GovTimWalz, we are not elected to federal office, so our job is to reckon with Minnesota’s challenges. It is unfortunate that, instead, Gov. Walz engaged in a continued Trump Deflection Strategy centered around an angry anti-Trump rant. pic.twitter.com/OYARMol18C

— Rep. Harry Niska (@HarryNiska) April 24, 2025

Normally I'm not a big fan of symbolic, partisan legislation which is used to ding the other party. That said, Minnesota Republicans may have been on to something with their attempts to designate "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as a legit mental illness. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCLXXI

 - It's shouldn't be all that shocking when a certain Soros-backed county prosecutor (who once looked to charge a state trooper with manslaughter without weighing exculpatory evidence) goes soft on property crime when the suspect is aligned with her politically. 

A progressive prosecutor is declining to charge a Minnesota state employee after he was caught on camera allegedly causing an estimated $20,000 worth of damages to Tesla vehicles in protest of billionaire Elon Musk.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s office is seeking diversion for Minnesota Department of Human Service employee Dylan Adams after he allegedly vandalized at least six Teslas in Minneapolis while walking his dog.

“This is an approach taken in many property crime cases and helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution, as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses,” the DA’s office told CBS News.

If the vandalism continues, the County Attorney’s office would not rule out charges. Progressive County Attorney Mary Moriarty took office in 2023 and has faced strong criticism for her soft-on-crime approach. On several occasions, Moriarty has shown leniency to violent criminals, including suspects charged with murder and sexual assault, leading to disputes with prosecutors and outrage among victims’ families.

So glad I live in Anoka County, where our County Attorney Brad Johnson made a very definitive statement. 

Just so that no one gets any silly ideas in the North Metro from this story. Offenders who commit a crime spree causing tens of thousands in damages to multiple victims will not be approved for pre-charge diversion in Anoka County. This is especially true if the lawlessness is politically motivated.

Pre-charge diversion can be a very useful tool to deal with people - especially those that are immediately remorseful - who make a stupid mistake or commit isolated crimes when under some type of distress. That was not this. It makes it worse that the offender is a State employee in a position of public trust. He would likely become a felon in Anoka County.

If anyone gets the urge to damage cars or other property as a political statement ... please think again ... the First Amendment is not a defense to criminal misconduct. And we have enough on our hands right now.

Remember. Treat your neighbors like you would like to be treated.

Moral clarity at its finest!

- The ilk who'd like you to believe that literal children should have the absolute right to transition to a different gender will also tell ya that some legal adults (specifically ages 18 thru 20) should not be able to exercise their Constitutional right to own a firearm. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is part of said ilk. Thankfully, the judicial branch essentially told him he was flat out wrong regarding the latter. 

The United States Supreme Court today declined to hear Keith Ellison’s appeal in Worth v. Jacobson, leaving intact lower‑court decisions that struck down the state’s 21+ age requirement for carry permits. This denial ends the litigation and confirms that law‑abiding 18‑ to 20‑year‑old Minnesotans are entitled to the same Second Amendment rights as every other adult.

“This is a resounding victory for 18-20-year-old adults who wish to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms,” stated Bryan Strawser, Chair, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.

“Politicians should carefully consider the legal ramifications of infringing on Second Amendment rights,” added Rob Doar, Senior Vice President & Political Director. “The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and its allies will relentlessly pursue legal action against any unconstitutional measures introduced in Minnesota.”

Eternal vigilance pays off yet again. 

- Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88. 

My former Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague (and staunch Catholic) Ed Morrissey weighed in some aspects of Francis' legacy.  

I recall especially the reaction of the Argentine journalists in the press annex when the name (Francis) got announced, and the general sense of optimism that resulted after the bewilderment that came from Pope Benedict XVI's surprise retirement. Pope Francis' first moves to shed some of the pomp and ceremony in favor of a more pastoral approach generated even more enthusiasm.

However, that began to fade when Francis' "openly political" approach began to emerge, as my friend Frank Rocca writes above. Some of that was overblown; as I often wrote, the worst words to start off a Catholic journalist's day was a news report that began "Pope Francis said today," as it nearly always would be followed by something he hadn't actually said. The experience at the 2014 Synod on the Family was an Orwellian peek at this kind of misreporting (which I also covered from the Vatican press office).

Often enough, though, Francis' actual statements and writings generated considerable and legitimate controversy. That was especially true in the US, where the pope's observations on US policies confounded friends and opponents alike. Immigration policies were only one aspect of this; conservatives demanded more support for the fight against abortion, and liberals expected Francis to rewrite doctrine on ordination of women, divorce and remarriage, and especially on LGBTQ demands.

I'm not the least bit Catholic, but my impression is the faith is currently seeing its predominate growth occurring among traditionalists. I shared this observation with a couple in their 60s who happen to be lifelong Catholics. This is what the wife texted me: 

(Y)ou are absolutely 100% spot on. The traditionalists in the Catholic Church are exploding, especially in the young people. And boy do I see it every weekend. I cantor at our church and have the distinction of being in the 'front row seat' in terms of seeing the congregation. (T)he amount of young families with pregnant moms already with several small children, women wearing dresses and chapel veils has gone up exponentially. 😳

I worry that the Vatican is going to double down and pick another pope like Francis and try to alienate more Catholics. But it's only making the younger ones more staunch. It's going to be very interesting what happens next.

Ed also points out in a different piece that Francis appointed at least half of the voting cardinals that will participate in this conclave. Will the priority be to acknowledge the appetite for tradition or to perpetuate Francis' worldview? 

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Box Score of the Week

Washington Nationals at Cincinnati Reds - April 1, 2018.

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On this Easter Sunday, the Nats' Bryce Harper hit two home runs. It was the second consecutive season in which he hit two homers on that blessed holiday. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 4/20/2025

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I drown in hesitation, my words come crashing down......

It's an Easter Sunday edition of my radio show The Closer. The broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, conservative commentator and New York Post syndicated columnist Karol Markowicz will be on to discuss the left's dangerous obsession with "assassination culture." 

At 1:30, Keri Heintzeman, GOP candidate for the special election in MN Senate District 6, will join the broadcast to discuss her win in the Republican primary as well as her campaign for the general election on April 29.

And of course......He is risen!!

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, 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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Good Friday

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30

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On to the special election

With Minnesota State Sen. Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) having resigned in disgrace last month, the party primaries took place Tuesday evening to set up the general election tilt for April 29. 

Since this district is heavily Republican, the winner of the GOP primary will likely coast to victory. I didn't have a proverbial dog in the fight, but I know definitively whom I didn't want to emerge victorious --- Jennifer Carnahan. And if her statement after her loss is to be believed, she totes didn't want it either. 

Thank you everyone who supported me today in the special election. It was a short runway and our campaign was severely outspent, but proud of the work we did and the new connections made (so happy I don't have to door knock anymore).

This is odd to say, but I'm thankful I don't have to go to St. Paul and didn't win. I love being Mayor of Nisswa, have a new business to focus on this summer season and love living in my bubble that is the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Come by City Hall or my shops and say hello when you are in the area!

I wouldn't put it past her if this campaign was more an effort to gin up business for her shops. Anyhow, I can at least be in solidarity with Jenny in that I too am thankful she doesn't have to go to St. Paul.

For the record, Keri Heintzeman will move on to the special general election in two weeks against DFLer Denise Slipy. 

Congrats, Keri!

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Box Score of the Week

Toronto Blue Jays at St. Louis Cardinals - June 5, 2003.

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Cardinals starting pitcher Woody Williams was facing the Blue Jays for the first time since he was traded by Toronto after the 1998 season. Williams did not allow a hit until one out in the 8th inning, which in the expansion era was the longest no-hit bid by a pitcher facing a former team of his for the first time. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 4/13/2025

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He has trampled down the enemy and has given us the victory.........

It's a guest-a-palooza on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour bonanza gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time.

Today's guest lineup:

• 1:30 - Phil Magness, economist and Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute, will be on to discuss the latest on President Donald Trump's trade policies.. 
• 2:00 - Jim Schultz, President of Minnesota Private Business Council and the 2022 GOP candidate for Minnesota Atty General, will join the broadcast to discuss AG Keith Ellison's questionable handling of the Feeding Our Future scandal. 
• 2:30 - Minnesota Family Council CEO Jeff Evans and Public Policy Director Becca Delahunt will be in studio to promote MFC's annual dinner, discuss their work at the Minnesota Legislature, 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 CCCLXX

- Bill Glahn of American Experiment has, for about a decade now, been doing yeoman's work with his investigative journalism of Minnesota politics. His latest reporting has to do with a certain high ranking elected official. 

Keith Ellison, Minnesota’s Attorney General, can clearly be heard pledging his support to individuals who would soon become his family’s campaign donors and later Feeding Our Future criminal defendants.

His recorded statements flatly contradict his contemporaneous public statements and raise uncomfortable questions about the intersection between political fundraising and constituent services.

American Experiment has exclusively obtained the complete 54-minute, 44-second audio file of a private December 2021 meeting between state Attorney General (AG) Keith Ellison and key figures in the Feeding Our Future scandal.

As I wrote last week, the audio file was named as Exhibit 710 on the evidence list presented to the court by Aimee Bock’s defense attorney, Kenneth Udoibok. The recording was not offered into evidence during the six-week trial that concluded last month, with Bock’s conviction on all seven counts she faced.

Definitely check out Glahn's entire piece, which includes audio conversations featuring Ellison himself.  

We'll see where this goes. Blois Olson on his Thursday edition of Morning Take at least gave it a mention. Will it ultimately get so hot that the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press ultimately have to give it coverage? If so, that's when you'll know Ellison is in a sticky wicket. 

- Meanwhile, Ellison's replacement in Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District had an announcement regarding her own political future. 

Rep. Ilhan Omar will run for re-election to her House seat next fall, closing the door on a possible run for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s U.S. Senate seat.

“At a time when our rights are under attack, it is more important than ever to fight back against the chaos, corruption, and callousness of the Trump Administration,” Omar, a Democrat, said in a statement.

“I am excited to announce I am running for reelection for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District to keep standing up for our rights in the face of authoritarianism.”

In essence, she's embracing the role that her predecessor decried 8+ years - “All there is to do is to vote ‘no'.”

- Major League Baseball needs to be fixed. And if losing an entire season to a work stoppage results in a leveling of the playing field, then I will live with a year sans baseball. 

MLB owners as well as Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office have begun privately contemplating what a new league economic structure could look like as the league heads toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with players, according to people familiar with the matter. The league’s current CBA expires on Dec. 1, 2026.

MLB officials have discussed adding both a salary cap and a salary floor, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. The Major League Baseball Players Association, however, has long been against a salary cap, and the group says its position hasn’t changed.

The result is a potential lockout in December of next year when the current CBA expires — one that appears increasingly likely given the opposing positions of both sides.

As I've said many times previously, the highest payroll doesn't necessarily mean championships (the L.A. Dodgers' World Series title last year was only their second in 35 years; the Yankees have one championship over the past 24). But teams like the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays. Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates may literally have to cease operations if the current system remains in place. 

And if you're a a fan of the Minnesota Twins (like I am), I'm afraid they're going to be in the desert these next two seasons. Since the current ownership group comprised of the Pohlad family is exploring a sale of the club, they're likely to shed payroll before the July 31 trade deadline in an effort to keep operational costs down. With the organization already saddled with nearly a half billion dollars of debt, it's going to be that much more challenging to find a willing buyer, especially with the uncertainty of there even being a baseball season in two years. 

This is a definite tipping point for the sport. 

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Maniacal Martin

When Ken Martin was chair of the MN Democrat party (aka the Minnesota DFL), he had the luxury of going all in on far left progressivism. The party never lost a statewide election on his watch and rarely went without controlling at least one chamber of the Minnesota Legislature. 

Within the past couple of months, Martin was elected to head up the Democratic National Committee in hopes he could bring that same electoral magic to the national level. But given that far left policies were soundly rejected across the country this past November, I often wondered whether or not Kenny could dial back the fringe rhetoric in his new role.

Well........

Robert Kennedy Jr. has murdered another child in Texas. https://t.co/N1ZhZmPoKG

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) April 7, 2025

Wait'll Kenny finds out that one of his party's largest donors takes out literally 1,000 times more than that on a daily basis. 

It's also pretty ballsy of Martin to make such a wildly outlandish statement while utterly ignoring the fact his own side is essentially creating an assassination caucus. 

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Box Score of the Week

Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays - September 30, 1988.

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This was the second consecutive start in which Jays pitcher Dave Stieb lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 4/6/2023

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There is this old man who spent so much of his life sleeping......

Welcome to April!

It's Sunday, so that means another edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour I'll discuss national politics, particularly President Donald Trump's decision to slap tariffs on pretty much every import coming into America. The early returns indicate this is a calamitous decision. We'll look back over the past half century where leading economic voices sounded the alarm on such tariffs. 

The in the 2:00 hour I'll weigh in on the strange and hypocritical takes from Minnesota progs on Wisconsin's Supreme Court election from this past week. And finally, what was the purpose of this weekend's #HandsOff protests???

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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Just gonna leave this here.......

President Ronald Reagan called it nearly 40 years ago. 

My only hope at this point is this is some sort of effort by President Trump to engage other countries in revising trade agreements. 

Sometimes the best strategy in a negotiation is convincing the other side that you are crazy.

— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) April 3, 2025

Now that would legitimately be Trump playing 3D Chess. 

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Goodness, these people are gullible

Despite the fact President Donald Trump likely believes a good number of the untrue things he says, I'm convinced there's another facet to his ramblings. Specifically, he'll say something that is so outlandish that not even he believes it but he knows it'll get a rise out of his top adversaries in the prog media. 

Hence the headline from an NBC News story this past Sunday: 

Trump won’t rule out seeking a third term in the White House, tells NBC News ‘there are methods’ for doing so.

All the media would have to do in this case is roll their collective eyes and cite the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

Instead, several "think pieces" and prog podcasts have wasted countless words on how Trump is some authoritarian mad man hellbent on upending our Constitutional order. And it wouldn't shock me in the least if Trump himself were sitting back and laughing his orange arse off at all the leftist flailing that has ensued, as if that were his endgame all along. 

As Erick Erickson notes, this collective freak out just underscores the left's lack of faith in our institutional controls. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erick Erickson (@ewerickson)

In reality, you'd think progs would desire to see Trump attempt to run for a third term. If he flatly refused to leave the White House on January 20, 2029, he would literally be frogged marched outta the joint, thus fulfilling a prog fantasy they've been fetishizing over since the days of George W. Bush.

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