Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCVII

 - Stephen Colbert's Hollywood career has come full circle. From somewhat entertaining satirist to late night network TV talk show host to now a despicable (and lying) political hack. 

Colbert saw last fall how the Federal Communications Commission's indirect actions against fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel turned out to be a ratings boon upon Kimmel's return to the airwaves. As such, Steve-O attempted to play up such an angle in an attempt to gin up interest in his program over the short time he has remaining. 

Colbert is a fundraiser for Democrat candidates.

Colbert's sister is a Democrat politician.

Colbert is plugged in with the highest levels of the Democrat party.

What's likely going on here is that Dem bosses needed something to get Talarico past Crockett in the primary and… pic.twitter.com/5Tj1DTmwvh

— 🐺 (@LeighWolf) February 17, 2026

Colbert contended that the FCC cracked down on his hosting U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico (D-TX). The rationale being that the Trump administration was scared that a "Christian" Democrat could actually turn Texas blue, thus they employed their authoritarian tactics to prevent his guest appearance from airing on broadcast TV. 

The truth? 

"THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options."

But hey, if we're going to employ leftist tactics, we should come out and say that Colbert is a misogynist and racist for attempting to elevate Talarico over Ms. Crockett anyways. Their rules. 

- Now that Amy Klobuchar is the presumed Democrat nominee for Minnesota governor, arguably the nation's leading polling analysts put forth a hard truth. 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s campaign for Minnesota governor puts an already longshot race out of play for Republicans. This race moves from Likely D to Solid D. #MNgov

Read more from @MattKleinOnline:https://t.co/wfXvPzUJWZ

— Cook Political Report (@CookPolitical) February 17, 2026

This also severely hampers Minnesota Republicans' ability to seize control of the House (currently split at 67-67) and Senate (Dems have a 34-33 advantage), given Klobuchar's presence at the top of the ticket will be a huge advantage for DFL legislative candidates. 

At this point, with the gubernatorial race seemingly out of reach, I would be perfectly OK for the GOP to shift its sole focus on trying to take control of at least one if not both chambers of the Legislature. With how badly a DFL trifecta crippled this state with the legislation signed into law in 2023 and 2024, the same makeup of state government in 2027 and 2028 would effectively turn us into a cold California. 

- Speaking of the Legislature, Tuesday marked the first day of the 2026 session. And for one day, partisanship could be put aside for this undeniably inspirational moment. 

Fear not, we still have about 3 solid months to indulge in the obligatory sniping and grandstanding that occurs regularly in today's political climate. But regardless of your party affiliation, it's hard not to root for Sen. Hoffman and his family after enduring all they have over the past eight months. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 2/15/2026

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I've had enough of the world and its people's mindless games......

After a week off, I will be back in the Patriot bunker today for the latest edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll discuss the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge now that the Trump administration begins to scale back activities. Also, it's clear that Gov. Tim Walz wants to continue to milk this issue in an effort to distract from the state's rampant welfare fraud. 

Then in the 2:00 hour, I will talk about some national news, including what President Trump's next move may be now that there have been multiple reports of chaos and incompetence within the Dept of Homeland Security. 

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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This is a good thing

When Second Amendment advocates proclaim that gun rights are for everybody, they mean everybody.

In the aftermath of Alex Pretti being killed by Federal law enforcement while legally carrying a firearm, many progressives expected 2A activists to parrot members of the Trump administration (including the President himself) when they suggested he shouldn't have possessed a gun in such an environment. However, the shooters are some of the more passionate, well-informed and intellectually consistent collectives out there. And we stood our ground in defending Pretti's right to carry in that situation. 

So could it be that awful incident has caused some on the left to rethink their vehement anti-gun stance? Well, if data compiled within the first month of 2026 is any indication, the tide may indeed be turning. 

Twin Cities gun sales have seen their largest year-over-year leap since the pandemic, with some cities experiencing double or even triple the demand compared to the same time last year, a Minnesota Star Tribune analysis of city and county data found.

The data, as well as interviews with gun store owners and gun safety instructors, indicate the increase is largely being driven by first-time buyers.

The spike in gun sales came during the height of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota, which culminated last month with the fatal shootings of two Minnesotans, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of federal agents.

Whenever gun-grabbing politicians question why Americans even need "assault weapons," gunnies basically retort with "Because you tell me I don't need one." And then sales of such caliber of firearms increase dramatically. Could it be that fervent anti-Trumpers are reacting in the same vain when Trump expressed that Pretti should not have had a gun in that situation? 

Of course, surges like this have been seen before in the not too recent past. But is it different this time? 

Gun sales surged during the conflicts that followed the killing of George Floyd in 2020. Permit applications in Hennepin County jumped again following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. capitol and remained high through the summer crime wave that same year. More recently, sales went up following the assassination of DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman and the Annunciation Church mass shooting last year.

Last month’s increase appears to stand out, however, said Rob Doar, president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center, a gun rights advocacy group.

“At least anecdotally, the demographics are shifting a lot, where we see people who are more liberally aligned, or on the left, expressing interest in gun ownership,” Doar said. “From what I’m hearing from permit to carry instructors, their classes have been younger and not necessarily your typical conservative.”

We've been reliably informed for years by anti-gunners that the quickest way for the right to embrace gun control is when black people and other non-traditional demographics start to purchase firearms. But as we saw in the aftermath of the summer of unrest in 2020 as well as this past month, 2A activists are more emboldened (and encouraged) than ever with people wanting to exercise their inalienable right to keep and bear arms. As expected. 

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

Scaling back

As someone who supports the Trump administration's illegal immigration crackdown but has struggled with their methodology, I see this as welcome news. 

Border Czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that Operation Metro Surge, the enforcement operation targeting illegal immigrants in Minnesota, is concluding after agents successfully removed thousands of illegal immigrants from the state despite overwhelming public backlash and obstruction by anti-ICE agitators.

Homan, who was dispatched to the state last month to revamp operations after two anti-ICE agitators were shot and killed by agents, revealed that federal agents have made more than 4,000 arrests in Minnesota since the operation began — but he was unable to say definitively how many of those individuals were targeted public safety threats as opposed to general illegal immigrants.

A small number of agents will remain in the state to provide security and investigate allegations of widespread welfare fraud, Homan said.

“Federal government personnel assigned to conduct criminal investigations into the agitators, as well as the personnel assigned here for the fraud investigations, will remain in place until their work is done,” Homan said during a press conference Thursday morning in Minneapolis.

The border czar stipulated that the end of the surge operation does not mean the administration is taking a step back from enforcing immigration law.

“For those that say we are backing down from immigration enforcement or the promise of mass deportations, you are simply wrong… prioritizing public safety threats and national security threats doesn’t mean we’re forgetting about everybody else,” Homan said.

Homan even commended state and local leaders for their cooperation in diffusing what had become an overly tense situation, accentuated by the deaths of two citizens. 

Naturally, the local commie group isn't exactly lauding such collaboration. 

 

A good reminder in case you mistakenly thought Frey, Walz, and Witt were on the side of protecting immigrant neighbors. Instead, they’re bending to Trump’s will. But we will not stop until ICE is abolished 🌹 https://t.co/xgNsbOcsjS

— Twin Cities DSA 🌹 (@TwinCitiesDSA) February 12, 2026

While Gov. Tim Walz certainly embraced this bit of news, he lamented the adverse impact these operations have wrought. 

"...(T)he fact of the matter is, they left us with deep damage, generational trauma. They left us with economic ruin in some cases. They left us with many unanswered questions."

I read that quote and couldn't help but think it could be attributable to Walz's draconian COVID mandates his administration implemented in 2020 and 2021. Walz also indicated that with the legislative session starting next week that he'd like to prioritize assisting small businesses which he claims were harmed over the past couple of months. However, if he were intellectually honest, he'd concede that the recently rolled out Paid Family Medical Leave has been just as harmful if not more so. 

But I digress. 

Regardless, from now until Election Day, Walz and his fellow DFLers are definitely not going to waste this crisis. That is, they're going to attempt to link any adversity which occurs in Minnesota over the next nine months to Operation Metro Surge. Hey, anything to distract from the rampant fraud which is sure to get more of the spotlight now that ICE is drawing down.

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To be memory holed

I'd be hard pressed to think of a tragic event the prog media loves to demagogue more than a mass shooting (with the exception of those which occur every weekend in crime-riddled blue cities, natch). 

However, this particular incident which occurred on Tuesday will likely disappear from media coverage so fast that it'll leave a vapor trail.

• Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades: Six people, including five students and a teacher, were found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Tuesday. The bodies of two people – the suspect’s mother and step-brother – were also found at a home in the small mountain town in a remote area of British Columbia.

• Police identified a suspect: The suspect is an 18-year-old female resident of the town who had dropped out of the school about four years ago, police said. The suspect was born as a biological male and transitioned about six years ago, police said. Officers had visited her residence several times due to mental health concerns.

• Most of the victims were children: Five students between 12 and 13 years old, as well as the 11-year-old step brother of the suspect, were killed in the shooting. Dozens more were wounded, including one 12-year-old girl who is currently fighting for her life in hospital.

• Nation in mourning: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the community that “the nation mourns with you” and British Columbia has declared a national day of mourning Thursday. Mass shootings are rare in Canada, which has much stricter gun laws than the US.

Of course, the salient issue isn't the horrific tragedy involving more dead kids or how a country with such draconian gun laws can have something like this occur. No, it's how we refer to the dead shooter that's critical here. 

JUST IN - Royal Canadian Mounted Police state they will continue to identify transsexual school shooting suspect Jesse Van Rootselaar by his "gender of choice;" female — NYT

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 11, 2026

Yeah, I'm sure that will be of great comfort to the victims' families. 

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On assignment

I will not be broadcasting my Sunday radio show today, but fear as the show is in good hands. Your O.G. NARN personality Mitch Berg will be taking the reins, 1-3 PM Central Time. 

So please call (651) 289-4488 if you'd like to weigh in on any of the topics Mitch plans 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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Super Bowl LX: The Q&A

Well, it was 20 years ago this week that I started this little venture where I decided to spruce up my Super Bowl prediction. An acquaintance whom I dubbed the Super Bowl Inquisitor (aka SBI) agreed to be a part of this bit initially, but never under the pretense that this would be an annual thing for two decades. 

Anyhow, there's a sense of deja vu with this one as we have a rematch from 11 years ago when the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots squared off. As always, SBI brings the inquiries (or throws shade) and I put forth often ill fated attempts at levity. 

Here we go!

Super Bowl Inquisitor: Wow, hard to believe this has been going on for two decades. A lotta things have changed , but there's been one constant: the Minnesota Vikings have not even made it to the big game, much less won it. 

Brad Carlson: Just hang with me for another 20 years. It's gonna happen eventually. I think. I hope.

SBI: Well then right outta the chute I'll make this my first question. Your Vikings let Sam Darnold walk to Seattle after the 2024 season. They also attempted to move heaven and earth in '24 to acquire the Patriots’ #3 draft pick in order to select quarterback Drake Maye, but were rebuffed. Your reaction?

BC: Imagine you're a lovestruck teenaged guy and you're reminded of the love you lost and the love you couldn't score because she was way out of your league. 

SBI: I have a feeling I know how this is gonna go, but I feel obligated to get your reactions. Yes, it's the musical talent. 

First up, the opening ceremony - Green Day.

BC: Don't care. Just hope they have the time of their lives. 

SBI: National Anthem will be performed by Charlie Puth. 

BC: Sounds like an Arrested Development character. 

SBI: Brandi Carlile gets the nod for American the Beautiful. 

BC: Loved her as the lead singer of the Go-Go's. 

SBI: The Black National Anthem will be sung by Coco Jones. 

BC: OK, now I'm impressed. Not only was she a U.S. Olympian, but she can sing, too????

SBI: And finally, the halftime show's featured entertainer will be Bad Bunny. 

BC: It could be Bugs Bunny, Bugsy Malone or Post Malone. It still wouldn't do a lot for me. 

SBI: Which version of the Seahawks-Pats matchup do you prefer - Super Bowl 60 or 49.

BC: Easily the original version, which is SB 49. Pats-Hawks without Tom Brady and Marshawn Lynch is the equivalent of a Hawaii Five-O remake without McGarrett and Chin Ho. 

SBI: In this day and age there are opportunities to make money via unusual prop bets, including betting on the color of Gatorade dumped on the winning head coach. Is there anything in particular you'd consider a sure thing?

BC: Hammer the over on the number of times NBC announcer guy Cris Collinsworth says "Here's a guy..." That, and Collinsworth somehow invoking Patrick Mahomes' name despite his not even playing in this year's Super Bowl. 

SBI: For the third time ever, the two Super Bowl coaches have the same first name. Fascinating fact our useless trivia? 

BC: Ah, that's right. I keep forgettin' the name of the Seahawks coach. 

SBI: Ugh. Clearly you're getting bored at this point. Moving on.

What's on the menu for this year's gathering? 

BC: I'm re-upping a motto from Super Bowls past: If it's green, it's trouble; if it's fried, make it double.

SBI: Now to the official prediction. The Seahawks have been holding steady as a 4-1/2 point favorite. How do ya see this one? 

BC: Seattle is the better, more talented team. But I just have an inkling that Pats coach Mike Vrabel will push the right buttons to get his team over the top. Not only do the Patriots cover the spread but they win outright. 

I say 21-20, New England. 

With that, thanks for hangin' in these past 20 years!

My 2025 postseason record:

Against the spread: 6-6

Straight up: 7-5

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NARN on a lake

It's the day before a certain big time NFL game, so that means the annual Holes for Heroes ice fishing tournament will be taking place!

I will be joining Mitch Berg for his regular Northern Alliance Radio Network broadcast time today, 1-3 PM Central Time. We'll be on the air live from the ice fishing tourney on Medicine Lake in Plymouth. 

As always, we just kinda wing it as far as content given we like to have on many of the Fishing for Life officials and volunteers to share their perspectives. 

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 Mitch's 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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Beyond unacceptable

Yeah, I'm so over this crap. Apparently President Donald Trump posted a video to his Truth Social account which depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes (If you wanna see a screen shot, click here → (link)). 

I'm not at all interested in "context" nor am I desirous to hear any excuses. The idea that just because other politicos were skewered in that video doesn't at all justify that awful visual of the Obamas. 

I've been noticing lately how unhinged and erratic Trump appears these days, more so than to what we're accustomed (Jim Geraghty broke it down earlier this week). He's still re-litigating the 2020 presidential election that he claims was stolen from him, even though he ultimately re-attained the Oval Office when he was elected in 2024. And though the Republicans are facing an uphill battle to maintain Congressional majorities, Trump's incoherent policy initiatives are making it that much more difficult. As I write this, there are 29 GOP House members who are choosing to not even seek reelection given the tumultuous environment. Sorry Mr. President, but imploring GOP House members to hang on to their majority so as to shield you from a third impeachment is not a message they can bring to constituents who are struggling with affordability in their everyday lives. On top of that, pretty much every Republican running for any office will now be made to answer for Trump's most recent vile (and I would argue, most despicable) behavior. 

Trump will be 80 years old this summer. I don't want to come off as ageist here, but he's starting to show that he's no longer up to the task of being POTUS. I would absolutely not hold it against him were he to humbly go before the American people and declare the country being better off under the leadership of his Vice President JD Vance. 

The President displaying even the tiniest morsel of humility may be the only bargaining chip he has in order to garner even a scintilla of goodwill with the public. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCVI

 - If the Trump administration is not making an effort to tank their party's prospects in the 2026 midterms, what would they be doing differently if that were their intention? Alienating perhaps the most passionate, substantive and well organized political movements (i.e. the Second Amendment advocates) would be a place to start if you wanted to surrender your electoral prospects. 

In the aftermath of the shooting death of Alex Pretti, it was Trump himself as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel decrying the fact Pretti was even carrying a firearm, despite the fact he had a permit to do so and never brandished it. 

But the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia took it a step further. 

🚨BREAKING🚨⁰⁰@USAttyPirro on @FoxNews:⁰⁰“[If] you bring a gun into the District, you mark my words, you're going to jail. I don't care if you have a license in another district and I don't care if you're a law abiding law owner somewhere else. You bring a gun into this… pic.twitter.com/tHEBru3EKA

— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) February 3, 2026

Yikes. I would expect such rhetoric out of the proggiest of prog D.A.'s, but a Republican appointee? 

Pirro later walked back her remarks in an episode of "What I should have said." 

A message to my fellow gun owners…put your safety back on 😉 pic.twitter.com/fkgWD7GsuB

— Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) February 3, 2026

In a way, this is heartening. While the vast majority of gunnies likely vote Republican, they aren't going to play good little tribalists if the team leader goes off the reservation. I'm guessing Ms. Pirro found that out the hard way. 

- Meanwhile, if Republicans are genuinely looking for a way to strengthen messaging for the midterms, perhaps they should air on an endless loop this statement by the Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate. 

 

🚨Sen. Schumer calls the SAVE Act "Jim Crow 2.0":

"The SAVE Act is an abomination. It's Jim Crow 2.0 across the country. We are going to do everything we can to stop it." pic.twitter.com/3gB95bm6vt

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) February 3, 2026

If this is indeed "Jim Crow 2.0," that sentiment hasn't filtered down to the demographics which leftists claim will be most harmed by voter ID.  

pic.twitter.com/uZmoE2cMNy Bottom line: big majorities all around favor photo ID to vote.

— Byron York (@ByronYork) February 3, 2026

Gee, what s surprise. The progs taking the "20" on an 80/20 issue.

- Hey, speaking of an 80/20 issue.......

 

I am a Conservative. And I have some advice for other Conservatives:

Shut the fuck up about trans people.

The obsession with this tiny minority of people is not winning anybody over.

— Mark Slapinski (@mark_slapinski) February 1, 2026

For context, this "conservative" is a journalist out of Toronto, Canada, so that designation isn't quite the same to Canadiens. 

Anyhow, my take is simple. I will be glad to "STFU about trans people" provided they and their allies cease with attempts to make it a "hate crime" to refer to a dude wearing a dress (and possessing an XY chromosome) as a "he." Sorry, but no one should be coerced into denying empirical facts in order to justify one's delusion. Play daily dress up all you want, but basic biology can't be overturned. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 2/1/2026

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Drive by my house late at night, you can see from the freeway above.....

Welcome to February! After all the chaos which occurred in January, let's hope this month is a bit more tranquil. 

Today's edition of my radio show The Closer will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, we'll discuss the much needed change in strategy of the Federal government's immigration operations in Minnesota. Also, MNGOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel drops his bid for governor, which was unfortunate. 

Then in the second hour, I'll weigh in on journalist Don Lemon's arrest for violation of the FACE Act. 

Finally at 2:30, Independent Institute's Phil Magness will join the broadcast to discuss the latest regarding President Trump's tariffs. 

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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Pretti narratives

Let me say up front that I do not believe there was justification for Customs & Border Patrol officers to shoot and kill Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last Saturday. Of all the footage I've witnessed (specifically meticulous breakdowns on social media), it would appear this was a tragic mistake. The reason I cling to this belief is because after Pretti was shot dead, there was at least one officer asking "where's the gun?" The gun was actually removed by one of the CBP officers who likely declared "gun!", thus triggering the others to believe Pretti was brandishing a weapon. Again, just a tragedy all around, albeit a seemingly avoidable one. But it definitely was not murder. 

Then this week there were videos circulating showing Pretti confronting Feds on the streets of Minneapolis, just a week-and-a-half before he was shot. 

"AssauIt me, Motherf*cker" - Alex Pretti

pic.twitter.com/daO8bGVJ7b

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 29, 2026

How the
left wants
you to see
Alex Pretti Alex Pretti pic.twitter.com/j4BL45VAYi

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) January 28, 2026

And of course, as these videos were released, the official partisan reactions were as predicted. Issac Schorr of Media-ite broke it down. 

For those on the Right determined to justify the events of Jan. 24, when Pretti was shot dead by Border Patrol agents during an altercation in which he appeared much less confrontational — and criminally liable — the footage was beheld as an answer to their prayers.

And for those on the Left who fetishize the disorderly, destructive behavior exemplified by Pretti, it was something to be handwaved away: an irrelevant, even disgusting, smear of a dead man.

Of course it is neither.

Pretti’s inexcusable actions on the 13th — though they could and arguably should have resulted in his arrest — didn’t come anywhere close to warranting the use of lethal force. To cite them as a justification for his death a week-and-a-half later at what appeared to be a much less charged moment (bear in mind that an investigation into the shooting may turn up more relevant information) is an intellectual as well as a moral error. American citizens are entitled to make mistakes, even egregious ones, without paying the price for them with their life. Anyone who disputes as much has breathtakingly low expectations for their government.

I believe it's relevant to share this footage only to combat the fluffed up narratives by the left. In the aftermath of the shooting, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz essentially said Pretti was "shot in the face on the streets coming out of a donut shop" as if he was merely a bystander minding his own business. 

You also have prog media outlets apparently believing Pretti's appearance wouldn't generate the preferred amount of sympathy, but that's nothing that a little airbrushing can't fix. 

It appears MSNBC gave Alex Pretti a tan, a stronger jawline, better teeth, shorter forehead, and a nose job to make him look hotter for the AWFLs. They broadened his shoulders, thickened his neck, and gave him biceps. pic.twitter.com/Kmx2SZ9jzA

— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) January 27, 2026

And lastly you have Fauxcahontas Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) spinning a yarn about someone who, had she not mentioned him by name, you would think won a treasure trove of humanitarian awards. 

Don't let the Trump administration lie to you.

Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse. He was a son. A brother. A friend. A caretaker. pic.twitter.com/B5OIYsdZN2

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 28, 2026

This seems especially disingenuous in light of the video footage from more than two weeks ago.  

The Story of Alex Pretti.

Read by Elizabeth Warren. pic.twitter.com/mxq7BkcEtx

— MAZE (@mazemoore) January 29, 2026

To reiterate: Pretti's behavior, as disruptive as it was, is absolutely not a justification for what happened to him on January 24. But the narratives put forth by elected leftists and their supporters are deliberate attempts to further demonize Federal agents who are already engaging in high stakes and very tense operations. Again, the actions by some agents in Minnesota has been inexcusable and for that there must be firings (DHS head Kristi Noem is a good place to start). But now that there's been a recalibration of operations in the state, let's ensure more deadly encounters do not reoccur. And it starts with allowing state and local law enforcement the ability to assist Feds in ensuring provocateurs like Pretti and Renee Good do not cross the line which clearly divides protesting and obstructing justice. 

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The true motivation

If you were to ask leftists why they oppose mass deportations of illegal aliens, you're likely to hear a variation of the following:  

• No human being is illegal. 
• What right does America have to remove people from "stolen land?"
• For many, this is the only home they've ever known. 

I would guess that there is a small percentage of progs who truly believe one if not all of those sentiments, misguided as though they may be. However, it's more likely that a significant number of leftists don't view illegals so much as cherished human beings as they do pawns to prevent Democrats from being the minority party for the foreseeable future. 

Exhibit A: 

🚨2030 Apportionment Forecast🚨
+4: TX
+2: FL
+1: AZ, GA, ID, NC, UT

-4: CA
-1: IL, MN, NY, OR, PA, RI, WI

* Based on the 2025 Census Population Estimates released January 27, 2026. pic.twitter.com/ugZPVCs6zw

— The American Redistricting Project (@AmerRedistrict) January 27, 2026

Yes, while illegals aren't eligible to vote in American elections (though no doubt some are skirting the law to do so), the census isn't based on the number of legal citizens, but rather actual human beings residing in a state at census time. And population growth year over year looks to be declining due in no small part to mass deportations, much of which is occurring in the bluest of blue cities in blue states. 

As such, Dan McLaughlin of National Review paints a rather sobering picture for team blue. 

How bad is this news for Democrats? Let’s break this out by reference to the last few presidential cycles:

• Red states that Donald Trump won by six or more points in 2024, which voted for Trump in 2020 and 2016 and have all-Republican senators and governors: +8 seats.
• Purple-red states that Trump won by two to six points in 2024, all of which have Republican state legislatures: +3 seats. (Of these: Arizona and Georgia voted for Biden in 2020, North Carolina and Arizona have Democratic governors, and Arizona and Georgia each have two Democratic senators.)
• Purple-blue states that Trump won by less than two points in 2024, Biden won in 2020, and that have Democratic governors and one senator from each party: –2 seats.
• A blue state (Minnesota) that Kamala Harris won by less than six points in 2024: –1 seat.
• Deep-blue states that Harris won by six or more points in 2024: –8 seats, with half of the loss in California.

In a future presidential election where the Sun Belt battlegrounds of North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona go red while the Rust Belt battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan (plus Minnesota) go blue, there would be a net shift of eleven electoral votes in favor of the Republican ticket compared with the current Electoral College. That would turn a 270–268 Democratic map into a 279–259 Republican map. The House of Representatives would see a similar shift toward red states and toward Sun Belt battlegrounds over Rust Belt battlegrounds.

One way Democrats could mitigate this potential electoral disaster is perhaps gravitating a bit more to the center on key issues. While they certainly haven't given any indication lately that they're capable of such a thing, data such as this might scare them straight. 

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

Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCV

- After so much chaos and unrest in the Minneapolis area due to the Feds conducting immigration enforcement, it was beyond time for a change in strategy. Combine that with the fact that top officials in the Trump administration poorly handled the aftermath of the shooting death of Alex Pretti, the status quo was no longer tenable. 

Thankfully, the only adult in the room among President Donald Trump's immigration team is getting the call. 

"I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota" is directionally the opposite of "I am sending the 11th Airborne to Minnesota" and is, at least for the moment, a promising sign they have actually realized for once that they are out way over their skis. pic.twitter.com/k1ODt1pXSV

— Andrew Egger (@EggerDC) January 26, 2026

There have been reports that Homan and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have been at odds over these operations. Noem et al preferred to engage in sweeping operations (i.e. Home Depot and car washes) while Homan prioritized violent criminals with multiple deportation orders. Thankfully, the latter looks to continue in Minnesota while US Border Patrol head Greg Bovino and many CBP agents will be leaving the state for operations elsewhere. 

I'm guessing the White House being put on the defensive over the Second Amendment as well as hemorrhaging political support on their pet issue motivated Trump to make this move. Better late than never. 

- I remarked last week that while attending a MNGOP gubernatorial candidate forum, I left very impressed with attorney Chris Madel, who was the true political outsider. I even placed him in my top 3 most formidable candidates. 

Less than a week later, this shocking development occurred. 

 

Attorney Chris Madel has ended his campaign for Minnesota governor. In a video published Monday morning, Madel said Minnesota faces serious challenges, but Operation Metro Surge has made running a Republican campaign untenable.

Referring to the federal government’s ongoing immigration enforcement efforts in the state, Madel said, “I cannot support the national Republicans’ stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”

This appeared to be a reference to a Jan. 13 statement from President Donald Trump in which Trump said ICE wants to remove dangerous criminals from Minnesota and Democrats “love the unrest” that has occurred because it distracts from fraud.

“FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!” the president said.

A longtime trial attorney, Madel said he supports Operation Metro Surge’s “originally stated goals” of locating and deporting the “worst of the worst” non-U.S. citizens who have been convicted of sex crimes and violent offenses.

However, Madel said “Operation Metro Surge has expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats. United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship; that’s wrong.”

Many progs and non-Trump Republicans posted video footage of the 2-minute excerpt featuring Madel's rationale for leaving the race. What's notable is that Madel's entire diatribe, which lasted nearly 11 minutes, included his crediting the Trump administration for attaining a cease fire in Gaza while simultaneously blasting leftists for their conspicuous silence on what was supposedly a dire issue for them for two years. Also, he didn't spare any harsh words for Gov. Tim Walz or Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over their lack of cooperation with the Feds in rooting out violent criminals with multiple deportation orders. 

Do yourself a favor and check out the entire speech. 

I am ending my campaign for Minnesota Governor. I describe why in the below video. Please watch until the end. (It is 10 minutes, 52 seconds.)

Thank you,
Chris pic.twitter.com/2nfyAyTzNZ

— Chris Madel (@CWMadel) January 26, 2026

This is also Madel's way of telling Republicans they better get their poop in a group, posthaste. 

- Former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is going to the Super Bowl! After a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks are going to the franchise's fourth ever appearance in that ultimate game. 

I've noticed a lot of my fellow Vikings fans lamenting Darnold moving on, almost implying had he remained in Minnesota that it could've been our Vikes on the cusp of the big game. Obviously there's no way to know for sure, but given the Vikings missed the playoffs by literally a half game while enduring (to be charitable) substandard QB play the majority of the 17 regular season games, it's not a stretch to say they would have at least made the playoffs.

For the record, I supported the move to let Darnold walk via free agency after 2024 and thus usher in the JJ McCarthy era. I felt with the high profile moves the Vikings made in free agency combined with stellar coaching from Kevin O'Connell that McCarthy would have a good enough infrastructure to lead this team to 10 or more wins. But McCarthy's lack of durability (only 10 starts in 17 games) to go along with O'Connell's obstinance to design a more balance offensive game plan (i.e. take heat off the young QB by utilizing a good running game) torpedoed the Vikings season. It also didn't help that the highly touted offensive line played less than a third of the snaps together due to injuries. 

At the end of the day, the Vikings had to spend so much money in free agency last year due to GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first three drafts (2022 thru 2024) not producing enough starters. As such, there wasn't enough money remaining to retain Darnold. 

Let's just say there's a nonzero chance that ownership will clean house next year at this time if the Vikings miss the postseason again in 2026. 

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

The NARN Closer's playlist - 1/25/2026

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

I just wanna be your friend, is it ever gonna be enough?

Rejoice, as it may get above zero degrees today! However, it's still gonna be quite chilly, so throw another log on the fire and indulge in today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I will weigh in on anti-ICE protestors storming a St Paul church. Thus far, three people have been arrested. And while Immigrations & Customs Enforcements operations continue in Minnesota, so does blatant misinformation put forth by elected officials. 

Then in the second hour I will talk about the latest in the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races out of Minnesota. 

And finally, Second Amendment advocates shouldn't given an inch when it comes to gun rights. 

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.....

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

2025 NFL Playoffs: Conference Championship games (and blog post number 5,000!!!!)

New England Patriots (-4-1/2) at Denver Broncos: Boy, ya gotta feel for those Pats fans, huh. Their club was in the wilderness for a whole five seasons after a near two-decade dynastic run, but they're back in the AFC Championship Game. And the Patriots are likely in this for the long haul with a terrific coach and QB combo of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye, both of whom could well be highly decorated (i.e. Coach of the Year and MVP, respectively) when the 2025 season awards are doled out. 

The Broncos and their fans were barely an hour into their celebration of being one step away from a Super Bowl when they received the shocking news that starting quarterback Bo Nix would be out for the remainder of the postseason due to breaking a bone in his right ankle. As such, Jarrett Stidham (a 2019 Patriots draft pick) will be making his first start in two years. Stidham is literally only the second QB in NFL history to make his first start of the season in a conference championship game. The other was Roger Staubach, whose Dallas Cowboys fell to the Washington Redskins 26-3 in the 1972 NFC title game. 

I felt the Broncos were playing with house money even before the Nix injury given the highest salary on their roster is for a guy who was cut after the 2023 season (QB Russell Wilson). But thanks to coach Sean Payton's tutelage, Nix had become a solid QB in only his second season and will likely only get better. So if anyone can elevate the play of a backup quarterback like Stidham for a two game stretch, it's Payton. 

In the end, this will be a defensive struggle given both defenses are in the top 5 in terms of points allowed. New England definitely lucked out with Nix being unable to play, but I'd still be surprised if they win easily. 

New England 20 Denver 19

Los Angeles Rams (+2-1/2) at Seattle Seahawks: These NFC West rivals split their two meetings in the regular season with the home team prevailing by less than a field goal in each contest. 

Around Thanksgiving time, I got the impression that the Rams were the most complete team in the NFL. However, they definitely showed some cracks in their final six games, going 3-3. One of those losses was blowing a 16-point fourth quarter lead in Seattle, eventually losing 38-37 in overtime. 

As of right now, the Seahawks have the healthiest, most talented roster among the remaining four clubs. I could certainly do a deeper dive into some of the numbers but I'll once again refer to my prediction on the Purple Daily podcast a little more than two weeks ago. That is, former Vikings QB Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks will be playing in Super Bowl 60. 

Seattle 24 Los Angeles 17

My 2025 postseason record:

Against the spread: 4-6

Straight up: 5-5

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

No one is coming to save you

The mass shooting at a Uvalde, TX elementary school more than 3-1/2 years ago resulted in 19 children and 2 teachers being killed. The most galling aspect is the number of atrocities could have been mitigated were it not for the lackadaisical response of law enforcement. Said response was so atrocious that one officer in particular stood trial recently for basically being derelict in his duty. 

Given there have been several cases adjudicated before the U.S. Supreme Court where justices essentially ruled citizens have no inherent right to law enforcement protection, I'm not surprised this Uvalde case was decided as it was. 

A former Uvalde school police officer is speaking out after he was acquitted on all counts nearly four years after the shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.

Adrian Gonzales, who was charged with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment tied to the shooting, said in his first interview since the acquittal that he has no regrets about the actions he took on May 24, 2022.

The jury deliberated for just seven hours before returning the verdict. Gonzales did not take the stand during the trial, while his attorneys brought up two witnesses.

An investigation found that it took 77 minutes from the time authorities arrived at the scene until the tactical team breached a classroom and killed the shooter. Police faced criticism over their response in the years since the shooting.

"You can sit here and tell me all you want about what I would have done, or what you would have done. Until you're in that mix, you can't tell me anything," Gonzales told ABC News.

Gonzales was the first on the scene at Robb Elementary School when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos carried out his deadly attack. The former school police officer told ABC News that he did not see Ramos and that he retreated from inside the school building because of an order from his commanding officer.

"I did the best that I could with the information I was getting," he said, adding, "I don't regret it, because I took an order from my chief at that time."

This is a reminder of how we must be prepared for the distinct possibility that no one is coming to save you in such a crisis. And this should also serve as motivation to be eternally vigilant against persistent calls for gun control. Self defense is absolutely a human right and the situation in Uvalde should always serve as a reminder that gun rights advocates can't given even one inch in this debate. 

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

Found out

Since I'm loathe to use the f-word on this site, I won't spell out the words used in the acronym FAFO. But to any other secular progressives who in the future look to storm a peaceable assembly that is a church congregation, I'll offer up a more dignified interpretation: "Please, test that assumption and then take note of the results."

For the progs' sakes, let's hope they understand that playtime is over. 

FBI and Homeland Security agents arrested Minneapolis civil rights activist Nekima Levy Armstrong (aka The female Al Sharpton - ed.) and St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen in connection with the disruption of a church service on Jan. 18.

A third arrest of a protester involved was announced later on Jan. 22.

Attorney General Pam Bondi in a post on X said Armstrong played a “key role in organizing” the interruption at Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18 by activists who determined one of the pastors is the acting director of the local ICE field office. FBI Director Kash Patel said Armstrong and Allen’s arrests are tied to a violation of the federal FACE Act.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Bondi said.

The third person arrested was this loon, who literally filmed himself breaking the law. 

 

BREAKING: William Kelly who filmed himself storming a church in Minnesota and harassing congregants has been ARRESTED by the FBI pic.twitter.com/njqU1MlpKo

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 22, 2026

The frothing lunatic, whose name is William Kelly, flat out challenged AG Pam Bondi to arrest him. Her response via Twitter can be injected directly into my veins (CAUTION: STRONG LANGUAGE). 

 

Ok ✅ pic.twitter.com/tQZNbKFABA

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 22, 2026

The three will be charged under the FACE act, which has been largely used to target those protesting at abortion clinics.

 

Levy Armstrong said proving activists violated the FACE Act “will be very difficult to prove because we are people of faith calling out other people of the same faith for an injustice.”

Added Jordan Kushner, Levy Armstrong’s attorney: “This is not a legitimate prosecution. This is a political persecution.”

According to the Justice Department, the federal FACE Act “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services or to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”

Good thing for prosecutors, these mental midgets filmed their activities for all the world to see. Gonna be a tough lift for them to deny they were literally interfering with the "exercise of the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship." 

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

Meanwhile, Minnesota electoral politics roll on

This had been rumored for some time. On Wednesday morning, it became official.

Michele Tafoya, the former prominent sports broadcaster known for her sideline reporting on “Sunday Night Football,” has announced she plans to run for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat.

In a video announcing her candidacy Tafoya described herself as a “political outsider and a reformer” who will “clean up the system” by “fighting corruption, ending the fraud and protecting your tax dollars.”

Tafoya jumps into the race nearly a year after she first teased a bid following DFL Sen. Tina Smith’s announcement that she planned to retire. Republicans had struggled to find a top-tier candidate after several prospects decided to pass on running.

Though she enters crowded GOP field, which includes former Minnesota Republican Party Chair David Hann and controversial former NBA player Royce White, she won rare early backing from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which had worked to recruit her.

With Democrats nationally having a built-in advantage in the second midterm of a GOP presidential administration, the national party likely isn't sweating Minnesota due to a Republican not having won a statewide race since 2006. But that could also work to the Dems' disadvantage since it's been well documented how Minnesota is rife with fraud, corruption and out-of-control crime. Kinda hard to lay that at the feet of Republicans given they haven't held a single statewide office in 15 years. As such, enough voters are willing to be convinced to maybe move to the right this cycle.

The one issue which may dog Tafoya is that of abortion. She has publicly declared that she is pro choice, something which would likely be a nonstarter with the GOP grassroots. However, the fact she is such a big name in addition to being the handpicked candidate of the NRSC, Tafoya should easily have the fundraising edge over all the other Republican hopefuls, meaning she's definitely taking this to the August primary. And if she prevails, what then? Will she tout her pro choice chops in an effort to attract independents and moderate Dems or will she find a way to placate Republican voters by downplaying her viewpoint? Given this is a Federal race, abortion won't at all be an issue given the 2022 US Supreme Court decision declaring it a states rights issue. The only scenario that this becomes a factor is if the Dems one day attain a trifecta (President, House and Senate), nuke the filibuster and decide to codify Roe v. Wade as the law of the land. So the question that needs to be posed is would a Sen. Michele Tafoya vote in the affirmative if that hypothetical came to pass?

I honestly can't recall a Republican U.S. Senate candidate out of Minnesota with this kind of name recognition and fundraising prowess. Obviously Tafoya winning a general election is a big lift, but any resources which cause the Dems to draw away from GOP-held seats they look to flip would go a long way to keeping the upper chamber in Republican hands. 

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

Power Rankings: 2026 MNGOP gubernatorial candidates

Of the 13 (14? 15?) individuals who are seeking to be the GOP nominee for Minnesota governor, the top seven candidates (as determined by straw poll results at a meeting of State Central delegates) squared off in a candidate forum Tuesday night.

My evening started by co-hosting with my Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague Mitch Berg a 2-hour broadcast live from the venue in St. Michael. As the show concluded at 6:59, Mitch put on his moderator hat (and, of course, did a phenomenal job) and proceeded to throw questions at each of the candidates. Said candidates were then selected in random as to whom would answer each question when.

Anyhow, after indulging in the 90-minute forum, I've decided to put forth my own personal "power rankings" via tiers. Not sure how often I'll do this, but here's where I stand as of now. 

Formidable: Lisa Demuth, Chris Madel and Kristin Robbins. 

Better than average: Kendall Qualls.

Too dorky and too tied to Trump to win statewide: Mike Lindell.

Hostile pricks: Scott Jensen and Phil Parrish. 

With Demuth and Robbins both being MN House members, it's clear they're trying to draw distinctions from each other despite having the same voting record. But since Demuth was House Speaker in last year's session, she has a bigger target on her back given she had to make concessions with a Dem governor and Senate DFL Majority Leader to avoid a government shutdown in a budget year. As such, Robbins takes every opportunity to point out that, in her view, Demuth caved to Gov. Tim Walz. 

Madel's stock elevated in my view, as he (not Kendall Qualls) is the true outsider. He didn't call out candidates by name, but it was clear he was going with a very "tough love" approach regarding those who have actually been elected to office. It's easy to see why he's been a successful defense attorney because he is excellent in his power of persuasion. 

Jensen has been a non-starter for me since he entered this race. This is simply because I firmly believe we ought not be re-nominating candidates who lost a winnable general election race for the same office the previous cycle. But the main reason he's in the bottom tier of "hostile pricks" is because he had this air of entitlement as if he's being inconvenienced by other candidates daring to step up for this office. He also interrupted the moderator at one point (when it wasn't even his turn to speak) just so he could take a rhetorical shot at Speaker Demuth. 

I guess you could say the '26 election campaigns are officially in full swing. 

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

Peaceable assembly for we, not for ye

Say, remember the week of Christmas when Nebraska Fats Gov. Tim Walz expressed concern that the godless Trump administration would be prone to sending Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents to church services to conduct their operations? 

Roll the tape. 

An erratic MN Gov. Walz spreads rumors and fear that ICE may target "midnight mass."
Hours later, the Archbishop issues a statement saying Walz's rumors are false and unhelpful "fear-filled speculation." ICE has taken no such actions.
Full statement: https://t.co/8GDOtUf6KA pic.twitter.com/9x1KYtQVG2

— Clarity (@covid_clarity) December 24, 2025

Turns out, it was the classic fear mongering (not to mention projection) put forth by Walz as no churches were under siege. At least, not until this past Sunday. And it wasn't ICE causing the disturbance. 

🚨BREAKING: William Kelly and a mob of anti-ICE extremists stormed a Cities Church in Minneapolis, disrupting a worship service and hurling baseless accusations that one of the church’s lead pastors is an ICE agent. pic.twitter.com/QYl7q9gkwz

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) January 18, 2026

Disgraced ex-CNN guy Don Lemon just happened to be present for this. 

 

Don Lemon sees kids fleeing church: "It is traumatic for the people, and that's what protesting is about" pic.twitter.com/M5zVXHZk96

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 19, 2026

Sorry Don, but trespassing onto private property and interrupting a group peaceably assembling themselves is absolutely not protected speech, thus you can't hide behind the First Amendment. 

Oh, and check out Donny and his condescending tone toward the church's pastor. 

 

NEW: Don Lemon tries lecturing a pastor on the First Amendment after a mob of far leftists stormed a church in Minneapolis.

Pastor: “This is unacceptable. It's shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship…”

Lemon: “Listen, there's a constitution, the First… pic.twitter.com/joHdCvaXe6

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 18, 2026

Kudos to Pastor Jonathan Parnell there, who perfectly executed the biblical mantra of turning the other cheek. Seriously, that's as good an ambassador of Christ I've seen given how my blood boils just watching the despicable conduct of Lemon and his fellow provocateurs.  

Not to be outdone, Minnesota's corrupt and hackish Attorney General excuses this away. 

MN Attorney General Keith Ellison: "The FACE Act is designed to protect the rights of people seeking reproductive rights... How they are stretching these laws to people protesting in a church is beyond me."

The FACE Act specifically says that you can't use intimidation to… pic.twitter.com/auEJvZcOQX

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 19, 2026

This buffoon is literally Minnesota's top legal executive, yet doesn't even know the wording of the statute he cites. 

 

Your First Amendment right to peacefully protest does not override other people's First Amendment right to worship.

This protest violated the FACE Act.

Don Lemon should arrested immediately. They could all face prison time over this. pic.twitter.com/ZGu1Uw1Q83

— The Conservative Alternative (@OldeWorldOrder) January 18, 2026

Let's be honest: the rollout of these ICE operations in Minnesota has been fraught with chaos. And while it's an undeniable positive that there have been extremely dangerous criminals apprehended and processed for deportation, the public relations hit the Trump administration has taken is significant. Yet somehow, someway, leftists manage to give Trump a political gift he absolutely doesn't deserve. 

One final thing: have you noticed how over these past two weeks that Walz has been all over TV, social media, etc. jumping around like a poo flinging monkey over the disruption he likely welcomes because it scores points for his team? Well now that his side has taken one on the chin with this shameful exhibit, all he could muster is a statement from his office about 24 hours after the fact. 

“The Governor has repeatedly and unequivocally urged protesters to do so peacefully. While people have a right to speak out, he in no way supports interrupting a place of worship.”

He literally never has to face voters again, yet he's still too gutless to make a firm, definitive statement. Looking at all of our sorry state leadership over the past two weeks, is it any wonder Minnesota has become a national punchline?

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

The NARN Closer's playlist - 1/18/2026

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

Tell me why am I to blame? Aren't we supposed to be the same?

Another Sunday, yet another packed radio show planned for today's edition of The Closer. The 2-hour festivities get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, there is still plenty of news regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement's operations in Minnesota. And once again, our elected leaders failed to meet the moment when chaos erupted. 

Then in the second hour, I'll discuss a potential landmark case at the U.S. Supreme Court regarding transgenderism. 

At 2:30, Caitlin Connors, who is Political Director at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, will discuss President Donald Trump's suggestion to Congressional Republicans that they be "flexible" on the Hyde Amendment. 

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.....

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

2025 NFL Playoffs: Divisional round

Buffalo Bills (+1-1/2) at Denver Broncos: The Bills have a terrible run defense but the #1 ranked unit in defending the pass. This would be great news for the Broncos if they had a quarterback who could average well more than 6.4 yards per pass attempt and had starting RB J.K. Dobbins available. But since Denver's QB is Bo Nix and Dobbins is on injured reserve, the offense is likely to struggle. However, the Broncos can play some defense too, as they were third best in the NFL in terms of points allowed and second in total yardage. 

At the end of the day, the Bills have the ultimate trump card: quarterback Josh Allen. And since he and his Bills squad don't have the Kansas City Chiefs hurdle to get over, they seem to have a clear path to the AFC title game. 

Buffalo 24 Denver 21

San Francisco 49ers (+7) at Seattle Seahawks: These division rivals split their regular season matchups with the road team prevailing in both. One of those games took place in the season's final week with the NFC's top seed on the line. Seattle prevailed in that game with a defensive performance that reminded us of the days of the Legion of Boom. 

I noted last week that somehow the Niners keep winning despite being ravaged by injuries on both sides of the ball. And in their wildcard victory over the defending Super Bowl Philadelphia Eagles last week, San Francisco suffered yet another devastating blow with perennial Pro Bowl TE George Kittle tearing his Achilles tendon. Not sure how they overcome that. 

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold was a surprise entry on this week's injury report, being listed as "questionable" with an oblique injury. Good thing for Darnold and the 'Hawks, they have a solid running game, one which gashed the Niners defense for 180 yards (4.6 yards per carry) in that Week 18 game. Also, Seattle's defense, one which held San Francisco under 200 total yards just two weeks ago, is remarkably healthy at this point in the season. And that'll be the difference. 

Seattle 21 San Francisco 10

Houston Texans (+3) at New England Patriots: About a week-and-a-half ago, I appeared on the The Purple Daily podcast segment "Write That Down" where the three hosts and a guest predictor each put forth three football related predictions. One of mine was how the AFC representative in Super Bowl 60 will be a team who's making their first ever appearance in the big game in their franchise's history. Given that only the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans fit that criteria, that narrowed it down quite a bit. But since the Jags were one and done this postseason, that means I'm now riding the Texans all the way to Santa Clara. 

It also doesn't hurt that Houston's defense looks similar to that 2000 Baltimore Ravens squad that won it all. 

Houston 17 New England 10

Los Angeles Rams (-4-1/2) at Chicago Bears: The Rams barely survived their wildcard matchup last week, edging the Carolina Panthers 34-31. What's worse is they now have to travel to Chicago where Sunday evening's weather will see temps in the single digits with wind chills well below zero. And if that doesn't make it hard enough for the Rams high octane pass offense, QB Matthew Stafford is nursing a sprained index finger on his throwing hand. But coach Sean McVay has relied heavily on three Tight End sets this year, so expect that to continue this game. Also, the Bears had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL during the regular season, which bodes well for RBs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, both of whom averaged around five yards per carry.  

In watching the 2025 Bears, they reminded me of my Vikings squad of 2022. That is, a terrific regular season with a lot of their wins decided in the fourth quarter or overtime. However, the Bears, unlike the '22 Vikes, have actually won a playoff game after last week's (you guessed it) 4th quarter comeback win over the Green Bay Packers. 

I've been saying for weeks now that the Bears' luck is going to run out eventually. But with QB Caleb Williams seemingly meeting the expectations heaped upon him when drafted #1 overall, what they've built this season feels sustainable. Alas, I believe they'll fall short this game. 

Los Angeles 20 Chicago 17

My 2025 postseason record:

Against the spread: 2-4

Straight up: 3-3

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

Transitioning out of trans madness.

The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing a case on the constitutionality of states making laws prohibiting transgender women and girls (aka biological men and boys) from competing on women and girls' athletic teams. If this past week's oral arguments are any indication, SCOTUS is primed to allow such laws to stand. 

Perhaps one of the most damning exchanges occurred when Kathleen Hartnett, attorney for one of the challengers of these laws, couldn't coherently define a woman when pressed by Justice Samuel Alito. 

Is the ACLU a shadow operation of the Christian-right? pic.twitter.com/1aghi6OqMR

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) January 14, 2026

Justice Alito continued with even more pointed questions. 

 

Justice Samuel Alito: “Suppose this school has a boy’s track team and a girl’s track team… A male student… that has never taken puberty blockers, never taken female hormones, never had any gender-altering or affirming surgeries, says never the less, ‘I am a woman. That's who I… pic.twitter.com/fBADTpEQnE

— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) January 13, 2026

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson put forth a theory that, despite fighting vehemently for "trans rights" for about a decade now, elected Dems may actually be pining for a way out of this madness. 

 

Right now, Republicans are on their knees praying fervently that the Supreme Court saves Trump and the GOP from tariffs by throwing them out. Increasingly, Democrats are burning sage and taking psychedelics to channel their inner chakra and focus it on the karma of the Supreme Court, hoping the Court says boys can be banned from girls’ sports.

Both sides want the Court to save them from themselves. With the GOP, Trump is fleeting and will be gone in three years. The problem for Democrats, in addition to the Electoral College and census (particularly if deportations continue), is that Trump will go. But the Democrats are stuck with the progressive donors and trans-advocates.1

So they better be able to answer if a man can get pregnant with a straight face.

Well......they're not off to a good start.

SPOILER ALERT: Men cannot get pregnant pic.twitter.com/08JwHUlxIj

— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 14, 2026

Kinda hard to gracefully exit this movement when a good number of high profile progressives have referred to transgender rights as "the civil rights issue of our time." 

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Quick Hits: Volume CCCXCIV

- Tim Walz has been governor of Minnesota for just over seven years now. And in that time the state has endured multiple crises, whether it was the COVID-19 pandemic, the riots in the aftermath of George Floyd's death and now Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting operations in the state. In each of those instances, Walz has utterly failed to meet the moment. 

On Wednesday evening, he took to live TV to once again fan the flames of escalating tensions. And he did so with unsubstantiated gossip and blatant lies. 

Armed, masked, undertrained ICE agents are going door to door, ordering people to point out where their neighbors of color live.

They’re pulling over people indiscriminately, including U.S. citizens, and demanding to see their papers.

And at grocery stores, at bus stops, even at schools, they’re breaking windows, dragging pregnant women down the street, just plain grabbing Minnesotans and shoving them into unmarked vans, kidnapping innocent people with no warning and no due process.

Let’s be very, very clear: This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement.

Instead, it is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.

But then later on in the speech, he says this. 

Donald Trump wants chaos.

He wants confusion.

And, yes, he wants more violence on our streets.

We cannot give him what he wants.

We can – we must – protest: loudly, urgently, but also peacefully.

Indeed, as hard as we will fight in the courts and at the ballot box, we cannot, and will not, let violence prevail.

As we have witnessed over the past several years, there are enough mentally fragile people out there who are going to hear those words and take them to heart. So when Walz flatly accuses ICE of racial profiling American citizens and the roughing them up and then later says he doesn't want violence, that is the equivalent of lighting the fuse of an M80 but not wanting a loud explosion. 

Like in his speech at Shiloh Temple the week of Christmas, Walz is inciting violence. So when he insists that's actually what Trump wants, you now know he's simply projecting. 

- If you're wondering why Minnesota (specifically the metropolitan area) has become such a prog cesspool, it's because this vacuous dork was the state party leader for more than a decade. 

From Tehran to my birthplace of Minneapolis, people are rising up against systems that wield violence without accountability.

In Iran, brave protestors confront a far-right theocratic regime that crushes dissent and denies basic freedoms. Here at home, tens of thousands are…

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) January 11, 2026

When receiving pushback, Kenny, now the chair of the Democrat National Committee, doubled down. 

 

If comparing the U.S. to Iran makes you angry, ask why. Killing protesters. Crushing dissent. Kidnapping and disappearing legal citizens. Ignoring courts. Threatening critics. Terrorizing communities. That’s authoritarian behavior—anywhere. If you’re rushing to defend it, maybe… https://t.co/nh6krxBHul

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) January 11, 2026

Check out the tweet thread of Ali Bradley, who lists the rap sheets of the many violent criminals ICE has rounded up in their operations in Minnesota. These are the people who Ken and his ilk believe are "victims."  

- Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, passed away this week after a bout with prostate cancer. He was 68 years old. 

National Review's Dan McLaughlin paid tribute to Adams' genius last year when it was announced he had metastatic prostate cancer. 

But what was so fresh about Dilbert, and helped make it a sensation with Gen Xers entering the workplace in the 1990s, was its unflinching cynicism and misanthropy, combined with how Adams drew on his own experiences and a steady stream of reader emails to flesh out his critiques of the corporate world. For previous generations, a white-collar career was supposed to be a better version of the American Dream than blue-collar factory work — the thing for which a generation of kids were sent to college — as well as a peacetime refuge from the bureaucracy-ridden military service that defined young manhood in the 1940s and 1950s. But Adams drew a new and vivid portrait that stripped away those illusions.

The world of Dilbert was one of workplaces full of unattractive, self-interested, unhappy people in which nobody knew what they were doing, meetings were endless and pointless, management spoke in buzzwords they didn’t understand, nobody cared about the customer, people socialized with coworkers only to kill time, and nothing ever really changed or improved. The strip satirized every trend in the corporate world: reorganizations, mission statements, product development and launches, outsourcing, budgeting shenanigans, you name it. Built around a doughy, bespectacled, girlfriend-less engineer, it surfed the office and personal technology trends of the decades from the golden age of the fax machine to the era of smartphones and social media. Unlike working-class hero bards of prior generations, Adams made his workers little more sympathetic than their bosses.

Adams came back into consciousness nearly ten years ago when he predicted that Donald Trump would not only be the GOP nominee for President but that he would defeat Hillary Clinton in the general. He was the first high profile name I was aware of who went out on such a limb. And because he switched his endorsement from Clinton to Trump, you can probably guess how his death was reported on. 

This is gross, @nytimes pic.twitter.com/KkC9u2NCiQ

— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) January 13, 2026 

🚨 People Magazine is a total disgrace!

Both died of cancer, yet look at the headlines:

OJ Simpson: Dead at 76 From Cancer, Family Announces

Scott Adams: Disgraced Dilbert Creator, Dies at 68

Same cause of death. Totally different tone. pic.twitter.com/lC1w8CBmkz

— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) January 13, 2026

Regardless, I truly hope Scott accepted Jesus as his savior, which he vowed to do near the end of his life. 

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