The NARN Closer's playlist - 10/4/2026

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I've had enough of scheming and messing around with jerks....

We're exactly 30 days from Election Day, so a lot to get to on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, Republican candidate for MN House Leslie Larson will be on to discuss her campaign in House District 32B (Lexington, eastern & southern portions of Blaine). 

At 1:30, Republican candidate for MN Attorney General Ron Schutz will check in to update us on his quest to unseat the deplorable Keith Ellison. 

In the non-guest segments, I'll talk about the scary shooting incident at Eden Prairie High School and how it reflects the fecklessness among certain elected officials. Also, per a certain Minneapolis City Councilman, driverless cars are (**checks notes**) murdering cats?????

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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The struggle to re-gain lost relevance is real

Some people want all the adulation of being a public figure without any of the downsides, which often includes virulent criticism. That was the plight of Jesse Ventura after he shocked the political world by being elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998. While he basked in the glow of his highly improbable victory while also enjoying high approval ratings early on in his gubernatorial term, the shine on his star wore off within in a year a two. And when that happened, gone was the lovable oaf, replaced by a thin-skinned bully. As legitimate criticism was conveyed by local media, it was met with hostility by ol' Jess, often turning typical press scrums into a war of words between a member of the executive branch of government and the press corps (sound familiar?).

Seeing how Donald Trump hijacked his formula of appealing to a disaffected electorate by providing a non-traditional candidacy for office, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for Ventura to want to have a medium to take on the current President. And sure enough, he allegedly offered a modest proposal to do so. 

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura apparently has his sights set on Washington, according to Garage Logic host Joe Soucheray, who said Ventura had an unusual proposal for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar to help him get there.

During a Sept. 24 episode of Garage Logic, Soucheray said Ventura told him he met twice with Klobuchar and made his proposal during their second meeting.

“Then he had a second meeting with Klobuchar and told Sen. Amy Klobuchar, ‘I will not run if you, prior to the election, say that if you win the governor’s race in Minnesota, you will name me as the senator to fill in your two remaining years,'” Soucheray said.

What I wanna know is how Ventura thought he could derail Klobuchar's bid to win this election. Was he going to make another third party run, one which could siphon off vote's from Klobee, thus putting her opponent Lisa Demuth in a more advantageous position? Or was he planning on running as a Dem in an attempt to thwart a clear path to the nomination? While that part isn't clear, I think it's utterly hilarious that this self-important jackass believes he's in a position to have that kind of impact on a gubernatorial race. 

If by some bizarre occurrence Ventura is appointed to the Senate, the idea he'd have even marginal impact in his desire to "take on Trump" shows that the head injuries he suffered as a professional wrestler are staring to manifest in clownish ways,

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXIV

- National Republicans are likely to get shellacked this election cycle. Given the party had a trifecta in D.C. (President, House and Senate) for 21 months, they'll be made to pay for the affordability crisis they ran on in the 2024 campaigns but seemed to make worse once elected. And while Democrats are rightly pointing out that gas prices are spinning out of control due to the direct actions of President Trump (i.e. waging war in Iran), have they indicated how they plan to mitigate the issue? No, they haven't, simply because they see high fuel prices as a feature, not a bug. 

Erick Erickson lays it out. 

Democrats want higher gas prices. They want smaller cars. They want you out of your car and into public transportation. You may be unhappy about gas prices, but remember Democrats want them even higher so that you are forced to give up your SUV. They want farmers driving battery powered combines too heavy for fields. They want truckers to drive battery powered 18-wheelers.

Gas prices will come down, but not if the Democrats get power back. Just remember that.

Another thing to remember: the government makes a significant amount of money in tax revenue on gasoline. They could literally slow the proverbial bleeding almost immediately. But they don't. Now ask yourself why. 

- A scary scene aboard a passenger flight in the Middle East skies. 

• Disaster averted: A pilot on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight has been arrested after he stabbed the other pilot in the cockpit during an apparent attempt to crash the plane, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

• Heroism on board: Despite being wounded, the attacked pilot — identified as Captain Smit Machchhar — fought back and “managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster,” Netanyahu told CNN. A passenger described how he put the alleged assailant in a chokehold before grabbing the plane’s controls to stabilize the flight. But it is unclear who ultimately landed the plane.

• Terrifying moments: The incident caused the aircraft to plummet 17,400 feet in less than two minutes, according to flight tracking data. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia and passengers have since returned safely to Israel. Flydubai has launched an investigation into the incident, an airline spokesperson said.

Let's call this what it is: an act of terrorism. Israeli citizens have lived under the threat of death for decades now, and even more so over the past three years. 

Here's what took place upon the flight making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. 

After FlyDubai emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, Saudi medical teams offered care to the 150 Israeli nationals on board.
Saudis should be proud of these teams. Arab tradition teaches that “rescue of the distressed” comes before anything else. This was a great time to show it. pic.twitter.com/tZAWQlQiHb

— Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) September 30, 2026

Has anyone pondered if this kind of relationship (i.e. the Saudis collaborating with Israelis) would have even been possible without the first Trump presidential term mediating the Abraham Accords? We can certainly bank on approximately zero media outlets broaching that possibility. 

- In late April 2024, the podcast Purple Daily hosted a Vikings watch party on the first night of the NFL draft. The excitement was palatable as the team was looking to draft a franchise QB, something which hadn't been done successfully since arguably 1999 when they drafted Daunte Culpepper. 

So when the Vikings made their selection that April evening in '24, the roof practically came off The Fillmore in Minneapolis. 

#Skol nation has been anticipating this for more than 16 months. pic.twitter.com/sGWo7aOOAX

— Brad Carlson (@Brad_Carlson) September 10, 2025

A mere 29 months later, the Vikings are, once again, back at square one. 

BREAKING: The #Vikings are trading QB JJ McCarthy to the #Giants for a 5th-round pick, per @JayGlazer. pic.twitter.com/p9yJ5BI5ev

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2026

This news didn't surprise me in the least given how McCarthy and head coach Kevin O'Connell have seemed to have developed a rift over the past year. However, I admit to being disgusted at this franchise's continued ineptitude at successfully developing a quarterback they acquire via the draft. 

Whenever the Vikings have jettisoned a player in the past, my hope was that player would bust so as not to make my favorite squad look bad. However, in this instance, it is my sincere desire that McCarthy has a long, productive career. The Vikings organization deserves to have this be the proverbial exploding cigar in the face. But if indeed it's determined that McCarthy is not even a serviceable NFL quarterback, this is still a blemish on O'Connell given this would turn out to be a wasted top 10 draft pick, a selection which the head coach was all in on. Yeah, I have no tolerance for those hellbent on throwing former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah under the bus for actually calling in the pick. No way did he usurp the so-called "quarterback whisperer."

Of course, O'Connell can redeem himself if he actually tailors an offense to the skill set of his current starting QB Kyler Murray, thus increasing his chances of succeeding. That, along with a top tier defense, would go a long way to helping the Vikes win their first playoff game since January 2020. But if they once again go one-and-done in the postseason or miss it altogether? I'm guessing KOC will, at minimum, be on double secret probation going into 2027. 

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Box Score of the Week

The Hall of Fame career of Justin Verlander concluded with his final appearance this past Saturday. 

Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers - September 26. 2026.

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In this game, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander faced Pirates batter Konnor Griffin. What was notable about this matchup is Griffin was born nine months after Verlander made his MLB debut. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 9/27/2026

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I'm only pretty sure that I can't take any more.....

Another Sunday means yet another edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour blitz begins at 1:00 Central Time. 

It's another guest intensive show on the broadcast today. 

1:00 - Jessica Johnson, GOP candidate for MN House District 33B (Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, Scandia, Bayport). 

1:30 - Andrew Hattaway, GOP candidate for MN House District 56B (Rosemount, eastern Apple Valley, southwestern Eagan). 

2:00 - Amanda Peterson, geopolitical wonk talking Iran war, relations with China, assassination attempts by Kremlin assets inside the U.S., 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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Who run the world?

 I've been hearing variations of this statement for years now. 

Obama: "If you put women in charge of every government for two years... I have a strong belief that things would be better. I'm confident about that." pic.twitter.com/H6hs5ZjZFV

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) September 24, 2026

Barry apparently didn't believe this in 2008 when Hillary Clinton was his chief rival their party's nomination for President. It was only after near completion of his two full terms as POTUS that Obama made public his belief that Hillary was the most qualified candidate to run for President, like, ever!

My favorite riff on the "women need to run things" chanting point came from Drew Carey during a White House Correspondents' Dinner during the George W. Bush years. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Decker Watson (@beringc)

And here's an excerpt from a now defunct blog (written by a gal, BTW) when blogging was the thing back in the aughts. 

 

I'm so sick of people saying things like "If mothers ran the world there would be no wars". Seriously, ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz. Because mothers are what, all a bunch of passive, docile negotiators?

Good God, what if every world leader were a pregnant woman? There would be wars for the worst reasons you've ever heard.

"This dress makes me look like a buffalo! I bomb you!"

"Why is my hair so greasy? Why does your mother hate me? Talks are over! Send in the tanks!"

On second thought, we might have been done with the Iran conflict in a much more expedited time frame. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXIII

- Regrets. California Gov. Greaseball Gavin Newsom has had a few, specifically the way he handled the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Newsom agreed when CNN's Jake Tapper suggested: "There needs to be like a 9/11 Commission on COVID -- what we did right, what we did wrong."

"Everyone's a genius in hindsight. Coulda-woulda," Newsom said. "I was running around doing price-gauging legislation against Purell -- everyone was thinking it was a Purell-based crisis."

And who could forget that while the Golden State was locked down while also under a draconian mask mandate, Newsome could be seen dining at the swanky restaurant French Laundry.....while maskless? 

"(J)ust a bone-headed decision."

"I was just dialing it in. We were exhausted, friend's birthday. It was a restaurant that was open the night before, open the night after. But it was against the spirit of the rules I was promoting, and I went. I had a mask on when I went in, when I went out -- but not while I was eating."

"I was up there promoting mask on in between bites," he laughed. "Which in itself is curious."

"It was a completely legit condemnation," Newsom said. "I got a recall, and I almost lost -- talk about humility."

"My politics changed after that."

Did they really? Because I remember a mere 4-1/2 months after surviving his September 2021 recall election, Newsom was seen at the Super Bowl in Inglewood's SoFi Stadium  *not* wearing a mask. Meanwhile, elementary age kids were still mandated to don face coverings while outdoors. 

Yeah, that snake had clearly not shed his skin. 

- This clip from last Sunday featuring Taylor Swift cheering on her husband (and Kansas City Chiefs TE) Travis Kelce has, not surprisingly, gone viral. 

“THATS MY HUSBAND” 💍 pic.twitter.com/BPvOxNlGEq

— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) September 21, 2026

When arguably the most famous person on planet Earth does anything in full view of millions of TV viewers, it's going to garner massive attention. 

In our politically and socially polarized world, every action by a celebrity tends to be scrutinized to death. But I would hope we'd be able to agree here that this is a tremendous example of a successful partnership, where each member of the couple passionately supports the other in their chosen endeavor. 

There is some debate over whether or not TSwift is a proper role model for young ladies. While I couldn't possibly care less about that back and forth, I can't deny that Tay's excitement over her husband's success is something every man should long for from this bride. And it should be reciprocated. 

- With an approval rating hovering in the 30s and his political party facing the prospects of a midterm election that could rival the 2006 "thumping," President Donald Trump is seemingly radioactive among many GOP Congressional candidates. 

Jim Geraghty at National Review compiled a list. 

• Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds scrubbed references to Trump from his campaign website.
• Donalds is following in the footsteps of GOP Representative Young Kim, who often faces tough reelection bids in her R+1 southern California district.
• Michigan GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers is running an ad that begins, “The war in Iran needs to end, to bring costs down.”
• Iowa GOP representatives Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks joined in a vote to limit Trump’s war powers last week. Both lawmakers represent competitive districts, and this marked the first time either one had voted to rein in Trump’s Iran war powers. Nunn wrote on X, “With the negotiating window closed, sustained combat operations now require congressional authorization. Having deployed multiple times and flown over 700 combat hours in the Middle East, I will not support another open-ended war.”
• Ashley Hinson, a GOP representative who’s running for governor in Iowa, wrote on X Monday, “Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran.”
• Wisconsin GOP candidate for governor, Representative Tom Tiffany, on rising gas prices and Iran: “I just believe we should be exiting Iran, it’s time to move on. We’ve degraded their nuclear facilities, we’ve degraded their military, most of their ships are at the bottom of the ocean. Time to come home, take care of business here in America.”
• In a meeting with voters, Colorado GOP Representative Jeff Hurd “talked about where he disagrees with the Trump administration. Hurd said he opposes Trump’s sweeping tariffs against Canada and a Republican push to sell public lands. He voted to extend healthcare subsidies.”

I've always maintained the GOP would lose the House given they only have a razor-thin majority to begin with, but hang on to the Senate. However, with such reliable Republican seats like Texas, Kansas, South Carolina and Iowa suddenly in play this cycle, even that is far from a sure thing.  

On a somewhat related note: if either SCOTUS justice Sam Alito or Clarence Thomas are considering retirement, they may well have their letters in the "Drafts" folder right about now. 

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Box Score of the Week

Chicago Cubs at New York Giants - July 20, 1927.

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At the age of 18 years and 140 days, the Giants' Mel Ott is the youngest player in MLB history with a pinch-hit, walk-off RBI. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 9/20/2026

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You move Middle East and I'll move Wild West................

Yeah, I know the Vikings play at Noon today, but I'll still have the top notch content on today's radio show The Closer. The 2-hour broadcast gets started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

I'll take the first two segments to discuss Minnesota statewide races, specifically the GOP being in a decent position to actually.....uh.....win?!?!?! Will Charlie Brown actually kick the football this time????

The subsequent segments will be a guest-a-palooza. 

1:30 - Austin Peterson, GOP candidate in MN Senate District 4 (Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Dilworth).

2:00 - Tawny Kilpper, Middle School Program Director for Young America's Foundation, will be on to discuss a YAF event taking place in the Twin Cities next week. 

2:30 - Paul Wikstrom, GOP candidate in Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District, which covers nearly all of Ramsey County and part of Washington County. 

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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MANA

With President Donald Trump's second term being a veritable goat rodeo, the upcoming midterm elections should yield a blue tsunami. And while there's a nonzero chance that can still happen, the fact is the Democrats are running so many whack jobs in key Congressional races that, as I write this, they're on pace to attain only a slight majority in the House while not being able to seize control of the Senate. 

On the flip side, this shows that if the Trump administration portrayed even a scintilla of competence, Republicans would be able to mitigate (if not outright prevent) key losses this election cycle. 

The hilarious Bridget Phetasy has a brilliant yet simple solution for conservatives in this era: don't be goofy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bridget Phetasy (@bridgetphetasy)

Make America Normal Again: I would totally don a red hat with that slogan.

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXXII

 - When prog political candidates are heavily supported by plutocrats such as George Soros, Michael Bloomberg and Alida Rockefeller Messinger, it elicits a collective yawn from the media lapdogs. But if a prominent GOP candidate garners even a fraction of that support? It gets put on blast. 

The November election is just over eight weeks away and one of the marquee races in Minnesota is the race for governor.

Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth now faces DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the November election.

Klobuchar is way ahead in fundraising with $3.44 million cash on hand to Demuth's $544,000, but Demuth has closed some of the gap with the help of outside money. Records show an outside Super PAC called Restore Sanity has given $2.8 million from at least 26 separate donations to support Demuth's campaign, most of it going to advertising.

The Restore Sanity PAC is funded by Wisconsin billionaire Richard Uihlein, a top donor to President Trump.

In contrast, Klobuchar's campaign has received $5,000 of outside money from two Minnesota PACs.

Yeah, but has Klobee always been that scrupulous when running for U.S. Senate or President? (Spoiler: no).

Let's be real though. It's not the money that bothers the left and their media allies so much. It's the fact Demuth is within striking distance in this race. If Klobee had her normal 15-20 point lead in the polls, this race would be summarily ignored even if Demuth brought in a semblance of that kind of outside money. Sounds to me it's more the effective messaging than it is campaign cash that is fueling Demuth's competitiveness. 

- Speaking of the Minnesota gubernatorial race, I'm highly skeptical an in-depth piece such as this would have been allowed in the Star Tribune had Gov. Tim Walz not suspended his bid for a third term. 

Four takeaways from our deep dive into the Walz administration’s fraud response https://t.co/eUpNORPinl

— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) September 14, 2026

The sub headline in the story: Key figures in and around the administration and more than 1,000 pages of newly public testimony transcripts revealed a theme of delegation and missed warnings.

One of those figures who could be aptly characterized as being "in and around" the Walz administration? Why, that would be Lt. Gov. (and current US Senate candidate) Peggy Flanagan, who, conveniently, is not mentioned by name in the article. Despite that, this issue will continue to dog her. 

This certainly has the potential to be an in-kind contribution to Peg's opponent, Michele Tafoya. 

- Conservative commentator Erick Erickson has uncovered some disturbing allegations about certain elements looking to hijack the conservative movement. 

For the last month, I've been working on tying together the white nationalists, Christian nationalists, and neo-Nazis rising on the right. They not only have common sources of funding, but they are taking over portions of the conservative movement. Finally hitting "publish" in…

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 16, 2026

The piece is long, but it is an essential read. 

To put it mildly, I will have absolute zero involvement with any faction which chooses hate to achieve its end goals. Any credible conservative would be wise to call this out for what it is, and in much the same manner Erick has. 

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Box Score of the Week

Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers - August 19, 1921

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Detroit's Ty Cobb collected his 3,000th career hit this game. At age 34 years and 243 days, Cobb is the youngest players to reach that milestone. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 9/13/2026

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Talkin' 'bout your troubles and you never learn.................

Happy first Sunday of the NFL season! Since the Vikings game doesn't start until 3:25, I'll be locked in on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour blitz begins at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

Right at 1:00, MN State Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) will join us to discuss his reelection campaign in Senate District 35 (Anoka, most of Coon Rapids, southern Andover). 

At 2:30, National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp will join the broadcast to weigh in on President Trump's proposed $5,000 "dividend payment." 

In the non-guest segments, I will discuss two somber anniversaries from this past week. 

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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Telling young people about 9/11

It's hard to fathom that it's been a literal quarter century since four hijacked planes killed nearly 3,000 people on American soil. 

The American young people comprised of Gen Z (as well as a good number of Millennials) don't remember a world without prolific metal detectors at airports, stadiums and arenas, nor can they comprehend something occurring in America which actually unites the citizenry. 

For my money, National Review writer Jim Geraghty's piece on 9/11 is worth your time. He essentially shares his perspective with a mythical kid on how they couldn't possibly understand the apocalyptic vibe surrounding that second Tuesday in September 2001. 

You kids born later, you’ve seen some troubles. The Great Recession. Covid. Way too many mass shootings. But thankfully, you’ve never experienced anything like autumn of 2001, where you turned on the television news and wondered what terrible thing had happened since you last tuned in. “Doomscrolling” hadn’t been invented yet, but we had the dread of the CNN “Breaking News” chyron and sound. If they were interrupting regular coverage, it meant something unexpected had happened, almost certainly bad news.

Still, looking back on that day 25 years ago, there was that silver lining of just about everybody putting their American flags out. That was the “united” part of that time. For all we knew, we were all the next target, together. Al-Qaeda didn’t give a damn about what color your skin was, or what nationality you were, or, when it came down to it, even what religion you were. We weren’t like them, so they wanted to kill us. It made all our differences look small.

I’m not so sure we’d react the same way today, if, God forbid, someone hit us like that again.

Unfortunately, Jim, I am sure we would not react that same way today. Alas. 

Come, Lord Jesus.

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Charlie Kirk: one year later

On the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I wish I could say that I'm shocked how cold, callous and flat out evil some people have behaved in reacting to his death and legacy. Unfortunately, I'm almost numb to the derangement which permeates our political and social discourse. 

Charlie's good friend Frank Turek, in a recent chat with Jeremy Boreing, talked a little bit about that fateful day and what he's witnessed since. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeremy Boreing (@jeremyboreing)

The "Candace" they're referring to in this clip is Candace Owens, who has made it her personal mission in life to vilify Charlie's widow Erika for reasons I can't comprehend. I can't say I've gained intimate knowledge regarding Candace's belief on who or what killed Charlie, but somehow his wife and/or Israel were involved, I guess. 

Indeed, there was a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit in the aftermath of Charlie's death on 9/10/2025, particularly the outpouring witnessed at his celebration of life service a week-and-a-half later. Obviously the enemy Satan, whose sole purpose is to steal, kill and destroy, is at work in the lives of others who look to co-opt Charlie's legacy. 

.@benshapiro says that three things SHOULD have happened after Charlie’s death (but didn’t):

1.) Political unification on the right around core principles

2.) United opposition to left wing violence

3.) Religious revival

These were thwarted by grifters and opportunists.… pic.twitter.com/RQNYYcA3GQ

— Jackie Chea ⚖️ (@Fair_and_Biased) September 10, 2026

While I was a frequent critic of Charlie's, specifically his fealty to anything Donald Trump, I always gave him his props for giving young people an opportunity to be exposed to different ideas. But what really brought out my respect was his being unabashed about his faith in Jesus Christ. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Turning Point USA (@turningpointusa)

Charlie's bold proclamation of faith inspires me to resist the urge to lash out at those who literally celebrate his death, knowing that they, like me, have fallen short of God's glory. We all need deliverance and grace. 

Charlie is no longer physically here, but we can not allow his legacy to be tarnished by those who have succumbed to evil. 

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Quick Hits: CDXXI

- Since the George W. Bush administration, the Republican party has been drifting further and further away from fiscal conservatism. This latest proposal gives the impression they're trying to challenge the left on expansion of government. 

NYT: Trump Officials Draft Plan to Pay At-Home Parents, Using Funds for Working Ones

The Trump administration is moving to allow married couples with a stay-at-home spouse to collect child care subsidies, a policy championed by Vice President JD Vance, using funds from a federal program intended to assist working parents, according to people familiar with the discussions.

If this somehow were to get through under Republican governance, it would be the ultimate permission structure for Democrats to escalate once they regain power. Erick Erickson painted a sobering portrait.

My biggest concern with this plan for families from the GOP is that you can never outbid the Left. So the GOP offers up a welfare benefit for a stay at home parent. The Dems will come back with the government covering the cost of pregnancy, child healthcare, etc. etc. etc. The GOP offers this benefit; the Democrats offer a multitude more.

The U.S. recently surpassed $40 trillion in its National Debt. All talk of expanding government programs at this juncture is utterly reckless and irresponsible. 

- My Minnesota Vikings traded up to the #10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft to select what they thought was their franchise quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. Less than 2-1/2 years later, he's relegated to being the third string QB on the depth chart for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. 

Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell announced Carson Wentz will be the No. 2 backup QB on Sunday vs. the Packers and J.J. McCarthy will be QB3.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2026

Perhaps the most humiliating aspect for a young man who last year self-promoted his intense alter ego "Nine?" The official demotion occurred on Wednesday.......on the date 9/9.

- Late night talk shows on network TV are passe. Add to that the fact they've become little more than therapy sessions for those constantly triggered by a Donald Trump presidency, it should be no surprise that Stephen Colbert's CBS show finally assumed room temperature earlier this year. Well, it was slightly surprising in that the deranged Jimmy Kimmel didn't go first. 

But alas, it appears Jimbo's number has finally been called, 

Next season of ABC’s late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will be the last, Page Six is told.

“His contract is not getting extended,” a source familiar with the situation explained.

The season begins Tuesday and would wrap up, after 24 years on the air, in May 2027.

A spokesperson for ABC Entertainment has denied this report, so I guess we'll see. 

Bottom line is these shows have been unsustainable business models for quite some time. Why these networks have been addicted to hemorrhaging money is beyond me. 

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Box Score of the Week

Pittsburgh Pirates at St Louis Cardinals - June 27. 2021.

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Pirates' starting pitcher Max Kranick pitched five perfect innings in his MLB debut. That is the longest outing for a pitcher who allowed no baserunners in his first major league appearance. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 9/6/2026

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It's the same old theme, since 1916................

Happy Labor Day weekend! A lot to get to on today's edition of my radio show The Closer. The 2-hour festivities begin at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

In the first hour, I'll discuss the horrific shooting incident at a downtown Minneapolis apartment building, one which resulted in multiple deaths. 

At 1:30, GOP candidate for Minnesota House Sebastian Stoss will stop by to discuss his candidacy in MN House District 36A (Lino Lakes, North Oaks, Centerville, Circle Pines, northern part of White Bear Township). 

In the second hour, I'll weigh in on the prog follies at the MN State Fair as well as the latest news in the midterm Congressional races. 

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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Predictable

The longer the jury held out, the more it became obvious this would be the outcome. 

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial Friday in Lindsay Clancy’s murder case after jurors said they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the killings of her three children after a week of deliberating at the Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The mistrial followed a dramatic dispute over an alleged 11-1 divide, with Clancy’s defense arguing that the lone holdout juror had acknowledged doubt but was refusing to properly apply the court’s instructions on reasonable doubt.

The alleged holdout is believed to be one of the three male jurors on the 12-person panel after defense attorney Kevin Reddington repeatedly referred to the unnamed juror as a male inside and outside court.

"[The other jurors] know that they were robbed — by one man — for whatever his agenda was, who stole seven weeks of the life of these other jurors that were so attentive, so beautiful, so wonderful and listened to this evidence," he told reporters after leaving the courthouse.

"And you could see how defeated they were sitting there. And I got a funny feeling they could go one for another week if they had to. So, I hope that guy can sleep well at night."

I noticed a good number of prominent pro lifers lauding the one holdout, essentially saying he was the only one pushing for a "guilty" verdict. However, it's important to understand the Massachusetts law in this context.  

Erick Erickson broke it down. 

 

Massachusetts is the only state in the nation where, if a judge allows a defendant to argue they were insane based on certain criteria, then the jury, when they deliberate, must assume the defendant is insane, and the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was actually sane.

How do you show Lindsay Clancy was sane when she strangled her three toddlers, slit her own throat, and jumped out a second-story window, rendering her permanently paralyzed?

That’s a pretty tough thing for the prosecution to show.

My guess is that the jury was not going for “not guilty” but “not guilty by reason of insanity” with one hold out.

Had the jury been unanimous in declaring not guilty by reason of insanity, Clancy likely would have been committed to a psych ward for the rest of her natural life. Did the one holdout juror not believe that was just punishment? Did he honestly believe Clancy was actually sane and thus needed to be locked up in a regular prison? 

However you feel about the outcome of this trial, one aspect none of us can deny is three dead children have yet to receive the justice they richly deserve. 

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Quick Hits: Volume CDXX

- A mass shooting occurred at a downtown Minneapolis apartment complex on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in three deaths (including the gunman) and six people injured. 

The suspected shooter was identified as Carlton Neal Johnson II, 35, of Minneapolis, according to people with knowledge of the investigation. Johnson was fighting an eviction proceeding based on a series of threatening incidents at the apartment complex, according to court records.

Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson said law enforcement was “familiar with who this individual was.” He did not provide a motive for the shooting.

A huge police presence converged on the Loring Park neighborhood following an initial report of multiple casualties.

KARE 11 news guy Lou Raguse has dug up some disturbing background on the shooter. 

Given the legally documented threats the gunman had made to multiple individuals, how was this guy still eligible to have a carry permit? A statement from the Hennepin County Attorneys Office indicated that because Johnson's firearm "did not leave his waistband" it's not considered a threat. 

My friend, radio colleague and highly knowledgeable 2A activist Mitch Berg suggests HennCo attorney Mary Moriarty et al didn't follow proper procedures with this one. 

Minnesota’s “brandishing“ law treats the threatening display of a firearm as assault of some degree or another, depending on the circumstances (and unless it is a proportional deterrent, itself, to an attack.).

Either the repeated charges of brandishing just weren’t all that serious (huh?), Or the Hennepin County attorneys office really really really didn’t want to prosecute.

And that is why the obligatory "GUN CONTROL NOW!!!" shrieks are largely mute given there are already laws on the books to prevent an incident such as this, yet the system (once again) largely failed. 

- With President Donald Trump's approval ratings hitting record lows, his presence on the campaign trail for Congressional Republicans is not desirous for candidates in competitive races. Nevertheless, Trump's $400 million super PAC seeks to make the midterms about one thing: Trump. Essentially the pitch is to vote for Republicans due to all the wonderful things Trump believes he's accomplished. 

It's reminiscent of the 2014 midterms when deeply unpopular Democrat President Barack Obama basically undermined his party's prospects by saying his "policies are on the ballot" a mere month ahead of Election Day. Sure enough, the GOP flipped nine seats in the U.S. Senate to take over the majority in that body in addition to enhancing their advantage in the House, winning a party record 247 seats. 

The silver lining for the GOP this cycle is the Dems are running absolute whack jobs in a good number of these congressional races, specifically Senate candidates in Texas, Michigan, Maine and my home state of Minnesota. Will it be enough to mitigate the potential bloodbath Republicans may endure? Time will tell, but Trump's self-promotion certainly won't persuade sorely needed independent voters. 

- The annual "seed art" submissions at the Minnesota State Fair typically consist of leftists tapping in to their creativity by either skewering Republicans or deifying their favorite leftist politicos. 

One submission this year seemed to accentuate the left's "a**a**inate Trump" fetishism. 

Minnesota media downplay ‘8647’ crop art controversy, paint creator as the victim

The crop art was entered into a public competition and displayed at the Minnesota State Fair for thousands of visitors to see. The State Fair itself displayed the artist's name and city of… pic.twitter.com/vNbZ9rNYUv

— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) September 1, 2026

After significant backlash, the artist requested her "art" be removed from the exhibit. 

There have been a lot of "8647" symbols showing up in prog spaces, but each time they deny it means they desire to kill the 47th POTUS. Their claim is they use "86" in the traditional slang term of "getting rid of something" (in this case, convict Trump in an impeachment trial, thus forcing him to leave the White House). While that may be true in some contexts, it's understandable how folks aren't buying it with this particular seed art submission. Just look at the picture contained in the above tweet. Why are the seeds below the numbers decorated in blood red? Obviously the lefty apologists at Minnesota Public Radio noticed it, which is why a photo contained in their story attempting to paint the artist as a victim seemed to understate the colorization. 

Look, I don't believe that the artist should have been doxxed or harassed for expressing herself. However, she would appear to be a perfect candidate for Minnesota's "hate speech registry" that she and her fellow leftists were attempting to get passed during the 2023 legislative session. 

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Box Score of the Week

St. Louis Browns at Philadelphia Athletics - May 16, 1951.

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The Athletics' Gus Zernial became the first player in MLB history to hit multiple homers in three consecutive games. 

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The NARN Closer's playlist - 8/30/2026

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Bands won't play no more, too much fighting on the dance floor......

After hosting the Saturday NARN last weekend, I'm back in the Patriot bunker for today's edition of my radio show The Closer. Today's 2-hour bonanza will get started at 1:00 PM Central Time. 

It's a guest-a-palooza on today's show: 

1:00 - Karen Attia, GOP candidate for MN Senate District 34 (Champlin, Dayton, Rogers, northern Brooklyn Park). 

1:30 - William Beck, GOP candidate for MN House District 41B (Hastings, southern Cottage Grove). 

2:00 - Mark Heuring, who will be on to preview the NFC North division. Since Mark is a Packer backer and I'm a Vikings rube, it's the only NFL division which matters to us. 

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 CDXIX

 - Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom has now joined the chorus of those who are making the radical suggestion that males should not participate in female sports leagues. 

He even was kind enough to provide clarity on what the "W" in WNBA stands for. 

Careful what you wish for, @WNBA

Freedom of speech never looked this good. 💅🏽

Somehow controversial.🤷🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/TZRa2M3mxc

— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) August 24, 2026

This was in Chicago where the hometown team Sky hosted the Indiana Fever. Kanter Freedom was eventually asked to leave the arena late in the third quarter after this incident. 

 

I dont think boys should be allowed to play in girls sports. I also think Enes Kanter is an absolute clown for making this issue about him.

We should be talking about how Caitlin had another double double 37 and 10 pic.twitter.com/cegEhT8DtD

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) August 24, 2026

 

Look, I'm not a huge fan of these kinds of stunts. To me, it doesn't really result in productive discourse, something which is needed when addressing such a hot button issue. Then again, as long as the WNBA continues to kick the can down the road by not saying definitively what a woman is, these kinds of clown shows will continue. And what a shame that would be given the league is enjoying perhaps the most successful 3-year stretch in its near three decade existence. 

- He's just making it up as he goes along. 

Mike Lindell is withholding the payment required for a recount and audit of ballots cast in the Republican primary for Minnesota governor, claiming that the Secretary of State's office has proposed an unlawful recount process, according to a statement released by his campaign Monday.

The MyPillow founder, who, according to the current results, finished second to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the race, said on Wednesday that he would personally pay for the recount. Secretary of State General Counsel Lauren Bethke set Monday as the deadline for Lindell to submit the request.

Lindell's campaign said the $825,000 payment was "primed and ready to cover the costs" but had not been submitted because of a dispute over the planned scope of the recount. The campaign said state officials intend to recount only the votes cast for Lindell and Demuth and not all the votes cast in the Republican gubernatorial primary, while excluding votes for other candidates in the race.

"The actions taken by the Secretary of State put Mike Lindell in an untenable position," Lindell's campaign said.

The campaign argues that the scope of the recount violates Minnesota law, citing a provision that defines a recount as determining "the number of votes validly cast for the office or question to be recounted."

Lindell is asking the state to waive the payment deadline until a court can rule on the parameters of the recount proposed by election officials.

Cassondra Knudson, a spokesperson for Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, said in response to the Lindell campaign's statement, "Our office provided the contingent recount plan to Mr. Lindell after it was approved by the State Canvassing Board on August 18. The plan follows state law and administrative rules on recount procedures, and is consistent with plans of its kind for the past two decades."

Lindell wants a full audit, but the state is only obligated to acquiesce to a recount. He was never going to be allowed to dictate the terms. 

At this point, I'm not really concerned about Lindell's reputation being further tarnished. Sadly for him, that's all self inflicted. But the salient issue is the potential to sow distrust in Minnesota's election system among some Republicans. That's the last thing the party needs with an already uphill battle to end a near 20-year losing streak in Minnesota statewide elections. 

- I've been lamenting for some time know that there is virtually nothing which unites Americans these days. One sentiment that was a legitimate unifying force? The love and admiration of Dolly Parton, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 80. 

We probably won’t ever see anything like this for the rest of our lives pic.twitter.com/nMSMusS2xl

— Nathan McDermott (@natemcdermott) August 25, 2026

The question now would be is there any *living* soul in America who could be as universally beloved as Dolly? The only one who comes to mind is maybe actor Denzel Washington. But I don't think even he is on the level she attained. 

Erick Erickson wrote a terrific piece on how Dolly just loved others unconditionally while seeking no fanfare for her good works. 

Dolly Parton, for years, has donated band uniforms to poor, majority-black schools across the South with no public credit or recognition. She has provided books for children because her father was illiterate. She rebuilt homes and she rebuilt churches. She built and upgraded hospitals in poor communities. She provided jobs and opportunities for the poor.

She did not demand that the government do it. She used her wealth to do it.

Dolly Parton did not care if you were gay or trans or straight or white or black or Republican or Democrat. She loved her neighbor as herself.

Today, partisans of the Left insist one cannot love their neighbor without affirming their sins. Partisans of the Right insist one cannot love their neighbor without denouncing their sins. A growing number of people on both sides of the political spectrum believe they cannot love their neighbors who are different, politically or otherwise. Some relish hating their neighbors and find ways to justify it.

A growing number of Christians in America think basic empathy, i.e., understanding another person’s lot in life, is a bridge too far. Others insist that one cannot embrace an understanding of loving one’s neighbor without compromising principled beliefs.

A growing number of online partisans in the church believe if one is too friendly or nice to those outside the church, that’s a sign of one’s compromise of belief and infidelity to scripture.

All I know is if we had more people willing to love their neighbors like Dolly Parton did, not waiting on the government to act or insisting others affirm their values first, we’d be a lot better off.

Amen.

We can certainly mourn the fact Dolly is no longer physically with us. However, the legacy she's left can serve as an inspiration to us all. 

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