Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliners” – I’m off on assignment this week, but James Lileks will be sitting in with Ed will be on from 1-3.  Beats a jab in the eye with a sharp stick.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

And don’t forget the David Strom Show, with David Strom and Margaret Martin, from 9-11!

(ht/ Cube)

First things first – thanks to Dane Smith for coming on the NARNII with us last Saturday.

Speed Gibson reviews Smith’s appearance:

Sorry Dane, but what we’ve really seen the past ten years is an experiment in BIG government. And the ten years before that, and the the years before that …

Next time – whether you call it big or small government, does all that money truly pay for a better Minnesota?

There’s much more to talk about, naturally.  (Check out the podcast and see for yourself; last weekend’s shows should post later today).

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will be on from 1-3.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

And don’t forget the David Strom Show, with David Strom and Margaret Martin, from 9-11!

(Title h/t Mick and Joe)

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will be on from 1-3. We’ll likely be talking about the turnabout in the polls, the week in the campaign, and Saint Thomas University’s rejection of a pro-life speaker sponsored by a conservative student group. Because goodness knows a Catholic university wouldn’t want to get all associated with pro-life stuff, would it?  Oh, and since I invited Dave Thune to come on the show, I’m sure he’ll turn up.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

And don’t forget the David Strom Show, with David Strom and Margaret Martin, from 9-11!

(h/t XTC)

Save May 7 on your calendars for the Patriot’s debate between Michael Medved and Ed Schultz.

This is going to be yuuuuuuge.

I’ll take bets a little closer to the event.

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.  Given the success of last week’s interview with Ross Bernstein, I expect two solid hours of audio from hockey fights.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will be on from 1-3.  I think it’s a safe bet we’ll be talking about politics.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1  They’ll be talking with Ross Bernstein about his series of books on the “honor codes” in professional sports.  Should be a short broadcast.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is back! Let’s face it – no shortage of material this week.  We’ll be talking about the new state-run healthcare legislation with a few of the people who’ve been working with the Governor on the subject.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.  They’ll be talking with the organizer of the SWMinnU appearance by Ward Churchill.  This oughtta be good.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

The NARN is taking the day off. We’ll be running “best of” broadcasts today, which means pretty much any episode but the “Funky Chicken” interview is fair game. What’ll ya get? We dunno.

The Northern Alliance Radio Network  – Chad, John, Brian, Ed, King, Michael and I – wishes you and yours a happy and blessed Easter.  We’ll be back next week to continue polarizing the political discourse.

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is back!  Let’s face it – no shortage of material this week.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

Yesterday, in an event that drove headlong into two levels of “meta”, Kool Aid Report live-blogged the 1PM hour, “NARN Idol”, with Paul “Nih(i)list” Happe sitting in for Ed; Sisyphus proceeded to live-blog the live-blog.

While I obviously couldn’t host the show and respond to two levels of liveblogging, and I’m darned if I’m gonna spend my Saturday night writing something like that, I just can’t resist the opportunity to land the fabled triple-meta.

I’m going to delayblog both of the liveblogs!

The original posts are presented in chronological order, not sorted for their originating blog; I think Sisyphus’ stuff has the bold timestamps. I think:

1:05 – It should be illegal for Chad to utter Brett Favre’s name.

1:05 PM: Learned “Packer-Fascist” Foot believes that it should be illegal for Chad the Elder to utter Brett Favre’s name. Osama bin Foot will no doubt behead anyone who draws a blasphemous Favre cartoon.

10:35AM: Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training, people. Who cares?

1:07 – They’re stalling. Nihilist must be late. Took a little too long to serruptitiously siphon gas from the neighbor’s car.

1:07 PM: Foot accuses the Nihilist of siphoning gas out of a neighbor’s car. I must admit, it is conceivable.

10:37AM: If you’d ever worked with the guy, you’d believe it.

1:10 – Top Chef debuts Wednesday. If you were only listening to Chad blather about it, you never would have known that. Luckily, you have me.

1:10 PM: Learned Foot informs us when the TV show “Top Chef” will premiere. “Top Chef” is a gay show.

10:40AM: Sisyphus must never have seen Casey, the eye-candy they threw at us straight guys last season. Or Jillian, from Project Runway. (I didn’t even know both of ’em won the “Fan Favorite” awards for the their shows – which means there’s gotta be a lot of straight guys watching.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

1:13 – More stalling. Yawwwwwn. I think I’ll liveblog the Gopher’s-Illinois game.

1:13 – Illinois 33, Gophers 29 – early 2nd half.

1:13 PM: Foot is growing impatient and is thinking of Live Blogging the Gophers vs. Illinois game. I don’t know what Foot is smoking. The Gophers aren’t playing until tonight vs. UMD.

1:13 PM: Foot hallucinates: Illinois 33, Gophers 29 – early 2nd half. Uh Foot, they’re called periods. And if you are going to make up score, make it realistic – no hockey score has ever been 33 to 29.

11:43AM: All I hear is a buzzing sound.

1:15 – Commercial. “I’m Andy Willoughby! How the fuck are you anyway?!”

1:15 PM: Foot mocks Patriot sponsor Andy Willoughby. Well played, Foot.

11:45AM: Andy Williby is a great American and a true patriot. And I’m proud to have him as a sponsor.

1:20 – Production errors abound. Nihilist must be working behind the glass.

1:20 PM: Foot blames the Nihilist for the Patriot’s production errors. This must be the first time Foot has ever listened to the Patriot.

11:50AM: Heh. Well, our producer, a lovely young Russian lady named Anna, was new to the show. She usually produces Strom and NARN Volume 1 – and new people take some getting used to. She did a fine job.

1:21 – “NARN Idol”? Everybody vote Chad out. Please.

1:21 PM: Foot takes another shot at Chad. When Foot stages his coup and installs Packeria law, Chad will be the first inmate in the Lambeau re-education camp.

11:51AM: Aaaaah. Spring training, right around the corner.

1:22 – OMG!!!!!! Paul’s had a stroke!!!! I hope he’s OK.

1:22 PM: Foot is not just a law talking guy, he can also diagnose strokes over the air!

1:23 – Never mind. That’s how his voice always sounds.

1:23 PM: False alarm! Foot just mis-diagnosed the Nihilist’s voice.

11:53 AM: I was about ready to make him sing “Burning Love”.

1:24 – Ha ha! A shout out! No guys, since I can’t be in the studio today, I’m taking a supplementary role. Just adding value; not trying to be a substitute.

11:54AM: Foot had childcare duty yesterday. If he’d only known that now only was the Patriot’s green room crowded with kids in Moonchild’s age bracket, but that Moon would have been among the more sedate of the bunch, perhaps he’d have come in.

1:24 PM: Mitch acknowledges Foot’s live blog, but what about this ground breaking live blog of Foot’s live blog?

1:54AM: Not sure how Hugh or King or Ed or Michael do it, but I just can’t read blogs and do a talk show.

1:26 – And we have Nihilist’s first Ayn Rand reference at… 1:26. Mark!

1:26 PM: Foot mocks the Nihilist’s mention of Ayn Rand – but he neglects to acknowledge that it is in the context of Angelina Jolie.

11:56AM: I actually went a whole show with neither a Marisa Tomei nor a Scarlett Johannsen reference…

1:27 – Springsteen sucks! Maiden 4ever!

1:27 PM: Bravo Foot, for denouncing Springsteen. But the Iron Maiden shout-out is a little forced.

11:57AM: Speaking of forced – apropos of nobody, but why do so many metal singers sound like they’re trying to push a triangular steel dookie out the nether parts when they sing?

1:28 – NIHILIST FACT CHECK! Geldof praised Bush for helping fight AIDS in Africa – not hunger as Paul asserts.

1:28 PM: Foot has the audacity to fact check the Nihilist? He states that Geldoff praised Bush for helping fight AIDs in Africa and not hunger as the Nihilist said. I propose a compromise: let’s praise Bush for fighting both AIDs and hunger.

11:58AM: Not to mention for “I Don’t Like Mondays“.

1:33 – Obama girl bumper music. gag. Play some MAIDEN!!!1111!!11

1:33 PM: Foot calls on them to play some Iron Maiden. Uh Foot, this is the NARN, why don’t you go listen to some pirate junior high radio station?

11:03AM: Well, let’s be fair; we were talking about peoples’ cultish crushes on Obama. Someday when we do a show on, say, the Battle of Britain, I’ll have Anna or Matt dredge up “Aces High“. Or if we do a show, say, on, er, running to the hills for whatever reason, well, you know.

1:35 – Is Sisyphus liveblogging my liveblog yet?

1:35 PM: Yes, as a matter of fact I am.

11:05AM: I’m tempted to start singing “The Circle Of Life”

1:37 – I smell a future Lori Sturdevant multifisk this week…

1:37 PM: Foot smells a future Lori Sturdevant multifisk this week. All that means is that Lori isn’t on vacation.

11:07AM: True, but I think a mash-note to Erhardt will deserve a special effort.

1:40 – The mayor sends his props in the comment thread: “This is a riot! Go LF go!”

1:40 PM: The mayor of the MOB is calling for riots?

11:10AM: If I could have a nickel for every time Ed and I have looked through the glass wondering what on earth it was that had King guffawing…well, it’d be more money than I’ve made doing the show so far…

1:41 – Just a reminder: this liveblog will be more meaningful less meaningless if you listen to the stream here (or on the radio) while reading.

1:41 PM:Just a reminder, this live blog of a live blog will be less meaningless if you read Foot’s live blog here.

11:11AM: “…the ciiiiiircle of liiiiiiiiiiiife, it circles us aaaaaawaaaaaal…”

1:42 – First Nihilist P-Diddy reference at 1:42…MARK!

1:42 PM: Foot marks the Nihilist’s first P-Diddy reference at 1:42. P-Diddy has sure dropped off the map. I remember back when the Nihilist mentioned him every five minutes without fail.

11:12AM: If Diddy and Angelina Jolie didn’t exist, Nihlist would have to invent them.

1:46 – FOO FIGHTERS!

1:46 PM: What about the FOO FIGHTERS! At least he isn’t occasionally posting OBAMA!

11:16AM: Anna does have a knack for bumper music.

1:47 – Shout out #2! (NOTE: I think Pinkmonkeybird liveblogged a NARN broadcast once. Now there’s a guy who doesn’t have a life.)

1:47 PM: Foot acknowledges another shout out for his live blog. Still no shout out for the live blog of the live blog.

11:17AM: Ahem?

1:48 – Maybe NARN should give this Downey guy a shot at replacing Ed.

1:48 PM: First the Ron Erhardt supporters try to convince people that Downey is running for Hennepin County Commissioner (and not challenging Ron Erhardt for the legislature endorsement) and now Erhardt supporter Learned Foot is starting the despicable rumor that Downey is auditioning for the NARN (and not challenging Erhardt). Shame, Foot, Shame!!

11:18AM: With any luck, pretty soon Erhardt can do a show on Air America Minnesota. (Do they still exist?)

1:49 – CLOSED CIRCUIT TO MITCH & NIHILIST: Don’t forget to plug the MilF.

1:49 PM: Foot calls for a plug of the MiLF. But plug what? There has been no date set for the MiLF, so far as I know.

11:19AM: Check out KAR for the latest on the Millard Filmore Golf Tournament!

1:50 – SOMEONE ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE!

1:50 PM: Foot is unwilling to interrupt his live blog to answer his phone. Telemarketers will be disappointed.

11:20AM: Mmm. Breakfast.

1:51 – Hah! That “wazzzup” thing was kinda funny.

1:51 PM: Props to Mitch and the Nihilist on the wazzup bit.

11:21AM: All kudos to NIGP. It was his idea. I just cut it together.

1:52 – Inver Grove Bites is a dump.

1:52 PM: “Inver Grove bites is a dump.” Uh, what?

11:22AM: I think he was perfectly clear. And accurate.

1:53 – Apparently Sisyphus has been liveblogging this liveblog. I have arrived.

1:53 PM: FINALLY! A shout out to this live blog by Foot. Yes, you have arrived!

11:23AM: Cry me a river.

1:56 – Do you think that if the Nihilist bumped into Lileks in the studio, there would a violent explosion like when matter collides with anti-matter. Perhaps Sisyphus the Physicist could shed some light on this.

1:56 PM: Foot asks me a physics question: “Do you think that if the Nihilist bumped into Lileks in the studio, there would a violent explosion like when matter collides with anti-matter.” No, of course not. But if they both said exactly the same thing at exactly the same time, their voices would cancel out and you would hear nothing.

11:26AM: Close; when they walked near each other, it caused a total eclipse.

1:58 – This hour – and this liveblog – is over!

1:58 PM: This liveblog of Foot’s liveblog is over!

11:28AM: And this lifeblog of the liveblogging of the the livethunderjournaling of a live talk show is now done.

3:06 PM: A shout-out to this liveblog of the liveblog by King Banaiaian on NARN “The Final Word”!

1:02PM: Does this mean I have to start over?

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is out, and I’ll have some special plans.  The 1PM hour will be “So You Wanna Be A Radio Star”, with “winners” of Kool Aid Report’s poll vying to “replace” Ed.  We’ll take your votes.  After that, James Lileks will be in for the 2PM hour.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King joins Michael from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

I’ll also be appearing on the David Strom Show at about 9:30AM, talking about Rep. Tony Cornish’s “Stand Your Ground” bill.  There’s a lot of disinformation almost no legitimate factual information in the mainstream media about this bill; I’ll try to set the record straight. 

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will talk about the week that’s been. We do the 1-3 shift – AKA “the most important shift in local radio”. We’ll be talking about Hillary’s ongoing collapse, and interviewing Keith Downey – who wants to replace Rep. Erhard (RINO, Edina) in the State House.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King is back and he joins Michael. Smart money says they’ll be talking about DFL’s ongoing power-drunkennessl. They’re on from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

There are still a few things you can count on in this universe.  The sun rising in the east; the futility of the Cubs Vikings; the fastball, the Jeep CJ, the Les Paul, Summit Beer, the National Review‘s point of view; God, country, death and taxes.

And Captains Quarters, posting eight to fifteen posts of brand-new, top-flight political analysis (and Notre Dame flakkery) every single day.

In these unsettled times, it’s good to know that you can still count on…

Beginning on March 1, I will begin working for Michelle Malkin, a friend, mentor, and writer I have long admired. She has offered me a position as writer at Hot Air, and my blogging will appear exclusively there.

…er…how’s that?

That means that I will close out Captain’s Quarters sometime in March.

 Doh.

Um…

…never mind.

 This saddens me, as it has become my ever-ready home and because of the terrific community it has generated. I hope that the CapQ community comes with me to Hot Air, and Hot Air will have open registration today for 12 hours in order to allow CapQ commenters to join me at my new digs.

Seriously – congrats, Ed!  This is a huge move for E-Mo, my friend, fellow MOBster and radio colleague, and will make him, if possible, an even bigger mover and shaker in the alternative media.

Yesterday, Canada.  Tomorrow…Red China?

(more…)

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – Chad, John and Brian will do their thing from 11-1.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will talk about the week that’s been. We do the 1-3 shift – AKA “the most important shift in local radio”. Really.  And natch, we’ll be talking about the Times’ hit piece on McCain, and McCain’s…well, dare I say “UnRepublican” response (and I mean that in a good way).  What am I talking about?  Tune in.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – Janet Beihoffer joins Michael. Smart money says they’ll be talking about the “Transportation” Bill. They’re on from 3-5.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” –  Chad,  John and Brian will talk with Dinesh D’Souza about his new book “What’s So Great About Christianity?”
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will no doubt talk about Hillary’s unraveling, the selling of McCain to conservatives, and pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring training! Among other things.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will have Erik Kaardal and Marty Seifert.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – King joins Chad (as John and Brian are out on assignment).  They’ll kick things off from 11-1. I’m guessing there’ll be jabbering about the Super Bowl
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is off at CPAC, so I will be doing our thing from 1-3.   Expect post-Super-Di-Duper Tuesday talk, plus interviews some some local movers and shakers; tune in!
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk with Ben Golnick, of the Minnesota McCain campaign.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

…that one of the Northern Alliance’s producers, “Antoine”, has a new blog out.

Check out “The Twon Spot”. It’s new, but if Antoine puts as much stuff online as he circulates via email, it’s gonna be huuuuuuge.

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – John, Brian and Chad – will kick things off from 11-1.  I’m guessing there’ll be some Johan Santana talk…
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will be doing our thing from 1-3.  We’re gonna talk Super Tuesday, you betcha.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk with reps from each of the remaining Prez campaigns, from 3-5PM. 

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – John, Brian and Chad – will kick things off from 11-1. No idea, as this is written, what they’re going to talk about.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I will be doing our thing from 1-3.  We’re scheduled to talk with Steven Baskerville.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk Minnesota trash after that until 5PM.  They’ll be talking with Peter Fritz, the Carlton College student that Al Franken piled on last week, along with Ron Carey.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.
(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – John, Brian and Chad – will kick things off from 11-1. No idea, as this is written, what they’re going to talk about.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is back from assignment, so we’ll be throwing down from 1-3; call in early and often! We’ll be talking debates, and I suspect Larry O’Donnell might pop up as well.
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk Minnesota trash after that until 5PM; they’ll be talking Instant Runoff with Andy Cilek, and with CD1 GOP candidate Brian Davis about his campaign to unseat Tim Walz.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

I see politics – at large, and within parties – as a big game of tug of war. In the exact middle of the rope is a ribbon.

The difference between this and a real tug of war is that you will never pull the ribbon all the way to your side of the pit in the middle, to say nothing of pulling your opponents into it. Oh, it’s a goal – but it will never happen. So every so often – say, every four minutes, or every four years, whichever fits your metaphor better – the referee blows the whistle, and measures where the ribbon is. I’m rooting for the ribbon to move to the right – so I get into the scrum and pull for all I’m worth to get that ribbon moved.

Let’s stretch the metaphor even further. It’s not just a single tug of war; it’s a tournament. And the farther your side gets the ribbon to your side in the semifinals, the more of you will move on to the finals for the big championship round. The catch is, if people get too pissed off at the results of the semifinals and take their cleats and go home, you jeopardize your team’s shot at the finals.  Because the other guys will be pulling with all their might to not only get that ribbon pulled to the left; they want you, and the whole rest of the country, to fall into the mud pit.

We had one of those tugs of war Saturday on the NARN Volume III. Michael Brodkorb wrote about it on MDE;

The point of lampooning of Drew’s and Mitch’s posts was highlight a larger problem that I see that with a certain element of the conservative movement. Some people like to complain and act, while some people just like to complain. It was my opinion that Drew’s and Mitch’s posts were about complaining and not about acting. As I wrote, neither of them had done any volunteering for the Republican effort in SD 25, yet they were the first to complain about the loss. But they both complained because they care about the conservative movement in Minnesota. In reality, our very important conversation wouldn’t have occurred without Drew’s post. For that, we should all offer our sincere thanks to Drew.

The caucuses are a month away (more – much more – on this later). We’re in the semifinals, now – time for the tug of war within the GOP. It’s time for those of us who do stand for the First Principles of conservatism – liberty, prosperity, security, limited government, culture and family – to do what we can to move that metaphorical ribbon within the party to the right.  It’s the time when all of you who think Tim Pawlenty is a RINO, or that Jim Ramstad is too conservative, or who think that Norm Coleman is a Democrat in a nicer suit, or that we need Fred Thompson rather than Rudy Giuliani in the White House, or that the Sixth District needs a moderate rather than an evangelical conservative – need to turn out to the precinct caucuses on February 5.

You need to show up.

You need to vote.

You need to run for the delegate positions, promising to support conservative candidates and principles.

You have to volunteer for your precinct, district, congressional district, and the state convention.

You need to show up at the conventions, and vote for those candidates and principles.  In areas that swing between moderate, conservative and single-issue voters, you need to not only represent your principles – but be involved in the horse-trading that involves forcing the compromises that are at the very root of the word “politics”.

You need to help pull that ribbon to the right.

And then, when the conventions are over, you – we, all of us, conservatives and Republicans of all stripes, “moderates” and Buchananites and libertarians and Reaganites and every flavor in between, having fought the good fight for conservative principle to the absolute hilt through the caucuses and at each and every level of conventions, need to do something that hardly anyone talks about.

We need to close ranks.

Having fought – and, hopefully, won – the good, conservative fight at the caucuses and in the conventions, we need to get some perspective; while not all Republicans will meet a good conservative’s approval, it’s a safe bet that virtually no Democrats will. It will be time to realize that even an “imperfect” Republican is, in almost every case and on nearly every issue, better than a Democrat.

Because while I join many of you in disparaging the “Republicans in Name Only”, the “moderates”, the Republicans who are liberal enough to earn endorsement from the Strib, and get Lori Sturdevant’s approval, there are two reasons to suck it up and hold your nose and work your butt off, even for “RINO” Republicans, even if they offend some of your conservative principles.

The first reason: Every ten years, the state’s congressional districts are reapportioned. And the party with the most seats controls the process. And the DFL, if they are in control, will gerrymander the state’s districts to reinforce their control over this state.

The second: there will, in the next four to eight years, be between one and three Supreme Court seats opening up. And a Republican-controlled Senate will be better for seeing responsible, constructionist, sane judges confirmed.

And in neither case does it matter one iota if the GOP majority is 100% Reaganite purists or 40% Sturdevant-approved moderates. In these cases, literally, a majority that is 2/3 of “good enough” is better – as in, better for the sake of 10 years of state legislation and 20-30 years of SCOTUS decisions – than an ideologically perfect minority. When it comes to reapportioning the state and US legislatures, numbers count, and count drastically. If you don’t think it matters, then ponder if you will the way the DFL drew the legislative map in 1990; Minnesota’s legislative map looked like a Rohrschach blob, drawn to maximize the effect of DFL votes. It made getting any serious reform impossible throughout the nineties. It made it possible for the DFL to spend surplus after surplus, defeat concealed carry reform, create the Department of Children Families and Learning,  and impose the Profiles in Learning,  and fund and design the Ventura Trolley; for a decade (really, for the third of three decades) it allowed the DFL to spent money like crack whores with stolen Gold Cards. All because the GOP lost a bunch of Legislative seats in the eighties.

My favorite example – the one I’ve been dinging on pretty mercilessly for the last year – is the people who told me before the ’06 election (and after the convention) that they were staying home and not voting for Mark Kennedy because he voted for ethanol subsidies. And I’d like to look each and every one of them up right now, and ask “do you think Amy Klobuchar is any better on ethanol? Is a Supreme Court seat worth losing over ethanol? Do you think Amy Klobuchar is better on immigration, defense, education, life or even, ironically, spending – the issue that ostensibly kept you home – than Kennedy would have been?”

Is there such a thing as “going too far” in finding the point where princple and pragmatism intersect?  Of course.  But I’m at a loss to think of one in the running in Minnesota today.  To pick the most recent example, Ray Cox was far from my personal ideal Republican – he got a “26%” score from the Taxpayers League, and got the Strib’s endorsement, for crying out loud.  Would he be better to have in the Senate than DFLer Kevin Dahle?  Without question.  But to take Michael’s point – the time to argue that would have been before and during the endorsing convention. 

And don’t say you can’t argue with the party leadership.  Although I’ve criticized my district and state leadership in the past, the fact is that grassroots movements work.  Michele Bachmann upended the wishes of the CD6 leadership in ’06 by getting her base out in teeming droves that put wildebeest migrations to shame, upsetting many a CD6 establishment figure’s applecart – and winning the nomination, and the race.  Because conservatives turned out, and worked hard, to see their vision through.  Another great example – Tim Pawlenty; the governor was a pragmatic moderate in the House; it was the grassroots groundswell of support for Brian Sullivan that pushed him to the right.  While it didn’t make him a perfect conservative governor, it did make him a vastly better alternative than Roger Moe – all because conservatives got out and voted at caucuses and conventions.

So argue like crazy, today. Stand on absolute principle. Work your butts off for absolute rigid stiffnecked rock-ribbed conservative idealism. I’m going to; I don’t care if it offends the GOP or not! I’ll fight the good fight, and throw bricks at every part of the GOP that doesn’t measure up to the party I want to see…

…until the conventions. And then, starting with my BPOU, and then my Congressional Distict, then within the state, and finally with every other real American Republican nationwide. I’m going to make my notes for the next nomination and caucus cycle, file ’em away, and get out and try to get Republicans – even the lame, “RINO”, not-quite-conservative-enough ones – elected.

Because the big tug of war is coming next – and the Democrats’ philosophy has always been “compromise is for losers” (until they lose – then they whinge about the “need” for “bipartisanship” and “cooperation”), and moving that ribbon to the right isn’t just inside-the-party beanbag. It’s for laws. It’s for judges. It’s for your pocketbook and our kids’ education and our nation’s security, and all of the first ten Amendments and the unborn to boot.

And if that ribbon is one foot left of the center of that metaphorical pit because any of us stayed home because we didn’t like how the GOP’s tug of war ended up, it’s our fault.

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network:

• Volume I “The First Team” – John, Brian and Chad – will kick things off from 11-1. No idea, as this is written, what they’re going to talk about, but I’m going to guess it’ll coming down off the natural high of making Nick “Engineering Is For Dorks” Coleman the Loon of the Year. Finding out is half the adventure.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed is off on assignment, so I’ll be soloing from 1-3; call in early and often! I’ll be talking about Iowa, and with special guest Drew Emmer about the CD25 special election, the upcoming caucuses, and (with any luck) interviewing Barry Casselman. Tune in!
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk Minnesota trash after that until 5PM; Michael’s challenged me to stick around and accept an “award” regarding my take on the SD25 race, but I don’t think he means it in a nice way.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity. On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch).

I wasn’t able to post about this before the fact, but Ed Morrissey was gracious enough to have me on the “Heading Right Radio” show on  BlogTalkRadio today, discussing the Year in Review with Patterico.

The podcast should be up and going; check ‘er out.  And if I sound cold – well, I did most of the show standing on a plaza above the Mississippi River.  You’d be amazed how hard it is to find a place downtown that’s quiet, free of co-workers, where a guy can use his radio voice, and is warm.  I had to settle for three out of four.  And the feeling is just now returning to my hands.

Anyway – check ‘er out!

Today on the Northern Alliance Radio Network: 

• Volume I “The First Team” – John, Brian and Chad – will kick things off from 11-1.  No idea, as this is written, what they’re going to talk about, but I’m going to guess it’ll involve Loons and Gatekeepers.  Finding out is half the adventure.
• Volume II “The Headliner” – Ed and I follow, from 1-3.  It’s been a jam-packed news week; expect talk about New Hampshire, Pakistan, and Anoka (we hope to interview a special guest regarding the Treptow/Beard case, although as this is written nothing is confirmed yet).
• Volume III, “The Final Word” – King and Michael will talk Minnesota trash after that until 5PM.

So tune in to all six hours of the Northern Alliance Radio Network, the Twin Cities’ media’s sole guardians of sanity.  On the air at AM1280 in the Metro, or streaming at AM1280’s Website, or via podcast at Townhall.

(Along with the Stroms, from 9-11, natch). 

The NARN – all six hours – are taking the day off for Christmas today.

The Stroms will apparently be on the air from 9-11, for your weekend live conservative radio fix, though.

From all of us at the Northern Alliance Radio Network, may you have a blessed Christmas.