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PODCAST

Plain Talk

Forum Communications Co.

Plain Talk is a podcast hosted by Rob Port and Chad Oban focusing on political news and current events in North Dakota. Port is a columnist for the Forum News Service published in papers including the Fargo Forum, Grand Forks Herald, Jamestown Sun, and the Dickinson Press. Oban is a long-time political consultant.

news politics

All Episodes

01:05:40

697: 'I think my resignation, that woke up a lot of...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/22

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service -- stepped down amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements involved in it have become incapable of acknowledging that it's possible to disagree in good faith. The other

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01:05:40

697: 'I think my resignation, that woke up a lot of...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/22

When Oliver County Commissioner Dave Berger -- a veteran of more than 50 years of local public service -- stepped down amid what he describes as an abusive and slanderous backlash over a data center proposed by Applied Digital, it illustrated the dark side of two debates. One is the debate over data centers. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of the debate, but some elements involved in it have become incapable of acknowledging that it's possible to disagree in good faith. The other

en

01:05:38

696: 'Hopefully we can regain the public trust in...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/17

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organization has come under fire, with critics saying NDIRF can be ruthless when it comes to claims filed by the

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01:05:38

696: 'Hopefully we can regain the public trust in...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/17

If you get into a scrape involving local government in North Dakota -- say a garbage truck side swipes your car, or you get hurt on park district property -- the organization you'd likely seek relief through is the North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund. This is an entity created by local governments, and funded by local tax dollars, which acts essentially like an insurance company. But the organization has come under fire, with critics saying NDIRF can be ruthless when it comes to claims filed by the

en

01:03:16

695: 'This is not a place where you can burn a lot of...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/15

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of his stance on this episode of Plain Talk, "and there is a long list of advantages for the people of

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01:03:16

695: 'This is not a place where you can burn a lot of...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/15

Sen. Kevin Cramer and I have had a running dispute over President Donald Trump and his approach to politics. Cramer says media critics like me are too focused on Trump's antics. I say people like Cramer are too muted in their own criticism. "I'm a United States senator from North Dakota who has a really good personal relationship with the president of the United States," Cramer said in defense of his stance on this episode of Plain Talk, "and there is a long list of advantages for the people of

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01:03:28

694: 'Represent us for who we actually are'

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/10

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's going to be good on the policy and work to represent Williston and the northwest region, but also somebody

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01:03:28

694: 'Represent us for who we actually are' (Video)

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/10

Corey Johnson is the chief of the Williston Fire Department and a candidate for the state House in District 23. Unlike one of the incumbents in District 23, state Rep. Nico Rios, who has made headlines with an ugly arrest for DUI and erratic behavior on social media, Johnson says he wants to cast his community and his region in a positive light. "I want a representative down in Bismarck that's going to be good on the policy and work to represent Williston and the northwest region, but also somebody

en

01:00:34

693: 'We haven't gotten better deals' out of Trump's...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/08

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal of getting better deals was only used as a justification after the tariffs were already imposed. In a

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57:26

693: 'We haven't gotten better deals' out of Trump's...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/08

When asked on this episode of Plain Talk about the justification that President Donald Trump's erratic regime of tariffs is necessary to flex America's economic might and negotiate better deals, John Bitzan, director of the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, argued that the strategy has not worked. "We haven't gotten better deals out of this," he said. He pointed out that the goal of getting better deals was only used as a justification after the tariffs were already imposed. In a

en

57:19

692: 'You need not be convicted for them to take and...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/03

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which was recently screened by the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University. The film tells the

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57:19

692: 'You need not be convicted for them to take and...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/03

What is civil asset forfeiture? It's the process through which law enforcement can "seize your property on the basis of suspicion that it's involved in a crime," Patrick Reasonover told us on this episode of Plain Talk. What's worse? The cops often get to keep the proceeds. Or, at least, their departments do. Reasonover is one of the producers of the documentary, "When Cops Become Robbers," which was recently screened by the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University. The film tells the

en

01:04:34

691: $36 million in North Dakota revenues for every...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/01

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil prices $1 over projects. It's as much as $30 over, with no real certainty on where it will level off

en

01:04:34

691: $36 million in North Dakota revenues for every...

Plain Talk ·

2026/04/01

How hard is it to do revenue forecasts for the State of North Dakota, which is heavily dependent on revenues from commodity-driven industries like agriculture and energy? On this Plain Talk, Joe Morrissette, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave one example: For 1$ that oil prices move, there's a roughly $36 million swing in state revenues. The war in Iran hasn't just driven oil prices $1 over projects. It's as much as $30 over, with no real certainty on where it will level off

en

59:09

690: 'Life's good in North Dakota' (Video)

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/27

In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the

en

59:09

690: 'Life's good in North Dakota'

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/27

In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the

en

01:06:43

689: It's opening day of baseball! (Video)

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/25

Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in

en

01:06:43

689: It's opening day of baseball!

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/25

Today marks the first official day of the Major League Baseball -- opening day! It's become a tradition on the Plain Talk podcast that Kelly Armstrong, first as a member of Congress, and now as governor of the great state of North Dakota, comes on the show to talk about baseball -- and just baseball -- on opening day. Armstrong is a fan of the Mets, and says that started when he was 10 years old, watching the famous (some might say infamous) 1986 Mets win the World Series. "If you couldn't fall in

en

01:05:59

688: 'We clean our voter rolls every single night in...

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/20

There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to

en

01:05:59

688: 'We clean our voter rolls every single night in...

Plain Talk ·

2026/03/20

There is a furious national debate about the SAVE Act -- federal legislation backed by Republicans aimed at creating tough new national standards for election security -- and North Dakota occupies a unique role in it. Our state is the only state without voter registration. The SAVE Act, as it is presently amended, contains exemptions to maintain that status, and Sec. of State Michael Howe says that's appropriate, because current North Dakota laws already make our elections very secure. "I like to

en

871 results

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