
Plain Talk
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.
Latest episodes

Jan 30, 2020 • 31min
Ep. 129: Rep. Armstrong talks about the economy, the USMCA, impeachment, and fentanyl
On this episode of Plain Talk, Congressman Kelly Armstrong talks about his efforts to hold the FBI accountable for their abuse and manipulation of the FISA court. He also talks about President Trump signing the new USMCA trade deal, the state of the nation's economy, the on-going political fight over impeachment, and why Derek Jeter wasn't a unanimous inductee to the Hall of Fame. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 29, 2020 • 39min
Ep. 128: Dem House candidate says his party misunderstand's Trump's appeal
Zach Raknerud is a Democrat from Minot who has launched a campaign for the U.S. House, challenging incumbent Congressman Kelly Armstrong. On this episode, he talks about why Trump is so popular in North Dakota, how Democrats can win over Republican voters, and what he'd do in Congress if elected. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 28, 2020 • 17min
Ep. 127: How does a Republican win over Democrats?
State Senator Scott Meyer is a Republican from District 18, a Grand Forks-area jurisdiction that is historically pretty left-wing. Up until 2016, it elected nothing but Democrats, but for the three years, it has been represented by two Republicans and a Democrat, among them Meyer. How did a Republican, in the Trump era, win over a Democratic district? Meyer talks to Rob about it. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 27, 2020 • 32min
Bonus Audio: Rob and Jay Talk 2020 Presidential Politics
Going way, way off the topic they planned (as usual) Rob and Jay talk about newspaper endorsements in political races and the 2020 presidential race during Rob's weekly Monday appearance on Jay's show.

Jan 24, 2020 • 37min
Ep. 126: Sen. Cramer talks baseball, impeachment, water rules, and 2020 goals
"The power belongs to the people," Senator Kevin Cramer said on this episode of Plain Talk during a discussion about the on-going impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. "It's being denied them in this instance." Cramer also talks about the rollback of Obama-era water rules, what it feels like to be in an election year without a campaign to run after moving from the House to the Senate, and his goals for 2020. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 21, 2020 • 30min
Ep. 125: Debating NDSU's "Junk Mail" Birth Control Program
North Dakota State University has begun a program they call "Junk Mail" which sends birth control and other sexual aids and information to students with the hope of preventing disease and unwanted pregnancies. Socially conservative columnist Roxanne Salonen disagrees with the program, and Rob disagrees with Roxane. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 20, 2020 • 23min
Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 01-20-20
Rob and Jay talk about crazy social media posts from local politicians, pay-at-the-pump problems, and sex education.

Jan 16, 2020 • 36min
Ep. 124: Rep. Armstrong On Trade, China, Impeachment, Facial Recognitionand the Astros
Congressman Kelly Armstrong talks to Rob about impeachment, the passage of the USMCA and our on-going trade negotiations with China, the threat to privacy of technology like facial recognition, and the Astros cheating scandal. This episode of Plain Talk is brought to you by Americans for Prosperity of North Dakota.

Jan 13, 2020 • 25min
Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 01-13-20
Jay and Rob talk about the impact of the online sales tax on local retail and the recent NDSU Bison championship.

Jan 7, 2020 • 17min
Bonus Audio: Jay Thomas Show 01-07-20
Jay gets an update from Rob on the North Dakota online court records story.