Plain Talk

Forum Communications Co.
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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.

  1. 3D AGO ·  VIDEO

    704: 'Where is our home if America is not our home?' (REPLAY)

    In this replay episode of Plain Talk, Rob and Chad speak with former North Dakota lawmaker Hamida Dakane about comments from President Donald Trump targeting the Somali community and the impact those remarks had across North Dakota and Minnesota. Dakane shares why the comments felt deeply personal, how children in immigrant families responded, and why she believes her community will continue moving forward despite the rhetoric surrounding immigration and identity. A former Fargo-area legislator and the first Black woman and first Muslim elected to the North Dakota Legislature, Dakane also reflects on her journey to North Dakota, the support she's found here, and why she still believes strongly in the region and its people. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, call or text 701-587-3141. Leave your name, where you're from, and your message — we may feature it on an upcoming episode.

    1h 3m

  2. 3D AGO

    704: 'Where is our home if America is not our home?' (REPLAY)

    In this replay episode of Plain Talk, Rob and Chad speak with former North Dakota lawmaker Hamida Dakane about comments from President Donald Trump targeting the Somali community and the impact those remarks had across North Dakota and Minnesota. Dakane shares why the comments felt deeply personal, how children in immigrant families responded, and why she believes her community will continue moving forward despite the rhetoric surrounding immigration and identity. A former Fargo-area legislator and the first Black woman and first Muslim elected to the North Dakota Legislature, Dakane also reflects on her journey to North Dakota, the support she's found here, and why she still believes strongly in the region and its people. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, call or text 701-587-3141. Leave your name, where you're from, and your message — we may feature it on an upcoming episode.

    1h 3m

  3. 4D AGO ·  VIDEO

    703: 'The best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare' (REPLAY)

    While Rob and Chad are out this week, we're revisiting one of the most talked-about interviews from the show — Fargo attorney Jay Greenwood's deep dive into the shocking wrongful arrest of Tennessee grandmother Angela Lipps. Lipps was arrested at gunpoint and jailed for months after Fargo Police used AI facial recognition technology to identify her as a suspect in a North Dakota bank fraud case. The problem? Evidence later showed she was in Tennessee at the time the crimes were committed. In this replay, Greenwood walks through how the case unfolded, why he believes law enforcement failed at multiple stages of the investigation, and what this incident says about the growing use of artificial intelligence in policing and criminal investigations. "It's just the best-case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare," Greenwood says, describing the fallout from the case and the legal questions that remain unanswered. The episode also includes discussion on North Dakota's ongoing debate over data centers in coal country, plus listener feedback and commentary from guest co-host Jessica Bell.

    1h 9m

  4. 5D AGO

    703: 'The best case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare' (REPLAY)

    While Rob and Chad are out this week, we're revisiting one of the most talked-about interviews from the show — Fargo attorney Jay Greenwood's deep dive into the shocking wrongful arrest of Tennessee grandmother Angela Lipps. Lipps was arrested at gunpoint and jailed for months after Fargo Police used AI facial recognition technology to identify her as a suspect in a North Dakota bank fraud case. The problem? Evidence later showed she was in Tennessee at the time the crimes were committed. In this replay, Greenwood walks through how the case unfolded, why he believes law enforcement failed at multiple stages of the investigation, and what this incident says about the growing use of artificial intelligence in policing and criminal investigations. "It's just the best-case scenario for the Fargo PD is a nightmare," Greenwood says, describing the fallout from the case and the legal questions that remain unanswered. The episode also includes discussion on North Dakota's ongoing debate over data centers in coal country, plus listener feedback and commentary from guest co-host Jessica Bell.

    1h 9m

  5. MAY 8 ·  VIDEO

    702: 'We need to show the receipts'

    State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing the receipts that we do good." Braunberger said North Dakota's elections are secure, but argued the state needs to do a better job educating the public on how elections actually work, including canvassing, vote counting, and voter ID verification. "Many politicians say elections are fine," he said, "but we don't tell them why they're secure and how they're secure." The conversation also covered campaign finance reporting, voter ID laws, redistricting fights, ballot measure transparency, and the challenge of maintaining trust in elections during a time of intense political division. Braunberger said he supports stronger enforcement of campaign finance laws and even suggested candidates who refuse to pay fines could potentially be barred from future ballots. Also on this episode, Rob Port and guest co-host Erin Oban discuss Measure 1 on the June ballot, voter ID access in rural communities, the lawsuit over North Dakota's political "false statements" law, and the growing challenge of balancing free speech with misinformation online. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

    1h 6m

  6. MAY 8

    702: 'We need to show the receipts'

    State Sen. Ryan Braunberger joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss his run for North Dakota Secretary of State, election integrity, campaign finance transparency, redistricting, and the growing distrust many Americans have in public institutions. "I think we do a good job of running our elections," Braunberger said. "What I think the Secretary of State office could do better at is showing the receipts that we do good." Braunberger said North Dakota's elections are secure, but argued the state needs to do a better job educating the public on how elections actually work, including canvassing, vote counting, and voter ID verification. "Many politicians say elections are fine," he said, "but we don't tell them why they're secure and how they're secure." The conversation also covered campaign finance reporting, voter ID laws, redistricting fights, ballot measure transparency, and the challenge of maintaining trust in elections during a time of intense political division. Braunberger said he supports stronger enforcement of campaign finance laws and even suggested candidates who refuse to pay fines could potentially be barred from future ballots. Also on this episode, Rob Port and guest co-host Erin Oban discuss Measure 1 on the June ballot, voter ID access in rural communities, the lawsuit over North Dakota's political "false statements" law, and the growing challenge of balancing free speech with misinformation online. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode.

    1h 6m

  7. MAY 6 ·  VIDEO

    701: 'We've got a a major decline in our educational system'

    Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed," he claimed. "I think it's intentional," he continued, going on to say that he thinks "we've got a some that said when common core came in that they were going to dumb our kids down." Somewhat paradoxically, Tuttle said that school districts are spending too much money, but also that the state isn't investing enough. "We have the money. The state is not poor when it comes to money," he said. "So there should be no reason why we cannot fund every school in North Dakota. It says right in the constitution, the legislative assembly shall provide for a uniform system of free public schools throughout the state." He pointed to the school lunch debt that some schools carry as an example of something that should be the state's responsibility. So does that mean he supports a ballot measure that will likely appear on the November ballot to have the state cover the costs of school meals? Not necessarily. "The problem I have with that...is it goes in the constitution," he said, noting that the measure would be an amendment to the state constituiton and not statute. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Erin Oban talk about Measure 1 on the June ballot, which would implement a single-subject requirement for constituitonal amendments proposed by ballot measure or the Legislature, and the controversy around the arrest of polarizing political organizer Jerol Gohrick, who is facing two felony counts of terrorizing after an altercation with a work crew operating on his land.

    1h 8m

  8. MAY 6

    701: 'We've got a a major decline in our educational system'

    Our education is in decline. Lawmakers and other education leaders are lying about the use of Common Core curriculae. In fact, some of them intentionally want our schools and students to fail. That's what Charles Tuttle, a candidate for Superintendent of Public Schools, had to say on this episode of Plain Talk. "We've got a a major decline in our educational system. The direction hasn't changed," he claimed. "I think it's intentional," he continued, going on to say that he thinks "we've got a some that said when common core came in that they were going to dumb our kids down." Somewhat paradoxically, Tuttle said that school districts are spending too much money, but also that the state isn't investing enough. "We have the money. The state is not poor when it comes to money," he said. "So there should be no reason why we cannot fund every school in North Dakota. It says right in the constitution, the legislative assembly shall provide for a uniform system of free public schools throughout the state." He pointed to the school lunch debt that some schools carry as an example of something that should be the state's responsibility. So does that mean he supports a ballot measure that will likely appear on the November ballot to have the state cover the costs of school meals? Not necessarily. "The problem I have with that...is it goes in the constitution," he said, noting that the measure would be an amendment to the state constituiton and not statute. Also on this episode, me and guest co-host Erin Oban talk about Measure 1 on the June ballot, which would implement a single-subject requirement for constituitonal amendments proposed by ballot measure or the Legislature, and the controversy around the arrest of polarizing political organizer Jerol Gohrick, who is facing two felony counts of terrorizing after an altercation with a work crew operating on his land. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

    1h 8m
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About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    Forum Communications Co.
  • Creator
    Forum Communications Co.
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    882
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2026 Forum Communications Co.
  • Show Website
    Plain Talk

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