Best of Interviews - AM950 The Progressive Voice of Minnesota

Brett has our weekly conversation with Patrick Coolican, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer. Today they talk about Angie Craig reversing her support of the Laken Riley Act, Pete Stauber inviting right wing troll Nick Shirley to the State of the Union, and Hennepin Co. Attorney Mary Moriarty seeking evidence to prosecute federal agents like Greg… The post Brett Johnson with Patrick Coolican (3/3/26) first appeared on AM 950.

My name is Walter Rhein and I write “I'd Rather Be Writing.” This is a reader sponsored newsletter that covers a wide variety of topics. For a succinct explanation of what I'm all about, you can check my Blue Sky profile: The post Walter Rhein with Matt – March 2, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.

Matt was joined by mindfullness coach Teri Leigh to talk about navigating difficult times in Minnesota. Find more of her writing at: https://substack.com/@terileigh The post Matt McNeil with Teri Leigh (2/27/26) first appeared on AM 950.

Ahmed Baba is the founder of the bestselling Substack newsletter AhmedBaba.News and a columnist at The Independent. He documented every day of Trump's first term and was among the first to cover Project 2025. He makes frequent appearances on MSNBC, and his work has been cited in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS… The post Ahmed Baba with Matt – February 26, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo and the Iowa Politics Report joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30 to cover national politics. The post Jeff Stein with Matt – February 25, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.

Brett was joined by editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer, Patrick Coolican. This week they talked about gun safety measures being proposed at the legislature and how the groundwork for fraud in Minnesota human services goes back 50 years. Find more about what they talked about at: https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/24/minnesota-democrats-renew-push-for-new-gun-control-measures/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/23/report-groundwork-for-fraud-in-minnesota-human-services-goes-back-50-years/ The post Brett Johnson with Patrick Coolican (2/24/26) first appeared on AM 950.

Matt is joined by Minnesota Lt. Governor and US Senate candidate Peggy Flanagan. They discuss the ICE occupation of Minnesota, Trump tariffs, rebuilding the AG economy and more. The post Matt McNeil with MN Lt. Gov. and US Senate Candidate Peggy Flanagan (2/20/26) first appeared on AM 950.

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo and the Iowa Politics Report joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30. The post Jeff Stein with Matt – February 18, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s our weekly Tuesday conversation with Patrick Coolican, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer. This week Brett and Patrick talk about the opening of the legislative session and how Minnesota citizens turned the public tide against ICE. Find more about what they talked about at: https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/16/will-this-be-the-most-unproductive-minnesota-legislative-session-ever/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/16/minnesota-house-republican-leaders-dont-want-to-talk-about-immigration-enforcement/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/13/minnesota-1-trump-0/ The post Brett Johnson with Patrick Coolican (2/17/26) first appeared on AM 950.

Do you believe in ghosts? Ever wondered if aliens from other planets visited the Earth? Have you ever thought about whether Bigfoot is real or not? Each weeknight on GhostBox Radio host Greg Bakun will have these conversations about the paranormal, ufology, Bigfoot or just the unusual bringing together guests who are experts in these… The post Greg Bakun with Matt – February 17, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.

Matt was joined by Dr. Joe Eastman, an expert disease modeler who frequently discusses COVID, flu, measles and other infectious diseases. They talk about how long COVID impacts driving, bird flu; measles and more.

Cliff Schecter didn't just discover the GOP's bad, find our voices & switch sides. We've been at it for 25 yrs. Cliff wrote the ads that helped Biden beat Trump in '20. David exposed GOP corruption as an Emmy-winning anchor at MSNBC & CNN. https://www.blueamp.co/subscribe

Patrick Coolican is the Editor-in-Chief of the Minnesota Reformer. He joins AM950 on Tuesday afternoons to cover the latest from their newsroom.

Michael Brodkorb is a political analyst and football expert who previews this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Bill Corbett is a former writer for MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 and also a performer on the show, providing the voice of the robot Crow (v.2.0) and playing various other strange characters — including the all-powerful but clueless alien The Observer (a.k.a. “Brain Guy”). Corbett is also a screenwriter and playwright. Corbett’s screenplay STARSHIP DAVE,…

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo and the Iowa Poliitcs Report joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30.

It’s our weekly Tuesday visit with the editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer, Patrick Coolican. Today Brett and Patrick preview caucus night, new campaign finance numbers and Mike Lindell’s campaign buying his own books. Find more about what we talked about bat: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/minnesota-precinct-caucuses-are-tonight-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/03/these-gop-candidates-for-minnesota-governor-have-raised-the-most-money-so-far/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/03/mike-lindells-campaign-for-governor-is-buying-boatloads-of-mike-lindell-autobiographies/

Matt and Cliff talk about Cliff’s new piece about the Trump administration arresting journalists. Find it at: https://www.blueamp.co/p/an-open-letter-to-journalists-and

I'm Michael Brodkorb. I'm a husband and a father. I work in communications, media, and research. I ran a marathon. I rescued ducklings from a sewer. I also wrote an award-winning true-crime book. Overall, I've done some bad – I've done some good. If you follow my website for updates, you'll learn about both.

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo and the Iowa Politics Report joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30.

Patrick Coolican, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer, is back for his weekly Tuesday visit. Today Brett and Patrick talk about the tide turning against ICE, Chris Madel dropping out of the governor’s race and what’s happening with Amy Klobuchar. Find more about what they talked about at: https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/26/repub/trump-sending-border-czar-homan-to-minnesota-in-aftermath-of-second-fatal-shooting/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/26/chris-madel-drops-out-of-race-for-gop-nomination-for-governor-blasts-immigration-crackdown/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/22/sen-amy-klobuchar-files-paperwork-to-run-for-minnesota-governor/

It’s conference championship weekend as Matt and Michael make their picks in the AFC and NFL championships!

Joy Dolo is an Theater Artist based in Minnesota. She has worked on stages all over the Twin Cities and beyond for over a decade. She is a co-founder of Blackout Improv, the first all black improv group in MN. She Hosts American Public Media's podcast “Forever Ago”, a history show for kids! She is…

Do you believe in ghosts? Ever wondered if aliens from other planets visited the Earth? Have you ever thought about whether Bigfoot is real or not? Each weeknight on GhostBox Radio host Greg Bakun will have these conversations about the paranormal, ufology, Bigfoot or just the unusual bringing together guests who are experts in these…

Patrick Coolican, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Reformer joins to talk about some of the latest reporting from the Reformer. This week Brett and Patrick talk about the DOJ launching investigations into Minnesota politicians, a court ruling against ICE tactics vs. protestors, corporate responses (or lack thereof) and more. Find more about what they talked about…

Dr. Robert Adams is the Executive Director of the Penn Center on St. Helena Island near Beaufort, South Carolina. Dr. Adams was born in Bangor, Maine, and raised in military institutions across the South (Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas). He earned an M.A. in sociology from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in…

Matt is joined by Michael Brodkorb. The first part of the conversation features thoughts on ICE in Minnesota. Then in the second part they preview this weekend’s NFL playoff games.

Matt was joined by Nick Paro. Nick is an Army veteran, a dad, an unabashed progressive living in Arkansas, and the founder of Sick of This Shit on Substack (https://sickofthis.substack.com/).

Contributing Editor @ Blue Amp Media, child-wrangler, sometimes-filmmaker, Missoulian dropped on my head in NYC. Wandering Agent-lessly Signal:

Jeff Stein of KXEL/Waterloo and the Iowa Politics Report joins Matt every Wednesday at 3:30.

Patrick Coolican, the editor in chief of the Minnesota Reformer, returns for his weekly Tuesday visit. Today we talk all about ICE activity in Minnesota and how the Reformer is covering the latest developments. Find all the stories we talked about at: https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/13/in-the-car-with-minneapolis-community-patrols/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/12/minnesota-twin-cities-sue-trump-administration-to-halt-federal-immigration-surge/ https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/12/u-s-border-patrol-knees-man-in-face-in-minneapolis-as-other-agents-hold-him-down/

A Democratic strategist and activist, best-selling author, podcaster, pundit and media advisor to candidates and causes, Cliff has impacted dozens of campaigns across the nation in a life that's taken him from New York to DC to Cincinnati, were he rallies the resistance in purple America.

Matt is joined by Rev. Dr. Trish Sullivan Vanni as they discuss how to process all of the dark news that took place this week.

Michael Brodkorb is the Matt McNeil Show’s Vikings expert as well as a noted author and political analyst.

David Shuster is an Emmy award winning broadcast journalist who is best known for his work at NBC News and MSNBC and his ongoing YouTube videos on “Rebel HQ.”

Brittlestar (Stewart Reynolds) has built a global following by combining sharp wit, family-friendly humour, and razor-clear observations about the absurdities of modern life. With more than 650 million views across platforms and hundreds of thousands tuning in weekly, his videos make people laugh, think… and occasionally wonder if he's spying on their family group chat.

The son of a local energy and refinery project manager, Chris grew up in a middle-class family in Orange County. He attended public school from kindergarten through college in Southern California, developing a fearless sense of leadership both in the classroom and on the football field. As he continued his football career at UCLA, where…

Cliff Schecter didn't just discover the GOP's bad, find our voices & switch sides. We've been at it for 25 yrs. Cliff wrote the ads that helped Biden beat Trump in '20. David exposed GOP corruption as an Emmy-winning anchor at MSNBC & CNN. https://www.blueamp.co/subscribe

Dr. Joe Eastman is an expert disease modeler who frequently discusses COVID, flu, measles, and more on the Matt McNeil Show.

Drew Ross is a writer, editor, and researcher. For his writing on local history, he won the 2024 Solon J. Buck Award from the Minnesota Historical Society. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bill Lindeke is an urban geographer and writer who focuses on how our environments shape our lives. He is the author of St. Paul:…

The Gaily Show is the only daily LGBTQ radio news and talk show in the US. GLAAD Media Award nominees John Parker and Jim Pounds host an unapologetic hour with legislators, authors, journalists, organizers, researchers, and more. We feature the following contributors (see graphic below for schedule): • Tammye Nash, Dallas Voice • Jake Wittich,…

Greg Bakun is the host of Ghost Box Radio, airing every weeknight on AM950 at 10 PM.

Kat Abughazaleh is running for Congress in Illinois’ Ninth District because Democrats need to do more to stop Trump and fight for working people.

Larry Millett, a native of Minneapolis, is a graduate of St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota (BA, English, 1969) and the University of Chicago (MA, English, 1970). He spent much of his career as a writer, reporter, and editor for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, joining the newspaper in 1972. In 1984, he won a Knight Fellowship…

Mary Lucia is a media broadcast personality, writer, actor, and voiceover artist. She worked at The Current from 2005 to 2022 and was well known for her unconventional style and expansive music knowledge. She hosted the local music show Popular Creeps, twice a Minnesota Music Award winner for Best Locally Produced Show, and she was voted best…

“Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez” is a progressive talk show with heart and humor. Patti engages guests and listeners in discussions about the issues that matter most to them, shining a spotlight on local and national stories, never steering her audience astray.  The show is also broadcast on AM 950 The Progressive Voice of Minnesota…

Paul Metsa is a legendary musician and songwriter from Minnesota. Born on the Iron Range, he has been based in Minneapolis since 1978. He has received seven Minnesota Music Awards and has played more than five thousand gigs, including forays to Iceland and Siberia. He lives in Northeast Minneapolis with his faithful dog, Blackie; a…

Paul Niland is an Irish journalist based in Ukraine. He is the founder of the country's national suicide prevention hotline, Lifeline Ukraine

Peter Geye is the author of the award-winning novels Safe from the Sea, The Lighthouse Road, and Wintering, winner of the Minnesota Book Award, Northernmost, The Ski Jumpers, and A Lesser Light. Geye received his MFA from the University of New Orleans and his PhD from Western Michigan University, where he was editor of Third Coast.…

Richard Carlbom is the head of the Minnesota DFL.

Robert Pilot/Wakaja Hari is the host of Native Roots Radio, heard 5 nights a week on AM950.