It’s truly Friday and a warm one at that. In the parlance of former President Donald Trump, many people say we shouldn’t mix politics and sports and I try not not to do so. But wow. What a day. First the Pohlads announce they’re shopping the Minnesota Twins after 40 years. Then much later, the Minnesota Lynx climbed out of a Lake Superior-sized hole and stole Game 1 in a manner that should make Minnesota legends out of Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams. Even if you don’t care for sports, read Kent Youngblood’s story for the vicarious joy of this team.

That victory and the sale of the Twins will have repercussions. Again, as Trump would say, lots of people are saying Timberwolves (and Minnesota Star Tribune) owner Glen Taylor could do the funniest thing ever and buy the Twins. Or A-Rod and Marc Lore could. Or they could just settle their dispute over the sale of the Wolves and get on with the business of lobbying St. Paul for a new arena to replace Target Center.

Segueing now to politics where America’s Sweetheart and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan have a sporting weekend in store. Gov. Tim Walz will be in Mankato tonight and pheasant hunting in Sleepy Eye on Saturday morning, according to colleague Ryan Faircloth. Peggy and her new gun will be at the second event as well. See below for more on that.

I sure hope neither of them pulls a Dick Cheney on a hunting companion because that would put a damper on the day.

In another marker of the day, former President Barack Obama’s speech in Pittsburgh was what the Associated Press called a “blistering critique” of his successor.

Obama was kicking off a swing state tour for the Harris-Walz ticket that spoke directly to Black men who might sit out the election because they can’t quite get with the idea of a female president.

Obama compared Trump’s all caps social media posts and “word salad” speeches to Fidel Castro. He listed some of the products Trump has tried to sell during his third White House campaign, including $399 gold sneakers, a $100,000 watch and his ‘’God Bless the USA’' Bible for $59.99.

‘’He wants you to buy the word of God: Donald Trump edition. Got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke,’’ Obama said, laughing. ‘’You could not make this stuff up.’’

He also touched on Sen. JD Vance’s claim in the debate with Walz that Trump tried to salvage Obama’s signature law, the Affordable Care Act. ‘’Donald Trump spent his entire presidency trying to tear it down. And by the way, he couldn’t even do that right,’’ Obama said.

It was redolent of Key and Peele’s Obama Anger Translator. I can’t talk Key and Peele without linking to the Substitute Teacher, a sketch I could watch on a constant loop and laugh every time. “I’m for real so you better check yourself.” Every glance and utterance is comedic heaven. (You can tell it’s Friday for real because I’m indulging the hell out of myself this morning with my meanderings and I’m not stopping now.)

RED ZONE: Why isn’t Trump in Minnesota? Faircloth, again, looks into how the former president is spending more time in Wisconsin and has no imminent plans to return to the land of 10,000 lakes. Contrast that with four years ago, when Trump held rallies in Minnesota in August, September and October. He aimed to win Minnesota that year after he lost the state by about 1.5 percentage points to Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016. But he ended up losing to President Joe Biden by an even larger margin.

RANGE ROVERS: Colleagues Reid Forgrave and Glen Stubbe spent time in Mountain Iron to bring us the story and photos about the political divide in the “Taconite Capital of the World.” They explore the 50-50 divide in many of Minnesota’s smaller communities and how residents manage to live side by side despite their differences. Sit back and enjoy the journey with them. A sample: This place and its changing politics are a study in how — in Minnesota’s most evenly divided city in this evenly divided country — neighbors can set aside differences. People in Mountain Iron say they take a very Minnesota Nice approach to rancorous national politics: They simply don’t talk about it. Better to keep to themselves than upset the community’s apple cart.

MYSTERY MAN: Chris Magan tells us about the withdrawal of a spoiler candidate from the Second Congressional District race with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and Joe Teirab. Thomas Bowman says he was convinced that a group called the Patriots Run Project is aligned with Democrats and tricked him into running to hurt GOP candidate Teirab.

JUDICIAL BALLOT: A strong story from Chris Ingraham at the Minnesota Reformer about a judicial candidate who endorsed Pizzagate and a slew of conspiracy theories. Nathan Hansen, who declined to comment for the story, is running for a seat on the Anoka County District Court bench against incumbent Judge Helen Brosnahan.

WHERE’S WALZ:

Probably unknown to most of you, but one of the songs in consistent rotation at Trump rallies is “Macho Man” by the Village People. I know this because it’s the rare Trump event I don’t walk out the doors singing that song in my head if not out loud. Now America’s Sweetheart is going full-on dude, Macho Man, whatever you call it. But don’t take my word for it, look at his schedule here:

It’s the 25th anniversary of Mankato West’s state championship win so by the time you read this, former NFL star Michael Strahan will have interviewed Walz on on ABC’s Good Morning America to talk high school coaching and how it informs his approach to leadership and public service. The interview was recorded at the Huntington Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota.

Walz will also venture to in Michigan to talk about manufacturing jobs and meeting with politically engaged Black male voters. He’s got a “Blue Wall” media TV blitz, talking, or more likely talkin’, football and all things huntin’ to stations in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Walz will also return to Mankato to give a pep talk to the Mankato West Scarlets before they play Mankato East. He’s no Coach Taylor, but OK, Friday Night Lights.

Former GOP state Rep. Jeremy Munson went on social media to encourage fans to boo Walz at the game because leadership matters. Did Munson go to rival Mankato East? No. He’s from Brainerd.

What I want to know is if Walz misses the mark on his hunt, can one of the Secret Service snipers take out the bird for him?

READING LIST

Colleagues Greg Stanley and Rich Tsong-Taatarii will boldly take you where you’ve never been: fishing for herring on Lake Superior.
I’m on record saying Walz shouldn’t be out there claiming Minnesotans don’t like spicy food. Reporter Susan Du explores the genesis of the stereotype for Curious Minnesota.
We’re gathering your Northern Lights photos. See some of them here.
Always read Deena Winter. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is looking at new taxes for new revenue as downtown property values dwindle nd the City Council is interested.
Former Capitol colleague Jessie Van Berkel noticed this story this morning from the NYT about Walz’s speech patterns. Gift link here.
Indulge the heck out of me because Impressionism (Edgar Degas, specifically) was my gateway to art appreciation in 6th grade and every single time I’m in Paris I go to the Musée Marmottan (and you should, too). The most significant painting in French art, Claude Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” is on display there except right now where it’s part of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art for Impressionism’s 150th anniversary. Let’s get this straight, though, the Impressionists are often misunderstand. They were iconoclasts and rebels, yet another reason to love them. Gift link to a NYT story here.