Garage Logic – "Back At It With Tom Hauser"

Gamut Podcast Network | December 29, 2025
Special Guest: Tom Hauser, KSTP Channel 5 Chief Political Reporter

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode finds Garage Logic in “no man’s land”—the slow week between Christmas and New Year’s—reviving its signature blend of Minnesota common sense, good-natured ribbing, and local political discussion. Stepping in for GL’s regular host, Joe Soucheray, is guest host Tom Hauser, longtime political reporter from KSTP Channel 5, joined by the regular cast. They dive into winter life, personal histories, the perennial subject of Minnesota fraud scandals, media bias, and the shifting state political landscape—particularly Governor Tim Walz’s vulnerabilities and the possible candidacy of Mike Lindell.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Winter in Minnesota – Shoveling & Family

• The episode opens with typical Midwestern banter about dealing with heavy snowfall, shoveling duties, and backyard hockey rinks.

• Tom Hauser reflects on sending his daughter back to Milwaukee ahead of the storm, drawing a nostalgic parallel to his own first day in journalism 42 years prior ([04:05]-[06:12]).

  “It was weird because then yesterday, 42 years later, I'm tearfully sending my daughter back to Milwaukee by herself.”
  — Tom Hauser (05:35)

2. Tom Hauser’s Career Journey

• Hauser shares his professional path: beginnings down in Austin/Albert Lea, then Fort Myers, Des Moines (Drake University, master’s degree), before landing in Minnesota for over 30 years.
• Amusing anecdotes about employers paying for education to “string you along” and humorous parallels with cohosts’ own career exits ([06:12]-[08:53]).

3. Minnesota Fraud Scandal, Media Coverage, and Misinformation

A. The Uptick in Claims of “Media Silence”

• Hauser is inundated with emails accusing local news of ignoring fraud, sparked by a viral YouTube video, even though journalists like Jay Coles had covered the story months prior ([09:03]-[11:46]).

  “If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around, does it make a sound?... Well, if we cover fraud…but nobody watches it, did that story actually happen?”
  — Tom Hauser (10:18-10:51)

B. Media Siloes & Bias

• Discussion on how people consume news in “partisan silos”: Fox News/Republican, MSNBC/Democrat, plus podcasts like Garage Logic.

• Hauser pushes back on claims that local media is a left-wing monolith:

  “We never sit in a morning meeting and think about, okay, how can we upset — how can we stick it to the Republicans today? ... You can talk until you're blue in the face trying to convince people of this.”
  — Tom Hauser (13:43-15:00)

C. Social Media Virality vs Journalistic Standards

• The panel contrasts viral YouTubers’ “gotcha” videos—“in your face, no accountability” (17:45)—with local news’ legal rigor and standards of proof.

D. Fraud and Ethnic Stereotyping

• Hauser reads a troubling listener email denigrating Somali Minnesotans. The team condemns the racist generalizations:

  “There have also been non Somali people involved in this fraud. But [YouTubers] came in with the agenda that Tim Walz bad, Somali people bad.”
  — Tom Hauser (18:10-19:02)

4. State and Federal Oversight Gaps

• They discuss the “Feeding Our Future” fraud and a general sense that the state's oversight was sorely lacking:

  “Where were people when all of these supposedly thousands of kids were being fed out of these little storefronts? ... Does the state not have gas money for spot checks?”
  — Tom Hauser (25:38-26:14)

• Hauser adds perspective: fraud is a nationwide federal issue, not just a Minnesota problem. He cites a GAO report estimating $233–$521 billion lost yearly to fraud across federal programs ([23:27]).

5. The Tim Walz Question – Vulnerability in 2026

• Hauser notes Gov. Walz has “been elected seven times in a row,” but the scandal and national attention could make him vulnerable—depending on which Republican emerges ([24:29]-[25:09]).

6. Mike Lindell as Political Wild Card

• Candidacy Rumors & Media Dynamics:
  Mike Lindell’s possible entry into the governor’s race is dissected for both his infamy and sheer name recognition:

  “It is so difficult to get 100% name recognition. Mike Lindell might not have 100%, but he’s well into the 90s...”
  — Tom Hauser (35:44-35:58)

  “He could be a formidable force…in the primary, especially if he gets the endorsement of Donald Trump, who is very popular with most of the Republican base.”
  — Tom Hauser (38:18-39:07)

• The panel jokes about Lindell’s potential, the power of infomercial branding, and what it means for the state GOP, while also poking fun at his current business status ([36:11]-[39:21]).

7. Technology, Politics, and Personalities

• Banter about Teslas, autonomous vehicles, and state representative Pat Garofalo’s history with “populist” legislation (sports betting, tech)—and plans to mock him when he guest hosts next ([30:25]-[35:25]).

8. Sports—Fantasy Football and Minnesota Life

• The cast commiserates and brags about fantasy football wins, Puka Nacua’s performance, and the local culture of backyard winter activities ([33:06]-[34:34]; [40:03]-[40:45]).

9. News Segment: Local and National Updates ([41:32] onward)

• Host Johnny Height covers:
  • FBI refocusing resources on Minnesota fraud.
  • Tragedy: Local security guard dies after being assaulted by a patient.
  • Gas rate increases impacting Xcel Energy customers.
  • International: Trump and Zelensky meeting for Ukraine peace talks; Mike Lindell joked to be a possible peace broker.
  • Obituary: Brigitte Bardot, French film icon, dies at age 91 ([49:51]-[52:24]).
  • Side note about analyzing ages based on first names.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On journalism

  “We like to exercise all of those powers as judiciously as we can.”
  — Tom Hauser (11:43)

• On social media discourse

  “It’s become a cesspool…of hate cloaked in anonymity.”
  — Tom Hauser (28:24-28:37)

• On Minnesota’s fraud being a national issue

  “Federal government loses an estimated $233 billion to $521 billion annually to fraud based on various risk environments…”
  — Tom Hauser citing GAO (23:27)

• On Mike Lindell

  “He just needs to get enough money to put some ads on the air so people know, hey, I’m Mike Lindell. … I’m in the race sponsored by My Pillow.”
  — Tom Hauser (39:07)

• On age and mortality, amid Bardot news

  “Anytime you’re over 90, it's pretty much house money. ... Anything over 85 is house money.”
  — Tom Hauser (53:38-53:47)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:26] — Tom Hauser’s career beginnings and reflections
• [09:03] — Fraud scandal backlash, media criticism
• [13:43] — Media bias and newsroom realities
• [17:45] — YouTubers and the lack of accountability
• [23:27] — National context: GAO report on federal fraud
• [25:38] — Feeding Our Future failures; oversight discussion
• [35:44] — Mike Lindell: name recognition and political impact
• [41:32] — Johnny Height’s news segment (local fraud, security guard tragedy, Bardot obit)
• [52:24] — Brigitte Bardot and social media negativity
• [53:38] — On “house money" and old age

Tone & Style

The episode weaves together Minnesota pragmatism with light sarcasm, banter, and a sense of resigned humor about politics, journalism, and daily life in the state. It’s personable and conversational, poking fun at egos, local legends, and never shying away from hard truths about fraud or racism—while also finding time for running gags about fantasy football, name analysis, and nostalgic pop culture.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is classic Garage Logic—part local news, part political analysis, part irreverent banter, and all Minnesota. If you want insight into how fraud stories break, how the local media responds to public skepticism, the reality of the state’s political landscape heading into another election cycle, and a taste of everyday Gumption County logic, this episode delivers with humor and a well-honed sense of perspective.