Oklahoma Memo

This week, Ryan Welton and Grant Hermes unpack one of Washington's strangest weeks in recent memory.

The conversation begins with the unanswered questions surrounding Mitch McConnell, who has been absent from public view for weeks following his hospitalization. Why hasn't anyone seen or heard from him? And what does his absence mean for Kentucky and the U.S. Senate?

They also examine the spectacular collapse of Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner after allegations of sexual assault and abuse surfaced following his primary victory —and how the fallout could reshape the battle for Senate control.

Also in this episode:

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Everyone is talking about El Niño—but what does it actually mean for Oklahoma?

State Climatologist Gary McManus of the Oklahoma Climate Survey and the Oklahoma Mesonet joins the Oklahoma Memo Podcast to separate myth from reality. He explains why El Niño isn't expected to have much impact on this summer, why the bigger story comes later this year, and what it could mean for drought, winter weather, hurricane season and even tornadoes.

Ryan and Gary also discuss:

Two Oklahoma City police detectives, a bystander, and the Oklahoma City Fire Department are being praised after saving a wheelchair-bound man who was set on fire by someone carrying a Molotov cocktail.

I'm Ryan Welton, and here's what happened.

The Oklahoma City Police Department has released surveillance video from the morning of July 2. It happened just outside police headquarters near Main and Lee in downtown Oklahoma City.

A man in a wheelchair was crossing the street when another person, who had already walked past him, suddenly turned around, lit a Molotov cocktail, and threw it at him.

I want to be clear: I'm not showing the moment of the attack.

What happened next is remarkable.

Within seconds, two Oklahoma City police detectives who were nearby sprinted toward the victim. A bystander also rushed in to help, and the suspect was taken into custody almost immediately. The Oklahoma City Fire Department arrived moments later and began treating the victim.

In a Facebook post, Oklahoma City police said the victim is expected to recover thanks to the rapid response.

The department also praised everyone involved, saying the incident showed "the absolute best of our community and our first responders."

According to Fox 25, the suspect now faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree arson, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, injuring another person by use of an explosive, manufacturing an explosive device, and assault with intent to kill.

As of Tuesday evening, hundreds of people commenting on the police department's Facebook post were asking the same questions: How was someone walking around with a Molotov cocktail in the first place? And how can they help the victim, including replacing his wheelchair?

It's a horrifying crime—but it's also a story about how quickly lives can be saved when people refuse to stand by.

For more Oklahoma news explained, follow along here and subscribe to my free weekday newsletter, Oklahoma Memo, at OklahomaMemo.com. It arrives every Monday through Saturday at 7 a.m.

A little-known Medicaid funding program called SHOPP is suddenly at the center of a major Oklahoma budget debate.

After state officials said hospitals wouldn't face cuts, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority filed paperwork proposing a roughly $218 million reduction in Supplemental Hospital Offset Payment Program (SHOPP) payments. So what exactly is SHOPP, and why does it matter?

In this mini-episode, Ryan Welton breaks down:

Based on reporting by Oklahoma Watch, this episode makes one of the state's most confusing healthcare funding stories easy (or at least easier) to understand.

Subscribe to Oklahoma Memo for Oklahoma's biggest stories in about five minutes every morning: OklahomaMemo.com

The road to Oklahoma's 2000 national championship didn't begin with Bob Stoops.

It began with the fall.

In this first episode of a new Oklahoma Memo Sports series, Ryan Welton revisits the 1994 Oklahoma Sooners season — the final year of the Gary Gibbs era and a season that left many fans wondering whether Oklahoma football would ever return to national prominence.

Ryan shares memories from watching the Sooners while working as a young sports editor in Texas, recalls the dramatic opener against Syracuse, relives another painful loss to Texas, and explains why 1994 represented the beginning of Oklahoma football's slide into mediocrity.

Along the way, he explores the atmosphere surrounding the program, declining attendance, growing fan frustration, and the arrival of Howard Schnellenberger as the supposed savior of OU football.

This episode launches a multi-part journey through the seasons, coaches, moments, and decisions that ultimately led Oklahoma back to the top of college football in 2000.

Topics include:

• The final season of Gary Gibbs
• Syracuse and the Marvin Harrison scare
• Texas heartbreak at the Cotton Bowl
• Colorado's dominance
• Bill Snyder's rising Kansas State program
• Gary Gibbs' resignation
• Howard Schnellenberger's arrival
• Why 1994 matters to understanding Oklahoma football history

This week on the Oklahoma Memo Podcast, Ryan Welton sits down with congressional candidate John Croisant for a conversation that starts with sports and ends with a broader discussion about America's future.

The episode opens with reactions to the U.S. men's national team's World Cup performance and OU baseball's remarkable postseason run, before turning to several major policy issues affecting Oklahoma and the nation.

Topics include:

Sign up for the Oklahoma Memo podcast at https://www.oklahomamemo.com/subscribe

And visit John at https://www.croisantforcongress.com

Why did President Trump refuse to sign a bipartisan housing bill he previously praised as the most important housing legislation in American history?

This week, Ryan Welton and Grant Hermes break down the political fallout from the stalled housing bill, the administration's push for the SAVE Act, looming Supreme Court decisions on birthright citizenship, and the growing controversy surrounding the National Mall Reflecting Pool project.

They also discuss:

• What the housing bill would have meant for Oklahoma and the nation
• Why housing affordability is becoming a major political issue
• The potential impact of changes to voting laws
• What a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship could mean
• Markwayne Mullin's heated congressional hearing
• The Reflecting Pool "vandalism" claims and questions surrounding the project
• How Americans are approaching the country's 250th birthday amid political division

Subscribe for weekly conversations that help make sense of politics, policy and the headlines shaping Oklahoma and America.

Sign up for the daily Oklahoma Memo newsletter at https://www.oklakhomamemo.com/subscribe

Sign up for "Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes" at https://mimsnewspod.substack.com and at    / @mimsnewspod  

Oklahoma's 2026 national championship wasn't supposed to happen.

The Sooners entered postseason play as a middle-of-the-pack SEC team before catching fire and producing one of the most remarkable championship runs college baseball has ever seen.

Ryan Welton and Clay Horning revisit the journey from regional play to Omaha, discussing the players, moments and decisions that transformed Oklahoma from an underdog into a national champion. They also explore where this run ranks among the greatest achievements in OU sports history and what it means for the future of the program.

In this episode:

Hosts: Ryan Welton and Clay Horning

Subscribe to Oklahoma Memo: Oklahoma news in five minutes every morning, delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to Oklahoma Columnist: Clay Horning writes about sports and politics at OklahomaColumnist.com.

The June primary election delivered several surprises across Oklahoma politics.

Democratic congressional candidate John Croisant joins Ryan Welton to discuss Jackson Lahmeyer's departure from the CD1 race, what Mark Tedford's nomination means for November, low voter turnout, the failure of State Question 832, and the growing debate over education and workforce development in Oklahoma.

They also discuss the governor's race, the state superintendent contest, Oklahoma's economic future, and why sports can still bring Oklahomans together in a divided political environment.

Topics Covered

Subscribe to Oklahoma Memo for daily Oklahoma news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox.

This week, Ryan Welton welcomes Grant Hermes of Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes for a wide-ranging discussion on international politics, Oklahoma's governor's race and the national mood heading into America's 250th birthday.

Topics include:

Subscribe to Oklahoma Memo to get caught up with all the headlines FAST, 6 days a week. Go to OklahomaMemo.com/subscribe

And subscribe to Grant Hermes' work on Substack here: https://mimsnewspod.substack.com

He can also be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@MIMSnewspod