Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Latest Episodes:

197. Joe Walsh. Trump is Running Again. The GOP Civil War. Why Joe Turned Down the Forward Party. The Problem with Democrats. The Election Day Independent Wave. Ukraine Takes Kherson. Dolly Parton’s $100M Prize. Veterans Day at Monster Jam. Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to the return of President Mayhem. Welcome to the end of Election Season 2022. Sorta. And welcome to the beginning of Election Season 2024.

The Democrats now have the Senate. The Republicans have the House. America is deeply divided. And Trump is back. And so is Joe Walsh. After joining us in Episode 176 in June of 2022, the former GOP Tea Party leader-turned-anti-Trumper independent Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) is back with Paul to break down all the latest and most important political news.

A self-proclaimed reformed political gang-banger, the former Republican Congressman, cable news pundit, and radio talk host, Joe takes us inside his old party as it becomes engulfed in a civil war. He also breaks down the flaws in the Democratic party, if he thinks anyone can beat Trump, and why he declined an invitation to join Andrew Yang’s new Forward Party.

Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by author, activist and social entrepreneur Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s content for the 42% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americanswill continue to be your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.

-Join the movement. Sign up to get our regular breakdowns of the independent news you need to know.

Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.

- WATCH video of Paul and Joe’s conversation here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get a cool, new IA hoodie sweatshirt just in time for the start of the cold season.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

196. Michael Beschloss. Midterm Election Post-Mortem. The Camouflage Wave. 2024 Starts Now. Is Trump vs Biden Inevitable? DeSantis vs Moore in 2028? Independent Prospects for President. McMullin Loses in Utah. Veterans Day. Amherst vs Williams. Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

The most important election of our lifetime is finally over. Sorta. And the final contest may be just beginning.

America is divided. And half the country is not happy this week. Again. Anger and division is the story of our lives in America now. And if you’re feeling like it’s not, just wait a few more days. Because President Mayhem is back. Trump is back. And we all know what that means for our politics.

But what does it mean for 2024?

What does it mean for a likely match up against Biden?

What does it mean for a possible run by an independent candidate for President?

And what does this midterm election mean?

What is its place in history?

Is this history repeating itself? Or are we starting over?

Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) is the perfect person to ask. He’s the winner of an Emmy award, serves as NBC News Presidential Historian, and contributes to the PBS NewsHour. He is the author of nine best-selling books, including Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989, Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy (co-authored with Caroline Kennedy) and two volumes on President Lyndon Johnson’s secret White House tapes. Beschloss also has the largest Twitter following of any historian on earth. And in a Twitterverse filled with bots and hate and nastiness, he remains a reason to be on that website. Pouring out historic photos and perspective. He’s also a father…and a generous, kind and nice man.

On the pod recently we’ve had a Professor of Nukes.

Professors of War.

Professors of Business.

Professors of Politics.

We’ve had a professor of history.

And now, we’ve got another.

Michael Beschloss is a truly important, inspiring and iconic American that is shaping what America has been, what it is, and what it will be. And a truly independent American.

It’s a conversation that will help you get smarter, predict better, and of course, stay vigilant. Because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. And this week, we saw what can happen if we’re willing to pay that price.

Is this history repeating itself? Or are we starting over? Welcome to Veterans Week. Welcome to the end of Election Season 2022. Welcome to the beginning of Election Season 2024.

-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.

- WATCH video of Paul and Michael’s conversation here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

195. Ken Burns. Election Special. The Master Documentarian on Extremism in America, Ukraine, The Importance of This Election, Doing a Film on Iraq & Afghanistan, His Dog Chester. Paul Pelosi Attacked. The American Insurgency Grows. Twitter In Chaos. Nov 03, 2022

Show notes

Election Day is almost here. And America is divided. America is scared. America is angry.

But independent Americans are in a unique position to make an impact. We will decide the election in so many races all across the country. And at least one of us, Evan McMullin in Utah, could be elected Senator.

America is on edge, but we can help bring them down off that edge. Help them see over it. Help them move around it. And we have the perfect guest to guide us through this Election Day week. To ground us. To calm us all down with some sobering reality. Some history. Some perspective. And some wisdom.

Ken Burns (@KenBurns) is a truly important, inspiring and iconic American who is shaping what America has been, what it is, and what it will be. He is an exceptionally wise, insightful and trusted leader that we all need to hear from right now. A man who understands history--and the historic nature of these times. The perfect guest to take us into the most important election in our lifetime.

He’s the visionary mastermind behind the greatest stories of our country—of our people–of our history—and of our future. The Civil War (1990), Baseball (1994), Jazz (2001), The War (2007), The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009), Prohibition (2011), The Roosevelts (2014), The Vietnam War (2017), and Country Music, and now, The US and the Holocaust–a new six-and-half-hour documentary directed and produced by Ken Burns and his longtime partners Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. They describe it as a deep dive into "America's response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history." He’s also the author of the new book, Our America: A Photographic History.

He’s a historian. He’s a documentarian. He’s a master storyteller. He’s a patriot. He’s our mirror. And he’s a conscience for us all.

We’ve had professors of Nukes.

Professors of War.

Professors of Business.

Professors of Politics.

And now, we’ve got a professor of history. And an expert on America. It’s a conversation from inside his New Hampshire home that will help you get smarter, predict better, and of course, stay vigilant. Because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. The most important election day in our lifetime is definitely a time to stay vigilant. Welcome to Election Week 2022. With the great Ken Burns.

- WATCH video of Paul and Ken’s conversation here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

194. Adam Kinzinger. Inside the Jan 6 Committee. Will He Leave The GOP and Go Independent? Is He Running for President? Progressives Bomb Out on Ukraine. Putin’s Long Play. Election Day Predictions. Fetterman v Dr Oz. Tulsi Gabbard, Fellas & Halloween! Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

The stupid is all over the place this season like candy corn in the bottom of your halloween bag. Everyone hands it out, some people say they love it, but they don’t. It’s an outdated and disgusting relic from a time long past. And it just will NOT go away.

And it’s the scary season. Not just in America, but around the world. There are real goons and monsters and goblins doing dastardly and frightening things. But there are also real life superheroes. Helpers who are rising to the moment. In Iran. In Ukraine. In America. They’re not scared of the monsters.

Meanwhile, too many of our politicians in the US are the monsters. And they are not scared of consequences from voters. You see that in the arrogance of politicians like Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and Texas Governor Greg Abbot, and Herschel Walker. And it’s scary to imagine them in power next year.

That’s what you have to fear this Halloween. Not drug dealers putting fentanyl in your kids’ candy.

Some of these monsters will stay in power. Some will gain power. And in two weeks, we’ll see which ones. Until then, there is reason to be vigilant. And reason to be scared.

Halloween is almost here. But nothing’s scarier than the political freak show unfolding before our eyes. And we’re digging into all of it from what’s next for the Jan 6 committee, to the election final stretch, to Putin’s long game on Ukraine. And our guest is a leader in the middle of all of it. And he’s wearing no masks. But he is one of the fellas.

He’s a 43-year-old Illinois Republican Congressman, Air Force combat veteran, political maverick, and fighter of the good fight. And a man of this moment in American politics. He’s catapulted to the forefront of America’s consciousness in the last few months as one of only two republicans on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. He’s taking shots from all sides–and he’s fighting back. Per usual.

And he’s wearing no masks. But he is one of the fellas. And he is ready to help us through the scary season. He’s our favorite about to no longer be a Republican. He’s Congressman Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger).

He first joined us back Episode 149 in January. And again for a special Ukraine War report on Episode 159 in March. And he’s back again now to break it down. Fresh off sending a subpoena to Donald Trump. And you definitely wanna hear what he’s got to share.

Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by Paul Rieckhoff is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s content for the 42% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans will continue to be your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.

- Watch the Zoom Discussion “Declaration of Independents: Veterans Sound Off on Repealing Closed Primaries” with our Paul Rieckhoff and Open Primaries.

- WATCH video of Paul and Congressman Kinzinger’s conversation here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

191. Malcolm Nance. From The Frontlines Inside Ukraine. Inside the International Legion of Foreign Fighters. Ukraine Storms Kherson. What Are Russian Soldiers Really Like? Biden Sends More HIMARS. Judge Breaks the Record. Bombs, Bombs, Bombs. WTF is NAFO. Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Aaron Judge is hitting bombs. And in this episode, we’re gonna continue to hit content bombs. With our reigning home run champion of national security and modern warfare. A six time returning champion.

He’s our lead off batter, our clean up slugger, our ace pitcher, and our play by play AND our color guy. He’s the clutch hitter, the utility infielder, and most of all, especially when it comes to the war in Ukraine, he’s our MVP. He’s America’s favorite terrorism expert, a decorated military veteran, an astute analyst, a truth teller, TV terrorism analyst and NY Times bestselling author. He’s the one and only, Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance). And he’s back to drop bombs.

He’s joined us many times before:

Episode 158 - March, 2022

Episode 104 - March, 2021

Episode 94 - Jan, 2021

Episode 81 - Oct, 2020

Episode 13 - June, 2019

Many of you have been asking when he’d be back. And after spending most of the last 6 months on the battlefields of Ukraine, he’s here, in an exclusive conversation, recorded from a secure site inside Ukraine. Fresh off the front lines of the battlefield with the International Legion of Ukraine–the group of military veterans that Ukrainian President Zelensky created–made up of foreigners from around the world who have joined the fight. It’s an insight into war, politics, media and WTF is NAFO and why it involves memes of dogs. It’s a fascinating and fast-paced conversation that you’ll want to share.

Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by Paul Rieckhoff is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s content for the 42% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. This is another pod to help you stay vigilant. Because vigilance is the price of democracy. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans will continue to be your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend events, get merch discounts and support this show that speaks truth to power by joining us on Patreon.

- WATCH video of Paul and Malcolm’s conversation here.

-As mentioned in the pod, you can learn more about how to donate to support Malcolm’s unit in Ukraine via the website here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

190. Joe Cirincione. Putin’s Nukes: The Threats, The Realities, The Terrible and Possible Scenarios. Ukraine’s Momentum. HIMARS Are The Real 2022 MVP. Hurricane Ian Slams Florida. Iran Protests. Storm Season is Here. Aaron Judge Hits 61. Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

Hurricane Ian is slamming the US right now. And more storms are likely to follow. The hurricane is rocking Florida’s Gulf Coast and is causing massive damage. Meanwhile, weeks after Hurricane Fiona, much of Puerto Rico still doesn’t have power. All of Cuba is without power.

And in Ukraine and Russia, the storms are also building. Massive storm clouds of war. And the threat, again, of nukes. And the scariest kind of storm of all. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has stalled out. And we were among the first shows to state that the Russians could lose, that the Bear had no teeth. And that message was echoed by all of our expert guests throughout our coverage of the conflict. From Malcolm Nance to Congressman Adam Kinzinger to Matt Gallagher. From Quan Nguyen to Nolan Peterson. The message was clear. And consistent. Ukraine can win this. But Russia will not go quietly this fall.

And for the Russians that means one thing and one thing only. Winter is coming. And the threat of Putin using nukes is growing. Like your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) has said since the beginning, this doesn’t end until Putin is gone. And Putin won’t go easy. So as his mobilization effort pushes his country to the brink of revolution, we have to revisit the greatest threat this situation presents. The nukes. And when it comes to all things nukes, there’s only one guy you want to hear from.

Joe Cirincione (@Cirincione) is back. He worked on nuclear weapons policy in Washington for more than 35 years and is one of the top experts in the field. He was the Director for Non-Proliferation at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of Deadly Arsenals: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Threats, and co-author of Universal Compliance: A Strategy for Nuclear Security. He was the president of Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation. Taught at the Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service. He’s one of America’s best known weapons experts, appearing frequently in print and on FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, PBS, NPR and occasionally on Comedy Central. After joining us for Episode 141 - Nov. 18, 2021 and Episode 163 - March 28, 2022, Professor Joe is back to drop knowledge bombs about nukes. In an episode you don’t want to miss.

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend events, get merch discounts and support this show that speaks truth to power by joining us on Patreon.

-Read Joe’s latest column in the Washington Post.

- WATCH video of Paul and Joe’s conversation here.

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get great IA and Righteous merch.

-Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.

Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. America’s next great independent media company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

189. Matt Zeller & Afghan Activists. 24/7 Firewatch Outside the Capitol To Support the Afghan Adjustment Act. Ukraine’s Roll Continues. Biden Says Pandemic is Over. Trump Again Threatens Violence. Puerto Rico Slammed. Marcus King: Musical Freight Train. Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

Fall is here. And it’s crazier by the day. Trump drama, Ukraine war news, natural disasters, political dysfunction, election campaign warfare. It’s something new and terrible every day. But there’s one important issue you’re not seeing in the news. Important enough that it has dedicated citizens sleeping outside the US Capitol in Washington tonight. It’s called the “firewatch”.

And Matt Zeller (@MattCZeller) is leading it. Matt has been a regular on this show. He’s an activist, an author and a conscience for America. He is one of the leading advocates for veterans, for Afghan allies, and for America. A combat veteran and Army Major that made it out of Afghanistan alive only because of the courage of his Afghan interpreter, Matt’s been paying it forward ever since. He’s the courageous Co-Founder of No One Left Behind, a Truman National Security Fellow, the author of Watches Without Time: An American Soldier in Afghanistan, and a top leader on the powerhouse team at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Matt first joined us to predict the collapse of Afghanistan after the US pullout for Episode 127 in August, 2021. Then again for Episode 138 in October, 2021. He came back a year later in August for Episode 182 in August, 2022 to update us on how bad it’s gotten in Afghanistan. And to take us inside the historic PACT Act fight with Jon Stewart. And to preview the action that needed to be taken for our Afghan allies.

Now, that action is underway. Last week, along with leaders from the Afghan American, humanitarian and veterans community, Matt started a new firewatch. That means he started a campaign of activists sleeping 24/7 outside the capital until the Afghan Adjustment Act is passed.

This is democracy at work. This is democracy evolving. This is good trouble. This is the opposite of January 6th. If you were disgusted by that. You’ll be inspired by this. This is hope. And as we say all the time, hope is the oxygen of democracy. And it’s time for a big dose of it. This is a pod that will leave you inspired–and hopeful.

Every episode of Independent Americans hosted by Paul Rieckhoff @PaulRieckhoff) breaks down the most important news stories–and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s independent content for independent Americans. Always with a unique focus on national security, foreign affairs and military and veterans issues. In these trying times especially, Independent Americansis your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. Stay vigilant, America.

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend exclusive events, get merch discounts and support this critical show that speaks truth to power by joining our IA community on Patreon.

-Watch video of Paul Rieckhoff and Matt Zeller’s conversation here.

-Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us.

-Represent for the show with some very cool Independent Americans merchandise.

-Check out the incredible music of Marcus King (featured in the show).

-Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.

-Wanna advertise on the pod? Hit us up.

-Also check out new episodes of other Righteous Media podcasts including the B Dorm Podcast, The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra and Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed.

Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. Righteous is an independent, American, Veteran-owned and led content company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

188. Christine Todd Whitman. Inside the Forward Party. Why Should Independents Trust It? Is There More Than Andrew Yang? Ukraine Running The Table. The GOP National Abortion Ban. “MAGA Republicans”. 9/11, 21 Years Later. Train Strike Gaining Steam. Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Silly season is here. It’s less than two months until the midterms elections. And it’s on. Politicians are doing all kinds of crazy things. And the stakes have never been higher.

Republican Senator and Sellout-in-Chief Lindsay Graham introduced a national abortion ban bill this week. Texas Governor Greg Abbot shipped busloads of undocumented migrants into so called “sanctuary cities” like New York, Chicago, and DC. And just when you thought things couldn’t get dumber, this week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, looking to out Trump Greg Abbot, sent two planes of undocumented migrants to Martha's Vineyard. Because that’s what we need right now.

The stupid is back in full force this fall. It’s more contagious than COVID, monkeypox, the flu, and the cooties combined. And it’s everywhere. It’s like the worst reality show on TV. Only it’s real. And you can’t change the channel.

Meanwhile, the best reality TV show in the world is the reality of the Ukraine war. And Ukraine is on the march. Reminding America (and the world) what fighting for freedom really looks like. And what the stakes are if you fail.

Other shows cover what’s happening. We cover what’s next.

And we’ll do that again in this episode with our guest, a returning champion, and a leader who wants you, as an independent American, to join her, Andrew Yang, David Jolly and other former partisans in their new venture: The Forward Party. Forward Party Co-Founder and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman (@GovCTW) is our guest. The Forward Party is the controversial topic surrounding independent politics that has all of America talking. And we’ll dig into it with one of the top leaders behind it. What does it stand for? Can it work? Why should anyone trust it?

Every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories–and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve–and stay vigilant.

-Watch video of Paul and Christine’s conversation here.

-Learn more about the Tunnel 2 Towers run in NYC mentioned on the show.

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend exclusive events, get merch discounts and support this critical show that speaks truth to power by joining our IA community on Patreon.

-Find us on social media and www.IndependentAmericans.us. Where you can also get IA merch.

-Wanna advertise on the pod and reach the most coveted voters in America? Hit us up.

-Also check out new episodes of other Righteous Media podcasts including the B Dorm Podcast, The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra and Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed.

Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. Righteous is an independent, American, Veteran-owned and led content company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

187. The 9/11 Episode. The Stories Behind the Day with First Responders Rob Serra, Richard Naviasky, Joseph Cammarata, Al Barry and Survivor Lila Nordstrom. Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

9/11 is the single most influential moment of the 21st century. It was terrible and tragic and it was a moment that will remain etched in our country’s history forever. It was a moment that redefined the trajectory of the entire world and will continue to shape the future for decades to come. 9/11 was a moment that changed everything for the entire world. And it’s a moment that is engrained in the DNA of Righteous Media.

Host and founder Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) was there at Ground Zero on 9/11. The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra host Rob Serra (@SerraRob) was there at Ground Zero on 9/11. They saw the horror first hand. They were there to witness it in person. The scale. The depth. The scope of it all. And while the rest of us watched in shock on TV, they were there, helping, scrambling through the wreckage trying to find survivors. Trying to find anything.

It was as horrible as things can be and no one should ever have to endure what they saw that day. But we can never forget. And part of that never forgetting is the requirement we all have to not look away from the ugliness. To not look away from the horror. If we hope to truly honor the sacrifice of those we lost, and those we continue to lose, we can not ignore the horror. We must truly never forget.

So at least here — at Independent Americans and all of the shows produced by Righteous Media — we will never look away. We will never forget. We will honor those sacrifices and we will share the stories of the heroes that survived and the heroes that didn’t. Never forget is more than just a hashtag at Righteous Media. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. Join us.

Every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) breaks down the most important news stories–and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve–and stay vigilant.

Go Deeper:

Hear Paul’s full conversation with Rob Serra from Episode 2 of Independent Americans.

Hear Rob’s full conversation with Richard Naviasky from Episode 1 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).

Hear Rob’s full conversation with Joseph Cammarata from Episode 2 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).

Hear Rob’s full conversation with Al Barry from Episode 15 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).

Hear Rob’s full conversation with Lila Nordstrom from Episode 14 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend exclusive events, get merch discounts and support this critical show that speaks truth to power by joining our IA community on Patreon.

-Find us on social media and www.IndependentAmericans.us. Where you can also get IA merch.

-Wanna advertise on the pod and reach the most coveted voters in America? Hit us up.

-Also check out new episodes of other Righteous Media podcasts including the B Dorm Podcast, The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra and Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed.

Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. Righteous is an independent, American, Veteran-owned and led content company.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

186. Congressman-Elect Pat Ryan. Inside The Political Win of the Summer. A Case Study In Appealing to Independents. Fighting Gas Prices, Trump, Abortion Rollbacks, & His Own Party. An Army Intel Vet on Trump’s Classified Docs. A Where Is Yang Update. Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

Democrat Pat Ryan (@PatRyanUC) just won a special Congressional election in upstate New York that has the entire political world talking. Few picked him to win in the traditionally Republican-leaning area. But against the odds, the combat veteran pulled it off. And inspired people of all backgrounds nationwide. And now, analysts and strategists nationwide are rushing to understand how he did it. We’ll take you inside the historic victory in a way no other conversation with Ryan has.

Our Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) is a good friend and supporter of Ryan. He also lives in the NY-19th Congressional district that Ryan just won. This candid, smart and fun conversation takes you inside the district, the strategy, the demographics, the leadership lessons-learned, and the future. And explores what it all means for the fall election (when Ryan will run again, in a newly-designed district), for the future of politics, for the power of independent Americans, and for the Presidential election in 2024.

Ryan’s election victory is a case study in focus, planning and heart. And by fighting gas prices, utility companies, Trump, abortion rollbacks, and his own party, the win is a case study in how to appeal to independent voters in 2022.

You’ll also hear what Ryan (a former Army intelligence officer) thinks about the breaking news that Trump kept highly classified documents unsecured at his resilience in Mar-A-Lago.

We’ll also dig into a new effort in Pennsylvania led by former NFL football star and Vietnam veteran Rocky Blier to open closed primaries to veterans–and hundreds of thousands of other independent voters who have been shut out of the process and denied a voice. Roughly 50% of veterans call themselves independent in that state–and nationwide.

Independent doesn’t mean the middle. It means none of the above. And the solution for empowering them is not a new party founded by Republicans and Democrats who switched jerseys a few weeks ago. It’s fixing a broken election system–with efforts like this one at the state level in Pennsylvania. We’ll pull apart why.

And, speaking of independent politics, we’ll share a #WhereIsYang update. It’s been one week since Forward Party Co-Chair Andrew Yang ghosted on a scheduled interview on this show. And after lots of outrage from the independent Americans community–and casual observers–Paul has significant developments to share.

And, we’ll check in with Paul’s 3 and 7-year old boys, and reflect on a wild summer. You definitely wanna hear this pod and start your September off right.

Every episode of Independent Americansbreaks down the most important news stories–and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. Independent Americansis your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and helps you stay ahead of the curve–and stay vigilant.

-Get extra content, connect with guests, attend exclusive events, get merch discounts and support this critical show that speaks truth to power by joining our IA community on Patreon.

-Watch video of Paul and Congressman Pat Ryan’s conversation here.

-Check out some of Paul’s favorite places in Ulster County, NY (the place Pat Ryan now represents) that he mentioned on the show:

-Sweet Sue’s Phoenicia

-The Hoot music and culture festival

-Find us on social media and www.IndependentAmericans.us. Where you can also get IA merch.

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-Also check out new episodes of other Righteous Media podcasts including the B Dorm Podcast, The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra and Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed.

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