The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

Latest Episodes:

Neera Tanden on Trump 2.0, MAGA, EpsteinGate, Texas Redistricting, Zohran Mamdani and the Center For American Progress's Critical Work Jul 26, 2025

Show notes

Neera Tanden is the president and CEO of the Center for American Progress and the CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Before leading American Progress, Tanden was the Domestic Policy Advisor to President Joe Biden and director of the Domestic Policy Council, overseeing some of the administration’s signature achievements, including its efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs and expand health insurance coverage. Previously, she was Senior Advisor and Staff Secretary in the White House. And has also served as senior adviser for health reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, policy director for Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign, legislative director in then-Sen. Clinton’s (D-NY) office, and a senior policy adviser to the first lady in President Bill Clinton’s White House.

Neera shares her keen insights on Trump 2.0, EpsteinGate and the MAGA meltdown, Texas redistricting, Zohran Mamdani, and the critical work of the Center For American Progress.

Got somethin' to say?!
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Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rich Logis on his Incredible Journey From Diehard MAGA Loyalist to Founder of LeavingMAGA.org Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Rich Logis is a former MAGA activist, volunteer and pundit. He founded his nonprofit, Leaving MAGA, in 2024, as a new community for those who leave the MAGA movement; who have doubts about their support for Trump; and for friends and family of those in MAGA.

On his Leaving MAGA website, media appearances and in person, Rich has shared the compelling story of his odyssey, and what led him to leave MAGA in August of 2022. He has most recently contributed to the MeidasTouch Network.

Don't miss this utterly fascinating and insightful chat as Rich shares in riveting detail what drew him into MAGA, what it's like being on the inside, and why and how he left the movement. He also helps us understand what motivates MAGA, why they're so loyal to Donald Trump, why the Epstein conspiracy is so important to them, and how he's helping others through his Leaving MAGA non-profit.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Former Federal Judge Nancy Gertner on Trump, Emil Bove, Epstein, Harvard, Jerome Powell and SCOTUS Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Retired Federal Judge Nancy Gertner is a graduate of Barnard College and Yale Law School, where she was an editor on The Yale Law Journal, also receiving her M.A. in Political Science at Yale University. She was appointed to the United States District Court (D. Mass.) in 1994 by President Clinton and prior to 1994, Judge Gertner was a civil rights and criminal defense lawyer in Massachusetts. She retired from the federal bench in 2011 to join the faculty at Harvard Law School. Judge Gertner is the Managing Director of the MGH Center for Law Brain and Behavior. She was named one of “The Most Influential Lawyers of the Past 25 Years” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Judge Gertner has received numerous awards, including the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award.

Additionally, Judge Gertner was a Commissioner on President Biden’s Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, and has written and spoken widely on various legal issues, appearing as a keynote speaker, panelist or lecturer concerning civil rights, civil liberties, employment, criminal justice and procedural issues throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. Her opinion column appears regularly in the Boston Globe and WBUR’s Cognoscenti and occasionally the New York Times and the Washington Post. She also is a commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and WGBH’s “Jim Braude and Margery Eagan” show.

Join us for this insightful, informative conversation about Donald Trump's march towards autocracy; the consequential role of the Supreme Court; the Emil Bove confirmation hearing; the Epstein case; the threats against Fed Chair Jerome Powell; and the Harvard University lawsuit.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

MN Rep. Angie Craig on her U.S Senate Campaign, Trump 2.0, Congressional Republicans, and EpsteinGate Jul 19, 2025

Show notes

Rep. Angie Craig is the Congresswoman for Minnesota's Second Congressional District and is running for the state’s junior Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Tina Smith. In 2018, she flipped a district held by a Republican that a Democrat had only held twice since the 40s…committing herself to taking on the Trump administration’s policies that are hurting working folks in our country. In the Senate, her focus will be on lowering costs, keeping communities safe and fixing a broken Washington. If elected to the Senate, Angie would make history as the first gay U.S. Senator from Minnesota and first lesbian mother elected to the Senate.

The Congresswoman and I chat about her Senate campaign, Trump 2.0, Congressional Republican, and EpsteinGate.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael Cohen on Trump, Epstein and the MAGA Meltdown, and the Inner Circle "Coup" Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Michael Cohen is the former personal attorney for Donald Trump and served for years as an executive in the Trump Organization. He is host of the YoiuTube channel The Michael Cohen Show, host of the Mea Culpa With Michael Cohen podcast and co-host of Political Beatdown with Michael Cohen and Ben Meiselas podcast. He’s also a 2x NYT best-selling author. His latest book is “Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the US Department of Justice Against His Critics. You can also find him on Substack @TheRealMichaelCohen, where he writes the newsletter Truth and Consequences.

It's always a blast when Michael's in The Back Room. And this time's no different, as we unpack the MAGA Meltdown over EpsteinGate and the "coup" he says is taking place over it within Trump's inner circle.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

S.E. Cupp Live From Rhinebeck, NY's Upstate Films on Politics, Pop Culture, Podcasting, Producing and Caffeine! Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

S.E. Cupp is a nationally syndicated columnist, author, podcaster and TV commentator. She hosts Off the Cupp, a podcast which focuses on mental health, and which features interviews with celebrities and newsmakers. She is a columnist at the New York Daily News and has also been published in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Washington Post and many other publications. She is currently a political commentator at CNN. She regularly interviews authors for CSPAN's BookTV, and is a regular guest on The View, Real Time w/Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Watch What Happens Live and others.

S.E. has also consulted on Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom and AppleTV's The Morning Show, and has made cameos on House of Cards and SNL. As an author SE has written two books, Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media's Attack on Christianity, and co-authored Why You're Wrong About the RIght. She is on the Advisory Board of Cornell University's Institute of Politics and Global Affairs and INARA.org, and is a No Kid Hungry ambassador.

Just us for this insightful, fun live chat and Q&A at Rhinebeck, NY's Upstate Films. We discuss it all...politics, pop culture, podcasting, producing and caffeine!

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

David Frum on Trump, Musk, MAGA, Tariffs, the GOP, and his Journey Through Loss and Grief Following Last Year's Death of his Daughter Miranda, 32 Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

David Frum is a staff writer at the Atlantic and host of “The David Frum show” podcast. He is the author of ten books, most recently TRUMPOCALYPSE: Restoring American Democracy. David has been active in Republican politics since the first Reagan campaign of 1980. From 2014 through 2017 he served as chairman of the board of trustees of the leading UK center-right think tank, Policy Exchange. In 2001-2002, he served as speechwriter and special assistant to President George W. Bush.

This conversation has such deep personal meaning to me, as David and i talked not just about politics, but also about loss and grief and his emotional journey these past seventeen months as he and his family mourn the devastating loss of his daughter Miranda, 32.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

Celina Stewart on the Critical Work of The League of Women Voters in the Era of Trump Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

Celina Stewart is the Chief Executive Officer of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Prior to joining the League, she was acting Chief Operating Officer and Director of Philanthropy at an electoral reform nonprofit; served as a litigation consultant to several Am 100 law firms handling complex merger and acquisition transactions; legislative aide at the Michigan legislature handling the public interest portfolio for the House Tax Chair; and as Legal Counsel to the Minority Leader Stacey Abrams at the Georgia House of Representatives. She has served on the Boards of the Bar Association of DC; the Women’s Bar Association of DC; the NAACP ; and was an American Bar Foundation Law Practice Fellow.

Join us as Celina describes the League's critical efforts in educating and engaging voters while defending and protecting our civil, voting and reproductive rights in the era of Donald Trump.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joe Walsh on Trump's March Towards Autocracy, the Musk Breakup, Mamdani, the Midterms, and Becoming a Democrat! Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

Joe Walsh is a former Republican Congressman from Illinois elected to Congress in the TEA Party wave of 2010. Following his service in Congress, Walsh became one of the most popular conservative talk radio hosts in the country, syndicated in major markets throughout the U.S. In August of 2019 Joe became a candidate for President of the United States, waging a Republican primary challenge against Donald Trump. Joe is the author of F*CK SILENCE: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is released in February of 2020. Joe is currently the Director of The Social Contract and the host of a podcast called, “The Social Contract With Joe Walsh,” where Joe has weekly conversations with other well-known people to model how to have respectful conversations with those you disagree with.

Joe comes from the MAGA base and also spends a lot of time engaging, respectfully, with that base. Joe can be seen regularly on CNN, MSNBC and News Nation and has been written up in major publications like the NYT, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, Raw Story and Newsweek

Joe's super smart, funny and brutally honest. And, he's now a democrat! Join us for this engaging, pull-no-punches chat about Trump's march towards autocracy, the Musk breakup, the Big Ugly-Ass Bill, Mamdani and the NYC mayoral race, the '26 midterms, and why he joined his new party.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

Award-Winning Documentarian Alex Gibney on his Life and Illustrious 45-Year Filmmaking Career Jul 03, 2025

Show notes

Alex Gibney is an award-winning filmmaker who's been called “the most important documentarian of our time” by Esquire Magazine. His work has been the recipient of an Academy Award, multiple Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, several Peabody Awards, DuPont-Columbia Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Writers Guild Awards, and more. His films include TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY & THE PRISON OF BELIEF, and many others. His most recent work includes IN RESTLESS DREAMS: THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON, THE BIBI FILES, WISE GUYS: DAVID CHASE & THE SOPRANOS, and THE DARK MONEY GAME.

Alex is currently in production on the documentaries MUSK and the tentatively titled KNIFE, which is inspired by Salman Rushdie’s memoir “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder”. He is the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the News & Documentary Emmys.

Join us for this truly engaging conversation about Alex's childhood, his early inspirations, and his illustrious 45-year filmmaking career.

Got somethin' to say?!
Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com
Leave us a message: 845-307-7446
Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud
@ Radio Free Rhiniecliff
Design by Cricket Lengyel

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