The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

Latest Episodes:

Lucas Kunce Jul 15, 2023

Show notes

Lucas Kunce is a 13-year Marine veteran, national security expert, and antitrust advocate running against Missouri’s Republican Senator Josh Hawley. After three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Lucas was stationed at the Pentagon, where he served on the Joint Staff to contain the threat of nuclear and chemical weapons around the globe, and later represented the U.S. in arms control negotiations with NATO and Russia. After active duty, he became the National Security Director for the American Economic Liberties Project, a non-profit which advocates corporate accountability legislation and aggressive enforcement of anti-trust regulations. He currently serves in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Join us for this inspiring chat about family and community. About overcoming childhood poverty and family health challenges. About the fight to kick Mr. FistPump McManhoodBook to the curb and take power back for everyday, working-class families in Missouri and across America. About what Democrats can do to defeat Republicans, Trump and Trumpism in the 2024 election.

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 Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Kat Abughazaleh Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Kat Abughazaleh is a senior video producer at Media Matters and a well-known Fox News watcher. She's a prominent social media personality who's become very popular through her TikTok videos and similar political content on Twitter. She regularly posts biting videos citing the dishonest, bizarre and often sexist, homophobic, racist behavior of Fox hosts, the network itself, and ex-Fox host Tucker Carlson.

Kat's back in The Back Room for a seriously fun, insightful chat about Threads vs Twitter, Musk vs Zuckerberg, Trump vs reality, Kat vs TikTok and more!

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 Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Pam Hemphill Jul 08, 2023

Show notes

Former Trump supporter and "MAGA Granny" Pam Hemphill says she was "brainwashed", in a "cult" and eventually served two months in prison for her role inside the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th insurrection. She's now full of regret and remorse, and is passionately fighting against her former cult leader, his cohorts and minions, and their gaslighting and dangerous rhetoric. This is her fascinating story of how and why she joined the cult, what it was like inside, and how she eventually got the motivation and courage to leave. It's a rare window into the MAGA mind and a truly don't-miss conversation....

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 Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Saverio "Mocha Joe" Guerra Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

Saverio Guerra is an actor and writer best known for playing Mocha Joe on HBO's CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM and Bob on the long-running Ted Danson CBS series BECKER He has appeared on many other television shows including Law & Order, Billions, The Goldbergs and The Detour. His film credits include SUMMER OF SAM, BAD BOYS, SLEEPERS and LUCK YOU.

Join us for this truly fun, hilarious chat about acting, growing up in Brooklyn, Larry David and so much more! Come for the CURB, stay for the Pacino impression!

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Harry Sisson Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

Harry Sisson is a 20 year old Gen Z activist. He started his work in politics at a local level by interning with his councilwoman and State Senator. He then began utilizing social media to help get young people out to vote in the 2020 presidential election. Since then, he’s amassed over 800,000 followers across all platforms, he’s worked with President Obama, the White House and more.

Young folks like Harry are the future. He's incredibly tough, smart, articulate, passionate and focused like a laser on what's wrong with the Republican Party and how Democrats can capitalize and win everything. Join us for this fun, insightful chat about today's wild political and judicial landscape.

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ruth Ben-Ghiat Jul 01, 2023

Show notes

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda. She is the recipient of Guggenheim and other fellowships; an advisor to Protect Democracy; an MSNBC opinion columnist and television commentator; and publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo --and how they can be defeated.

Join us for this truly fascinating, insightful conversation about Trump, Trumpism, Ron DeSantis and the chilling parallels between their demagoguery and hateful rhetoric and that of Hitler, Mussolini and other dictators past and present. How fascism and Neo-Nazism is on the rise domestically and abroad, and its impact on American politics and culture.

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

David Corn Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

David Corn is the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for Mother Jones Magazine, an MSNBC analyst and author of the best-selling book "American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy”.

Join us for this informative, insightful chat about Trump, Trumpism, the No Labels dark money group, right-wing extremism and more. He also shares his childhood inspirations and has a helluva funny Nixon encounter as a 13-year-old McGovern supporter!

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rep. Jimmy Gomez Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

Congressman Jimmy Gomez represents California’s 34th Congressional District. He sits on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and serves as an Assistant Whip of the Democratic Caucus and Deputy Whip for the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He is also the Founder and Chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus and is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Future Forum. Prior to his election to Congress in June of 2017, he served four and a half years in the California State Assembly where he served as Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Gomez's life and career is the embodiment of the American dream. Born and raised in Southern California, he is the proud son of working-class Mexican immigrants who went from being held back in the 3rd grade to earning his master's degree from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Rep. Gomez's journey from childhood through Congress is a truly fascinating, inspiring story. of overcoming social, cultural and economic challenges to achieve one's goals. He also shares his thoughts on Trump, Trumpism, the Republican-led House craziness, immigration, his incredible Dad's Caucus and more. I absolutely love this conversation, as it's such a positive reminder of how great our country can be.

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rick Wilson Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

The inimitable Rick Wilson's back in The Back Room! Rick's a renowned political strategist, infamous ad-maker, writer, speaker, political commentator, co-founder of the political action committee The Lincoln Project and a two-time New York Times bestselling author.

It's always fun when Rick joins the conversation with his razor-sharp wit and wisdom! In this episode he shares his thoughts on Donald Trump's indictment, Judge Aileen Cannon and the challenges facing the Department of Justice and its Miami trial; the ongoing threat to America of Trump and Trumpism; President Joe Biden and Democrats; and the '24 presidential race. It's a chat you don't wanna miss!

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jake Tapper Jun 17, 2023

Show notes

Jake Tapper is the lead DC anchor and chief Washington correspondent for CNN. He is also an accomplished author who’s written two New York Times bestselling novels, The Hellfire Club and The Devil May Dance, as well as the bestselling nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, which was turned into a critically acclaimed film in 2020. His latest novel, the thriller All the Demons Are Here, will be released July 11th.

It's a real treat to have Jake with us in The Back Room to celebrate our one-year anniversary! He shares his keen insights on Donald Trump, Trumpism and the 2024 presidential race; reflects back on his childhood aspirations (guess who he wanted to be when he grows up?); and takes us through his journalistic and creative-writing journeys. We also get an exciting preview of his page-turning new book, which has an overall story, various subplots and characters with so many fun, fascinating parallels to today's American political and media worlds. And of course, what would a convo with Jake Tapper be without discussing Taylor Swift?!

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

Produced by Andy Ostroy and Matty Rosenberg @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Associate producer Jennifer Hammoud Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

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