Burn the Boats: Recent Episodes
Evergreen Podcasts
Burn the Boats is a podcast about big decisions. Decisions like Alexander the Great made when he landed his troops on the shores of Persia and ordered his men to burn their boats. Host Ken Harbaugh interviews political leaders, influencers, and other history makers about the choices we confront when failure is not an option.
David Hogg discusses the political burden placed on Gen-Z, his trauma from the Parkland shooting, gun violence, and protests.
David is a survivor of the Parkland shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in 2018. Following the attack, he and his classmates founded March for Our Lives, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence in the U.S, and held the largest single day of protest against gun violence in history.
Since then, David has become a leader in the fight to end gun violence. He graduated from Harvard this year, and has co-founded Leaders We Deserve, an organization that aims to help elect young, progressive candidates to office.
In the wake of the UNC shooting, a March for Our Lives Protest is being held today in Raleigh. Learn more here.
David Hogg discusses the political burden placed on Gen-Z, his trauma from the Parkland shooting, gun violence, and protests.
David is a survivor of the Parkland shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in 2018. Following the attack, he and his classmates founded March for Our Lives, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence in the U.S, and held the largest single day of protest against gun violence in history.
Since then, David has become a leader in the fight to end gun violence. He graduated from Harvard this year, and has co-founded Leaders We Deserve, an organization that aims to help elect young, progressive candidates to office.
In the wake of the UNC shooting, a March for Our Lives Protest is being held today in Raleigh. Learn more here.
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Representative Jason Crow is a former Army Ranger who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and represents Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District. He was in the Capitol building during the January 6th insurrection, and has been hailed as “one of the heroes of that day” for guiding fellow members of Congress to safety.
In this interview, Rep. Crow discusses Space Command remaining in his state, right-wing extremism, and the lack of political courage shown by Republican politicians.
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Denver Riggleman is a former representative for Virginia’s 5th congressional district, and an ex-Republican. He served as a technical advisor to the January 6th committee, and now he’s partnered with Hunter Biden’s legal team to provide data analysis in the face of congressional inquiries and the GOP’s claims about Hunter’s conduct.
Denver’s new podcast, The Mighty Peculiar, takes a deep dive into conspiracy theories. In this episode, he describes the appeal of conspiracy theories, and the damage that they can do.
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In this interview, Dr. Crayton discusses gerrymandering, supermajorities, the impact of the courts, and voter suppression.
Dr. Kareem Crayton is an attorney, law professor, and academic whose work explores the effects of state-sanctioned racial discrimination on campaigns, elections, and governance. He recently joined the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, where he manages efforts to implement pro-voter reforms.
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Mark J. Lindquist is an Air Force Veteran who has been providing non-lethal aid to the Ukrainian Army since late March of last year. In this interview, he describes being a mile from the front lines, his efforts, and how Americans can help Ukraine win the war.
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Anne discusses the corruption within the Supreme Court and how certain “grassroots” conservative organizations have ties to powerful shadow networks.
Anne is an award-winning war correspondent and author. Her newest book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, details the influence of the Council for National Policy, a powerful right-wing political coalition.
To hear more from Anne, listen to her previous two interviews on Burn the Boats here and here.
Also, make sure to check out her website, anne-nelson.com, and follow her on Twitter at @anelsona.
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Back in 2018, Miles Taylor anonymously authored a New York Times op-ed titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.” At the time, Miles worked in a senior role in the Department of Homeland security.
Eventually, after Trump asked him and other officials to break the law, Miles quit. He decided to author a book, again anonymously, titled A Warning, which described the morally gray, and sometimes blatantly illegal orders that came from the President.
In the lead up to the 2020 election, Miles felt it was important to reveal himself as the anonymous author of both the op-ed and the book. He then created the Renew America Movement, an organization dedicated to giving a voice to the ‘rational’ Republicans who do not subscribe to the right-wing extremism of Donald Trump.
In our 2021 interview with Miles, Miles Taylor: Inside the Trump White House, he talked about his op-ed, his book, and the Renew America Movement.
Since then, Miles left the Republican party, and co-founded the Forward Party with Andrew Yang. In last year’s interview, Miles Taylor: The Fight Has Just Begun, we brought him back on the show to talk about this decision, the midterm results, the future of Trumpism, and the ongoing threats to American democracy. Head to MANUKORA.com/BOATS or use code BOATS, you’ll automatically get an extra free pack of 850+ honey sticks with your order - a $15 value.
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Rep. Seth Moulton discusses right-wing extremism within Congress and the dangers to American Democracy
Representative Seth Moulton is a former Marine Corps officer who has represented Massachusetts’s 6th district since 2015. He appears in the upcoming documentary film, Against All Enemies, where he delivers a prophetic warning about the threats to American Democracy posed by extremist organizations that target and recruit military veterans.
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Olivia Julianna is a 20-year-old abortion-rights advocate and the director of politics and government affairs at Gen-Z for Change. With the help of her substantial TikTok following, Olivia initiated the takedown of an anti-abortion website that encouraged Texans to inform on their neighbors, and raised over $2.3 million after a twitter battle with congressman Matt Gaetz. She’s also a Senior Advisor to Lose Cruz, an organization dedicated to defeating Ted Cruz’s reelection bid in 2024.
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Ryan Busse is a former executive of a major firearms manufacturer. During his 25 years at the company, he was nominated for multiple industry awards and became a prominent player in the industry. He saw the number of mass shootings grow exponentially during his tenure, and eventually this prompted him to quit.
Ryan’s book Gunfight exposes the gun industry’s “McCarthyesque” internal policing, and its shift away from safety and ethics to fear, conspiracy, and intolerance.
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Sarah Posner is a journalist who has been covering the religious right for decades. Her most recent book, Unholy, explores how race and xenophobia have long been at the core of evangelical Christianity in America.
In this episode, Sarah reveals how many evangelicals have adopted and executed a platform of extremism, citing their support for white supremacists, the corruption of the church, and their attempt to roll back the rights of women and the LGBTQ+ community.
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Brynn Tannehill is a columnist, author, LGBTQ+ activist, and former Navy pilot. Her book American Fascism details how the GOP has been undermining democracy for decades.
In this episode, Brynn draws comparisons between Nazi Germany and modern America, citing successful attempts to undermine elections and persecute minorities.
Brynn also discusses common myths about Trans people, and her books Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Trans, and My Child Told Me They’re Trans… What Do I Do?.
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In this special Father’s Day episode, Ken is joined by Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting. Since then, Fred has become one of the most impactful, and inspiring, advocates for gun safety. His new book, American Carnage, dismantles many of the myths we hear today about guns and gun violence.
In this interview, he shares some of those myths, and explains how the NRA has prioritized profits over people.
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Kristin Kobes Du Mez describes how Evangelism has transformed, and its relationship to masculinity, oppression, and nationalism.
Kristin is a pastor and a professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. Her book, Jesus and John Wayne, reveals “how evangelicals have worked to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism.”
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Flipsyde member Jinho ‘Piper’ Ferreira talks about how his experiences as a police officer, rapper, and artist have influenced him.
Piper was born and raised in Oakland, California. During his childhood in the 80’s and 90’s, Oakland was rife with crime, and police/community relations were at an all-time low.
In 2002, Piper’s childhood friend Jihad Akbar was killed by police. This inspired him to create Flipsyde, a successful Hip-Hop group that toured worldwide in the early 2000’s. Their song Someday was chosen by NBC as the theme of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
In 2009, Oscar Grant was killed by an Oakland police officer. The story resonated with Piper, and he decided the only way he could make an impact was if he was the one making the life or death decisions.
During the interview, Piper had this to say about the difference between his reaction to the death of Jihad, and the death of Grant:
“I didn't have any control over the cop that pulled the trigger. I initially put that pain into my music and ended up touring the world with my band. I tried what I could, according to the rules that I had known growing up and according to my values, until it became apparent that I needed to try something else.”
Piper became an Alameda County Deputy Sheriff, and served in law enforcement for eight years. During that time, he helped create the Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League, which addresses policing problems by focusing on social equity and community-led economic empowerment.
In 2014, he wrote a one man play titled Cops and Robbers that “highlights the frequently fraught relationship between police officers, the communities they serve, and the media.” It received critical acclaim.
Check out the website for Marcus Books, which is mentioned in the episode, here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Astronaut Garrett Reisman discusses how the Ukraine Russia War, Elon Musk, and global warming are impacting space exploration.
During the interview, Garrett talks about the development of conspiracy theories, from doubting the moon landing to doubting elections:
“I could laugh at the guys in the tinfoil hats that said we didn't go to the Moon. But now that it's corrupting our society and amplified by social media, it's a clear danger to our democracy. And now any kind of conspiracy theorist, I just find it, really, no longer remotely a laughing matter.”
Garrett is a former NASA astronaut who has been to space twice. After leaving NASA in 2011, Garrett joined SpaceX, where he served as the director of Space Operations. He's currently a senior advisor at the company and a professor of astronautical engineering at USC.
To learn more about Garrett, visit his website, garrettreisman.com, and make sure to check out his podcast, Two Funny Astronauts.
You can also find him on Twitter at @astro_g_dogg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Michael Gerson was a presidential speechwriter for George W. Bush, and is now a powerful voice of dissent in the Republican establishment. Michael talks to Ken about what led him down this path of dissent, about the role of faith in motivating his decision to speak out, and about where he thinks our country is headed.
Michael is a syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and host of “In Principle” on PBS. He is the author of “Heroic Conservatism” and co-author of “City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era” and you can find him on Twitter at @MJGerson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Representative Denver Riggleman discusses the January 6th committee, his experiences as a Republican during the Trump Administration, and his new book, The Breach.
Denver Riggleman served in the Air Force for 15 years. Most of that time was spent as an intelligence officer and NSA advisor. From 2019 to 2021, Riggleman represented Virginia’s 5th Congressional District in the House of Representatives as a republican, but received extreme backlash from the far right for things like officiating a same-sex marriage, and joining the climate change caucus. These experiences pushed him away from the party, and he now no longer considers himself a republican.
Denver discusses this period of his life in the interview: “I think Ken, really the same sex wedding was the beginning of opening my eyes to a bigger world of what was going on in the conspiracy world. And then that's when I really got involved and became the first Republican to go against QAnon and the first that Republican to do the QAnon resolution. And then nobody really gave a hell, I was completely alone until January 6th. I tried to tell people violence was coming, but there were a lot of people doing that. People just did listen. But Ken, it just got to the point that I just couldn't stand living in a facts challenged political party anymore.”
To hear about all of this and more, check out Denver’s book, The Breach. You can learn more about him by visiting denverleeriggleman.com.
Denver is on Twitter at @RepRiggleman, and on instagram at @DenverRiggleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anne Nelson talks about the November Midterm Elections, right-wing domestic extremism, and the direction of the Republican Party.
Anne is an award-winning war correspondent and author. Her newest book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, details the influence of the Council for National Policy, a powerful right-wing political coalition.
In the interview, Anne talks about how the people who helped organize and execute the January 6th insurrection intended it to be much more subdued:
“I don't think they meant for the invasion to be that violent. I don't think they meant for people to get killed. I think that it's quite possible that these aligned forces who are connected to QAnon and some of the Pentecostal, more fringe churches and the militias, came into the event and perhaps took it over. I would bet good money that the Council for National Policy did not want Mike Pence to be hung, for example. He's now a dues-paying member, so that wouldn't make sense. But the problem is that once you align yourself and agitate a mob, you don't always control it.”
To hear more from Anne, listen to her previous interview on Burn the Boats.
Also, make sure to check out her website, anne-nelson.com, and follow her on Twitter at @anelsona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Senator Al Franken discusses the radicalization of the Republican party and the threats facing American Democracy.
During the interview, Al had this to say about his Republican colleagues: “I stay in touch with some of my former Republican colleagues and I will give them crap. I'll text them and I send them Christmas cards. And I ask them about their families and I know them and we joke and stuff like that. I got along pretty well with my colleagues, I thought. I will just chide them and basically say, 'Why can't you just come out and say that Biden won the election?' And they'll be, blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It ultimately comes down to, 'I'd lose my primary.' That's what it comes down to. I finally get them to say that. And these guys, I understand. They want to be senators and they want to stay in power and they want to be senators.”
Al Franken got his start as a stand up comedian, and was a writer on Saturday Night Live for 15 seasons in between 1975 and 1995. He won five Emmys during his time on the show, and also won two Grammys for his comedy and spoken word albums.
Later in his career, Al noticed that conservative narratives dominated radio airwaves, so he created The Al Franken Show in an attempt to even the playing field. Al said this about creating the show: “I’m doing this because I want to use my energies to get Bush unelected.” The show aired on Air America Radio from 2004-2007.
In 2007, Al announced he was running for the senate seat in Minnesota. He won the general election by only 312 votes. He served as senator from 2009 to 2018.
Now, Al hosts the Al Franken Podcast, and is currently on tour.
He is also the author of nine books, four of which were #1 New York Times Best Sellers. You can find them all here.
You can find Al on Twitter at @AlFranken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley talks about her Ohio gubernatorial campaign.
Nan Whaley was first elected to the Dayton City Commission in 2005, and was one of the youngest women ever chosen for the seat. In 2014, she became the Mayor of Dayton, and held that position until earlier this year when she decided to run for governor.
Nan is facing incumbent Mike DeWine this November, and abortion has become a key issue in the race. During the interview, she said this about the upcoming election: “Look, I think Ohio is definitely at a crossroads this election cycle. It has a choice to be a place where we can be inclusive, and we can protect freedoms, and women can grow and thrive in this state. Or it's going to be a place where women will run away from. If Mike DeWine is elected, that's what's going to happen. We're going to see even more population loss in the state, and it is going to be the doing of the sitting governor.”
To learn more about Nan, or support her campaign, visit nanwhaley.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at @nanwhaley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Scott Hershovitz talks about his new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, in which he discusses philosophy with his children.
Scott Hershovtiz is a professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan and former law clerk to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Scott’s new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, is a “romp through contemporary philosophy” led by his two young sons as they discuss ancient arguments, and ask their own questions.
During the interview, Scott describes a conversation he had with his son, and how that influenced his book: “My son, when he was four years old, he went to the Jewish Community Center preschool, so he would learn about God and he'd learn about various aspects of Jewish religion. He had a lot of questions, and he would frequently ask if God was real. One night I was cooking dinner and he said, ‘Is God real?’ And I said, ‘Well, what do you think, buddy?’ He said, ‘I think that for real God is pretend and for pretend, God is real.’ I was just stunned by that. It was such a complicated thought. I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I think that God isn't real, but when we pretend, he is.’”
You can find Scott on Twitter at @shershovitz.
To learn more about Scott and his work, visit scotthershovitz.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kris, a combat vet, explains how he studies and disrupts fascism and white supremacism in the U.S. – Kris Goldsmith is an Iraq combat vet who studies disinformation and far right movements. He's the founder of Task Force Butler, an organization of veterans that aims to disrupt online extremist activity and radicalization, and encourage those who have fallen victim to its disinformation to leave that path of destruction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Belew describes the growth, strategies, and consequences of the White Power movement in America.
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Dr. Kathleen Belew, a professor at Northwestern University and author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.
You can find Kathleen on Twitter at @Kathleen_Belew, and learn more about her at kathleenbelew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2019, Alex provided testimony that led to Donald Trump’s first impeachment, and foreshadowed Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine.
In this episode, he discusses his decision to blow the whistle, the authoritarianism of the Trump White House, and the stakes of the war in Ukraine.
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Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman is an army vet and former director for European affairs for the National Security Council. In October of 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman was subpoenaed by Congress as part of the impeachment proceeding against President Trump. His testimony revealed that the president threatened to withhold vital assistance to Ukraine until that country's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to investigate Joe Biden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pat Ryan discusses his successful special election campaign, and the nationwide surge in support Democrats have seen in response to the Dobbs decision.
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Pat is a West Point grad and army vet who just won a hotly contested special election in New York's 19th congressional district. He’ll be up for reelection in November.
To learn more about Pat, and to support his November campaign, visit patryanforcongress.com.
You can also follow him on Twitter @PatRyanUC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jason Kander discusses his new Memoir, Invisible Storm
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Jason Kander served as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, and as Secretary of State for Missouri, before his Senate campaign in 2016 catapulted him onto the national stage. In his new memoir, Invisible Storm, Jason talks about how he decided to step away from an extremely promising political career to focus on his mental health.
Jason is now the President of National Expansion at the Veterans Community Project, an organization that provides housing and mental health resources to vets that need it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Esosa Osa is the Deputy Director of Fair Fight Action, an organization founded by Stacy Abrams that advocates for election reform.
Longtime listeners will remember that Esosa guest hosted an interview a few years ago. You can listen to it here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2013, Jim Obergefell and his boyfriend John, who was suffering from a terminal disease, were married on the tarmac in a medical jet at an airport in Maryland. When they returned home to Ohio, they learned that marriage would not be legally recognized. This led Jim to become the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, a 2015 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.
In the wake of Dobbs. v. Jackson, which removed the constitutional right to abortion, Chief Justice Tomas has said that the court “should reconsider” Obergefell v. Hodges. Now, Jim is running for the Ohio State House.
To learn more about Jim, visit his website, obergefellforohio.com.
You can also find Jim on both Instagram and Twitter at @JimObergefell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jimmy Soni is an author and journalist who was named among Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30 in media. His new book, The Founders, takes a look at how PayPal was a launching pad for some of the world's most impactful tech entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, went on to create SpaceX, Youtube, Yelp, and many other influential companies.
You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @jimmyasoni Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dan Pfeiffer served as Communications Director and Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration, and now co-hosts Pod Save America, a podcast that helps listeners make a difference. His new book, Battling The Big Lie, describes how we nearly lost our democracy in 2020, and how the fight to preserve it continues.
You can find Dan on Twitter at @danpfeiffer, and on Instagram at @pfeiffer3342 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Gergen served in senior roles for four Presidents: Nixon, Ford, H.W. Bush, and Clinton. He’s since become an award winning journalist, author, and Harvard Professor.
His new book, Hearts Touched with Fire, discusses how we must pass the torch to the younger generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lecia Michelle is an author and anti-racist educator. Her new book, The White Allies Handbook, provides readers with the tools to get off the sidelines and onto the frontlines of the fight against racism.
The White Allies Handbook is currently available for pre-order, and will be released on July 26th.
You can find Lecia on Twitter @LeciaMichelle11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Pierson is an activist and organizer who has trained thousands of canvassing volunteers. He also co-hosts the podcast How We Win, where he interviews fellow activists, politicians, and insiders about what is happening on the front lines.
You can find Steve on Instagram and Twitter @BluesBoySteve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Heather (we aren’t using her last name) is a mother of two living in Alabama, a state that recently passed an anti-trans bill, SB184, that makes it a felony for her to seek the medical care her son needs.
Heather discusses her family’s journey, her son, the recent wave of transphobia, and the repercussions of this bill.
Please consider donating to Heather’s gofundme, which will allow her to relocate her family to a state where her son will be safe. They are very close to reaching their goal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sebastian Junger is an award-winning author, journalist, and filmmaker. His newest book, Freedom, discusses the innate conflict between the need for community and the desire for independence. Sebastian is also the founder of Vets Town Hall, an organization that gives veterans a platform to share their stories.
You can follow him on Twitter @SebastianJunger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amed Khan is an activist, philanthropist and humanitarian who worked with the International Rescue Committee after the Rwandan genocide. He's evacuated refugees from Afghanistan and helped them resettle safely, and he's now focused on Ukraine, helping to lead evacuation efforts there and deliver medical supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Currently, more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who have immigrated to the U.S. have been granted temporary, two-year humanitarian parole status. Shawn VanDiver and his coalition #AfghanEvac, with support from the White House, are urging Congress to pass the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which among other things, would provide these refugees with a path to a green card and permanent residency.
If this does not pass in the coming days, Shawn believes that many Afghans will lose their temporary status. They would then have nowhere left to go.
Right now, the biggest obstacles facing the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act are Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
You can call Jim Jordan at 202.225.2676, and Chuck Grassley at 202.224.4374 to urge them to support our Afghan allies.
For more information, please visit AfghanEvac.org.
You can also follow Shawn on Twitter @ShawnJVanDiver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amanda Weinstein is a Professor of Economics at the University of Akron who studies the quality of life in suburban America. She is also the co-host of the podcast, The Suburban Women Problem.
You can find her on twitter at @ProfWeinstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Pepper is an author and the former Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. In his new book, Laboratories of Autocracy, David argues that the greatest threat to American Democracy is not the alt-right, January 6th, or even Donald Trump, but rather, the corrupt politicians in state houses across the country.
You can find David on Twitter @DavidPepper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today’s episode consists of two interviews. First we’re joined by Anna, a Ukrainian student who was supposed to be finishing her senior year of high school. On the first day of the invasion, her city was targeted, and she fled to Poland. She was helped by our second guest, Nico Marseillan, a volunteer aid worker who has been assisting refugees at the border. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Olga Lautman is a researcher and analyst who has been monitoring Russian and Ukrainian internal politics for years. She’s a Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, and the co-host of the Kremlin File, a podcast that details the rise of Putin and the spread of authoritarianism across the globe, including the Trump White House.
You can Olga on Twitter @OlgaNYC1211, and make sure to check out her podcast, Kremile File. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David Chasteen is a former CIA officer on the covert action staff. While at the agency, David conducted overseas operations, guided human intelligence collection, evaluated foreign threats to computer systems, and provided analysis on cyber issues to the president. David was also a consultant for the Amazon Prime series, Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski, and the show is heavily influenced by David's experiences.
You can find David on Twitter @DavidChasteen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Marche is an author and columnist whose work has appeared in Esquire, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and elsewhere. His new book, “The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future,” details ways in which a civil war could realistically break out in this country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we interviewed Nikolay, who’s a volunteer soldier in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces. Shortly after the war began, his family was able to flee to the U.S., but despite having no military experience, Nikolay decided he had to stay and fight for his country.
Please visit our website for a transcript of this interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ward Carroll spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer, retired at the rank of commander, and went on to serve as the editor of Military.com. He now hosts a popular YouTube channel on military aviation.
To hear more from Ward, visit his YouTube channel, or follow him on Twitter @wardcarroll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots organization that advocates for and passes common sense gun laws. We’ve invited her back on the show to check in on the status of gun safety efforts and to learn what they might mean for candidates in the 2022 midterms.
Visit MomsDemandAction.org and Everytown.org to learn more about Shannon and gun safety efforts. You can find these organizations on all social media platforms.
You can also follow Shannon on Twitter at @ShannonRWatts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dan Barkhoff is a former Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments, and an expert in urban warfare. In this interview, he discusses what the Russian invasion force is likely to face.
This episode is a part of a series of special, unedited episodes that are separate from our normal content. As the invasion of Ukraine unfolds, we’ll be releasing these to provide you with timely insights from the experts.
If you want to help, two of the most efficient organizations doing front-line work are Spirit of America and Team Rubicon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oliya Scootercaster is a Ukrainian Video Journalist who has lived and reported around the globe, but recently returned to her hometown of Kyiv to document the ongoing conflict with Russia.
We interviewed her right before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 23rd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Billy Ray is an award-winning film producer, director, and writer whose credits include The Comey Rule, Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games, and a project in development titled J6, about the assault on the US Capitol. In his free time, he works with Democratic candidates to improve their messaging and communication, specifically as they relate to independents and disillusioned republicans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Remillard is an Army Vet running for congress as a Democrat in North Carolina’s 13th congressional district. His campaign focuses on education, healthcare, and sustainability, and defeating Madison Cawthorn.
For more information about his campaign, visit joshremillard.com
Find Josh on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Kate Starbird is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington, where she co-founded the Center for an Informed Public, which is dedicated to resisting strategic misinformation, promoting an informed society, and strengthening democratic discourse. Her academic research focuses on how people use social media platforms during crises such as natural disasters, mass shootings, and lately, antidemocratic insurgencies.
You can follow Dr. Starbird on Twitter at @katestarbird Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, to mark the one year anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection, we are re-airing the story of someone who was in the Capitol during the attack. Rep. Crow served as a House impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial in early 2020. In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, he has been hailed by his colleagues in Congress as “one of the heroes of that day,” for his actions guiding fellow members to safety. Learn more about Jason’s legislative priorities at crow.house.gov and find him on Twitter at @RepJasonCrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the one year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, we’re sharing clips from six Burn the Boats interviews that delve into the causes and consequences of the attack.
Here are the guests featured in this Bonus episode, with links to their full interviews:
Anne Nelson, an award-winning war correspondent and author.
Congressman Jason Crow, who was in the House Gallery during the attack
Christian Picciolini, a former leader in the American white power movement who now works in extremism prevention
Kris Goldsmith, an Army combat veteran who is currently the CEO of an intelligence firm that specializes in the disrupting domestic extremism campaigns
Dr. Kathleen Belew, the nation’s foremost expert on the involvement of military veterans in the white power movement
Fred Wellman, the former Executive Director of the Lincoln Project, a PAC founded by former and present Republicans with the goal of defeating “Trumpism.”
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lucas Kunce is a Marine Corps veteran running to fill Missouri's vacant Senate seat in 2022. Lucas served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and eventually went on to become an international negotiations officer at the Pentagon. He's now running a campaign that focuses on taking power out of the hands of corporate monopolies and putting it back in the hands of working people.
To learn more about his campaign, visit lucaskunce.com
You can also find him on Twitter at @LucasKunceMO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Heidi Heitkamp is a former Senator who represented North Dakota from 2013 to 2019. She was one of the only Democrats in the Senate representing a state that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump.
Now, she helps lead the One Country Project, an organization dedicated to reopening dialogue with rural communities and advancing opportunities for rural Americans.
You can find Heidi on Twitter at @HeidiHeitkamp
For more information about One Country Project, visit their website, Onecountryproject.com, or follow them on Twitter at @_OneCountry_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fred Wellman is the former Executive Director of the Lincoln Project. He is a Westpoint and Harvard graduate, and served in the Army as an aviator and public affairs officer for 22 years.
The Lincoln Project is a political action committee that was founded in 2019 by former and present Republicans, with the goal of preventing the re-election of Donal Trump and defeating ‘Trumpism.’
You can find Fred on Twitter at @FPWellman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tyler Merritt is an Activist, Author, Actor, and public speaker. His video monologue, “Before You Call the Cops,” garnered national attention after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and has been viewed tens of millions of times.
In his new book, I Take My Coffee Black, Tyler talks about his experiences as a black man in America, as well as privilege, religion, multiculturalism, and even musical theater.
Follow Tyler on Twitter at @TTMProject, and on instagram at @thetylermerrittproject. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kareem Crayton is an attorney, law professor, and academic whose work explores the effects of state-sanctioned racial discrimination on campaigns, elections, and governance. He served as the Executive Director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and is the founder and Managing Partner of Crimcard Consulting, which is now advising the Virginia Redistricting Commission.
You can learn more about Kareem and his work at kereemcratyon.com
You can also follow him on Twitter at @KareemCrayton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chris Harnisch was the Deputy Coordinator for Countering Violent Extremism at the State Department during the Trump Administration. Among other various national security roles, he also was the Director for Transnational Threats and the Director for Afghanistan at the National Security Council.
Chris also is a part of the Army reserves. He served for 14 months in Kabul, Afghanistan, and worked for an intelligence task force that focused on corruption, organized crime, and insurgency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Shontel Brown is the Chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic party, and was both the first woman, and the first African American elected to the position. She recently won a heated primary in Ohio’s 11th congressional district, which gained national attention and has been seen as an indicator for the direction of the Democratic Party.
Find Shontel on Twitter at @ShontelMBrown
Learn more about her House campaign at shontelbrown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2018, Miles Taylor anonymously authored a New York Times op-ed titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration”. At the time, Miles worked in a senior role in the Department of Homeland security.
Eventually, after Trump asked him and other officials to break the law, Miles quit. He decided to author a book, again anonymously, titled A Warning, which described in detail the morally gray, and sometimes blatantly illegal orders that came from the President.
In the lead up to the 2020 election, Miles felt it was important to reveal himself as the anonymous author of both the op-ed, and the book.
Now, he’s created the Renew America Movement, an organization dedicated to giving a voice to the ‘rational’ republicans who won’t subscribe to the right-wing extremism of Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amy McGrath talks about her new book, Honor Bound: An American Story of Dreams and Service, which details her groundbreaking time in the military, her tough political campaigns, and the challenges we face as a country.
Follow Amy on Twitter at @AmyMcGrathKY
Check out her interview from last year here
For more details about her time in the Marine Corps, listen to her interview on our other podcast, Warriors In Their Own Words, out next Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kris Goldsmith is an Army combat Veteran who served in Iraq. As a 19 year-old, he was assigned the task of photographing corpses and documenting mass graves. He developed severe PTSD, and in 2007, as the result of a suicide attempt that caused him to miss redeployment, he was given a less-than-honorable discharge. After years of legal battles, that discharge was upgraded. Kris went on to become an advocate for veterans with “bad paper” discharges, and helped pass crucial legislation that helps them receive the benefits they deserve. Since then, Kris has turned to combating domestic right-wing extremism.
To learn more about Kris’s time in the Army, listen to his episode of Warriors In Their Own Words.
Find Kris on Twitter at @KrisGoldsmith85
Learn more about his organization, High Ground Veterans Advocacy, here.
Learn more about Kris’ work fighting domestic extremism here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Originally a reporter for the Santa Barbara Independent, Chris Meagher has worked for a number of prominent democrats. Most notably, he served as a communications advisor to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and as the national press secretary during Mayor Pete Buttigeig’s Presidential Campaign.
Now as the White House Deputy Press Secretary, he is working to promote President Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ Infrastructure Plan. Split amongst three bills, the plan invests money into traditional infrastructure such as roads and bridges, as well as the development of electric vehicles and high speed internet across the country.
You can find Chris on twitter at @chrismeagher46 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anne Nelson is an award-winning war correspondent, playwright, and author. Her newest book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, details the influence of the Council for National Policy, a powerful right-wing political coalition.
Find her book here: Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right
Learn more about Anne here: anne-nelson.com
Follow Anne on Twitter here: @anelson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Master Sergeant Michael ‘Top’ Washington served in the Gulf War, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan between 1988 and 2004, before becoming a firefighter. His son, Mike Jr., followed in his footsteps and joined the Marines. In 2008, Mike Jr. was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan.
The loss of his son sent Top into a deep depression, culminating in a moment on a bridge in Tacoma. Top had decided to end his life there, but says he felt his son’s hand pulling him back, saying, “You’re not done yet.” Since then, Top has found a new calling, as a licensed therapist focusing on fellow military veterans and first responders.
To hear more from Top, check out his interview on Warriors In Their Own Words, out next Thursday.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jason Kander, an Army Veteran and former Senate Candidate, talks about his struggle with PTSD and his continuing public service.
Jason served as an intel officer in Afghanistan and as Secretary of State of Missouri, before his Senate campaign in 2016 catapulted him onto the national stage. Despite an extremely promising mayoral race in Kansas City, he decided to step away from the public eye and focus on dealing with his PTSD. Now, he serves as the president of the Veteran’s Community Project.
Check out Jason’s Podcast, Majority 54
Follow Jason on Twitter, @jasonkander Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Judge Lina Hidalgo, county executive for Harris County, Texas, talks about changing the system from within and about budgeting through a values lens. Including the city of Houston, Harris County is the third most populous in the country, larger than some states. As the county's chief executive, Lina took early public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and has made great strides to challenge voter suppression in Texas. Learn more about Judge Hidalgo’s work in Harris County at CJO.HarrisCountyTX.gov and find her on Twitter at @LinaHidalgoTX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elliot Ackerman, Marine combat veteran and bestselling author, talks about writing and about his fears for the future. Elliot’s latest book is 2034: A Novel of the Next World War. The Harper’s story referenced in the episode is “Civil Warning”. Learn more about Elliot’s work at elliotackerman.com and find him on Twitter at @elliotackerman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Christian Picciolini, a former leader in the American white power movement, talks about his past and his current work in extremism prevention. Christian runs the Free Radicals Project, which is dedicated to extremism prevention and disengagement. His latest book is titled Breaking Hate: Confronting the New Culture of Extremism. Learn more about his work at christianpicciolini.com and learn about the Free Radicals Project at freeradicals.org. Find him on Twitter at @CPicciolini. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rep. Jason Crow, former Army Ranger and congressman from Colorado’s 6th district, talks about the January 6th insurrection and the importance of truth and accountability. Rep. Crow served as a House impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial in early 2020. In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, he has been hailed by his colleagues in Congress as “one of the heroes of that day,” for his actions guiding fellow members to safety. Learn more about Jason’s legislative priorities at crow.house.gov and find him on Twitter at @RepJasonCrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Kathleen Belew talks about the white power movement and the role of veterans in the movement’s history. Dr. Belew is a professor of U.S. history at the University of Chicago, and the nation's foremost expert on the involvement of military veterans in the white power movement. She is the author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. Find Kathleen on Twitter at @kathleen_belew and learn more about her work at kathleenbelew.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jon Soltz, founder of VoteVets, talks about the organization's origins and priorities and what it means to give a voice to veterans. Jon served two tours in Iraq. VoteVets’ PAC helps elect veterans to public office at the federal, state, and local level. Find Jon on Twitter at @jonsoltz and VoteVets at @votevets. Learn more about VoteVets at votevets.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Content Warning: this episode includes some graphic descriptions of wounds and combat. Dr. Jon Heavey is an emergency room physician on the front lines of the battle against COVID, who began his medical career as a battalion surgeon with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq. Jon is also the Director of Business Development at Cleveland Clinic Innovations and the co-founder of Minuteman Capital. Find Jon on Twitter at @JonHeavey and read his 2012 article “An Unbearable Price” in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine for more about his service as battalion surgeon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Carlos Gauna is an artist, videographer and wildlife advocate. On his YouTube channel, TheMalibuArtist, Carlos shares his drone footage of marine life. His videos have been viewed millions of times and are a powerful tool for public education and advocacy on behalf of these animals. Find Carlos’s videos on YouTube and follow him on Instagram at @themalibuartist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dan Barkhuff, former Navy Seal and founder of Veterans for Responsible Leadership, talks about fighting Trumpism and the importance of belonging. Veterans for Responsible Leadership is an organization founded to help fight Trump and to serve as a tribe to compete with the white nationalism of Trumpism. In addition to founding VFRL, Dan Barkhuff is an ex-Navy SEAL, emergency medicine physician, and star of two viral videos from the Lincoln Project: “Betrayed” and “Conservative”. Find Dan on Twitter at @DBarkhuff and Veterans for Responsible Leadership at @VetsForRL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steve Schmidt, longtime Republican political strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, comes on Burn the Boats to talk about his work fighting Trump and Trumpism. Steve worked on the campaigns of President George W. Bush and John McCain. He served in the White House as a senior advisor to both President Bush and Vice President Cheney, and was largely responsible for the Supreme Court nominations of Justices Alito and Roberts. Steve formally left the Republican Party in 2018 and co-founded The Lincoln Project in 2019. Find Steve on Twitter at @SteveSchmidtSES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mike Howard, a veteran in the security and protection field, comes on Burn the Boats to talk about his 22 year career with the CIA and the years he spent as Chief Security Officer at Microsoft. Keep an eye out for Mike’s upcoming book on leadership, out later in 2021, titled “The Art of Ronin Leadership: Strategy, Execution, Sustained Success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This rerun from July 2020 features former congressman Max Rose and counterterrorism expert Ali Soufan talking about their work addressing the threat of transnational violent white supremacist groups in the United States and across the world. This episode aired long before the events of January 6th, but the conversation was prescient. If we want to stop threats like last week’s violent mob at the Capitol in the future, we need to listen to people like Max and Ali, who know the dangers of white supremacist terrorism and how to curb them. At the time of this recording, Max was a congressman representing New York’s 11th district, which includes all of Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn. Find him on Twitter at @MaxRose4NY. A former FBI agent, Ali is now the Chairman and CEO of The Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security consultancy. Find Ali on Twitter at @Ali_H_Soufan. In this episode, Ken references a New York Times op-ed co-authored by Max and Ali in February 2020. Read “We Once Fought Jihadists. Now We Battle White Supremacists” here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio talks about the dignity of work, his Senate desk 88, and the role of both fear and hope in politics. A lifelong champion for working families, Senator Brown began his political career as the youngest member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He has served as a US Representative, as Ohio’s Secretary of State, and, since 2007, as a US Senator and one of the only Democrats in Ohio elected to statewide office. Learn more about Senator Brown’s legislative priorities on his website. Find him on Twitter at @SherrodBrown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ken celebrates the 10th anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell with Doug Wilson, former Pentagon official who played a key role in the repeal. Doug Wilson is a former Pentagon official, campaign veteran, and foreign policy expert. As Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, he played a key role in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which was signed into law by President Obama on December 22, 2010. Learn more about Doug in profiles from Politico and the Washington Blade. Read his bio from the Truman National Security Project and find him on Twitter at @DougAZDEDC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Award-winning author Aida Salazar talks about writing difficult stories for children, raising a new generation of activists, and the intersections of art and activism. Learn more about Aida and her work - writing, art, activism, and more - at aidasalazar.com. Her most recent novel, Land of the Cranes, is out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jake Wood, veteran and CEO of Team Rubicon, talks about his new memoir, the value of veterans serving in disaster relief, and the power of vulnerability in leaders. Learn more about Jake’s organization Team Rubicon and find them on Twitter at @TeamRubicon. Find Jake himself on Twitter at @JakeWoodTR. His memoir, Once A Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home, is out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen, talks about the role of markets in working towards a better world and how the kind of work she does has changed in recent years as the rising generation demands sustainability, inclusion, equity, and justice. Jacqueline’s organization, Acumen, is a nonprofit impact investment fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of poverty. Learn more about Acumen on their website and find them on Twitter at @Acumen. Find Jacqueline on Twitter at @JNovogratz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The day after the election, we're airing a rerun on Burn the Boats. Listen to Ken's conversation with Pete Buttigieg from this summer - talking about patriotism, his hopes for the future of our country, and the need for America to rebuild trust. Pete Buttigieg is the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. Learn more about his new PAC at wintheera.com and by watching his Twitter feed at @PeteButtigieg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just days before the 2020 election, Ken passes the mic to guest host Esosa Osa, Research and Policy Director for Fair Fight Action. Esosa interviews Sylvia Albert from Common Cause about voting rights and next week's election. Sylvia Albert is the Director of Voting and Elections at Common Cause. Common Cause is a nonpartisan national organization focused on strengthening democracy through litigation, lobbying, and grassroots organizing. Find Common Cause on Twitter at @CommonCause and find Sylvia at @TheSylviaAlbert. Burn the Boats’ guest host this week, Esosa Osa, is the Research and Policy Director at Fair Fight Action. Fair Fight Action is a national voting rights organization based in Georgia and founded by Stacey Abrams. Find Fair Fight on Twitter at @FairFightAction and find Esosa at @Esosa_Osa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
MJ Hegar, Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, talks about her campaign, what drove her to run in the first place, and the prejudiced responses she sometimes gets to the Purple Heart on her license plate. MJ is an Air Force veteran, author of the memoir Shoot Like a Girl, and one of the only women to ever be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. Learn more about MJ’s campaign for Texas’s Senate seat at https://mjfortexas.com/. Find her on Twitter at @MJHegar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rep. Tim Ryan talks politics - Trump, Ohio, and Tim’s current reelection campaign. He also talks about something he wishes all politicians would practice: mindfulness. Tim is a United States Congressman representing Ohio’s 13th district. Learn more about him and his platform at timryan.house.gov. Find him on Twitter at @RepTimRyan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Representative Cheri Bustos, congresswoman from Illinois and chair of the DCCC, talks about the values that women bring to leadership and about winning as a Democrat in a district that also voted for Trump. Learn more about Rep. Bustos’s legislative priorities on her website. Find her on Twitter at @RepCheri. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this bonus episode of Burn the Boats, Sec. Leon Panetta talks about the ultimate tough decision: as Director of the CIA, Panetta oversaw the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, launching a raid into Pakistan based on uncertain intelligence. He talks about that decision, as well as the current presidential administration and the state of our political landscape. Secretary Leon Panetta is a lifelong public servant, having served in many different roles: US Congressman, Chief of Staff to President Clinton, director of the CIA, and the Secretary of Defense under President Obama. He now serves as Chairman of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, located at California State University - Monterey Bay and focused in part on bringing young people into public service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Anthony Scaramucci talks about his brief tenure as the White House Communications Director and his recent decision to denounce Trump, as well as his journey from working class to Goldman Sachs and the White House. Find Anthony on Twitter at @scaramucci. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Swati Mylavarapu is a major voice in Silicon Valley who has turned her talents to politics and social change. Pete Buttigieg’s chief investment officer and founder of Incite.org and the Arena, Swati talks to Ken about campaign finance and about diving into politics as a relative outsider. Find Swati on Twitter at @Swatipedia. Incite.org is Swati’s values-based investment fund, made up of Incite Ventures LLC, Incite Labs, and Incite Politics - a three-pronged approach to creating social change. Learn more on their website. Arena is the candidate and campaign staff training platform that Swati co-founded with Ravi Gupta following the 2016 election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Andrew Towne, endurance athlete and principal with the Boston Consulting Group, has climbed the tallest mountain on every continent - including Mount Everest, and rowed the Drake Passage with the Discovery Channel series The Impossible Row. He talks about climbing Mount Everest and rowing the Drake Passage and about the smaller challenges he takes on to help make the world a better place. Watch Andrew and his crew row the Drake Passage on Discovery’s The Impossible Row. You can also learn about the organization he traveled abroad with as a student and now serves on the board for, Youth for Understanding, at yfu.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this bonus episode of Burn the Boats, Gen. Stanley McChrystal reflects on his formerly-beloved painting of Robert E. Lee and his perspective on Confederate symbols. The Atlantic op-ed that Ken reads from in this episode is titled “At 63, I Threw Away My Prized Portrait of Robert E. Lee”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pete Buttigieg, former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, talks about his campaign and the choice to end it, patriotism and hopes for the future of our country, and the need for America to rebuild trust. Learn more about Pete’s new PAC at wintheera.com and by watching his Twitter feed at @PeteButtigieg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
US Representative Max Rose and counterterrorism expert Ali Soufan talk about the work they’re doing to address the threat of transnational violent white supremacist groups in the United States and across the world. Max is a Congressman representing New York’s 11th district, which includes all of Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn. Find him on Twitter at @RepMaxRose. A former FBI agent, Ali is now the Chairman and CEO of The Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security consultancy. Find Ali on Twitter at @Ali_H_Soufan. In this episode, Ken references an op-ed co-authored by Max and Ali this February. Read “We Once Fought Jihadists. Now We Battle White Supremacists.” on the New York Times website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sarah Longwell, publisher of the Bulwark and co-founder of Republicans for the Rule of Law, talks about being a staunchly “Never Trump” Republican and about what the future of her party looks like. Sarah is the publisher of the Bulwark, co-founder of Republicans for the Rule of Law, past board chair of the Log Cabin Republicans, and CEO of DC-based communications firm Longwell Partners. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @SarahLongwell25. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This rerun in honor of Pride month features a conversation with Gina Ortiz Jones, Democratic candidate for Congress in Texas’s 23rd district, about the challenges of being a gay service member under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, as well as her difficult race to represent her district. Gina Ortiz Jones is an Air Force veteran, intelligence officer, and candidate for US Representative in Texas’s 23rd congressional district. Learn more on Gina's website and find her on Twitter at @GinaOrtizJones and on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fred Guttenberg, gun safety advocate whose daughter Jaime was killed at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, talks about how the loss of his daughter drives him, what changes must be made to ensure safer gun laws, and what draws Americans to firearms in the first place. Fred’s organization is called Orange Ribbons for Jaime and you can find them on Twitter at @Ribbons4Jaime . You can find Fred himself on Twitter at @fred_guttenberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mansoor Shams, founder of MuslimMarine.org, talks about both his good and bad experiences as a Muslim in the US Marine Corps, about patriotism in today’s America, and about making his life’s mission opening the minds of others. Mansoor is a veteran, speaker, leader, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. You can learn more about his work at MuslimMarine.org and follow him on Twitter at @MansoorTShams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien talks about the current news landscape, what success means in journalism, and her flexibility and optimism in seizing new opportunities. Soledad is the CEO of Starfish Media Group and host of Matter of Fact, airing Sundays on the Hearst network. You can learn more about her work at soledadobrienproductions.com and follow her on Twitter at @SoledadOBrien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amy McGrath, candidate for the US Senate seat in Kentucky, talks about the state of the Senate under her opponent Mitch McConnell, about her experiences campaigning in such a high-profile race, and about how her days as a fighter pilot informed her approach to leadership and patriotism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe Sanberg, progressive entrepreneur and investor in Los Angeles, talks about his work to end poverty, his personal connection to the cause, and about the role of both politics and faith in how Americans think about economics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Honorable Patrick Murphy talks about the role of the military in American democracy, about his leadership in getting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repealed, and about the challenge that servicemembers face when their oaths to the Constitution conflict with orders from the president. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ryan Manion, president of the Travis Manion Foundation, talks about losing her brother to war, about her own PTSD diagnosis, and about harnessing her brother’s memory to do good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Naila Awan from Demos and Ben Guess from the ACLU of Ohio talk about the importance of full voting rights for all and the work they are each doing to achieve that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, and Casey Weinstein, state representative for Ohio’s District 37, talk about gun safety and the intimidation they have received for standing up for what they believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Paul Rieckhoff, host of the Angry Americans podcast, talks about being an independent in today’s political climate, about the role of veterans in our country, and about anger as a political force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bill Kristol, founder of The Weekly Standard and chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle under George H. W. Bush, talks about the current state of the Republican party, how it got there, and his bipartisan push for political decency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mary Beth Bruggeman, the president of The Mission Continues, talks about her experiences as a woman in the Marine Corps, about the responsibility of teaching military leadership in wartime, and about the work TMC does to harness the energy and skills of veterans to work on social issues in their communities. Learn more about The Mission Continues on their website, https://missioncontinues.org/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this bonus episode, Ken continues his conversation with Adam Frankel, talking about what it was like to write speeches for President Obama. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adam Frankel, former speechwriter for President Obama and author of a new memoir, The Survivors, talks about generational trauma - from his grandparents’ experiences in the Holocaust to his mother’s struggles with mental illness and a revelation about Adam’s own identity - and the importance of honesty in his family’s healing process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this bonus episode of Burn the Boats, Staff Sergeant Jeniffer Afualo-Robinson talks about losing her security clearance and, with it, a pathway to career advancement, just because she was born in American Samoa.
Find Equally American at www.equalrightsnow.org to keep up with their fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Joe Sestak, retired 3-star Admiral in the US Navy and former candidate for president, talks about the similarities between the Navy and the campaign trail, about his daughter’s illness inspiring him to run for office, and about a pilot under his command who chose to defy his orders. This episode is sponsored by Storied Hats: high-quality baseball hats from sustainable materials, crafted in ethical facilities – and always without a logo. Listeners get free shipping and 15% off with the code BOATS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gina Ortiz Jones, veteran and Congressional candidate in Texas’s 23rd district, talks about the decision her mother made to immigrate to the US, the challenges of being an LGBT service member under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and her race to represent her district. Participate in Episode 4 with former Admiral Joe Sestak by leaving a voicemail at 216-245-5461 or sending a voice memo to burntheboats@evergreenpodcasts.com. Tell us about a person in your life who inspires you with their strength and resilience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mikie Sherrill, Representative for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, discusses the challenges of pushing back against leadership and reaching across the aisle to do what is best for her district and the country. Follow Mikie on Twitter at @RepSherrill. Participate in Episode 3 of Burn the Boats with Gina Ortiz Jones by leaving a voicemail at 216-245-5461 or sending a voice memo to burntheboats@evergreenpodcasts.com. Tell us about a time when two parts of your identity seemed to be in conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Michael Gerson was a presidential speechwriter for George W. Bush and is now a powerful voice of dissent in the Republican establishment. Michael talks to Ken about what led him down this path of dissent, about the role of faith in motivating his decision to speak out, and about where he thinks our country is headed. Michael is a syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and host of “In Principle” on PBS. He is the author of “Heroic Conservatism” and co-author of “City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era” and you can find him on Twitter at @MJGerson. Join in the discussion! Participate in Episode 2 of Burn the Boats by leaving a voicemail at 216-245-5461 or sending a voice memo to burntheboats@evergreenpodcasts.com. Tell us your first name (or anonymous, if you prefer) and, in about 30-60 seconds, tell us about a time when you made a tough decision to stand up against leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Burn the Boats is a podcast about big decisions, those we face when failure is not an option. Decisions like Alexander the Great made when he landed his troops on the shores of Persia and ordered his men to burn their boats. Listen as Ken Harbaugh interviews political leaders, influencers, and other history makers about the tough choices they've made, starting with columnist Michael Gerson on November 20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices