show episodes
 
Independent Americans is a weekly news show hosted by Paul Rieckhoff. He’s a fighter, a patriot, and an independent political and media force to be reckoned with. After serving as a soldier in Iraq in 2004, Rieckhoff emerged as one of the most dynamic political and social leaders in America. In every episode, he breaks down the most important issues facing our country. And he interviews the most influential and compelling people. He’s taking on Republicans, Democrats—and everyone in between. ...
  continue reading
 
Loading …
show series
 
Democrats are feeling hopeful right now. And hope is contagious. Americans love hope. We saw that in massive ways in and around the Olympics. We see it at the start of the new school year. The beginning of the new football season. Fall is actually a time of hope. And the hope is contagious right now. But hope is not a course of action. Hope is not …
  continue reading
 
Last week we said we were going to take off this week to get some much needed R&R. 2024 was having none of it. In the span of the last week we’ve had a month's worth of news, crises and developments. From Trump’s abysmal performance at the NABJ conference to a story so bizarre you have to hear it straight from the source to believe it, the news won…
  continue reading
 
Welcome back, America. Welcome back to the hottest summer on record. Literally and figuratively. The planet is on fire, our politics are on fire and we’re only getting started. And because of that reason, we’re going to do something we haven’t done since we started Righteous Media and all of the offshoot projects we’ve created along the way. We’re …
  continue reading
 
Welcome back to our groundbreaking “Meet The 2024 Independent Candidates” series—highlighting independent candidates of all kinds, for all levels of office, from all across America. So far in the series we’ve met Dan Osborn, Shelane Etchison, Jared Young, Marcus Carter and Kodi Sawin. They all represent the true independent spirit. And we’ve got an…
  continue reading
 
Former President Trump narrowly avoided an assassin's bullet. America is on edge. And it feels like we’re all dodging news bullets every day. These are incomparably trying times in America, many are divided, and everyone is concerned. Biden’s campaign continues to disintegrate—and so does international confidence in US leadership and American moral…
  continue reading
 
Monday morning, in advance of the NATO Summit in Washington DC, Russian missiles ferociously tore through a children’s cancer hospital in Kyiv-sending a brutal reminder to the world. Russia is not sparing anyone. Putin is proceeding to murder innocent children while the world watches. This is why veterans recently started American Veterans for Ukra…
  continue reading
 
In the wake of a catastrophic and nationally demoralizing presidential debate last week, and in advance of July 4th, Independent Veterans of America (IVA) announced its formation with an urgent mission to organize and elect independent veterans to public office across America. The organization is the first in American history to focus specifically …
  continue reading
 
School is finally out in schools nationwide. The NBA Finals and Stanley Cup are over. Summer is heating up. The war in Ukraine continues. The 2024 election is about to hit a whole new level. And the first presidential debate is here. Strap in, folks. It’s gonna be a doozy. Your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips into all of it in this all ne…
  continue reading
 
Five years ago, almost to the exact day, Wes Moore came on a new upstart podcast and talked about what made him angry. Specifically, he talked about marijuana laws and how they disproportionately impacted communities of color. These laws ruined a lot of people’s lives over the years. And they made a lot of people angry. But Wes stepped up. Since he…
  continue reading
 
Willie Geist (@WillieGeist) is America’s cool dad. Hosting Morning Joe on MSNBC all week and hosting his own hugely popular Sunday TODAY show on NBC on the weekends. He’s also a devoted husband and dad. He joins us for a Father’s Day special to talk candidly about how he does both so well. He's a leader that America trusts. And we’re gonna need him…
  continue reading
 
Summer is here. And it’s getting hot. In America, around the world, and in our politics. And we’re not afraid of some heat. From the Trump verdict to Menendez and Manchin claiming independence to poop balloons. Yes, poop balloons. It’s already a wild summer. And it’s also a summer of independents. So welcome back to our groundbreaking “Meet The 202…
  continue reading
 
Last week you heard from Bonnie Carroll about her work with host Paul Rieckhoff to create the American Veterans for Ukraine organization. Immediately after recording that show, in advance of Memorial Day, at a historic event at Ukraine House in Washington, D.C., five leading voices from the American veterans community formally announced the formati…
  continue reading
 
Another Memorial Day is upon us. A reminder of all those we’ve lost. And, a reminder that no matter how high the stakes, no matter how challenging the odds, as the allied forces showed us on D-Day and throughout WW2, and as generations of American service members throughout other points in history, the underdog can win. The underdog can come back. …
  continue reading
 
This episode we’re headed down south to Texas. America, meet Kodi Sawin (@KodiforTexas). She’s running for the Texas House of Representatives in the 19th district and is up against some stiff competition. But her common sense, no nonsense approach might just have what it takes to win as an independent in deep red (but always independent) Texas. Wel…
  continue reading
 
Welcome back to our groundbreaking “Meet The 2024 Independent Candidates” series—highlighting independent candidates of all kinds, for all levels of office, from all across America. In our second episode in the series we met Shelane Etchison, our first independent VETERAN candidate. This episode we have another veteran. America, meet inspiring unio…
  continue reading
 
Welcome back to our groundbreaking “Meet The 2024 Independent Candidates” series—highlighting independent candidates of all kinds, for all levels of office, from all across America. In our second episode in the series, following independent Jared Young running for Senate in Missouri, we have our first independent VETERAN candidate. Meet inspiring c…
  continue reading
 
Welcome to the first installment of our groundbreaking “Meet The 2024 Independent Candidates” series—highlighting independent candidates of all kinds, for all levels of office, from all across America. America, meet Jared Young (@VoteJaredYoung). Jared is the independent candidate for Senate from Missouri running against Republican incumbent Senato…
  continue reading
 
The spring offensive is here. The spring offensive of news, chaos, war and misinformation. The spring offensive, attacking democracy foreign and domestic. A spring offensive before the summer storm. A storm of the century. It’s a storm that’s sweeping across Ukraine. It’s sweeping across America. It’s sweeping across the globe. And despite the fear…
  continue reading
 
April is here. March Madness is over. UConn are champions. South Carolina are champions. But the madness isn’t stopping. The madness is just getting started. And now, it’s REALLY getting interesting. As long predicted and examined on #IndependentAmericans, independents will determine the 2024 election. AND the future of American politics. Donors ma…
  continue reading
 
Independent Political Strategist Bill Hillsman has masterminded some of the most effective and innovative election campaigns in the modern era. Hillsman first rocked the political world when he helped elect the late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone in 1990 in one of the biggest political upsets in decades. In 1993, Hillsman took over a floundering …
  continue reading
 
Few people have studied America and what it means to be an American more and at a deeper level than our guest in this one. He has dedicated his life to documenting the stories of the people, the history and the cultures that have shaped us all. And as we enter what is one of the most tumultuous years of our collective lives, it’s a good moment to t…
  continue reading
 
This week, it’s time for real talk. Overdue real talk. On America’s terrible withdrawal from Afghanistan. On accountability for those failures that resulted in the 13 American servicemembers dying at Abbey Gate. On the fragile independent brand. On disgraced New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez considering running as an independent (Yes, really). On new…
  continue reading
 
In case you missed it, newly-self-proclaimed independent RFK Jr. floated some VP names. Aaron Rodgers and Jesse Ventura. Exactly what the independent movement does NOT need. And our Paul Rieckhoff is going to dig into why. He’ll also share the backstory behind why Kennedy’s involvement in a scheduled panel at the South By Southwest conference on in…
  continue reading
 
Welcome to a special State of the Union recap special edition episode of Independent Americans. Normally, the State of the Union address is a civics lesson, pageantry and performance. Normally, it doesn’t move the needle. But last night was different. It was the most important SOTU in a generation. Voters were watching. Including millions who are s…
  continue reading
 
Welcome to Independent Americans. And welcome to March. The weather is changing. It’s warming up and spring is so close you can almost smell it. But instead you’re probably smelling something different in the air. Something a lot less pleasant. It’s a smell that’s always been pervasive in Washington, DC and also on television and the airwaves. But …
  continue reading
 
Loading …

Quick Reference Guide