Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

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 in the last couple of years the smell has gotten...

The story that remains underreported is how much Trump ISN’T getting. He’s a freight train as nominee—but still NOT getting 30%. AND, he’s continuing to struggle with moderates in his own party and especially with independents (as revealed most vividly in New Hampshire). It continues to underscore his general election weakness. Which is revealed (AND increasing) with Haley in.   And on the other s...

This episode is a little different. It’s a quick hit episode from host Paul Rieckhoff ( @PaulRieckhoff )--with a reading of his recent op-ed that appeared on Smerconish.com (co-authored with John Opdycke( @jbopdycke , the President of Open Primaries ). It highlights the influence of independent voters in the New Hampshire primary, making specific note of independent’s support of candidates Nikki H...

The Super Bowl is over and the Chiefs are the champs. MAGA is sad about that for some reason, but don’t worry they’ll have something new to be upset about soon enough. From mysterious new Russian space nukes, to Biden’s old age to another looming government shutdown. It’s a lot. And then throw Trump’s 91 felony indictments on top of that and it’s nearly impossible to keep track of. But never fear...

It’s Super Bowl week in America. And it’s a Super Bowl year of politics and national security. And as the world focuses on America’s big game, it’s also focused on America’s dysfunction. And so are we. The border deal has collapsed, funding for Ukraine and Israel is stalled, and the election division across the country is reaching peak levels of nasty and stupid. It’s an especially ugly time in Am...

It’s Super Bowl time in America. And 2024 is a year-long Super Bowl FOR America. Stakes have never been higher. And just like for a Super Bowl team, leaders will be the difference.  And Alex Vindman ( @AVindman ) has been a QB for America stepping up in the biggest moments for years now. He was thrust onto the national scene back in October of 2019 as the news was revealed that Trump had tried to...

The New Hampshire primary is over–and independents were a huge factor. Just as they will be in the general election in November. Who did they vote for? What do they care about? And who can appeal to them now—and in the future? And what’s next for Nikki Haley, Trump, Biden and the rest in this chaotic sprint to the summer nominating conventions? Michael Smerconish ( @Smerconish is back on IA to cho...

Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence, combat, death, sexual assault, violence against children and more.   Dorin Cohen grew up in Ashkelon, Israel and most recently lived in Kibbutz Kfar Aza with her husband, Itamar, and her two young boys, Adam and Jonathan, where they survived nearly 30 hours in their bomb shelter on October 7. Dorin has a Bachelor's degree in Law from...

Ambassador Marc Ginsberg grew up in Israel, became America’s first jewish ambassador to an Arab nation, and currently leads The Coalition for a Safer Web , a non-profit dedicated to combating cyber terrorism and extremist incitement. He’s a diplomatic powerhouse and deeply respected expert on the Middle East. Mike Novogratz grew up catholic in Virginia, served as a helicopter pilot in the US Army,...

As we head into what is almost sure to be a rocky 2024, we wanted to get you the best look ahead possible. So we brought back a fan favorite. A guest who isn’t afraid to make bold predictions. And a guest who’s smart enough to back them up. He’s a master of marketing, business, media and politics. He’s the great Prof G, Scott Galloway ( @ProfGalloway ), and he’s here to break down what the next fe...

2023 has been a big year for independents. And most of the time not in a good way. From Kyrsten Sinema to RFK Jr. to No Labels, 2023 was a steady succession of negative hits to the independent brand in all of the usual ways. Spoilers and grifters jumping on the bandwagon after being kicked off of all of the other wagons. Hangers on. Pretenders to the throne. Whatever you call them, we saw them all...

If you’ve watched him, you love him. And you may feel like you know him. But you really don’t. In this episode, you’ll learn that the man behind the characters is even more amazing. And you’ll love him, respect him, and admire him even more. Just like the last three times he’s joined us. It’s the perfect holiday conversation. For whatever holiday you celebrate. Yes, my friends, FESTIVUS is back! ...

There are only a handful of people out there that have the experience, credibility and gravitas to speak with authority when it comes to subjects like NATO, Putin, Gaza. They’re high level issues and complex systems that require decades of study and thought to truly comprehend. And so when you get a chance to hear from one of them like you did last week with General Barry McCaffrey you jump at it....

This holiday season is a heavy one. It's hard to fully distract yourself from what's happening around the world. No matter how good the Knicks are doing, no matter how sensational the Giants rookie quarterback Tommy Cutlets DeVito has been. No matter how much holiday cheer you bring or share or experience, there's still a lot of pain and concern and stress all around the world, especially when it...

Andrew Yang ( @AndrewYang ) is back. He’s the former Candidate for President. The former Candidate for Mayor. He’s a patriot, an activist and a father. And now, the co-founder of the Forward Party is back to check in with Independent Americans for a look back at the last year for the Forward Party and a look ahead at what’s on the horizon in independent politics and the 2024 elections. With a good...

Throughout the last couple of years, we've stayed on top of all the domestic and international security threats facing us all from Putin to Hamas to domestic extremists. And our guest in this episode is going to take us through all of it with a very unique, powerful and authentic perspective. He's an expert on urban combat, which is going to dominate the combat landscape for the next generation an...

Welcome back. We’re wrapping up our holiday and finishing up the second part of Paul Rieckhoff’s discussion with hip hop icon Chuck D. This half is a little more fun and a great look back before we head into the holidays and the New Year. We’ll be back in December with more great all new content for you, but for now here is the rest of this amazing conversation. From Episode 86 - Nov. 20, 2020 : A...

Happy Thanksgiving America. We’re taking a break to be with our families for this holiday but before we go we’ve got an extra helping of the helpers for you because we know you don’t need any more stuffing.  From Episode 86 - Nov. 20, 2020 : As America faces power fights like we’ve never seen before, the legendary founder of Public Enemy joins us to explore and explain fighting the power: 2020 sty...

It has been 38 days since the terrible attacks in Israel by Hamas occurred. 38 days of horror. 38 days of pain and suffering. On all sides. The attacks on October 7th will be with us forever. And as Israel comes to grasp what that means, we could all use some perspective. For most Americans this conflict is just another in a string of never ending wars. A blip on a phone screen. Just another Tweet...

Veterans Day has been a federal holiday, recognized each November 11, since 1938 , but it means little for most Americans beyond a day off from work.  Attendance at Veterans Day events is regrettably low—and declining rapidly. And so is the veterans’ population in America. The unfortunate reality that veterans understand is that the overall power and importance of Veterans Day is fading fast. Simu...

Sebastian Junger ( @SebastianJunger ) is one of the most important authors, thinkers and public intellectuals in America. And one of the most interesting guys you’ll ever hear. He joined us in Episode 207 - Jan 25, 2023 , Episode 116 - May 27, 2021 and Episode 100 - February 4, 2021 and he’s back again with more of the ongoing conversation about the state of America and what it means to be a true...

A terrible situation in Gaza is getting worse. And especially for the innocent civilians caught in the middle of the chaos, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Middle East is on fire. And we can’t forget about Ukraine. Putin sure is hoping we will. But we can not. Especially here in America. Everywhere you look, it seems like the world is burning. Because much of the world is. From Israel to Gaza t...

While the world teeters on the brink, we’ve got a new radical Speaker of the House, a shooter on the loose in Maine, and Israel appears ready to strike in Gaza. Now is definitely a time to stay vigilant. And we know the weekend is a good time to get away from the pressures of the week, but with everything going on in the world, now is not the time to check out. Now is not the time to look away. It...

As Israel prepares to invade Gaza, as Hamas holds over a hundred hostages, as Ukraine continues to battle Putin, as American troops in the middle east face drone strikes daily, as China looms over Taiwan, and as America tears itself apart, the world has never been closer in our lifetime to World War Three. This Halloween is an especially scary time. And we’re keeping it real.  And as the American...

Explosions are everywhere. And that makes it VERY much a time to stay vigilant. More than any other time in recent memory.  Israel is at war with Hamas. Explosions from the ATACMS (The Army Tactical Missile System) fired by Ukrainian forces hitting Russian forces inside Ukraine. Explosions at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City. Which was originally blamed on Israel–and is now likely to have been ca...