Burn the Boats

Stuart Stevens dedicated his life to getting Republicans elected. He worked for dozens of candidates, including both Bush and Romney during their presidential campaigns, and was extremely successful. Now however, Stuart regrets the part he played in the rise of Trumpism. In 2020, he wrote It Was All a Lie, about his time in the Republican party, and how Trumpism is “the natural outcome of five decades of hypocrisy and self-delusion.” His new book, The Conspiracy to End America, explains how the GOP is “dragging the country towards autocracy.” In this interview, Stuart compares the U.S. to 1930s Germany, and the modern Republican party to those complicit in Hitler’s rise to power. Visit https://Lomi.com/BOATS and use code BOATS at checkout to save $50! Go to aeropress.com/BOATS and be sure to use code BOATS at checkout to save 20%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Chiusano is a columnist who has been covering George Santos since 2019. His new book, The Fabulist, peels back the lies, grifts, and alter-egos of Santos to reveal who really represents the 3rd district of New York. In this interview, Mark details how Santos’s lies are evidence of deep-rooted insecurity and a lust for fame. He also shares his favorite moments from Santos’s career, and explains how Santos and other politicians are somehow immune to public scrutiny. Get up to 50% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/BOATS and use code CYBER at checkout. Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com Go to aeropress.com/BOATS and be sure to use code BOATS at checkout to save 20%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy McGrath is a Marine Corps Vet who ran for the Senate in Kentucky in 2020. Since then, she’s sayed active in politics, and has founded Operation Saving Democracy, a veteran-led organization that’s dedicated to defeating Trumpism. In this interview, Amy discusses how republicans are planning to seize power after winning the presidency in what’s called “Project 2025”, authoritarianism within the Republican Party, and how one republican has been a “one-man wrecking ball” to the American military. Get up to 50% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/BOATS and use code CYBER at checkout. Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Go to aeropress.com/BOATS and be sure to use code BOATS at checkout to save 20%. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Pepper is the former Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. You may have seen one of his viral white board videos on twitter, where he breaks down Republican attempts to undermine our democracy. In this interview, David discusses the recent house speaker races, meeting Putin and the war in Ukraine, and how pro-democracy forces need to go on offense in order to preserve majority rule. Check out David’s new book, Saving Democracy, which details how every American can join this fight. Head to https://tryfum.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 10% off when you get the journey pack today! Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evergreen Podcasts, the network that brings you Burn the Boats, is pleased to introduce Countdown to Dallas. On the sixtieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, former White House correspondent Paul Brandus takes an in-depth look at the seemingly unconnected events that led to that infamous afternoon in Dallas, Texas. He explores the troubled and broken life of Kennedy’s killer, Lee Harvey Oswald, and challenges six decades worth of conspiracy theories—none of which have been proven. Enjoy the first episode here. You can find more episodes of Countdown to Dallas in your favorite listening app, or at Evergreenpodcasts.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy MacLean is a historian and professor at Duke University. Her book Democracy in Chains details how the radical right, funded by billionaires, has slowly molded the American political landscape to change the rules of democracy in their favor… all with the help of an economist you have likely never heard of. Today’s episode is guest hosted by Amanda Weinstein. She studies the quality of life in suburban America and is the co-host of the podcast, The Suburban Women Problem. Cancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to https://RocketMoney.com/boats Visit https://Lomi.com/BOATS and use code BOATS at checkout to save $50! Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Ryan is an Army combat vet who represents New York’s 18th district. In this interview, he talks about the unprecedented House Speaker elections, right-wing extremism, and his new resolution. Go to https://neurohacker.com/BOATS to try Qualia Senolytic with code BOATS for up to 50% off Qualia Senolytic Get up to 50% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com/BOATS and use code CYBER at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Kathleen Belew is a historian and expert on the American white power movement. In this episode, she explains how the rhetoric used by Trump and Alt-Right groups is both dangerous and purposeful. Dr. Kathleen Belew is 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. 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. Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katherine Stewart is a reporter and author who has covered religious liberty, politics, policy, and education for over a decade. Her book The Power Worshippers details how the religious right has risen to power, and how they plan to use that power to impose their vision on American Society. This episode is guest hosted by Dara Starr Tucker. Following the January 6th insurrection, Dara was inspired to educate others about the political and social issues facing our country, and has become an online political commentator. Her video commentaries have garnered widespread attention, her TikTok and Instagram channels have over a million subscribers, and last year she started the podcast I’m All Over the Place to take a deeper dive into the content she posts. Go to https://neurohacker.com/BOATS to try Qualia Senolytic with code BOATS for up to 50% off Qualia Senolytic Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is an historian who specializes in authoritarianism and propaganda. Her most recent book, Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present, examines how authoritarians use propaganda, virility, corruption, and violence to stay in power, and how they can be opposed. In this interview, Ruth reveals how Trump and the radical right are paving a path toward authoritarianism in the US. If you’d like to hear more from Ruth, you can subscribe to her weekly newsletter Lucid for free. Also, make sure to check out her website, ruthbenghiat.com, and follow her on Twitter @ruthbenghiat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Finley is a former officer within the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, where she served in West Africa and Europe. She is now a columnist and author who focuses on security and intelligence issues. In this episode, she discusses authoritarianism, the intelligence community, Russia, and how former Trump officials were susceptible to foreign influence. Visit https://Lomi.com/BOATS and use code BOATS at checkout to save $50! Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and a free full-sized bag of turmeric chews valued at $25 by going to boatsbeets.com To shop plant based bags and replace single use plastics all over your home, visit holdonbags.com/BOATS or enter BOATS at checkout to save 20% off your order. Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Rothschild is a journalist and expert on conspiracy theories. His new book, Jewish Space Lasers, details how myths about the Rothschilds, a German-Jewish banking family, have influenced anti-semitic conspiracy theories for 200 years. In this interview Mike talks about the origins of anti-semitic conspiracies, and how they’ve grown to dominate right-wing American politics. 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. Head to https://tryfum.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 10% off when you get the journey pack today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Navy SEAL and founder of Veterans for Responsible Leadership explains why he thinks Civil War in the US is unrealistic, but future political violence isn’t. Dan is a former Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments. After returning home, he attended Harvard Medical School and became an Emergency Medicine doctor at the University of Vermont. Dan is a conservative, but was appalled by Trump’s comments and messages during the 2016 election. Dan did not vote for Trump in that election, but decided to give him a chance. After a year of the Trump Presidency, Dan said Trump was “worse than I thought he would be—and I thought he was going to be terrible.” In response, Dan created Veterans for Responsible Leadership, an organization that is dedicated to holding public officials accountable and helping to defeat candidates like Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Head to https://tryfum.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 10% off when you get the journey pack today! Neurohacker: Go to https://neurohacker.com/BOATS to try Qualia Senolytic with code BOATS for up to 50% off Qualia Senolytic. 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. Cancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to https://RocketMoney.com/boats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Political Commentator Dara Starr Tucker talks about why many white Americans hide behind “politeness” as an excuse for not confronting racism. She also discusses the January 6th insurrection, the song “Try That in a Small Town,” and the damage done by nostalgia for the Confederacy. Dara is a social commentator and vocalist. Following the January 6th insurrection, Dara was inspired to educate others about the political and social issues facing our country. Her video commentaries have garnered widespread attention, her TikTok and Instagram channels have over a million subscribers, and last year she started the podcast I’m All Over the Place to take a deeper dive into the content she posts. Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. GreenChef.com/60ken and use code 60ken to get 60% off plus free shipping To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, and get the plan shipped to your door for FREE, go to mintmobile.com/boats 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Go to https://FastGrowingTrees.com/BOATS NOW to get FIFTEEN PERCENT OFF your entire order. Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Cancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to https://RocketMoney.com/boats Get a free thirty-day supply of SuperBeets Heart Chews and 15% off your first order by going to GETSUPERBEETS.COM and using PROMO CODE BOATS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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. Head to ZBiotics.com/BOATS and use the code BOATS at checkout for 15% off. Head to https://tryfum.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 10% off when you get the journey pack today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. To shop plant based bags and replace single use plastics all over your home, visit holdonbags.com/BOATS or enter BOATS at checkout to save 20% off your order. Go to https://neurohacker.com/BOATS to try Qualia Senolytic with code BOATS for up to 50% off Qualia Senolytic Visit https://Lomi.com/BOATS and use code BOATS at checkout to save $50! Head to https://Rhone.com/BOATS and use code BOATS to save 20% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Thank you to our sponsors: Go to https://GreenChef.com/ken50 and use code ken50 to get 50% off plus free shipping. Cancel unwanted subscriptions – and manage your expenses the easy way – by going to https://RocketMoney.com/boats Go to https://FastGrowingTrees.com/BOATS NOW to get FIFTEEN PERCENT OFF your entire order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices