Burn the Boats
193 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago -Burn the Boats is an award-winning podcast featuring intimate conversations with change-makers from every walk of life. Host Ken Harbaugh interviews politicians, authors, activists, and others about the most important issues of our time.
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Episodes
Jason Kander: Getting Help Saved My Life
September 06, 2022 09:00 - 37 minutesJason Kander discusses his new Memoir, Invisible Storm – 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 ...
Esosa Osa: Fighting Disinformation
August 24, 2022 09:00 - 33 minutesEsosa 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
BONUS: Jim Obergefell: The Battle for Marriage Equality
August 23, 2022 09:00 - 37 minutesIn 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 const...
Jimmy Soni: The Influential Founders of PayPal
August 10, 2022 09:00 - 51 minutesJimmy 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: Battling the Big Lie
July 27, 2022 13:34 - 48 minutesDan 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: Passing the Torch to Gen-Z
July 13, 2022 09:00 - 50 minutesDavid 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: The White Allies Handbook
June 29, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutesLecia 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: How We Win
June 15, 2022 09:00 - 43 minutesSteve 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
The Repercussions of Transphobic Legislation
June 01, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutesHeather (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 go...
Sebastian Junger: Bravery, War, and Purpose
May 18, 2022 09:00 - 42 minutesSebastian 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
Ukraine Report #8: Humanitarian Aid with Amed Khan
May 16, 2022 20:23 - 38 minutesAmed 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
BONUS: The Clock is Ticking for Afghan Evacuees
May 09, 2022 21:20 - 30 minutesCurrently, 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 ...
Amanda Weinstein: Suburbia and the Culture Wars
May 04, 2022 09:00 - 49 minutesAmanda 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: The Impact of Corrupt State Houses
April 20, 2022 09:00 - 51 minutesDavid 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
Ukraine Report #7: Refugees and Aid Workers
April 12, 2022 23:51 - 34 minutesToday’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
Ukraine Report #6: Russian Politics with Olga Lautman
March 29, 2022 14:37 - 58 minutesOlga 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/adcho...
Ukraine Report #5: Former CIA Officer David Chasteen
March 23, 2022 22:03 - 55 minutesDavid 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...
Stephen Marche: The Next Civil War
March 23, 2022 16:42 - 50 minutesStephen 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
Ukraine Report #4: A Volunteer Soldier in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces
March 21, 2022 23:41 - 17 minutesToday 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
Ukraine Report #3: The Battle for the Skies with Ward Carroll
March 11, 2022 14:33 - 52 minutesWard 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: The State of Gun Reform Efforts in 2022
March 09, 2022 10:00 - 43 minutesShannon 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 @Shann...
Ukraine Report #2: Urban Warfare with Dan Barkhuff
March 03, 2022 20:53 - 43 minutesDan 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 ...
Ukraine Report #1: The Morning of the Attack with Oliya Scootercaster
February 25, 2022 20:42 - 21 minutesOliya 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: Movies and Messaging
February 23, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutesBilly 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: Defeating Madison Cawthorn in NC-13
February 09, 2022 10:00 - 28 minutesJosh 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: Disinformation in the Age of Social Media
January 26, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutesDr. 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 mo...
Rerun: Rep. Jason Crow talks about January 6th
January 12, 2022 10:00 - 29 minutesThis 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.h...
BONUS: Reflections on the January 6th Insurrection
January 06, 2022 10:00 - 49 minutesOn 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 extre...
Lucas Kunce: Populism and Power
December 29, 2021 10:00 - 48 minutesLucas 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 abou...
Heidi Heitkamp: The Democratic Party’s Branding Problem
December 15, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutesHeidi 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, Onecountrypr...
Fred Wellman: The Signs of a Violent America
December 01, 2021 10:00 - 51 minutesFred 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: Before You Call the Cops
November 17, 2021 10:00 - 53 minutesTyler 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. ...
Kareem Crayton: Redistricting & the Problem with Politicization
November 03, 2021 09:00 - 53 minutesKareem 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 @KareemCr...
Chris Harnisch: The ‘Surrender’ of Afghanistan
October 20, 2021 09:00 - 45 minutesChris 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 mo...
Chairwoman Shontel Brown: Bipartisanship and Ohio’s 11th District
October 06, 2021 09:00 - 39 minutesShontel 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/adc...
Miles Taylor: Inside the Trump White House
September 22, 2021 09:00 - 49 minutesIn 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 ...
Amy McGrath: The ‘Honor Bound’ Memoir
September 08, 2021 09:00 - 42 minutesAmy 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 meg...
Kris Goldsmith: PTSD, Less-Than-Honorable Discharges, and Domestic Violent Extremism
August 25, 2021 14:07 - 54 minutesKris 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 help...
Chris Meagher: The President’s Infrastructure Plan
August 11, 2021 09:00 - 36 minutesOriginally 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 infrast...
Anne Nelson: The Secret Influence of a Right-Wing Political Coalition
July 28, 2021 09:00 - 45 minutesAnne 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/adch...
Master Sergeant Michael ‘Top’ Washington: Coping with Loss
July 14, 2021 09:00 - 42 minutesMaster 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...
Jason Kander: Destigmatizing PTSD While Continuing to Serve
June 30, 2021 10:00 - 52 minutesJason 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 Projec...
Judge Lina Hidalgo: Local Leadership, Voting Rights, and Values
June 16, 2021 07:00 - 26 minutesJudge 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....
Elliot Ackerman: Writing About War and America’s Future
June 02, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutesElliot 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: Disengaging White Power Extremists
May 19, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutesChristian 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 abo...
Rep. Jason Crow: Accountability and the Aftermath of January 6
May 05, 2021 07:00 - 28 minutesRep. 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 priorit...
Dr. Kathleen Belew: The History of the White Power Movement and Paramilitary America
April 22, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutesDr. 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 cho...
Jon Soltz: Giving Veterans a Voice
April 07, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutesJon 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
Jon Heavey: On the Front Lines
March 24, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutesContent 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 ...
Carlos Gauna: Ending the Stigma Around Sharks
March 10, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutesCarlos 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