The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

Andrew McCarthy is an award-winning travel writer, television director, and actor. He’s appeared in over two dozen films including such iconic 80s movies as PRETTY IN PINK and ST. ELMO’S FIRE. His recent documentary, BRATS, debuted at #1 on Hulu. He’s directed nearly 100 hours of television, including Orange Is the New Black and The Blacklist. Andrew’s also been named Travel Journalist of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers, and for a dozen years served as an editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler magazine. He is the author or four New York Times Best Selling books, including, most recently, WALKING WITH SAM. Join us for the fun, honest, insightful in-depth chat about Andrew's life and career, and of course, his documentary BRATS, which he directed and produced. It’s a poignant, captivating journey through this pivotal era of his life as a member of the legendary Brat Pack. The film includes interviews with former castmates, producers and other key figures associated with the beloved 1980’s coming of age films which include THE BREAKFAST CLUB, ST ELMOS’S FIRE, PRETTY IN PINK and MANNEQUIN. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Helen Ouyang is an emergency physician, associate professor at Columbia University, and contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. She is also a fellow at the Type Media Center. She has written for The Atlantic, Harper’s, Los Angeles Times, New York, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others. Her writing has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, anthologized in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, and funded by The Pulitzer Center. Join us for this important conversation about the state of our nation's healthcare and insurance industries. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Dawn Porter has emerged in the entertainment industry as a leader in the art of storytelling; directing and producing critically acclaimed films and series. A two-time Sundance film festival director, her work has been featured on HBO, Netflix, CNN, PBS, MSNBC, ESPN, Discovery, National Geographic and others. Dawn’s films include GIDEON’S ARMY, THE LADY BIRD DIARIES, THE WAY I SEE IT, SUPREME, BOBBY KENNEDY FOR PRESIDENT and JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE. Her latest film is LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH, about the public and private life and music career of Luther Vandross, which premieres New Year’s Day on CNN. Dawn joins me in The Back Room to discuss her terrific new film LUTHER which tells the story of this iconic, multi-faceted yet complicated musical genius. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Christine C. Quinn is the President and CEO of Win, the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing for families experiencing homelessness in New York City and the nation. Win has also been at the forefront of the city's response to the ongoing migrant and homelessness crisis. She was also the first female and openly gay Speaker of the NYC Council, ran for NYC mayor in 2013, and is a political contributor on CNN and MSNBC. Chris joins me in The Back Room for a conversation about homelessness in New York City, the migrant crisis, and her organization's work to provide family shelter and supportive housing. We also discuss her concerns for the LGBTQ+ community under the incoming Trump administration; the health risks to New Yorkers under an RFK Jr-led HHS; and whether or not she's planning to run for NYC mayor next year. We close out the chat with Chris sharing her top 5 musical artists of all time! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Eric J. Segall is a constitutional law scholar, professor, and author of the books Originalism as Faith, and Supreme Myths: Why the Supreme Court is not a Court and its Justices are not Judges. His articles on constitutional law have appeared in, among others, the Harvard Law Review Forum, the Stanford Law Review On Line, the UCLA Law Review, the George Washington Law Review, the Washington University Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, the Northwestern University Law Review Colloquy, and Constitutional Commentary among many others. His op-eds and essays have appeared in the New York Times, the LA Times, The Atlantic, SLATE, Vox, Salon, and the Daily Beast, among others and his television appearances include CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and France 24. Eric's back with us to share his thoughts on the Donald Trump and his cabinet nominations and the threats they pose to the rights of Americans, our rule of law, and the future of our democracy. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Frank Figliuzzi is a national security contributor and regular columnist for NBC News and MSNBC. He was the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, where he served 25 years as a special agent and directed all espionage investigations across the government. He held senior FBI leadership positions in major American cities and was appointed the FBI’s Chief Inspector by then Director Robert Mueller to oversee sensitive internal inquiries, shooting reviews, and performance audits. Following his FBI career, Frank became a corporate security executive for a Fortune 10 company and led global Investigations, Insider Threat, Workplace Violence Prevention, and Special Event security for 200,000 employees in 180 countries. He is the author of “The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence", and this year's "Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers". Frank and I discuss his latest book, Trump's controversial cabinet nominations, and the existential threats to our democracy as we head into Trump 2.0. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Dylan Douglas, a 2022 graduate of Brown University, has spent much of his young adult life working on a variety of political campaigns and grassroots movements. During the 2020 election, while still in college, Douglas served as deputy campaign manager for a high-profile congressional race and later co-founded a progressive political action committee called Make Room, aimed at “making room for young, progressive, generational candidates.” In the summer of 2024, Douglas launched the political program Young American with Dylan Douglas on SiriusXM, designed to engage Gen Z and other young listeners in the lead-up to the highly anticipated November elections. Originally intended as a limited series, the show has since been picked up to run indefinitely. Beyond domestic American politics, Douglas is a passionate advocate for dyslexia awareness, having struggled with the learning disability for much of his life. He is also an amateur historian. Dylan brings a very important perspective to the conversation about what happened in the 2024 election and what Democrats must do going forward to engage and inspire not just his generation of voters, but the party's broader coalition as well. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Max Rose is a former member of Congress from New York City and a Senior Advisor to Vote Vets. He's a highly-decorated combat veteran who currently serves as a company commander in the New York Army National Guard. As a Congressman, he chaired the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counter-terrorism and served on the committees for Homeland Security and Veteran's Affairs. He also served in 2021 at the Department of Defense as Special Assistant to Secretary Lloyd Austin. Max helps unpack the election results and what the Democratic Party must do going forward to win the 2026 midterm elections and the presidency in '28. He also discusses the DNC and whether he wants the top job, and whether he plans to run for NYC mayor next year. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Mark S. Zaid is a Washington, D.C. based attorney specializing in crisis management and handling administrative and litigation matters relating to national security, international law, foreign sovereign and diplomatic immunity, and the Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts. His clients typically include former/current federal employees, particularly intelligence and military officers, defense contractors, Whistleblowers and members of the media who have grievances, have been wronged or are being investigated by agencies of the United States Government or foreign governments. Mark is also the Executive Director and founder of the James Madison Project, a Washington, D.C.-based organization with the primary purpose of educating the public on issues relating to intelligence gathering and operations, secrecy policies, national security and government wrongdoing. And he is an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Global Security Studies program and at Texas A&M’s George H.W. Bush School of Government & Public Service where he teaches on national security issues. Besides discussing our mutual passion for collecting political, historical and cultural memorabilia, Mark and I get into Donald Trump's continued threats against his opponents and perceived enemies; his representation of several high-profile government and media retribution targets; and the prospect of Trump's weaponizing the DOJ and FBI. We also discuss Mark's personal interest and professional work relating to the JFK assassination. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Paul Begala is a CNN political commentator, consultant and NY Times best-selling author. Along with his partner James Carville, he was one of the masterminds behind Bill Clinton's winning presidential campaign in 1992 and later served as Counselor to the President, serving as one of President Clinton's closest aides, and coordinating policy, politics, and communications. In the 2012 campaign, Paul was a senior adviser for the pro-Obama Super PAC, making Begala one of the few people to play a critical role in electing two different presidents. Paul's back in THE BACK ROOM for an election post-mortem, Trump's crazy cabinet nominations, what lies ahead for the Democratic Party, and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Charlie Sykes is the author of nine books, including his latest, How the Right Lost Its Mind. An 'OG Never-Trumper', he is the author of the Substack newsletter, “To the Contrary,” and contributes to The Atlantic and MSNBC. He's written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Post, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Time.com, USA Today, National Review, The New York Review of Books, the New York Daily News, and other national publications. Charlie joins me for fun, insightful chat about the election, the crazy Trump cabinet nominations, what Democrats need to do going forward, and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Modi Rosenfeld was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and at 7 emigrated with his family to the United States and was raised on Long Island. After graduating from Boston University, he worked as an investment banker until he fell in love with stand-up comedy during his first open-mic performance. He’s a regular at the New York and Los Angeles comedy clubs and headlines around the country and across the globe. He’s currently performing in the US and abroad in his 'Pause For Laughter' tour. His debut special, "Know Your Audience", is available on YouTube. Modi's back in The Back Room discussing the tour, life on the road, his upcoming shows Dec 17-19 at NYC's Beacon Theater and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television – and culture – forever. Directed by Jason Reitman, written by Gil Kenan & Reitman and told in real time, SATURDAY NIGHT is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Actor Dylan O'Brien is one of the film's stars, portraying the legendary cast member Dan Aykroyd. He joins me for an insightful, entertaining chat about the film, the casting process, his approach to the performance, and his upcoming projects. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Since 2015 Jonathan A. Greenblatt has served as the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, more commonly knows as the ADL…and is its sixth National Director. He leads all aspects of the world’s leading anti-hate organization…whose mission since its founding in 1913 is to fight the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. In 2022, Jonathan released It Could Happen Here, a book that sounds an alarm, warning that hate and systemic violence is gathering momentum in the United States – and that violence on a more catastrophic scale could be just around the corner. Jonathan's back in The Back Room discussing the heightened concerns over the precipitous rise in antisemitism in America and abroad. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rachel Bitecofer is a political scientist and election forecaster turned political strategist. Bitecofer’s interviews and analysis have been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon, Politico, The New Republic, Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN, MSNBC, and many other prominent news sources. She worked with Democratic Party candidates and organizations to implement negative partisanship strategy in the 2022 midterms. Her latest book is Hit ‘Em Where it Hurts: How to Save Democracy By Beating Republicans At Their Own Game. Rachel's back in THE BACK ROOM with a hard dose of reality about what went wrong with the election and the radical shifts in thinking and strategy Democrats must embrace if they're ever going to win critical national and statewide elections again. It's a wake-up call for the party you don't wanna miss! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Pete Dominick is a podcaster, stand-up comic, speaker, news commentator, host, journo activist, moderator and professional speaking consultant. For almost 12 years, Pete was the host of a daily three-hour live radio show on SIRIUSXM, “Stand Up with Pete Dominick”. After that he started his independent daily podcast. He began his career as a stand-up comic and was selected as the warmup comic, first for Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, and then The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, where he worked for most of its run. He’s also a CNN panel commentator and had hosted the CNN show “What the Week.” Pete and I chat about Trump, Trumpism, and toxic masculinity; America's challenging political and cultural road ahead; stand-up comedy; who we both look like, and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Donald Trump, Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, GOP, Republican Party, Democrats, election, Elon Musk, politics, cabinet, RFK Jr., US Constitution, rule of law, recess appointments, separation of powers, advise and consent, congress, US Senate, midterm election, The Daily Beast, Ben Sherman, Jeff Bezos, The Washington Post, media, Mika Brzezinski, Joe Scarborough, Morning Joe, Fox News, Stormy Daniels, Barry Diller, journalism, John Oliver, Linda McMahon, Pam Bondi, Bill Clinton, CNN, MAGA, Joe Biden, Biden, John Thune Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, Mar A Lago, Britain, Princess Diana, Kensington Palace, Prince Charles, Samantha Bee, podcasting, podcast, Alex Cooper, Call Her Daddy, Amazon, Twitter, Rupert Murdoch, Tik Tok, The Daily Show, Pod Save America, Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Europe, Zelensky. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Elie Honig is an attorney and CNN senior legal analyst and the bestselling author of Hatchet Man and last year's Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With It. He’s a former assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of New York. He also hosts podcasts, writes for CAFE, Vox Media and writes a weekly column for New York Magazine. Elie's back in The Back Room with an update on the status of Donald Trump's legal cases, his Attorney General nominations, and what lies ahead for the Department of Justice in the new administration. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ashley Allison is a media entrepreneur, creator, advocate, organizer and thought leader, who seamlessly bridges the gap between culture and politics. She is the Founder and CEO of Watering Hole Media, a social impact media company. Ashley is also a political commentator for CNN. She previously served as a senior advisor in the Obama-Biden White House. As the National Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris 2020 presidential campaign, she led nearly 500 staff to activate the most robust coalition of voters in modern history. She’s also served as Executive Vice President for The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, where she spearheaded campaigns to protect the right to vote for millions of Americans and helped to get the citizen question removed from the 2020 census form. Join me and Ashley as we take a hard, honest post-election look under America's hood and discuss the challenging road ahead. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Frank Bruni has been a prominent journalist for more than three decades, including more than twenty-five years at The New York Times, in roles as diverse as op-ed columnist, White House correspondent, Rome bureau chief, and chief restaurant critic. He is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. In July 2021, he became a full professor at Duke University, teaching in the school of public policy. He currently writes his popular weekly newsletter for the Times and produces additional essays as one of the newspaper’s Contributing Opinion Writers. Frank and I discuss his latest columns about the recent election, what the Democrats must do going forward, and who the likely 2028 candidates might be. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

The inimitable Rick Wilson is a renowned political strategist, infamous ad-maker, writer, speaker, political commentator, podcaster, co-founder of the political action committee The Lincoln Project and media company Resolute Square, and a two-time New York Times best-selling author. Join Rick and I for a frank discussion about the recent devastating election, Trump's crazy cabinet nominations, and the dark, challenging road ahead. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jamal Simmons is a political commentator on CNN and co-host of the new podcast Trailblaze. He’s previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director to Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. Before that he was a political contributor for CBS News and NPR and hosted digital interviews for HillTV. He is a veteran of the Clinton Administration, Congress and several political campaigns. He’s also been a communications consultant, digital entrepreneur, appeared on every major television network and written opinion pieces for many newspapers. First it was the devastating election. Then came the barrage of Trump's crazy cabinet nominations. Jamal and I get into the stunning events of the last 10 days and what it all means going forward. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Julie Roginsky is a founding partner of Baro Strategies and has nearly three decades of public and private sector experience as an adviser on strategic communications, political strategy and public relations…working on behalf of corporate and political clients which include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, non-profits and dozens of politicians. She is also the co-founder of Lift Our Voices, a national non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the American workplace by banning forced arbitration clauses and non-disclosure agreements for toxic workplace issues. And she is a former contributor at Fox News Channel, where she was a frequent co-host of Outnumbered and The Five. Prior to that, she was a contributor at CNBC, the financial news network. Julie joins me for a frank 'what the hell happened' chat about last week's devastating election. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Kimberly Atkins Stohr is a senior opinion writer and columnist for The Boston Globe with over 20 years of experience covering politics, policy and law. She is an on-air political analyst for MSNBC, a frequent panelist on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and co-host of the popular Politicon legal news podcast #SistersInLaw. She has appeared as a political and legal commentator on a host of national and international television and radio networks, including CNN, Fox News, NBC News, PBS, NPR, Sky News, and CBC News. Before launching her journalism career, she was a civil trial and appellate litigation attorney in Boston, where she argued in a number of courts, including the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the federal 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals. In the wake of the devastating election, so many Americans are feeling anger, frustration and despair as we try to reconcile what happened and how we move forward as Americans and as a party in the face of so much sexism and racism and the abandonment of the party by several core constituencies. Kimberly and I take an honest and gut-wrenching look under the hood... Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

For forty years, Ron Reagan has been a television and radio correspondent, host and political commentator with ABC, MSNBC and Air America among others. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller My Father at 100. Ron shares his keen insights into the election, the status of the two political parties, and the legacy of his father, Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States. We also chat about God, religion and Ron's "unabashed" atheism. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael Cohen is host of the YouTube Channel "The The Michael Cohen Show". And he's brought his unplugged wit and wisdom back in The Back Room to discuss his former boss Donald Trump, VP Kamala Harris, and tomorrow's historic election! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

S.E. Cupp is a CNN political commentator and host of the daily TV show Battleground. She was most recently host of CNN's S.E. Cupp Unfiltered. Before joining CNN she co-hosted MSNBC's The Cycle. She's a nationally syndicated political columnist, culture critic, author and consultant who regularly writes for the New York Daily News, Glamour and CNN.com. She was previously a consultant for Apple TV+'s The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell and HBO's hit series, The Newsroom. The always-insightful and fun S.E.'s back in The Back Room for a homestretch chat about the most critical, consequential election in United States history. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

George Conway is an attorney, political activist, and legal and political commentator. He is president of the Society for the Rule of Law, the executive director of the Anti-Psychopath Political Action Committee, and a founder of the Lincoln Project. He is a host of The Bulwark’s podcast George Conway Explains It All (to Sarah Longwell), and he is a contributing writer to The Atlantic. He previously worked as a litigator for three decades at the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York City. With the most important, consequential election in American history just four days away, we're thrilled to have George back with us to share his unique homestretch analysis. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Gretchen Carlson is an acclaimed journalist, NY Times bestselling author, speaker, and advocate for women’s rights in the workplace. She went public in 2016 with harassment claims against then Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, paving the way for the #MeToo movement. Gretchen spent over 30 years as a journalist and has hosted the Saturday edition of CBS’s The Early Show, Fox & Friends and The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson. She is co-founder of Lift Our Voices, a nonprofit organization fighting to eradicate forced arbitration clauses and non-disclosure agreements in workplace contracts that keep toxic workplace issues silent. With just four days to go until the most critical, consequential election in American history, Gretchen's back in The Back Room giving her 11th hour thoughts on this nail-biter of a presidential race. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Bandy X Lee, M.D. is a forensic and social psychiatrist and a world expert on violence who taught at Yale School of Medicine and Yale Law School for 17 years before joining the Harvard Program in Psychiatry and the Law. She became known to the public for leading a group of mental health professional colleagues in breaking the silence about the immediate past U.S. president’s dangerous psychology and publishing the New York Times bestseller, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. The volume proceeded from an ethics conference she organized at Yale School of Medicine, which led to her consulting with over 50 members of the U.S. Congress. She is currently president of the World Mental Health Coalition. She penned over 300 opinion editorials in outlets such as the Guardian, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Independent, and Politico. Her new book is THE MORE DANGEROUS CASE OF DONALD TRUMP: 40 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Warn Anew. Dr. Lee pulls no punches as she continues to loudly sound the alarm bells about the grave dangers of another Trump presidency. Join us for this riveting and at times chilling conversation. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Charlie Warzel is a journalist who helps audiences to make sense of our current digital moment, analyzing technology and media in a time of intense upheaval and cultural change. He's a Staff Writer at The Atlantic and the author of its newsletter Galaxy Brain, about technology, media, and big ideas. Previously he was a writer at large for The New York Times’ Opinion section. Charlie and I discuss the worsening assault on truth, facts and reality in America in the AI and digital age. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Tara Setmayer and Michelle Kinney are co-founders of the recently launched bi-partisan superPAC The Seneca Project, which is dedicated to mobilizing women voters in key swing states to ensure Democratic victory in November in order to safeguard women’s rights, healthcare access, the preservation of democracy, and the defeat of the extremist MAGA agenda. Tara's a former GOP Communications Director on Capitol Hill and most recently served as a Senior Advisor for The Lincoln Project and host of the live show The Breakdown. She’s a contributor on MSNBC and other news outlets, has been a frequent guest host on ABC’s The View, Sirius XM’s The Michael Smerconish Program, and has several appearances on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. After 27 years as a Republican she left the party in November 2020 after Donald Trump refused to concede the election to Joe Biden. Michelle previously served as the Creative Director at The Lincoln Project. She's also a photojournalist, previously served as VP of WestSide Democrats in NYC, and was publicly elected to the New York County Democratic Committee. Prior to entering the political arena, she was a performing artist and producer. There's just 10 days to go before the most critical, consequential election in history. Join us for this lively, insightful homestretch chat about the super-tight presidential race. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Lee Yaron has been a journalist with Israeli newspaper Haaretz for nearly a decade. Her investigative reporting has resulted in the founding of state-level commissions and the changing of substantial bodies of Israeli policy and law. She is an elected member-representative of the Executive Committee of the Union of Israeli Journalists. She has also written and directed acclaimed theater productions notable for their use of found materials, including official governmental texts, to bring attention to marginalized communities both in Israel and throughout the Middle East. Born in Tel Aviv, Yaron splits her time between her native city and New York. Her new book is 10/7: 100 Human Stories. Lee shares in riveting detail the impact of the horrific October 7, 2023 massacre on the diverse victims, the global community, and on her own life. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jason Stanley is the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. He is the author of six books, including How Propaganda Works. He serves on the board of the Prison Policy Initiative and writes frequently about propaganda, free speech, mass incarceration, democracy, and authoritarianism for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and many other periodicals. His new book, Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future, is on sale next week. Jason and I discuss his book and the existential threat to democracy of another Trump presidency Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda. She is the recipient of Guggenheim and other fellowships; an advisor to Protect Democracy; an MSNBC opinion columnist and television commentator; and publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo - and how they can be defeated. Ruth's back for another insightful conversation about Trump, Trumpism and the existential threat to democracy just two weeks from the most critical, consequential election in American history. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jon Michaels is a UCLA professor of law specializing in constitutional and national security law. His award-winning scholarship has appeared in the Yale Law Journal, University of Chicago Law Review, and Harvard Law Review, and he has written popular essays for the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Affairs, and Guardian. A Yale Law graduate and Supreme Court clerk, Jon is a member of the American Law Institute and serves on the advisory board of UCLA’s Safeguarding Democracy Project. His latest book, co-written with David Noll, is VIGILANTE NATION: How State-Sponsored Terror Threatens our Democracy. Jon and I discuss his new book and the increasing use of vigilantism by the Republican Party and red states in targeting vulnerable groups in America to influence cultural, legal and political outcomes. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Bill Adair is the founder of the Pulitzer Prize winning website PolitiFact and is the Knight Professor of the Practice of Journalism and Public Policy at Duke University and the director of the Duke Reporters’ Lab. His awards include the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting (with the PolitiFact staff), the Manship Prize for New Media in Democratic Discourse, and the Everett Dirksen Award for Distinguished Coverage of Congress. His new book is BEYOND THE BIG LIE The Epidemic of Political Lying, Why Republicans Do It More, and How It Could Burn Down Our Democracy. Join us for this compelling chat about the breakdown of truth, facts and reality in politics, and its existential threat to democracy. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joe Walsh is a former Republican Congressman from Illinois elected to Congress in the TEA Party wave of 2010. Following his service in Congress, Walsh became one of the most popular syndicated conservative talk radio hosts in the country. In August of 2019 he ran for president, waging a Republican primary challenge against Donald Trump. He is the author of the 2020 book F*CK SILENCE: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man he Is. Joe is currently Director of The Social Contract and host of “The Social Contract With Joe Walsh" podcast. He can also be seen regularly on CNN, MSNBC and News Nation and has been written up in major publications like the NYT, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, Raw Story and Newsweek. Joe's back with his inimitable wit, wisdom and flowery F-bombs talkin' Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, the presidential campaign and his predictions for the upcoming election! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joanne Carducci, also known as "JoJoFromJerz", is a mom living in the Jersey suburbs who, in the wake of the 2016 election, was looking for an outlet to share her frustrations and fears about Donald Trump, so she joined Twitter (X), where she now has over 1-million followers. And she hasn’t looked back since. What once was a sounding board to vent with like-minded people, has turned into a full-time commitment to standing up for democracy & against tyranny in her signature snark and sass. And, she was even played by Dakota Johnson on SNL! You can find her on all the socials, at http://Patreon.com/JoJoFromJerz, on her Are You F’ng Kidding Podcast and over on Substack with her newsletter of the same name. It's always fun and insightful when JoJo's in The Back Room! In this episode she shares poignant details of her personal life; her recent DNC convention experience and meeting one of her idols, Mark Hamill; the VP debate; her thoughts on the presidential campaign and upcoming election; and the thrill of being featured on Saturday Night Live! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Don Lemon is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and former anchor of the long-running CNN primetime program, Don Lemon Tonight, who earlier this year launched The Don Lemon Show, which is now streaming on all platforms. Don has won a variety of distinguished awards including an Edward R. Murrow award, multiple Emmys and a Peabody award, among others. He’s also been recognized as a leading influential figure by Ebony magazine, The Advocate, Out and others. And in 2011, he broke barriers by revealing he was gay in his auto-biographical book Transparent. His 2021 book This is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was inspired by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. His new book is "I Once Was Lost: My Search For God in America". Don discusses his new book and shares in a brutally honest, thought-provoking manner how faith, religion and God has played a major role in his life. We also discuss the recent VP debate, Special Counsel Jack Smith's new filing, and the upcoming election. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

George Conway is an attorney, political activist, and legal and political commentator. He is president of the Society for the Rule of Law, the executive director of the Anti-Psychopath Political Action Committee, and a founder of the Lincoln Project. He is a host of The Bulwark’s podcast George Conway Explains It All (to Sarah Longwell), and he is a contributing writer to The Atlantic. He previously worked as a litigator for three decades at the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York City. In his inimitable way, George dissects the mind of Trump and his followers and the impact of it all on the campaign and what lies ahead for the November 5th election. It's a truly fascinating, in-depth ,don't miss chat! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Actor and writer Andy Richter is best-known for his long-running role as Conan O’Brien’s announcer and sidekick throughout multiple late-night shows. He rose to fame alongside Conan in 1993 on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and reprised this role on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, which premiered in 2009. In 2010, the duo moved to TBS, where Conan ran for 11 years with Richter once again acting as announcer, writer, general sidekick and participant in comedy sketches. Richter has guest-starred in popular shows such as Arrested Development and Hulu’s Love, Victor. His feature film work includes Scary Movie 2, Elf, Talladega Nights, Blades of Glory, Semi-Pro, and Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Andy’s also had a prolific voiceover career across numerous projects Mort in DreamWorks Studios’ Madagascar films, as well as in the Nickelodeon series Penguins of Madagascar. Since 2019, Richter has hosted the popular podcast The Three Questions with Andy Richter, has appeared in the film 80 for Brady and recently finished production on the upcoming film First Time Female Director. Richter is a graduate of Chicago’s Improv Olympic and Annoyance Theater, and a frequent performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater in Los Angeles. Join us for this fun, insightful, in-depth chat about Andy's life and career. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Judge David Tatel served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1994 to 2023. Prior to that, his three-decade career as a civil rights lawyer included private and government positions, and focused heavily on equal educational opportunity and access to justice. He served as Director of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and then Director of the National Committee. He was the Director of the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare during the Carter Administration. When he returned to private practice in 1979, Judge Tatel joined Hogan & Hartson, where he founded and headed the firm’s education practice until his appointment to the D.C. Circuit. Judge Tatel also co-chaired the National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Science, Technology and Law. Judge Tatel joins me in The Back Room for a riveting conversation about his illustrious life and career, his terrific book Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice, and the controversies involving the current United States Supreme Court. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Dana Bash is CNN’s chief political correspondent and the anchor and host of Sunday morning’s State of the Union, serving as the network’s lead reporter covering campaigns and Congress. She regularly acts as a moderator for CNN’s political town hall specials and debates, including CNN’s first debate of the 2020 election cycle in Detroit. She has conducted sit-down interviews with major players in the political sphere during 2016, including Donald Trump, Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Bernie Sanders, and Governors Jeb Bush and John Kasich. Her debut book America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History (written with David Fisher) went on sale earlier this month and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Dana and I chat about the debates, her interview with Kamala Harris, and her critically-acclaimed new book about the 1872 Louisiana Gubernatorial election, the Constitutional crisis that occurred four years later in the presidential election, and the striking similarities to the current political landscape. We also discuss her emotional journey last year to the Auschwitz concentration camp with her colleague Wolf Blitzer, her family's history with the Holocaust, and the post-October-7th rise in antisemitism and hate crimes. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Melissa Eddy is a journalist based in Berlin who covers German business, economics, and politics for The New York Times. She has covered Chancellor Angela Merkel since she entered office in 2005. A Minnesota native fluent in German and French, she came to Germany as a Fulbright scholar in 1996. Before joining The International Herald Tribune, now the international edition of The New York Times, in 2015, she was a correspondent for the Associated Press in Frankfurt, Vienna, and the Balkans. Her first book is Merkel’s Law: Wisdom from the Woman Who Led the Free World. Join us for this compelling conversation about a truly fascinating, consequential world leader. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Allan J. Lichtman is Distinguished Professor of History at American University and a leading geopolitical expert. He has provided expert testimony in some 110 civil rights cases. He has written 13 books, many hundreds of scholarly and popular articles, and provided worldwide media commentary. His recent books include The Case for Impeachment, The Embattled Vote In America, Repeal the Second Amendment, and 21 Cracks: Repairing American Democracy After Trump. His Keys to the White House prediction system has successfully forecasted the results of presidential elections since 1984, including Donald Trump’s win in 2016. The professor is back in The Back Room, and this time he's discussing his prediction for the 2024 presidential election! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of global investment firm SkyBridge, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation....and the author of five books, including his latest, From Wall Street to the White House and Back. He's best known for the 11 rollercoaster days he served in the Trump WH as Communications Director, after having served on Trump's Finance Committee and then on his Presidential Transition Team. We love when The Mooch brings his unique perspective into The Back Room on the pathological thinking and behavior of Trump and its impact on the campaign. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joe Trippi is a pioneer in bringing campaigns into the digital age. As National Campaign Manager for Howard Dean’s presidential campaign, his vision of using the Internet to connect directly with supporters transformed the way campaigns have been waged since. He currently serves as a senior strategist for several nonprofit and corporate clients, is a Sr Adviser to The Lincoln Project, and a Sr Advisor to MI Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. He began his political career working on Ted Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1980 and has since led efforts on a number of presidential, gubernatorial, senate, and congressional campaigns including Reps Ro Khanna, Kweisi Mfume (‘Kwyzee Mfoomay’), former CA Gov Jerry Brown and former AL Sen. Doug Jones. Joe is also the host of the podcast "That Trippi Show" and the author of “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet and the Overthrow of Everything” and has served as a political commentator and analyst for MSNBC/NBC, CBS, FOX and CNN. Joe takes us back to the 2024 Howard Dean presidential campaign, the political/campaign changes since, and weighs in on the current campaign. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Max Boot is a historian, best-selling author and foreign-policy analyst. He is the Jeane J. Kirkpatrick senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a weekly columnist for The Washington Post. He just released the critically-acclaimed new book "Reagan: His Life and Legend". His previous biography, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in biography. Max discusses his new book about Ronald Reagan and weighs in on the current presidential campaign. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael Cohen is the former personal attorney for Donald Trump and served for years as an executive in the Trump Organization. He is host of the Mea Culpa With Michael Cohen podcast and co-host of Political Beatdown with Michael Cohen and Ben Meiselas podcast, and is a 2x NYT best-selling author. His latest book is “Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the US Department of Justice Against His Critics. He’s also Principal of crisis management firm Crisis-X. It's always both insightful and fun when Michael's in The Back Room! He joins us this week to share his unique perspective on Tuesday night's debate, Trump's increasingly unhinged, dangerous behavior, and what it all means these next two months as we race towards the election. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel