← Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
Governor Wes Moore on July 4th/America 250.
00:26:49
Paul Rieckhoff sits down with his longtime friend and returning champion for a July 4th conversation about leadership, patriotism, independent voters, Maryland’s closed primaries, Baltimore’s comeback, the power of joy, and why the future belongs to people willing to disrupt the status quo. Moore talks about his Leave No One Behind slate, the fastest-growing political force in America, and why the two-party system needs to make room for independents before November, not after the race is already over.
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Transcript51 lines
- [00:00]
Wes Moore
The biggest threat a person who's in Congress has is a person to their flank. If you're a Democrat, your biggest threat in many. In most cases, your biggest threat is someone running to your left. If you're a Republican, in most cases, the biggest threat you have is someone running to your right.
- [00:32]
Paul Rykoff
Ladies and gentlemen, independent Americans around the country and around the world, welcome to a very special July 4th focused episode. It is almost Independence Day, or as we call it, Independence Day. I'm your host, Paul Rykoff. I'm coming to you from New York City, USA, and we have got a special July 4th Independence Day America birthday treat. We've got a guest that is a returning champion, a regular, a guy who we knew before he blew up. It was kind of like betting on Jalen Brunson before he won it all. Well, we're going to bring you the five Eyes. I bring you in every show, independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact, especially as we go into July 4th. And we have a great guest, one of our favorites to help us stay vigilant. All right. He is the governor of the great state of Maryland. He is my dear friend. He is a rock star in the world of politics, but he is a constant energy source of joy and inspiration. I've called him Captain Positive. He's now becoming Captain America. Our dear friend, Governor Wes Moore is back on Independent Americans. Welcome back, my friend.
- [01:42]
Wes Moore
Thank you, brother.
- [01:43]
Paul Rykoff
Happy fourth, man.
- [01:44]
Wes Moore
Happy Fourth.
- [01:45]
Paul Rykoff
It's good to see you. I miss you. It's always good to see you.
- [01:49]
Wes Moore
I miss you, man. I miss you.
- [01:50]
Paul Rykoff
But.
- [01:51]
Wes Moore
Go Knicks. Congratulations.
- [01:52]
Paul Rykoff
We're going to get to that. I'm going to get to that. We're going to get to July 4th. We're going to get to Maryland. But I want to. I want. I want to talk about all that. But it was really good to see you and your mom in New York. It was good to see you. It was great to see your mom.
- [02:05]
Wes Moore
It was so good, man. Honestly. Honestly, the most beautiful thing about all this stuff is everything that is about us is a tribute to them because, you know, you just realize, man, if it's not for. If it's not for our folks, it's not for, you know, for. For all those people who sacrifice for us, man. Like, none of this stuff is real. So it was. It was. It's always nice to see them get
- [02:26]
Paul Rykoff
their flowers and, you know, your mom gives a good pep talk. You know, I went over and gave her a hug, and I haven't seen her in person in years, you know, and I Just feel a need to hug her and to thank her and so proud of her and you and the whole family. But she flips it. And she was, like, giving me a pep talk. She said, I see you on tv, keep going, and it's just contagious, right?
- [02:48]
Wes Moore
She loves you. She. She loves you. But honestly, Paul, it's like, you know, I really do believe that people in this moment who don't just bring, you know, facts, but who bring light to the spaces that they walk into. I cannot tell you enough. And this is real. And I'm saying this to you as a dear friend. I cannot tell you enough how much your energy moves people and how much it inspires the energy in others. So what she said is not just. Not just honest, but what you said is shared by a lot of folks.
- [03:21]
Paul Rykoff
Well, we got to make it so contagious, especially this summer, which is going to be an important summer, a trying summer. You know, we've got everything from the World cup to the possible invocation of the Insurrection Act. I mean, it's. It's everything, and it's all coming at us. But let me ask you the question I ask of everyone. You. You were one of our very first guests five years ago. Where are you, my friend, and how are you?
- [03:46]
Wes Moore
You know what? I'm doing really well. I'm actually in D.C. right now, and I'm excited to get out of here and go back to Maryland. But I'm in D.C. because I was meeting with our congressional delegation about some of our shared priorities and things I'm gonna work on. And we're just coming off our election, our primary election, where now I was really grateful, because it's not just that we performed very well, and I'm grateful for the people of Maryland for the overwhelming voter support, but also, it's. We had an entire slate called the Leave no One behind slate.
- [04:17]
Poetry/Spoken Word Artist
And.
- [04:18]
Wes Moore
And you'd appreciate this, Paul, because it's like, there isn't an ideology nor a party that made me endorse somebody. The question was, are you there to disrupt the status quo? Are you there to do things differently? Are you there to stop being a place of no and slow and start being a place of yes. And now if you are willing to do that, I would support you. So we supported a whole series of candidates all across the state of Maryland, and we did amazingly well, like, wildly, you know, wildly successful. And I think it's because people said that this is not about a party, and it's not about, you know, oh, are they. Are they a Progressive, Are they a moderate? Are they this? Are they that? The question was, are. Are they a public servant who believes in disrupting the systems that were hurting the people? And that is what we saw all across the state of Maryland. So I'm really happy, so you know,
- [05:15]
Paul Rykoff
that I get that story and I'm tracking on that story and I'm rooting. Congratulations. But, you know, the story this last couple weeks has been about Mamdani and his shine and his crew and his endorsements and his power. But I feel like I've talked a lot about it on the show, about how I think they've run the table on the primaries. Cause they understand how they work. But I think the more durable story and the more durable political message, especially with independence, is gonna be yours. And I don't feel like that's getting enough shine. And maybe July 4th is the right time to do it. But you've been working to bring people up like you always have. I was thinking about the SAVE Act. Trump's SAVE act is in the news a lot this week. But you were around for the other SAVE act, the Clay Hunt SAVE act, the Real American Veterans act, right where we were all at the White House. We all got together and brought together Nancy Pelosi and John McCain, Republicans and Democrats are all in the same room. President Obama signed it. But, you know, we had like a hundred of our leaders in that room. And you're lifting those leaders up. And I think that's always been a part of who you are. But I'm going to tell you, you don't have a lot of stuff that's underreported. I feel like this is underreported when in the context of the national landscape,
- [06:23]
Wes Moore
I, you know, and, but, but honestly. And that's okay. I mean, because I get it. And I think that, you know, what, what the mayor was able to do, you know, in the city of New York was, was important and it was noteworthy. I just think that when you look at what we were able to do in the state of Maryland, that it was not about this idea of, is it DSA versus this or progressive versus this, that. Actually, what I was asking for the people who we supported is break free of all of that. That. There is no. I'm not asking for you to pledge allegiance to an ideology. I'm not asking you to pledge allegiance to a. To a group. I'm not asking you to pledge allegiance to a party. What I'm asking you to do is pledge allegiance to progress, pledge allegiance to say, we are Going to focus on the things that people are asking us to focus on. And, you know, when I came on board, remembering, as you know, you know, I don't come. I didn't come from a political party, though. No, I'm not here because the Democratic Party said, we think it's time for you to be governor. I ran against that. Right. And we won overwhelmingly. And if you look at what we're able to do since I've become the governor, we've been able to, yes, have the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. And we've been able to do the largest mass pardon in the history of the United States of America. When I pardoned over 175,000 misdemeanor cannabis convictions that we were able to say, we're gonna raise a minimum wage. And we're able to add now over 55,000 new businesses inside of the state of Maryland that I think we're just saying we just want to disrupt these systems that continue to allow people to suffer in silence. And when I thought about the candidates who I wanted to support endorse in this last race, those are the candidates who we supported. And overwhelmingly, those were the candidates that the people of my state said, that's who we're going to rock with. And so I do think that is an important story.
- [08:16]
Paul Rykoff
Yep, Yep. And candor is love. So I'm candid and saying I hope you will find independence that you can support as well. Because, you know, that's, you know, my bag. And what we're going to talk about always on this show, and I do, and I do.
- [08:29]
Wes Moore
The fastest growing political party in this country is independence.
- [08:34]
Paul Rykoff
You know it, you know, or no party is none of. None of the above. Right. I want to get to that in a second, but I got a top topic. This is going to be a wild
- [08:44]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
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- [10:15]
Paul Rykoff
And there's something I got to talk to you about, something that I do care deeply about, and it's the Knicks. You grew up a Knicks fan, you know, and I want to ask you two questions. One, like, as a leader, I think it's actually really, really important to hear people talk about what happened because it was a, it was, it was a shift in joy. I have never seen so many happy people in one place in my life. And people need that joy, which I think feeds into your message in a lot of ways. And I think that joy is contagious. So I want to get your reactions to that. I want to ask you if you want to have them. They're probably going to put up statues for you anyway. But if you want to put really big statues, can you bring an NBA team to Baltimore?
- [10:55]
Wes Moore
Well, first, I gotta say, I, I am, I'm so happy for, for New York. But more importantly than New York, I'm happy for Knicks fans because this has been a hard road. You know, this has been a time when the Knicks just have a chronically have just had bad team after bad team after bad team. The Knicks chronically have made bad draft pick after bad draft pick after bad draft pick. And the times when it seemed like the Knicks finally got it clicking, when you were looking at a starting lineup where you had the, you know, the John Starks, or you had the Derek Harpers or you had the Charles Oakleys and you had the Patrick Ewings, like the time when it looks like, oh my goodness, like they're really putting together a squad or the Allen Houstons, then they had another problem. That problem was called Michael Jordan. And they had the best, the really the best Knicks squad. And I would argue that. And listen, all you Knicks fans out here, fight me on this if you want, but those old Knicks teams during the 90s would probably beat this past Knicks team that won the championship this year. Right? Even though I'm not putting nothing against Jalen Brunson at this point. But if you look at just talent for talent, you know, those teams probably would beat this Knicks team. The problem is they had to exist during the time of the Chicago Bulls. And the Chicago Bulls just went on in, like, a completely unprecedented run. Maybe you could argue with the. With the Boston Celtics is, you know, the only one that you could argue that during the Bill Russell years. And so Knicks fans has just been chronically, chronically disappointed. And so this was a time when it all kind of came together. The right coach with the right philosophy with the right players, and all the players with a bit of a chip on their shoulder about the fact that each and every one of them were overlooked. There are no stars on. There's nobody on this team who, ever since they were 10 years old, people were telling them, you're the next, and then fill in the blank. It was constantly people who were told, well, maybe you should try something else.
- [13:02]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
Right?
- [13:02]
Wes Moore
And that's what made this team so special. And so I'm especially so, again, I'm happy for New York, but more importantly, I'm happy for Knicks fans. Because if you're a real Knicks fan, you've seen everything over these past 50 years. And. And that's why I think this.
- [13:20]
Paul Rykoff
This year, my entire life. But I think there's also so much power in the fact that, you know, people are feeling shitty in large parts of this country. They feel beaten down. They feel like Knicks fans. Yeah, but, you know, my kids. My kids know now. Never give up. Never give up. You could come back from anything. We can come back from Trump. We can come back from all of this. And I think that's the message. But I'm not letting you off the hook, like, why Baltimore should have an NBA team. I want to share that love with you. And, like, every time I look at it, I'm like, baltimore doesn't have an NBA team.
- [13:48]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
How is that happening?
- [13:50]
Wes Moore
Right? Especially for the fact that Baltimore, I think, is maybe the most interesting story in the United States of America right now. Think about this man in 2022. I think about what was going on in Baltimore when I first became the governor. Right. In 2022, Baltimore was averaging about a homicide a day. In 2022. In 2022, Baltimore had over 17,000 vacant homes inside of it. Understanding the Fact that it used to be a population of about 930, 40,000 people. Now it becomes a population of just under 600,000.
- [14:21]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
Right?
- [14:22]
Wes Moore
The fastest population loss besides Cleveland and Detroit over a period of time. You look at the fact that Baltimore had the inner harbor, the downtown area in Baltimore was in receivership, right? They look at the fact that the Baltimore Orioles were seven months away from losing their lease, seven months away from not being in Baltimore anymore. That was the Baltimore that I walk into now. Baltimore and the state of Maryland has amongst the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the United States of America. The homicide rate in Baltimore is down upwards of 60, 70, 65% since our administration's come on board. The last time the homicide rate was this low in Baltimore. I wasn't born yet. About a quarter of the of the vacant home rate in Baltimore is now fixed and closed. And we're on pace now in the next 13 years to have a vacant, a vacancy rate in Baltimore of zero. That we're now looking at a downtown that has a flourishing future. The Baltimore Orioles we locked in for a 30 year lease. The Pregness we have locked in will be in Maryland and in Baltimore forever. Like the momentum we are seeing in Baltimore is one of the most interesting stories in America right now. And we're working in partnership with the mayor who's doing a great job, working in partnership with local law enforcement, working in partnership with community groups, working in partnership with the private sector that like this is a great moment for Maryland and a great moment for Baltimore. So maybe we'll throw on, maybe we'll throw on a baseball, a basketball team on that too.
- [15:50]
Paul Rykoff
I mean, the cherry on top is an NBA team. I mean, Vegas is going to get a team probably Seattle deserves a team, right? But you know, there's enough room, enough great players and great basketball to go around. And I'll tell you what, Pritzke, you may run against Pritzker for president, but he lost the Bears. I think he's done. I mean, he lost the Bears, they're leaving Chicago. He's done. There's no way, I mean, if you bring, you know, a basketball team into Baltimore, you might be able to wrap this thing up. All right? I got to keep it moving because your team's going to be on me. And you got to go like catch passes from Lamar Jackson or whatever you do in the summer. You know, you go and hit homers. Alonzo. Right. But let me, let me ask you to get to an issue that is very important to me. That's below the radar. You talked about it. Independence of 45% and rising in Maryland. It's about a million independents. Right. It's about 22% of overall voters. Maryland's in the past. It's still a closed primary run by the parties instead of by the voters. Public funds going to private primaries that vets like me who are independent can't vote in. If you were a vet, if you were an independent and you're still a vet, you can't vote in that closed primary. You spoke out in a very powerful way on real time and you said you support open primaries. Can you go further? I mean, are you going to help us get this done in Maryland and show independence, I think, the proper respect and equality that we deserve in Maryland and lead the rest of the Democratic Party and the other governors and doing the same?
- [17:17]
Wes Moore
Yeah. And you're right. I've said it before and now I'll say it again. You know, my opinion is this whole system that we've had before, it needs to be reevaluated. You know, because look at it this way, I feel like. And again, it's not just my opinion. There's data behind this. Is that the challenge we have is that I actually think part of the problem that we have in so many of these congressional races is, is there is a corrosion of how people run. Right. So less than 10% of all congressional primaries, you know, or let's. Let's take. Congressional races are competitive.
- [17:57]
Paul Rykoff
Yeah.
- [17:57]
Wes Moore
Right. So by the time you get to a general election, it's not a competitive race. And I think you see that all across the country. I think you see it in Maryland, but I think you see it everywhere else and part. So if you're an independent, you don't have a vote until November. Chances are by November, the race is already over. And so for a lot of independents, there is a forcing mechanism that for a lot of them, they're then forced to register as a Democrat or Republican, even if they don't feel that that party best represents them. Now, to be clear, I don't think anybody who just swallows the ideology of a political party, I don't think is thinking hard enough.
- [18:37]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
Right.
- [18:38]
Wes Moore
Cause I don't think either political party have the market cornered on good ideas now. However, I will say, though, that there still has to be a way of being able to bring these independent voices into this conversation, because particularly on the congressional side, I mean, like, the biggest threat a person who's in Congress has is a person to their flank. If you're a Democrat, your biggest threat, in most cases, your biggest threat is someone running to your left. If you're a Republican, in most cases, the biggest threat you have is someone running to your right. So there has to be a better way of us to think through that. I think we need national redistricting reform inside of this country. But I still also believe that there, you know, again, my personal belief is that we have to be able to do more to think about is our closed primaries on the congressional side. Is that something that we should, that we can still stand by?
- [19:31]
Paul Rykoff
I appreciate it, man. I mean, you know, we have a primary problem in this country and it's driving the country farther and farther apart. Fewer people and more extreme people are deciding our elections. And I think this is actually should be a central point for anybody who wants to run for president, anybody who wants to speak nationally about the kind of reform that's necessary because, you know, 25% of the people shouldn't be deciding for the 100% that are in the state or in the district. So I appreciate your leadership on it. I hope we can work together on it. Keep you've been a leader on national service. You've been a leader on incarceration, you've been a leader on young men and boys, you've been a leader on the National Guard. I think this is an issue where your leadership has been critical. I want to celebrate it and, you know, I'm going to work with you on it. All right, let's get to something good.
- [20:15]
Wes Moore
Something good.
- [20:19]
Paul Rykoff
All right. We got to finish with something Good. And it's July 4th. So I just want to say, you know, I think July 4th has been kind of co opted in a lot of ways by Trump, especially this time. And people aren't sure how to feel about July 4th. But I want to remind everybody, it's America's birthday.
- [20:36]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
It's not his.
- [20:36]
Paul Rykoff
And the flag belongs to all of us, not to him or any one person. And it's a time to be together in community and enjoy. And you know what? Everybody likes a birthday party. So let's enjoy a birthday party for our great country. And I want to celebrate your part in that. You are such a great demonstration of patriotism, of leadership, of community. You do it the right way, you have great integrity, your family, all of what we've seen and watched and rooted for for so many years is, is going to come together as anybody watches you around this time. But I think you're going to lead us forward as well. And I just want to say something good is July 4th. And I wanted to give you an opportunity to share with the country and especially the independent Americans. What's your July 4th message, Mr. Governor?
- [21:16]
Wes Moore
You know, my. My July 4th message is that. Is that we have to focus on the work of patriotism. You know, I'm going to spend July 4th giving an address that is. Is. Is in many ways going to serve as kind of programming from what we're going to see in Washington. Because I just think that this president is uniquely incapable of meeting the moment, uniquely where we are going to have a celebration of 250 years of what I believe is the greatest experiment in world history, and he's gonna make it about himself by doing a political rally. There's something so warped and just distasteful about this because it's not about him. It's about us. It's about who we are as a society. It's about the deeply uneven course, but the remarkable journey that this country represents. You know, I'm going to be giving an address from our state House. And think about it this way. That state house that I'm giving an address in was a building that was built by the hands of enslaved people. And I will be standing there giving the address as the first African American governor in the history of Maryland. That our history is complex, but that our strength is because we are a nation of sacrifice. Because I know that at this moment that there are many people who are feeling cynical and frustrated and disillusioned, and in fairness, they are not wrong. But I stand here as arguably the most improbable governor in this country, that when this country was founded 250 years ago, the idea that I will be a governor was actually impossible. But the reason that I can do this is because our journey wasn't simple, but it was sacrifice and service that fomented this Patriotism that we are the thing that makes us great is not nationalism. It is patriotism because nationalism is about a person or a group. Patriotism isn't about an idea. It's about a hope. And the reason that I and you and so many others are patriotic is not because it's attached to an individual, but it's because it's attached to a future that we are all going to be a part of. And that's the thing I want people to remember in all this time, is that our future is ours, not his. It is ours, but we have to then be willing to go and put in the work and know that we are a nation of strength, because we are a nation of sacrifice.
- [24:05]
Paul Rykoff
Get your flags out, people. This is going to, I think, pull people to pull the flags out that maybe have been reluctant to fly them and remind you why you should and feel proud about this country. I'm so grateful for all of your leadership, but something in particular, I have been issuing a national call for leaders to offer counter programming not just to this country, but to the world. The world needs to hear. I said that Barack Obama should speak every day and just offer a counter narrative to the world on not Donald Trump. And all these World cup visitors are seeing all this stuff that's not what they see on tv. And this narrative, you are in a unique position to be able to offer it and to give people hope and to give people a redefinition of patriotism and to take us forward. So I'm grateful for your continued leadership, for your friendship and for your example and for always being somebody our kids can look up to at a time when they really need it. My friend, you are a true patriot and a great American. And I appreciate you always giving us time and focusing on everything, man, always.
- [25:03]
Wes Moore
I love you, brother. I love you. I'm grateful for you. And go Knicks.
- [25:07]
Paul Rykoff
I'm telling you, man, we can lend you the Knicks. I mean, you invite them down, maybe they can come visit you because I don't know if they're all going to go to the White House, they should definitely stop by.
- [25:15]
Kalshi Advertiser/Announcer
Far away.
- [25:16]
Wes Moore
We're not that far away. And I bet you our food is better.
- [25:18]
Paul Rykoff
Yeah, you might be able to get the nets. I mean, they're moving a lot. Maybe you can get the nets to move to Baltimore. I don't know. We'll see. All right, ladies and gentlemen, it is the great and powerful Wes Moore. I'm thankful he's returning. You know, we're divided, but here at Independent Americans, we're working to change that. Bringing light to contrast the heat. If you're among the now 45% of Americans who are independent and growing, this is your place, especially if you're from Maryland. Our independent movement is the hope for the future. You heard it today from Governor Westmore. Country over party, people over politics, light over heat. Challenging the status quo and fueling a new movement. So invite others to declare their independence. Share this far and wide, and especially around July 4th. Stay vigilant, my friends, because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Wes Moore has been paying it. We're all paying it. We're all in it together. You're not alone in your vigilance. I'm your host, Paul Rykoff. Thank you for tuning into Independent Americans. Happy birthday, America. Happy Independence Day. Happy Independence Day. And stay vigilant, America. Stay vigilant
- [26:17]
Poetry/Spoken Word Artist
for those without a clue and when you wake it's time to grow and it's not cool to believe in school but if I can say one thing I've seen the children of the revolution and the good trouble they can bring he says the red and blue are dead and independent is an attitude an island in the sea of rhetoric and acrobatic oh, he tells me the left and right Our dreams for those without a clue and when you wait it's time to grow Powered by righteous media.