In this episode of Left Out Loud, Ally sits down solo with John Hsu, a Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District, just hours after he officially made the ballot. John talks about why he ran in 2024, why he is back in 2026, and how his campaign is rooted in grassroots organizing, labor solidarity, anti-war politics, and a rejection of corporate PAC and AIPAC money.

Links and Resources

• John Hsu for Congress
• Ballotpedia candidate profile for John Hsu

Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Left Out Loud on social media. Share this episode with someone who wants a deeper, more grounded conversation about Iran, war, and U.S. foreign policy.

• (00:10) - Ally opens the episode and introduces John Hsu as a progressive candidate running in New Jersey’s 6th District
• (01:13) - John joins the show and shares the breaking news that he officially made the ballot
• (01:53) - John’s political background, Bernie organizing, and local progressive work
• (03:13) - Why he first ran in 2024, including Palestine and frustration with the incumbent
• (04:13) - What is different about the 2026 run, including AI and opposition to war with Iran
• (06:13) - Frank Pallone’s long tenure and John’s view on term limits
• (08:13) - Why Democratic incumbents have structural advantages in primaries
• (10:13) - From software engineer to candidate, and how Department of Education cuts affected his work
• (11:16) - What DOGE-era cuts did to federal education data and international testing
• (13:19) - John’s environmental platform, public transit, and why EVs alone are not enough
• (15:23) - Environmental justice fights, stopping a power plant, and saving public land from privatization
• (17:25) - How his software background shapes the way he thinks about government systems
• (20:30) - Bernie Sanders, progressivism, and where John thinks the movement still falls short
• (23:33) - Supporting striking nurses and fighting for safer staffing ratios
• (26:36) - Why Democrats have lost ground with working-class voters
• (29:45) - John confirms he takes no corporate PAC money and no AIPAC money
• (30:49) - Voters on the doors are already asking about outside money
• (32:50) - How listeners can support the campaign, from small donations to following along online
• (34:51) - Closing thoughts and Ally wraps the episode

In this episode of Left Out Loud, Ally and Seth are joined by Phil Walker for a wide-ranging conversation on Iran, the Middle East, and the long shadow of U.S. foreign policy in the region. After one of Phil’s recent Substack videos took off, the hosts brought him on to break down the history, context, and current realities behind the latest conflict involving Iran.

Phil shares how he got into foreign relations, what it was like working in and around the Middle East for years, and why Americans often misunderstand the region. The conversation moves from Iran’s history and U.S. intervention to the Gulf War, Iraq, international law, media failures, Trump’s role in the current crisis, and the broader consequences of endless war. It is a detailed, candid discussion about power, credibility, propaganda, and the cost of American decision-making abroad.

Links and Resources

• Phil Walker on Substack: https://substack.com/@phillipjameswalker
• Phil Walker’s video commentary on Iran
• Discussion of international law, UN authorization, and U.S. military intervention
• References to foreign and international media coverage, including Al Jazeera and the BBC

Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Left Out Loud on social media. Share this episode with someone who wants a deeper, more grounded conversation about Iran, war, and U.S. foreign policy.

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:11) - Ally introduces Phil Walker and explains how his Substack video caught her attention
• (00:56) - Phil joins the show and talks about the unexpected response to his first Substack video
• (01:32) - Phil’s background in foreign relations and why the Middle East is often misunderstood in the U.S.
• (02:34) - Phil explains his personal experience living in the region and pushes back on one-dimensional stereotypes
• (05:00) - Iran’s history, the Shah, and why U.S. intervention left such a lasting mark
• (08:40) - Phil explains how he entered the foreign service and how postings are assigned
• (12:00) - His work in Iraq after the invasion and the effort to plan a transition back to civilian government
• (15:08) - Egypt, Yemen, and working with the British government after his U.S. government experience
• (16:10) - Phil reflects on being in Saudi Arabia during the lead-up to the Gulf War
• (18:07) - Why the Gulf War had international legal backing, and how that contrasts with current actions
• (19:00) - Phil says today’s Iran conflict resembles an unprovoked attack without legal justification
• (21:01) - Iraq war fallout: lives lost, regional destabilization, and the rise of ISIS
• (22:00) - The hosts pivot to what is happening in Iran now and the lack of a coherent U.S. message
• (24:00) - Trump, political pressure, and the search for an “exit ramp”
• (27:00) - Why Iran has no reason to trust U.S. commitments without a credible third-party guarantor
• (30:00) - Why Phil believes Americans need foreign media sources to understand what is really happening
• (31:00) - Why a ground war in Iran would be catastrophic and unwinnable
• (33:00) - Israel, Gaza, and the danger of domination replacing any real peace strategy
• (36:00) - Gas prices, inflation, and how war hits ordinary people economically
• (36:40) - Green energy, Seth’s question about Phil’s farm, and the long-term cost of missed policy choices
• (39:00) - How long this conflict could last and what Trump’s budget request signals
• (42:00) - Whether Trump will need a fall guy if the war becomes politically untenable
• (45:00) - Final thoughts and appreciation for Phil’s perspective
• (46:00) - Ally and Seth debrief the conversation and reflect on the value of Phil’s expertise

In this episode of Left Out Loud, hosts Ally Warhol and Seth Hagan sit down with Victoria Broderick, a grassroots candidate running for Congress in Tennessee’s 4th District. Victoria shares what pushed her from concerned citizen to candidate after the overturning of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, what she learned from her first run, and why she is continuing to build a people-powered campaign centered on safety, affordability, freedom, and equity. The conversation also covers reproductive rights, Tennessee politics, universal pre-K, campaign financing, labor and economic pressure, and what it means to run without corporate PAC or AIPAC money.

Links & Resources

• Victoria Broderick campaign website: Victoria4Tennessee.com

As Mentioned in This Episode

• Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
• Roe v. Wade and the impact of its overturning
• Tennessee’s trigger ban
• Afton Bain
• Scott DesJarlais
• Universal pre-K
• 2018 tariffs and their downstream effects on logistics jobs
• AI guardrails for consumers and workers
• Palestinian people / pro-peace pledge
• TikTok activism and online voter education
• The West Wing
• The American President
  Subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on social media. Share this episode with someone who should be part of the conversation, and support independent voices helping shape the future of politics.

• (00:00) - 00:00:00 – Intro
• (00:00) - 00:00:40 – Introducing Victoria Broderick
• (00:00) - 00:01:20 – Victoria’s background and what pushed her to run
• (00:00) - 00:02:34 – Personal story: pregnancy complications, IUD failure, and miscarriage
• (00:00) - 00:03:44 – Roe overturned during maternity leave
• (00:00) - 00:04:12 – Starting TikTok activism and becoming the “friendly neighborhood liberal”
• (00:00) - 00:05:06 – Looking back at the 2024 campaign results
• (00:00) - 00:06:14 – Growing name recognition across the district
• (00:00) - 00:06:33 – How Victoria and Seth connected through TikTok
• (00:00) - 00:08:43 – Afton Bain’s momentum in Tennessee
• (00:00) - 00:08:45 – Supporting other Democratic candidates in the state
• (00:00) - 00:12:39 – Tennessee’s supermajority and the political landscape
• (00:00) - 00:15:08 – Universal pre-K and why it matters to working families
• (00:00) - 00:18:55 – Opponent spotlight: Scott DesJarlais
• (00:00) - 00:19:54 – Past controversies surrounding the incumbent
• (00:00) - 00:25:08 – A millennial perspective on leadership
• (00:00) - 00:26:20 – Victoria’s generation, worldview, and political influences
• (00:00) - 00:28:50 – Education and early career path
• (00:00) - 00:30:27 – How the 2018 tariffs affected her logistics job
• (00:00) - 00:32:02 – The pandemic and economic disruption
• (00:00) - 00:35:04 – AI, worker protections, and guardrails
• (00:00) - 00:35:59 – Generational trauma and resilience
• (00:00) - 00:36:44 – “Fun size and feral”
• (00:00) - 00:37:58 – Refusing corporate PAC and AIPAC money
• (00:00) - 00:38:45 – How listeners can donate and support the campaign
• (00:00) - 00:40:45 – Victoria’s platform: safety, affordability, freedom, and equity
• (00:00) - 00:44:39 – Post-interview debrief with Ally and Seth