Over the past few weeks, I have publicly and privately extended an open invitation to Vice President Harris to join me on my podcast "The Shawn Ryan Show." The show is regularly ranked among the most downloaded podcasts in the United States. We have more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and this summer, my show was the most popular podcast in the United States on Spotify. As the Washington Post reported, we had preliminary discussions with the Harris campaign about an appearance, but have not succeeded in finalizing a date.
I only have one goal in extending this invitation which I hope VP Harris accepts: the truth.
We're teetering on the precipice of the most consequential presidential election in America's esteemed history. Ballots are already in the mail and polling places already experiencing record early turnout, yet the American people have been stripped of one thing in this election cycle: a true look at their candidates. We've been denied an unvarnished, unmanipulated, unfiltered, uncensored, unbiased glimpse into the people and the policies pledged to serve our great nation.
I personally don't feel that we've heard enough, especially from Vice President Harris, to make informed decisions this November. She was added to the top of the ticket at a historically late date, and I—like millions of Americans—am still trying to figure her out, what she believes and stands for.
I want to have those questions answers in an open conversation for the benefit of my millions of followers.
It's a tenuous state of affairs when even truth is politicized and polarized. Unfortunately, the reality of misinformation and echo chambers has created precisely that situation. Instead of hearing from candidates, Americans are hearing from propagandized pundits spewing warped versions of platforms shoved through close-minded channels.
Party lines have never felt more entrenched than they do in 2024, with each party shadow boxing in the far corners of their rings, never even stepping close enough to their opponent to land a jab or hook. Critical thinking has given way to conspiracies and sheep following.
Instead of opening dialogue, we close ranks.
I've lived my life in service to this great nation, and I believe wholeheartedly that it is my duty now to encourage us all to engage in active listening, healthy—and lively—dialogue. It's more than a nicety. It's our civic and moral obligation.
The motivation for my invitation to Vice President Harris has never been self-serving, entrapping, or baiting and switching. It's based foremost in service to the United States, not dissimilar to the service the Vice President has pledged herself to as a presidential candidate in this monumental election.
Americans deserve to hear more than political ads and quips ready-made for social media snippets. While gone are the days of fireside chats around the radio, the depth and richness of those addresses brought the country closer, if not in agreement, at least in understanding.
Can the same be said today? Do we know, do we truly know, who it is representing us at all levels of government?
I venture to say no.
Instead, what we see is encased in a haze of malicious political confusion that separates us from one another and from the singular truth that a strong democracy will be our true north as we encounter threats both foreign and domestic in the years ahead.
Vice President Harris: Join me. Step away from your rallies and step into the homes of my listeners, many of whom may be surprised to learn about your policies, and more importantly, who want to know the truth behind the presidential candidates before them.
candidly, genuinely, and most importantly, honestly.
Shawn Ryan is the creator and host of the hit podcast "The Shawn Ryan Show." Ryan, himself a former U.S. Navy Seal and CIA Contractor with 14 years of service spanning multiple combat operations, developed the series to document the untold stories of war, loss, and redemption from the men and women who lived them.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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