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My guest today made a career of serving her community before she became the US representative for Hawaii, Second district. She served within the military and was deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait, during those hard moments, she learned how to stay focused on what truly mattered. In this conversation, Tulsi is extremely open about facing political attacks, and how she was and is able to remain focused among such scrutiny and how she maintains care of herself and others while fulfilling a busy scheduled filled with important obligations.
Resources Mentioned:
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Time Stamps:
[00:00:00 – 00:10:00] Tulsi’s Early Life and Entry into Politics
[00:10:01 – 00:20:00] Challenges and Lessons in Congress
[00:20:01 – 00:30:00] Military Service and Its Impact
[00:30:01 – 00:40:00] Advocating for Change and Personal Growth
[00:40:01 – End] Vision for the Future and How to Engage
Show Transcript:
[00:00:00] Tulsi Gabbard: There’s the, the girl who loves the ocean who grew up in Hawaii. There’s the Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard. And then there’s the former Congresswoman or the person that people see on TV. To me, there’s no separation between any of those contexts because Who I am has never changed. I didn’t run for re election to Congress in 2020 and people were like, Are you crazy?
You could have had that seat for the rest of your life. But that, that has never and is not my goal. It’s to just hold office.
[00:00:33] Gabby Reece: doesn’t feel right. Like a lot of these people, Senate and Congress are thinking about the greater good. It feels like it’s who am I needing to please so I can stay in this position.
[00:00:44] Tulsi Gabbard: If we are unhappy with the direction of our country, we, and only we have the power to change it. When we treat each other with that deep sense that is rooted in our spiritual connection as people, then we can have true dialogue.
[00:00:58] Gabby Reece: Hi everyone. So today we’re talking about one of my favorite topics, mindset.
Every day, there are a million things that are vying for our attention. We’ve got our work, our homes, house repairs, grocery shopping, social media. I mean, the list can go on and on. And when you have so many different things fighting for your attention, it can be hard to focus on what really matters. And I think for most of us, it’s family and friends, our health, and certainly our community.
Well, my guest today has made a career. Of serving her community before she became the U S representative for Hawaii. Second district. She served within the military and was deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait. And during those hard moments, she learned really how to stay focused on what mattered. And in this conversation, Tulsi is extremely open about facing political attacks, because we know that that’s not easy and how she’s able to stay focused through the negativity and also how she takes care of herself while leading a crazy schedule.
Welcome to the Gabby Reese show. Let’s go.
Tulsa Gabbert. Thank you for, for joining me. I wish we could do this in person, but, uh, you’re a busy, busy woman. And I, I actually want to dive in straight there. I mean, you have a book that came out, uh, for love of country, and this is kind of your journey into making the decision to leaving the democratic party, which I think you chose in what age
[00:02:23] Tulsi Gabbard: 21, I joined the democratic party at 21.
I was. It’s getting ready to run for the state house of representatives, a seat in the state house in Hawaii. And, uh, you know, I did, I didn’t come from a family of, of partisan politics, I suppose. And so there was no, okay, well obviously this is the choice. And so it, it really caused me to think about. What party did I most align with at that time?
[00:02:51] Gabby Reece: gets me thinking, you know, it’s so interesting as somebody who’s not really political, but pays attention is in ways in your journey there’s, there’s sort of gatekeepers, right? So, so even when you running in 20, it’s like, they get to tell stories about you that go out in front of you because it’s about access and you know, all of that.
So I, I thought actually we could start with. You, the person, the woman, the, you know, someone who has served and kind of really hear from you, your journey, because I do see a lot of times because people don’t dig a little deeper and they only get smacked in the face with, Oh, this person’s this or that.
That, um, I would rather take the opportunity to hear, you know, your thoughts and feelings directly from you. And then also dive into, because you’re, you are a performance person. You, you train, you’ve served in the military, um, you, you’re a formidable person who is also very busy. And so like so many people, Citizens, you’re, you’re spinning a lot of plates. So maybe we could just start with, I want to start with why you’ve gone into politics in the first place.
[00:04:13] Tulsi Gabbard: certainly didn’t come from a place, I was never one of those kids, Gabby, who, um, said well I’m going to be president one day, or I’m going to be, you know, a senator one day. It never, it literally never crossed my mind.
My, my decision to run for the state house when I was 21 years old, Um, I didn’t have a bachelor’s degree at the time I had taken a break from school. And uh, my decision really came from my upbringing in Hawaii that had, that as you know, is for so many of us is so firmly rooted in our care for the Aina and caring for our home, our clean water, land and air and, and protecting our home.
And so, you know, I learned, I first learned how to swim at Ala Moana Beach Park in, in Hawaii. And, uh, so my love for the ocean began at a very, very young age. Um, I started to see as a teenager, there were um, A lot of politicians in Hawaii who, you know, they kind of saw that position as their post retirement gig and, uh, were more than happy, unfortunately, to grease the wheels and help out their buddies in this industry or another industry and not really care about our environment and true conservationism in, in Hawaii.
And so the thing that, that got me to start to think about Uh, government’s role and the role of the people was when there was a landfill developer on Oahu who was trying to build a landfill over one of our major water aquifers. And so, you know, I’m, I’m not a scientist, wasn’t back then, but it doesn’t take a scientist to understand that if you build a landfill directly over a water aquifer that serves over 30 percent of the population on the island of Oahu around, you know, 300, 350, 000 people.
That’s a recipe for disaster, whether it happens sooner or later. And so I joined a whole bunch of other people, uh, through a nonprofit to start collecting signatures and opposing, letting our government officials know that this was not okay. This is not, this is not an acceptable decision. The Senate president at that time was best friends with the landfill developer and he was trying to just like rubber stamp this thing through.
Uh, but the people got in the way and ultimately we were successful. That landfill was not built over that water aquifer and the water was protected. And so that was something that kind of triggered in me. It’s like, Oh wow. Okay. We can actually make a difference here. And that, that’s what ultimately drove, uh, there was an open state house seat where I was living in Ewa beach at the time.
And, and so I thought at that moment, it was a decision point. I could either go back to school and get a degree in political science and learn how to do this, you know, government change policy, this and that, or I have an opportunity to just go and do it. And, uh, it was very, very hard. Um, I didn’t have any, uh, political mentors, so to speak of, who said, okay, Tulsi, here you go.
This is what you do. One, two, three, four, five. I literally went and bought the voter registry list for like a hundred bucks, put together this black and white flyer, and then set out to go and start knocking on doors and talking to people.
[00:07:26] Gabby Reece: I’m always interested when people have the confidence to take on something that they don’t really. Is it, is it that the desire to help was so much greater than this being afraid of not knowing what to do? And when, as you’re going, did you find that if you did ask for help, there were people who were willing to sort of give you at least some knowledge or guidance? A little
[00:07:56] Tulsi Gabbard: At I was 21 years old running in a five way race. And, you know, there was an engineer, there was a, a primary care physician, there was a nurse. There were people who already were well established in their professions and their careers, all of us running for office for the first time. And so to be honest, not very many people gave me the time of day, uh, even when I did ask for help, um, I, I had to, I, I largely had to figure it out on my own, but I knew and understood, like, okay.
Ultimately, what wins an election? It’s the person who gets the most votes. Well, how do you go and get votes? You have to earn the trust of voters. and they get to choose who they want to hire. The biggest barrier for me really was I, I am a textbook introvert and super shy growing up. Fourth of five kids, my younger sister, extrovert, textbook extrovert.
And so I, I had it, you know, I had no issue, um, just sitting back as we were growing up as kids. Cause my sister did all the talking. I didn’t have to step outside of my comfort zone. Until that, until that point, really, when I decided to run for office and I was the hardest thing was to summon up the courage.
It wasn’t so much the how to do it. It was finding that confidence to go and knock on a total stranger’s door. and not know who is going to be behind the door. Maybe they’ll ask a question I didn’t know the answer to. I, I was rooted in my purpose and my motivation. That was clear. That’s what ultimately, um, uh, got me from one door to the next door, to the next door, to the next door.
But every single one was a struggle and a challenge because of these anxieties that I had within myself, um, and insecurities, frankly. Uh, but ultimately I won that race. Um, because I just kept every single bit, and I’m not exaggerating when I say between every door, I would go back to my car and sit there.
And we’re like, okay, well, gosh, that went fine. There was like this older Filipino lady in, in ever villages who answered the door and she gave me a cup of water and she was so nice. And then I go back to my car and try to psych myself up to the next door and be like, well, who’s going to be behind the next door?
Like this one could go terribly wrong. And it was this whole thing, um, that was only made possible because I kept on telling myself like, you’re not doing this for yourself. You want to be the change. Do you want to be a person who brings solutions to our community? You need to get over yourself and go knock on that next door.
[00:10:38] Gabby Reece: Yeah, I think that that’s, that’s a really powerful. Uh, when you have that kind of why it’s so interesting, but it’s more than 20 years later. And I have to say as someone who knows you briefly as a, I’m always interested when you take a person, especially, you know, when you’re from Hawaii, I do think there’s a different kind of, You know, Hawaii, everyone’s together, so there, you don’t learn a separation, you know, you don’t learn as much other or someone’s higher up and someone’s lower down.
I feel like there’s this togetherness and what is, what interests me is to see you now more than 20 years later and actually in the last, you know, sort of 7, 8 years is how do you, how are you both people? Cause like when I see politicians, because you have become a very, uh, poised and I think a prof, you know, a professional politician because that’s part of the job, right?
Like you’ve said, Hey, I’m making change. I want to change in policy. I got to get in there and make change from the inside. I’m so fascinated how you can bridge the two because sometimes you see people doing it and you think, Oh yeah, they’re. There’s sort of this disconnect, but how are you as this kind of whole and connected person who is sensitive, is from Hawaii, is interested in the environment, is interested in our society, and then you have to kind of go out there and, you know, slick, you know, kind of slickify, if you will.
How do you bridge those worlds? Because it’s very, it’s, I don’t think it’s so easy and you make it look really easy.
[00:14:26] Tulsi Gabbard: Uh, I just, I, I’m laughing. I remember the, when I announced that I was running for Congress, I had served in the Hawaii state legislature for one term. I, I left and volunteered to deploy to the Middle East with the Hawaii Army National Guard to Iraq.
Uh, I served in a medical unit, uh, went on a second deployment, came back, I ran for city council and then, and then I, I had the opportunity to run for Congress to really take those experiences that I had had overseas and experiencing the cost of war to go and be in that position as a decision maker. And I was chuckling a little because during my announcement.
Speech the, the, um, announcement that I made that I was running for Congress. I had a bunch of my friends from the army, uh, who came and who knew me in a different way. And this girl who I’ve known for since day one, I joined the army. Uh, after my speech was done, I went up to her. She’s like, Tulsi, I never knew you could talk so good.
And it was, it was funny to me because there, there is, There, you know, there’s, there’s the, the girl who loves the ocean who grew up in Hawaii. There’s the, you know, Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard. And then there’s the former Congresswoman or the, the person that people see on TV. To me, there’s no separation between any of those contexts because who I am has never changed.
And my purpose. has remained just as rooted and focused now as it was during that first day that I was knocking on doors and in eva villages, uh, in running for the state house and that purpose being focused on service. And yes, granted, it means like, okay, sometimes I got to brush my hair and put some makeup on to go in.
Like, Look presentable in front of a camera. So people hear what I say and aren’t thinking like, well, gosh, she didn’t brush her hair today. You know what I mean? And, and so it’s, it’s, I have never, um, I have never felt or, or thought of what I am doing as a political career. It’s not a career. Uh, it is a means for me to be able to try to serve and to try to be a person who brings about change.
and has a positive impact with my life. And, and quite frankly, it’s taken me in and out of political offices and positions. And, and people in politics have told me like, what are you doing? Walking away from this? Uh, I didn’t, I didn’t run for reelection to Congress in 2020. And people were like, are you crazy?
You could have had that seat for the rest of your life if you wanted to. Uh, but that, that has never, and is not, Is not my goal is to just hold office. It’s it’s every decision in my life really being made in answer to my introspection and prayer and reflection of how and where can I best be of service.
If that’s in a political office, great, I will maximize every opportunity. If it’s not, and it’s somewhere else, Awesome. I will maximize every opportunity and not allowing myself to be sucked into that political swamp or, or starting to mistake my identity as Congresswoman, blah, blah, blah, or whatever title happens to be on that door.
Like unfortunately too many politicians do. And I’ve seen it is once that becomes your identity, uh, especially in politics. Once you lose it, and everybody does at some point in time, I’ve seen friends of mine react horribly as though they don’t know who they are anymore without that title. And you see others who hold on to that title with all that they have, willing to sacrifice everything because they’re afraid of what sits on the other side of that.
Who are they, really, without that title and stature and attention and whatever it is? That goes along with them. And that’s where you see like, well, gosh, how, what happened to them along the way, someone who ran for office in the beginning, who seemed to have good intentions and, and was motivated for the right reasons.
And then, you know, Whether it’s years or decades later, you’re just like, God, who, who is this person? Uh, I, I think they don’t know who they are themselves outside of that superficial dressing.
[00:18:51] Gabby Reece: Yeah. I think it’s really fascinating. Cause it, again, as an outside person, you think, Oh, you’re, It doesn’t feel like a lot of these people, Senate and Congress, um, and even maybe some people in some of the executive offices are thinking about the greater good.
It feels like it’s who am I needing to please so I can stay in this position. Exactly. And I’m always fascinated. I have to say when I watch, nobody ever talks about what they’ll do. They just talk about what the other person is bad at their opponents. And I thought, okay, you’ve just talked for 15 or 20 minutes about how bad they are.
But like, we don’t talk about education. We haven’t talked about food. We haven’t talked about the medical, like they talk about none of that. It’s just, they’re terrible. And I always thought that that has become such an interesting and, um, You know, unproductive component of politics now where it isn’t, they’re not offering solutions, right?
They just, I’m, I’m less worse than that person. Cause let me tell you how bad they are. Um, yeah. So, and
[00:19:50] Tulsi Gabbard: it is, it’s a reflection of, of you hit it right on the head, Gabby. It’s, it’s about how do I stay in power? How do I hold on to this thing? And, and whether that’s partisan political power with one party or the other party, or it’s that personal, uh, that person’s individual sense of, of power that they think that they have and, and that.
they, they have lost that focus. If they had it in the beginning on why they’re actually there to bring solutions, to solve problems and to serve. And then it becomes easy. If you’re not bringing solutions, what do you have then all you can point to is, well, like, Hey, at least I’m. marginally better than the other guy Or maybe a lot or whatever it is, but it’s that fear mongering Um that that has been that that are are, you know elections have become consumed by And it’s it’s why I don’t blame people Who just completely tune out voters who just tune out because who, who wants to be surrounded by that kind of darkness and hopelessness constantly.
Yes, we need to point out and identify problems and we have to bring our own solutions to those problems.
[00:21:07] Gabby Reece: You know, because you are a person who really, I mean, you’re, you think outside the box. You do. I think by nature coming from Hawaii, your background, you sort of have this dual religious background that is, you know, deeply committed. Um, you know, it’s just a, it’s just from a different point of view, you’re a female.
Um, and you know, it’s interesting. I never, uh, think about male, female. And, you know, it’s sort of like capable that’s, those are my litmus, but you know, it, it is unusual when you see women where. It is kind of a boy’s club. It is, you know, and I’m sure less, but you have just a lot of things that make you an outside of the box kind of person.
I’m curious. Um, what is it that you think as somebody who really has maybe look behind the curtain more than any of us ever get to that people can do really right now to affect change because people Whether politics to use the word it’s broken or not. It’s just, it feels like it’s captured almost like, uh, you know, our, it just feels captured like a lot of things like our media, like so, so many other things.
And in order to get people not to tune out, cause I actually think we’re all hands on deck right now. I think every individual person can generate a change. And, you know, it’s like sort of all the collective, if the consciousness can do it there and maybe that’s naive, but I think the alternative of not.
Of giving up is silly. It’s worth it. I mean, I was at an airport the other day and I was walking next to this flight attendant and I thought, man, how many times has this lady walked through this airport? And so I said to her, like, Hey, you know, I just said something to her about like, how many times have you done this?
And she’s like 35 years. And then she said, I’ve been around the world and I wish people still understood. That we do get to live in the best country and it doesn’t mean we’re better than it’s just and it doesn’t mean there aren’t issues but it’s people realizing how good we actually really have it so what is it just, you know, big or small that you think the individual can do to contribute to sort of redirecting or getting this political system, um, that isn’t, that is kind of screwy into a better place.
Thank you.
[00:25:31] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah. It’s, it’s first of all, recognizing and recapturing our own power. Uh, you know, when we look back at what, what is it that makes our country, the great country that it is, uh, what, what, what would drive that flight attendant to make that statement? You have to go back to the foundation of, of how this country was built and it was built around the ideals.
centered around freedom, centered around a government of, by, and for the people, centered around, um, uh, the the mandate, frankly, and the call to action For every one of us as Americans, which is that our government only exists with the consent of the governed. And so while I understand the feeling of hopelessness that we all may feel at some point in time, given how powerful those in power have become, uh, and yes, it is those who hold the highest offices in the land.
It is also the big corporate for profit media. It is also the big tech and social media conglomerates. It is also, you know, the, the, the very, uh, the most wealthy, the multi billionaire funders who are driving and controlling a lot of what goes on in this, in this tier of people who are trying to, uh, create, create, A society in that they view should be our society and it really impacts it impacts education.
It impacts healthcare. It impacts our economy. It impacts the decisions that people in government make. It impacts our ability to make decisions as free people living in a free society. And so it’s easy to feel like, Hey, I’m just me trying to live my life or trying to raise my family or trying to get by.
What hope? Do I, or we have as everyday Americans against these people who seem to control all the levers of power and influence in our society. It’s a stark picture when, when you really take a step back and look at it until we go back to our founding documents in this country and, and the Federalist Papers, when we actually start to read again and understand how wise our founding fathers were in recognizing A democracy will always be fragile that people in power, unfortunately, often, uh, tend to abuse that power to stay in power.
And so what they, what they laid out was a form of governance. And this is what makes us the great country that we are is a form of governance that is rooted in we, the people. So, so remembering that and recapturing our power is the first and most important step step. That we need to take and this is not looking at the choice before us necessarily as, okay, well, what team are you on?
Are you the Democrat team, the Republican team or, or, you know, it, when I was in the Democratic party, I was, I was a vice chair of the DNC. One of the daily mantras that I heard at all of these rallies and everything else was vote blue, no matter who. And it drove me nuts because in any aspect of our lives, like, would, would you teach that to your kids in any, like, let’s say in business or educate, like whatever, like go follow this team blindly, accept whatever they tell you and don’t question it.
No, of course not. That that’s, that’s the opposite of what it means to live in a free society. And so, so my hope is, and this is the message I have in my book is the call to action at the end of the book, and it’s one I’m bringing everywhere I go is let’s remember who we are as Americans and the responsibility that comes with that, where if we are unhappy with the direction of our country, we and only we have the power to change it.
If we stay home and say, you know what, there’s no hope, uh, then there won’t be any hope, but we will be the ones who have made. That decision. And so yes, of course, that means casting your vote, make an informed vote. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, but make an informed vote that reflects those fundamental values.
Uh, have conversations with people who may not already be a part of your inner circle, listen to their concerns, share what’s on your heart. And, and we, the people can start to heal the very deep divisive wounds that exist. In our country. And you know, for, for those of us who have grown up in or spent a lot of time in Hawaii, it is about Aloha.
It is about treating each other with respect. It is about having dialogue and conversations and knowing like, Hey, it’s okay. You and I can disagree strongly on something and still respect and care for each other and know that, that, that our actions are important. Um, our actions to protect and defend our ability to live in a free society, which are under threat right now.
When we look at censorship and cancel culture and all this other stuff, that’s what allows us to, to thrive in an open marketplace of ideas and have the kinds of conversations that we can uniquely have here and, and that we, we take for granted. You can’t do this in many other countries in the world. And that, that’s my fear.
My fear is that too many of us. Feel that all hope is lost that that we are so far gone and that there’s nothing that we can do Well, if we allow ourselves to fall into that trap, we will wake up in an America where it will truly be Too late and we will be too far gone.
[00:31:23] Gabby Reece: It is. So there’s a, you know, a few things.
One, it feels sometimes like the system now people, I think, feel like, Oh, my vote doesn’t really matter. There’s, you know, there’s all these, maybe the system has, is either rigged or, you know, so it’s, it’s really reminding people to, to get involved. And, and to, and to, and to vote, but also you said it more clearly.
And this is, I personally want to support people as long as they’re not hurting themselves or other to live. However, it feels good. But in these places, it’s like when we’re all driving on the road, we’re sharing that space. We share this place, that freedom. We want, you know, high quality food. We want a right to educate the.
You know, our children and that means all of our children, right?
[00:32:10] Gabby Reece: Our children. And it, it does feel prior to COVID, but certainly wound up in COVID the, the perfect strategy to keep us divided. And quite frankly, a little bit hysterical. I mean, there’s a lot of hysterics and afraid, and, and then it feels like that a group a little bit younger is sort of saying, you know what, maybe.
Uh, the answer is actually to give up more of our freedom so that we can feel safe. And that’s another thing that really has is interesting to me, which is. That willingness, uh, cause younger people are supposed to be rebellious. They’re supposed to ask questions. They’re supposed to, you know, be able to have civil discord and, you know, learn different ideas, but it feels like that group through, you know, whether it’s technology and then COVID and who knows the million other things going on has really sort of said, like.
Well, we would maybe be willing to give up a little more to sort of feel like we’re safer. And I find it really, really interesting. So you deal with a lot of different types of people. How are you finding it the best way to communicate when people can be in such different places? I mean, and again, I don’t want to oversimplify it, but I feel like a lot of discussion is gone and it’s either like hysteria and yelling.
Or, you know, it’s, there isn’t sort of like, well, let me hear your idea, but also there isn’t a lot of backup for some of these ideas.
[00:33:49] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah. Like you push a little. They’ve seen it in a tweet or they’ve read a bumper sticker and that becomes the thing.
[00:33:55] Gabby Reece: What is the way, because my, my, one of my commitments is, is like, Hey, you like I need to show up as a, as a per, as a person, like I need to really show up as somebody who if a younger adult sees me, they go, well, they’re behaving and conducting themselves like an adult versus, you know, I think there’s a lot of bad behavior.
So I’m just curious in all of your travels and dealing with people from all different walks of life in the country, how, what is your most effective way to communicate and to You know, to each other, um, because we have gotten in such different places.
[00:34:33] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah. You know, it’s, it’s sometimes, um, you know, you can, you can come up to someone or, or have a conversation with someone where it seems like.
Um, there’s no, there, there’s no room. There is no open mind left. Um, but what I have found is that, um, in almost, not all, I’m sure there’s probably one or two here and there, but in those situations I have found that there is almost always at least one thing, at least one thing where you can find some commonality.
Um, there was a conversation that I had, um, as you can imagine, I, I’ve had a lot of people come up to me in different settings who were heated up or coming in for a fight, eager for a fight. And um, I just, you know, I, I’m not interested in fighting for the sake of fighting. If we’re going to have a conversation, let’s have a conversation.
And so I was, I was campaigning in 2020, uh, ended up in a very, very small, small rural town in Iowa. I think the population was probably around 500 people. The whole town centered around a town square that took me 10 minutes to walk around. And, uh, and one of the things that I always tried to do in every town that I visited was to go and meet, uh, you know, like the head of the local paper, the local radio station and, and just have a conversation.
Uh, and so I did. And I went and, uh, as I was about to go into the office of the head of the local paper who also had five other jobs and titles, um, I was told by this young guy who was taking us around, he’s like, just so you know, he is very eager to talk to you and fight with you around the topic of climate change.
I said, okay, good to know. And so I walked in and sat in his, his little office that was cluttered with stacks of paper everywhere. And I could tell he was friendly, but, but he was certainly, his energy was high. He was, he was ready for, uh, uh, uh, probably like a friendly sparring match. And, uh, and so I sat there and I listened and I let him tell me all the things that That he was prepared to tell me and instead of in that moment, I, I knew that if I started, you know, okay, well let’s go back and forth, punch, counterpunch, fact, counterfact.
It wasn’t going to go anywhere. I wanted to find out why he felt the way that he did. And so I started, I, I truly listened. I didn’t pretend to listen. I actually listened and I started to ask him questions about his family and how he grew out. And, of course, this is rural Iowa, a lot of farmers. And so he came from a generations of farmers.
And so we started talking about the quality of soil and how over time it’s being largely degraded, making it harder and harder for farmers to grow food. We started talking about water quality and how these massive, like multinational corporations who were putting these factory farms in around states like Iowa were contaminating the water That was making it hard for these family farms to exist.
It was making it so that if they took their dog for a walk, their dog could get sick and die from taking a drink out of the river. And so we started talking about very real things that he and I both cared about. We started talking about regenerative farming and actually being able to grow food that could feed your community.
Rather than just it being a monocrop for some kind of bigger corporation. I never used the word climate change at all. I don’t use it because it’s become nothing but a political trigger point. We talked about issues that he and I both cared about very much and walked away, uh, actually feeling a sense of fellowship, uh, and commonality and shared goals and interests and saying, look, we didn’t have time to cover anything else, but around these things, we knew that we could stand together as Americans who wanted to find solutions to these very real problems.
I have so many other stories that are similar to this, but really it starts with that. And I talk about Aloha in my book and I talk about it everywhere I go because When we treat each other with that deep sense that is rooted in our spiritual connection as people, as children of God, then, then we can have true dialogue.
And, and it doesn’t mean like people, people think too often like aloha or love just means you are, it’s some like superficial kumbaya, or you just roll over and let somebody dominate the conversation or the argument or you just give up. No. It’s rooted in, in, in a strength that comes from that spiritual foundation of standing up for what you care about standing up for the people who you care about and being able to find that connection with others so that we can actually make progress rather than allowing these other powerful forces to use these issues or these trigger words to tear us apart.
Why? Because they want to keep making money off of those multinational corporate factory farms, for example, and, and there are other, there are others that you could fill in the blank in. But, but that, that is the answer, Gabby, to me. I’ve experienced it myself over and over and over again. The power that can come from and the magic that can happen when we just treat each other with respect.
Yes, and also that means calling out those who are harming others. In either small or large ways to correct that injustice and that wrong that’s occurring. I can’t
[00:40:14] Gabby Reece: Help, but I was thinking about this earlier, again, because, I mean, listen, you served in the military, you, trained, you are a strong and strong minded person, um, who exercises a lot of restraint.
I saw you in an interview. With some chirpy ladies that just say whatever is written and you, I really appreciate it because you were directly confronting it like, Oh, some of you have said this, but yet there were still restraint. Where did you, do you think your family, you develop that in your family? Do you think it developed further because you’re in the military in these high stress environments and then in and politics?
Because I think what people. Don’t realize is to be thoughtful, to restrain yourself, to listen. Um, this takes a, this takes a lot of inner strength. So where do you, where do you get that from? And then how do you, and it’s also exhausting. Right. It’s easier just to, you know, what do they say? It’ll be like the best 15 seconds of your life before you’re apologizing or whatever to, to not do that.
Where, how do you practice? Where are you getting that from? Um, because it’s a, it’s a very overlooked trait.
[00:41:31] Gabby Reece: Someone can, um, not only listen, but really contain. And be thoughtful about their response.
[00:41:43] Tulsi Gabbard: It’s a really profound question. And, and, um, I don’t know that anyone’s ever asked me that before, but, but really it’s, it comes from a strong spiritual foundation that doesn’t just exist because it’s there, but comes from a very intentional choice every day.
Uh, to start my day rooted in, um, my, my prayer and my spending time in solitude and prayer in conversation with God and, and allowing, um, not allowing, but actually, uh, understanding the importance of knowing my purpose. And so when in these kinds of situations, uh, where people are slew, you know, name calling or throwing attacks or, you know, emotions may be running high.
Ultimately, um, I know number one, that these people don’t know who I am. They don’t know who I really am. And so it’s not about me for whatever reason they’re doing it. It’s more about them, their insecurity, or maybe they’re doing it for clicks or attention or applause or whatever it is. It’s not about me, and I’m also not going to allow them to invoke a reaction from me that would take me away from fulfilling my purpose.
And, uh, and so, you know, I wasn’t tempted in that exchange you’re talking about, for example, to, to react with emotion. It doesn’t mean I’m not, I obviously I have strong feelings, but those strong feelings are not rooted in, uh, Oh my gosh, you hurt my feelings and now I’m going to lash out at you. My strong feelings are, you know, in that example, they, they were directly calling into question, um, my service to our country and uniform and my commitment to, to our country.
And, and so while that, that was very offensive thing to say, the, the reason why they were doing it is because they want others to feel to learn a lesson from them making an example of me, which is why I went on there to confront them directly. We have to know that we can’t allow bullies, basically bullies.
We can’t allow them to, to do that. Um, but, but my, my level headedness, I guess, and, um, my focus is, is rooted in that spiritual foundation of knowing that I’m not doing this for me. This is not about me or trying to protect my image or anything else. It is about being able to be in that position to make a positive impact and to speak the truth and to be a person that speaks for peace and security and freedom for everybody.
[00:44:38] Gabby Reece: Do you, do you have that same restraint? Um, like in, you know, you’re married. Do you have that kind of runway even personally? Are you able to exercise that most times? Cause that, you know, I, I, I do it better in my marriage. I think my kids are the ones who could get me maybe cause I feel the most vulnerable.
With them. I’m not sure they might be the ones who really get it. Cause I, I really try to practice that, that kind of restraint. I always say, even if you go low, I’m going to, if I’m committed to staying high, I’m going to stay high. I’m not going to go low. Cause you go low. Right.
[00:45:13] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah.
[00:45:14] Gabby Reece: But I’m always curious, like.
You know, you’re tired, you’ve been on the road and, you know, something comes home. Or do you have that, do you have a different kind of practice that you do that personally?
[00:45:25] Tulsi Gabbard: You know, uh, my husband and I, we, when we first started dating, I was already in Congress and he was in Hawaii. And so a lot of our relationship was long distance.
So that creates an opportunity and a necessity for a lot of communication. And so that, that was how we started and how we got to know each other. Uh, and it continued. He, he doesn’t like DC. Surprise, surprise. He loves the ocean and surfing as much as I do. So, you know, he would, we would, we would take turns traveling back and forth, but, Um, that, that communication and that respect, um, laid fertile ground for that to be the basis for how we navigate through challenges or disagreements or obstacles that, that may stand before us.
And, you know, we’re like everybody there’s, there’s tough times and, and there’s, um, Uh, those moments where humility. And, um, and being able to truly listen is, is required, but, but, you know, we, we just, we, we’ve made it, we made it, uh, clear from the beginning. It’s, it’s one of those things where it’s just like, okay, whatever’s going on, you don’t go to bed at night with anything left unresolved and, um, and finding a way where even if there’s not a point of agreement at the end of it, it’s an acceptance and it’s a respect.
Of, of, um, the choice that we made together as partners and, and as, uh, as a husband and wife.
[00:47:00] Gabby Reece: I’m not going to lie, Tulsi. I’d love to see you flip your shit. I mean, honestly, I’d love to see you just, you know, once just like, Oh, it, it happens. It happens. I mean, it’d be amazing actually. Yeah. Um, cause there’s nothing scarier than, uh, a person like you who they finally get there and it’s like, Um,
[00:47:20] Tulsi Gabbard: Can I tell you, I was, you know, one of my jobs in the army was as a trainer for soldiers who wanted to become officers.
And so, you know, you see the movies, you have the drill sergeants and the people who are screaming and yelling. And so I was one of those basically for these soldiers. And what was funny is, is, um. Uh, you know, I, I have kind of a quiet way oftentimes of going about getting people in that situation to do what they need to do.
But uh, there were those moments where I had, I had to flip the switch and I, I did not exercise restraint. I remember one of them, one of them basically called one of the soldiers essentially called me a liar. And that, that is you, you, you question my integrity. Uh, you’re, you’re going to get a, a pretty, a pretty in your face response and she got it in front of everybody else.
[00:48:15] Gabby Reece: Yeah. Well, I mean, you have to, I think you have to, do you ever, you know, the times I, I mean, I’ve had some volleyball seasons that were pretty bad or, you know, work things as an entrepreneur that it’s just like, you’re pushing the stone up the hill, you’re pushing the stone up the hill, you get up the stones further down the hill, you’re pushing it back up the hill.
It’s two years, it’s five years, it’s seven years. There have been days where I just go. As stoic as I want to be is I, I’m going to go like have a good cry and, and kind of hit a reboot. Do you, do you have a way, I know you train, but do you have also that? Cause I use that too, but sometimes you need another kind of release.
Uh, because what you’re dealing with compared to the rest of us is the magnification is times a thousand. People are not going to understand that. How do you sort of offload that those feelings? Cause you can only be, you know, centered and stoic so often.
[00:49:13] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah, it’s, um, you know, the, the physical training is, is a big part of it.
Uh, I, I need, I need that mental release that comes from it. And so, you know, uh, I’ve, I’ve been practicing yoga throughout my life. Um, and also going and doing like, you know, some, some good weights, some high intensity interval training and, and literally punishing, pushing my body beyond what I think it’s capable of, uh, allows me that space to completely clear my mind.
And, um, and, and it is a release. It absolutely is a release, but I got to tell you, there are some days where I’m in the gym and I’m training really hard and I’m also crying at the same time. And then sometimes, you know, there, there are those moments, um, again, whether it’s at home with my husband or sometimes I’m on the road and it’s just by myself and, and, and having that private space to be completely vulnerable and to be, to just completely let all the walls.
Um, is, is necessary and it’s okay and it’s okay to need to do that. Uh, we, we all do. And, and, um, one of, one of, uh, one of the things that as a, again, in, I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and I have the opportunity to help, uh, mentor other younger soldiers. And that is, that is part of it is knowing, um, that it’s okay to be, it’s okay to be a real person and you don’t got to be tough.
You don’t got to be tough all the time. And part of being tough is also acknowledging. That you’re human.
[00:50:49] Gabby Reece: Yeah. I have a good friend who’s an artist, makes films and music. And he said, it’s when what you’re doing is greater than you, that’s, that’s the really thing in it. You’ve said it many times. It’s not you.
It’s you’re on a mission and you’re the portal for that mission. But it’s people realizing that there’s opportunities for us in our lives to be better than ourselves, but it still doesn’t mean we’re not. Just the person who, you know, gets up some days and thinks, Oh, this is a lot to deal with. You’re on the road a lot and traveling and I’m just fascinated people.
The number one thing people talk about in taking care of themselves is, Oh, I don’t have time. What’s your strategy? Because you are getting it done. Uh, you’re finding the way, what is your strategy? Cause the hardest is when you’re on the road, um, you know, different time zones, different schedules, uh, with your food and your movement.
Do you ha do you sort of have like a loose strategy to help you navigate that?
[00:51:51] Tulsi Gabbard: I try, you know, it, it’s all it is, is there, there’s no, there’s no magic code to it. I also am committed to traveling with only carry ons, which brings its own set of struggle. I refuse to stand around and wait in a baggage claim.
It’s just, I don’t got time for that. So, you know, I, and you end up doing laundry along the way, or you figure out what you got to do, but it is, it is about, I, I wake up early, naturally, just, I don’t usually need an alarm and I’m up at five. And so making that time for that solitude in the morning and then a workout, I try to pre pack, uh, like protein powder in single, I’ll put it, I’ll put it in one of those tiny little baggies.
So all I got to do is reach for a baggie. That’s my, that’s my protein shake for the morning and mix it with water or whatever I have. And then just not succumbing to the snacks on the plane or, you know, whatever the easiest to access junk food is and be like, you know what? If I go hungry for a few hours, I’m going to be all right and I’ll save myself for, for a better, a better meal.
Uh, but it is, it’s about those micro choices throughout the day that even when I don’t feel like it, which happens a lot, uh, I’m always, always, uh, feel better and always, Glad that I, I made that, that right choice, whether it has to do with fitness or, or food, the two big ones and sleep and sleep. Yeah. Do you have being disciplined with sleep?
[00:53:15] Gabby Reece: I was going to say, do you have, cause a lot of people suffer with sleep, even on a, you know, kind of a regular and you’re, you’re in different zones. Um, Do you have any tricks or that that help you sleep better or you just say, I’m going to get to bed as early as I can?
[00:53:33] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah, because, because, and it’s, it’s very weird.
Whatever time zone I’m in, I always wake up early. I just, I don’t, I don’t know what it is, but it’s just, I know that. And so if I stay up too late, I’m not going to sleep in. I’m going to get up early anyway. So I try to be very disciplined about, you know, I’ll be in bed by 10 o’clock, wherever I am. I have to be in bed by nine 30, 10 o’clock.
Otherwise I’ll miss the sleep train and then I’m screwed. Um, I, I listened to a, um, like a guided sleep, uh, mindfulness meditation track that is yoga Nidra. And that really helps with the, the relaxation of the mind and body. And then, um, the, the supplements, I’m sure you, you’ve, uh, had conversations with Andrew Huberman, his little pre sleep supplement mix.
I have found that it actually works really well. And so I, I pre packed those and, and, uh, and travel with that. Oh, the momentous ones? It’s like, um, L theanine, apigenin, um, magnesium. And then there’s a fourth one, um, that I’m not remembering right now, but it’s, it’s so, it’s just, it’s easy. Yeah. I have to do easy.
Anything that starts to get complicated, it’s just another thing that won’t happen. Uh, but, um, I have, I have learned over the years how important sleep is. Yeah.
[00:55:03] Gabby Reece: No joke forever. Right? I know. Easier said than done. How many years are we going to do this? Oh, forever. I know. Forever. I know. Sometimes I think Blair and I look at each other like we’re still doing this.
Huh? Um, yeah. Um, and, and maybe that’s a broad term, like we mean all of it, right? Like we’re still doing this, okay.
So somebody who volunteers to go to the military after 9 11, um, I’m so fascinated, I, I understand that kind of inner service voice that you have. Which, you know, if we, if we go, whether it’s the Harvard study or at Larian philosophy, it’s like the only way we’re actually going to feel good, or I put in air quotes, happy, because that comes and goes, whatever that means, the word happy, um, is to be of service.
It’s, it’s been studied. It’s been, you know, it’s just the way it is. So you naturally have this. I’m, I’m just really curious though, going into the military and serving and then coming out, what did you, what mindset shifts. Uh, did the military kind of put around you that now you’ve taken on for the, you know, sort of the last 18 years of your life?
[00:56:17] Tulsi Gabbard: Uh, you know, the, that, that I experienced what you just said from a young age, that I was just, I found myself happiest when I was doing things for others. And so that was what I held on to very closely, even from my early teens. Uh, even though I didn’t know what, like, what does that look like in a practical way?
I had no idea, but I, I knew that I, I loved and was attached to that feeling of fulfillment of true fulfillment. And um, and I also had a sense from a young age and I don’t, I couldn’t tell you where, how this, this, uh, there wasn’t like an instigating, uh, moment that brought this on, but I also felt this sense of urgency with life and understanding that life is short.
That I didn’t know how much time I had. And again, I didn’t know exactly what that meant. I just felt like. You know, I had to try to do as much as I could. Um, and I wasn’t, I wasn’t, I wasn’t a young person who felt like, Oh, I got my whole life ahead of me. I’ll just chill out, relax and do this and that. My service overseas in Iraq in 2005 in a medical unit compounded that and made that feeling.
Um, it real in the most real of ways there, there was a sign and I have a picture of this in my book, uh, of, uh, that was at one of the main gates in our camp in Iraq is about 40 miles north of Baghdad and in huge block letters. It said is today the day. And it, it stopped me in my tracks the first time I saw it and I would see it almost every day for the year that I was there.
And I still hold on to that. And so when you ask what was kind of the big shift or, or, or, uh, impact, it was, it was really that, uh, and applying that question on an everyday basis, uh, throughout my life is, is today the day none of us knows how much time we have. Yeah. And, and so what choices am I making today knowing that?
And, you know, it, it speaks to that discipline, it speaks to that sense of purpose and that, that focus. It, it allows me to, um, understand, you know, what, what’s important, like what, what are the things I should be focusing on and what are the things I just like, no, like this doesn’t matter in the, in the bigger scheme of things and whether it’s in my personal life or if it’s in, you know, the political sphere or, or, or whatever.
I mean, it, it applies. It applies across the board and, uh, making the most of that day, um, really is, is important. I would say it’s the thing that I took away from that that changed my life the most.
[00:59:11] Gabby Reece: Yeah. That I, that, that hit me in your book. It was like, you know, it’s so funny, this whole idea of being present.
It’s so, it’s so very difficult or, you know, how precious everything is, but then we’re making plans, you know, months and years out ahead. It’s, it’s, it’s, I think we are better off when we live with that attitude. Um, it’s, it’s more clear. I, uh, as somebody. Who has served in the military, you know, I’ve interviewed a lot of special ops guys.
And one guy that I interviewed said, you go there cause you want to do something good. You want to make a difference. You want to help you go there and maybe it gets confusing why you’re there actually. And he goes, but then by the time you’re there, you, you know, that you’re fighting it for your brother or sister that, that becomes kind of, and I’m sure the military knows this.
Like once you get there, you will. Protect each other. Um, so as somebody who has served in the military and seen stuff and been in government and seen stuff, I mean, how do you, how are you hopeful? Because there’s just no alternative. Uh, you know, cause someone like you, you could redirect this energy and go get a bunch of zeros and.
you know, live a certain way and make it easier on yourself because you could go, that’s broken and it’s not even truthful or whatever. How, where, what is in you that you go? Yeah. And I’m going to marching this way.
[01:00:47] Tulsi Gabbard: The things that I’ve gained from these experiences, the knowledge that I’ve gained from these experiences in both politics and in the military and in life in general, um, what kind of person would I be if I saw it?
and experienced firsthand many of these deeply rooted and seated problems and then turn my back and went home and just hung out in Hawaii and went surfing and lived a good life, a good life with those that I love and those that I care about. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. But what kind of person would I be to turn my backs on those who I serve with?
You know, these warrior ethos never, you don’t leave, you don’t leave anybody behind. You will always, I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat to, to truly live those ethos, not just in uniform, but in life. That means that there is a responsibility and a sense of duty that comes with those experiences.
Um, for me personally in my life and everybody makes their own choices and everyone has their own unique situation. This is not a judgment or anything else, but for me this is, uh, this was what I came home with from Iraq. I could have gone, people were like, Oh, you can run for state house, you can be a politician and all this stuff.
And I didn’t do it because I couldn’t. And I didn’t know where that opportunity would come to be able to take those experiences that I had had. And actually apply them that that opportunity wouldn’t come until years later. But I just knew that I had, I felt a sense of duty to my brothers and sisters who didn’t come home, uh, to those who I continued to serve with and still do to this day, a commitment and sense of duty to our country.
To take, to take them and, and in my own very small and minute way actually try to, to be a spark for that positive change. Um, you know, I, I was, I was disheartened and disillusioned by seeing how many politicians just don’t give a shit and they don’t, they, they very easily cast these votes that either immediately or eventually spark a new war.
That we, and whether it’s me personally, but we in the military will have to go and respond to at some point. Why are they doing it? Is it truly in the interest of peace? Or is it to serve some big moneyed interests who are writing them their big campaign checks? Or is it just because you’re trying to look tough?
But you’re actually weak and insecure and, and yet you are very dangerously using real people’s lives and their loved ones, husbands, wives, children, parents as the sacrificial lamb so you can project power.
[01:03:53] Tulsi Gabbard: I just, I would not, I would not be able to sleep at night. I would not be able to live with myself.
If, um, and it’s just not who I am. If I were to know what I know, to have seen what I’ve seen, to have experienced what I’ve experienced, And just say, you know what? Screw you guys. I’m going to go be selfish for the rest of my life. I’d be miserable. I’d be miserable. And, and, um, I would be dishonoring, I would be dishonoring not only the people who we laid to rest, uh, who we served with, but the many people who I will never personally know, uh, or meet.
And I’m, I’m not willing to do that.
[01:04:38] Gabby Reece: Yeah, it’s a lot how the harsh reality either does one of two things to people, right? It either, they go, forget it, the toy’s broken. I can’t make a difference. Or they go, Hey, the toy’s worth trying to, to improve, fix and keep going. Um, and so I was always fascinated because I, I do think we get disenchanted right on, on, on how could, how could people make these types of decisions?
Um, but then I, I. I personally sort of look at it like it’s the forces that be, you know, going back and forth. And it’s not these specific people, right? They’re just pawns in a, in something else. And, uh, and so like I stated at the beginning, for me, it really is like all hands on deck right now. Um, so you wake up, you’re running for president in 2020, and now all of a sudden, you know, Uh, maybe you were threatening somebody.
You must have, what’d you have on the debate stage? Like a whole six minutes or something? You made somebody uncomfortable enough to be able to tell stories about you. Um, you wake up one morning and they go, oh, uh. So you’re not only a patriot, you’re not only wanting to be of service, but it’s sort of like the worst thing anyone could say, right?
Like for to you, like, Oh, either you’re dishonest or you’re a traitor. Right. So where, what, what goes on in your mind when you wake up and, uh, they’re, they’re spinning stories about you. Cause again, none of us are dealing with that. You know, someone writing a mean comment on your social media is completely different than what you’ve had to dance with.
What happens?
[01:06:25] Tulsi Gabbard: It, it was, uh, it was an eye opening recognition that just me being who I am and doing what I’m doing and speaking the truth about, uh, what’s going on in our government and the cost of war, uh, from a firsthand standpoint, as, as you said, uh, that, that posed a very clear and direct threat to those in power.
[01:06:52] Tulsi Gabbard: Uh, and you know, the faces change at different times, but, um, the policies and the power that they try to hold on to, it doesn’t, I mean, that, that power base, that power elite structure. And so it was, uh, it was eyeopening to me to see how much of a threat they saw me as in order to dedicate, whether it’s for the media, their airtime or a politician’s time or their voice or their platform to try to levy these attacks.
But I also saw it for what it was, which was a warning to others that, uh, look at what we’re doing to her. And if you have, if you have the audacity to stand up and challenge us, then we’re going to try to destroy you also. Uh, it’s, it’s a, it’s a playbook that they have used over and over and over again.
And they use it over and over again because it works. What’s it called? Bad jacketing, I think is a great term, right? Yeah, yeah, exactly.
[01:07:47] Gabby Reece: Exactly. So do you, but where do you, I mean, do you retreat, do you go home? What does your family do? Because you know, I can imagine like your siblings are, you know, the.
They’re going to feel protective of you because I mean, that’s some heat for a little bit.
[01:08:04] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah. It was, you know, I think it was hardest for my husband, uh, when he would, when he would, uh, cause he’s a cinematographer, he’s a musician, he’s an artist, he’s a surfer. He doesn’t, Live, come from, or live in the world of politics at all, other than through me.
And so, um, you know, he was, he was with me every day on the campaign trail in, in 2020, he was filming and he was making clips and doing social media clips and all this stuff. And, and he, he’s not a social media guy really either, but because of this, he started paying attention and looking at what was then Twitter and actually reading these different comments.
And it really. was very, very hard for him for a long time to not take it personally and to not immediately want to go and find like, who is this person? Where do they live? Like, I need to go have a real conversation. And, and ultimately it got to a point where we had to delete those apps off his phone, uh, just for his own.
Sanity, and I, I’ve been through this enough before, just like, all right, you’re like, you know, who are these people? We have no idea who they are, or maybe sometimes I do know who they are. Um, but you know, again, they, they are trying to distract away from the truth that I am speaking intentionally. And so what’s the best way to fight back?
Continue speaking the truth more loudly and more forcefully and show others that we have to have if we really care about this country, if we really care about freedom, if we really care about each other’s lives and our ability to live in a peaceful society, we have to have the courage to speak the truth.
And for me, if I got to be the one standing at the front of that and taking those arrows, I will do so gladly so that others realize like it’s, it’s not only okay to do this, but we have to do this. Otherwise, otherwise those few who are abusing their power at the cost of harming and hurting others, whether they be us here in this country or others in the world, um, You know, they, they, we, we can’t, we can’t allow them to get away with it.
And, uh, and so, you know, for, for, there’s a healthy, I don’t encourage people to live on Twitter. It’s not a good place to live. It’s just, it’s kind of a
[01:10:27] Gabby Reece: cesspool. Um, yeah, it can be, it can be. So we’re at, we’re at a really interesting time. Perfect scenario for you. Perfect dream is. You know, you wrote this book for love of country, leaving the democratic party.
So behind is. Is it getting tapped to run as, as VP? Is this like, if you said right now, when I, the hope would be where I feel like I could do the most service, is it, is that sort of, you know, where the energy is, is, uh, directed right now?
[01:11:09] Tulsi Gabbard: I think it’s a, it’s a place. Um, uh, there are others. Uh, but, but broadly my.
In a perfect scenario, I would be in a key role where I can, um, lead, make decisions and take action that can start to correct the course, uh, for, for our country, uh, in, in some of the most fundamental ways. And obviously there are a lot of, you know, domestic challenges that we face. There’s a lot of. Uh, issues with regard to our foreign policy and multiple wars either being waged or bubbling up in different regions of the world.
Um, you know, I’ve got a lot of experience in, in each of these areas and the armed services committee, foreign affairs committee, eight years in Congress. And so, uh, while it’s, it’s been, I think, very impactful to have the opportunity to have platforms to be able to share my experiences and expose the truth, I really would like to be in a position where I can actually start to help lead and fix what’s broken exactly what position or what title to me that that’s, that’s not really the point.
Um, I’m not interested in a, um, you know, being, being window dressing or anything ceremonial. I, I really want to be in a place where we can, uh, start to bring about the transformative, truly transformative change that we have to see in our government. If you
[01:12:36] Gabby Reece: could, and this can be from a, from a macro level, if you could hit a switch and sort of say, okay, these would be the first steps.
Kind of five things, whether it’s domestically or, you know, war in Ukraine, whatever, whatever this is, what feels to you, like you go, Hey, this, these are the things that we really, we want to kind of start paying attention to immediately.
[01:13:04] Tulsi Gabbard: Yeah. Um, in no, in no particular order, uh, when we look at, uh, either again, the conflicts that are already waging or the wars that are raging in different parts of the world.
Or those that are on the brink, which includes us being on the brink of nuclear catastrophe as this proxy war in Ukraine continues to escalate, is to take a leadership role in, uh, brokering, uh, whether it’s a peace treaty or some kind of an agreement that would bring about an end, uh, to these conflicts.
Um, you know, I talk a lot about peace because I know firsthand the cost of war. I’m not an isolationist and I’m not living in some, uh, pacifist utopia that, that doesn’t and won’t ever exist, unfortunately. But, uh, I, I included this speech from president John F. Kennedy in my book, uh, in, because he really laid it out so perfectly of why we need leaders who value peace.
And not an understanding that it’s some, you know, Oh yeah, peace, brother, like some fake thing, but putting in the hard work to have relationships with other countries, with other leaders, whether they be friends or adversaries, to be able to try to maintain that peace, to deescalate tensions, to work out the issues in areas where we have adversarial or conflicting interests so that we can do all we can, uh, to prevent war.
And yet. You know, be prepared if that unfortunate reality, uh, is, is required. Uh, we cannot be prosperous as a society or as a world unless we are living at peace. Uh, that’s a fact. Uh, when we look at our, what’s happening in our country, we don’t have a, uh, uh, we don’t have a nation if we don’t have a secure border.
Uh, that comes along with, uh, reforming our immigration policy. Saying that you’re for a secure border does not mean you’re against immigration. It just means we have to have a secure border and have an immigration system, uh, that works. Uh, I’ve been to the border. I’ve talked with hundreds, uh, I’ve, I’ve seen hundreds of illegal immigrants coming across the border.
I’ve talked with many of them and had conversations with them and seeing how this well oiled, that is really, uh, it’s the cartels that are profiting off of this, uh, is, is exploiting and breaking our laws. And yet at the same time, a dear friend of mine who served in the military for 31 years, he’s about to retire.
His wife is from Europe and her sister is a, is a resident of Italy. Her sister and her husband and young kids, they, they got their tourist visas. Uh, denied when they were trying to come to his retirement ceremony. It makes absolutely no sense. They have jobs and kids in school and a whole life there that they are going back to two weeks later.
And yet our government that allows for these open borders to continue is telling this family, no, you can’t go to your brother in law’s retirement after serving 31 years in our military. Uh, this is a serious issue that has to be addressed. I won’t go on and on. Briefly, education, education, education. Our education system is unbelievably broken and has, has lost any sense of a prioritization of providing our children with a true education.
Healthcare. The military industrial complex is something I talk about very often. The healthcare industrial complex is right alongside it. Uh, Big Pharma is one of the biggest funders of members of Congress. Uh, and their campaigns. So it should be no wonder why we are in a, in the position that we are in, where they are so protected by the laws that are passed.
And we, the people are, are disadvantaged, uh, in, in almost every respect. Uh, and, and the other really has to do, that’s, it’s alongside healthcare, but it has to do with, uh, Um, nutrition and making sure that, that we are providing, uh, as a country, not the government per se, but that we are encouraging and incentivizing and providing the kind of education access to real food, uh, and, and, and fitness, frankly, that that incentivizes a more healthy people.
Yeah. And a more happy people.
[01:17:30] Gabby Reece: Do you think you’re too reasonable to make, to be in this profession?
[01:17:38] Tulsi Gabbard: Uh, no. No, I think we, we should demand more reason and common sense, uh, in our political leaders. I, I refuse to believe that we have to, uh, lower our expectations to the lowest common denominator. Yeah. Uh, we should be demanding more and expecting more.
And this has to do with where our conversation started is, is we’ve, we have the power. Uh, and, and it starts with voting and, and making informed votes, but it also starts with looking ourselves in the mirror and saying, Hey, if I don’t like anybody else who’s stepping up to serve in the board of education or to run for city council or to run for Congress or president, whatever it is, if I’m not happy with the options.
Why am I not being the person that steps up and does this? And it doesn’t mean you’re starting a career. It means you are seizing an opportunity to lead and to be that change and be that example of a common sense servant leader that we need. Yeah, I think that’s
[01:18:44] Gabby Reece: scary for a lot of people. I, I interviewed somebody who was talking about in some ways we don’t realize that the quickest way and most effective way to make changes on the municipal level That you, yes, it’s nimble and you can add a bike pass so people can ride their bike and if we want them to exercise and all of these things.
So I thought that that’s, that is a really, really great reminder. Um, it really is that you can, and you can learn as you go and, and really just, I think people don’t realize this, if, if they bring their point of view about how they think they could improve their neighborhood, their culture, that, that, that impact does, you know, sort of ripple out to the entire society.
But that if you just bring what you think would make it better in a real way for everybody, for the collective, that that actually is, is a, is a reasonable enough starting point.
[01:19:34] Tulsi Gabbard: It is. And, and I’m, I’m glad you mentioned that because people who come to me and say, well, Hey, I’m, you know, I’m frustrated with my community or this or whatever the issue is.
Um, you know, Somehow think that they are not qualified to step up and fill that vacuum of leadership because they didn’t major in political science or they didn’t go to some magical political politician school that doesn’t really exist or they don’t have an Ivy League education. I, I had gone to community college before I ran for and got elected to state house.
Um, you know, I got my bachelor’s degree eventually after I was, I think I graduated in like 27, 28 years old during my second deployment from Hawaii Pacific University. And most of my education was through distance learning because that’s what my life allowed for at the time. The most important qualification to run for any office is that you have a heart that’s committed to serve.
And whether you’re a mom or a teacher or a business owner or, uh, an accountant or a soldier, whatever your background is, your story, your experience, your lived experience, that is what is a value because you understand real life. Politics isn’t a theory to you. It’s, it’s, it’s practical. And, and that’s so, so when you’re like, I, and I hear this book, well, I’m just a mom.
Like, what are you talking about? You’re just a mom. Like you’re a freaking mom. You’re raising little humans and dealing with budgets and you’re dealing with cost of living and you’re dealing with all of these competing demands and challenges and what the teachers are telling you and the PTA and my gosh, you’re exactly the person who should be stepping up because think of all the other people out there.
Yeah. Who are, are telling themselves the same thing. Nobody’s going to listen to me because I’m just a mom or I’m just a this or that we, we again, our founding fathers recognized. This representative form of government is what they had in mind. And that representation comes from you being connected to the people that you’re representing.
The problem that we have is we have too many professional politicians who are completely disconnected from that everyday struggle and challenge and, you know, victory and opportunity. That, that, uh, people across this country are living for real and, and wish that they had those making decisions again, whether it’s on the city council or in the state house or in Washington that actually was reflective of or connected to that, that everyday real life.
[01:22:17] Gabby Reece: Yeah. Okay. My last question. I have a friend who did very well, uh, privately and then thought, Oh, I’m going to go in and serve, um, and government and get involved. And I said, he said he took them four hours to get the parking pass to, you know, when he went to DC. And he, and he thought, Oh, you know, I can be more effective actually privately, right?
Like I could use the dollars exactly where. whatever. Do you never, you’ve never gotten lured by, Hey, I have enough of a, of a presence. People know me. I have a, I have enough of a resume that I could get in and, and sort of figure out ways privately to make this impact. You, you have you found, I guess what the question is, is have you understood the language then in government that you know how to be more nimble and actually try to get something done?
Cause from the outside looking in. It seems challenging.
[01:23:20] Tulsi Gabbard: It is. It is. Um, your, your friend is, is right. Uh, and I, I have friends who have made that same choice. I just, I just made a new friend yesterday who has been incredibly successful in his business. Uh, he has started an incredibly successful and impactful nonprofit.
I’m going to send you his information actually, cause I think you’d be interested in, in the nonprofit that, um, cause it has to do with sports. And special needs kids. I was, I was completely inspired, but that has gotten to a point where it’s somewhat self sustaining and doesn’t need as much of his time.
So he’s looking at launching a new venture and it’s hugely impactful. And, uh, I’m so grateful that there are people in the world like him and others who are using their success to, to do good and, and applying those principles of servant leadership. Um, I think that there’s no, there’s no single right answer.
We need good people everywhere is kind of the bottom line. And so for me with my experience in my background, I’m trying to apply my experiences where I think I can be most impactful and, uh, it is what it is today. It may be something different and somewhere else tomorrow and, and, uh, I’m, I’m grateful for that.
Well, I, I really
[01:24:39] Gabby Reece: appreciate that you. Stay hopeful because, because as somebody may be closer to it, whether you’re sort of saying, Hey, there’s no alternative. I’m leaning into this and I’m going to get up every day and see if we can make a difference. Um, I think for a lot of people, uh, there has been so much noise and, and whether it’s a very small percentage of the population, this dissension that feels like we’re so separated.
I think your reminder of. Vote, get involved and be, be the person that you hope your neighbor would be, you know, bring that forth. And if, if there’s small ways that you can get involved, You know, do that. And, uh, you know, I was thinking when I, I’ll just show the picture of your book one more time. And this is really the whole story about, you know, kind of some of the choices you made that led you from going from the democratic party to the Republican party.
But just that, um, I was thinking, I was so glad you looked very good in blue, but you also looked. Really wonderful. Thank you.
[01:25:48] Tulsi Gabbard: And Red . So thank you. I I left the Democratic Party just for the record, and, and became an independent. Oh. And, uh, there are, there are, maybe I’m projecting, do you see my
[01:25:59] Gabby Reece: projection?
[01:26:01] Tulsi Gabbard: I know, I know. It’s all good. Maybe that was it. It’s all good there. They are heavily recruited. I know. I’m projecting because I’m like, well, if you’re gonna…
[01:26:08] Gabby Reece: Be VP then you know, independent, I mean. Okay. Let’s say, uh, let’s say the election it’s going to happen in November, uh, for whatever reason, you know, you’re not a part of that in your, do you have sort of like what would be the, the best case scenario for, for our country?
Um, who would, who would come away with, uh, being elected in 24?
[01:26:38] Tulsi Gabbard: Uh, we’ll, we’ll see how things shake out. My, my book is, is pretty clear and, and maybe a little strong for some, some people, uh, which it’s strong just, just as you read this, know that it’s coming from experience, um, I did an interview with a, with a guy and he was just like, Oh, you’re, you’re a little harsh in some parts of the book.
I was like, well, you know, these are harsh truths that, that I, I have learned through experience. Um, here, here’s, here’s what my, my messages is clear about and, and what I am intent on trying to affect in this election, which is, uh, the current administration has, Abuse their power and continues to over and over and over again, and it’s impacting us in almost every Uh, way in our lives from personal security and safety to economic security to, you know, the well being of our girls and young women who are engaging in sports in our, our schools.
Um, you know, the, the, in, in the, what’s going on in our classrooms, what’s going on overseas. Uh, they cannot be allowed to remain in power because if they are, then we will see everything that we’ve experienced over these last four years. Which fundamentally in all of these areas are undermining our freedom.
Things will only, uh, be exacerbated and, and we’ll, we’ll get, uh, worse.
[01:28:05] Gabby Reece: I found it so interesting that the Democrats, uh, you know, when, cause I always tell my daughters, like, The worst thing you could be in life is a victim, even if something has happened to you, the whole idea of you making it the way you want it, right?
And I find that culturally it feels that they are aggressive victims, which is like, You, you have to sort of be one or the other. So when it’s, it makes sense, we’re the victim when it makes sense, we’re the aggressor. And I, and it’s such an interesting combination that, uh, yeah, it doesn’t make any sens
[01:28:42] Tulsi Gabbard: but that, that’s where the call to action comes in is because we, you know, there are things that are happening to us. Oh, yeah. So what, so what, what are we going to do about it? That, that’s always, that’s always really the thing that, that takes us out of a, being stuck in a victim mindset, as though we are helpless when in fact, in reality, we are not.
And, and our ability to take control of the situation to take charge, to start to change our course is, you know, it starts with that, that individual choice. And yes, from a political sense, it’s voting. It’s what we’ve talked about, but when we’re talking about, you know, healing the divides in our society and how can each of us in our own ways and in our own very different lives make a difference.
You know, we, we look at what, what you and Laird are doing and the positive impact that you have on inspiring others to live a more healthy life. Life, um, you know, at, at its core and there are so many other layers of that, but this is not, um, there’s no single right way to do this. It’s going to be a different thing for every one of us because we are unique, which is a beautiful thing, but to have that shift in mindset to where across our society we are thinking about, okay, well, how can I be that change?
How can I be a part of that? Thank you. Improving of others, um, lives. That’s really where, um, I mean, it is where there is hope to be found.
[01:30:12] Gabby Reece: think it’s a really important, you know, and I’m still working on to continuously is, is what you stated earlier, which is just being open minded in the sense of what really matters to stand up for and what it’s okay to be wildly different on, and, and the difference between those as well.
So I really appreciate that because yeah, you know certain things you know, like a locker room you should stand up for. So, yes, exactly. Well, Tulsi Gabbard, I really appreciate it. And, uh, I appreciate you. And the book is for the love of country. And, uh, I just, uh, is there any other way people can support you?
Tell me all the ways.
[01:30:53] Tulsi Gabbard: Um, if you, uh, social media, I’m at Tulsi Gabbard and all the social media things. Um, if you go to tulsigabbard. com, uh, there’s a political organization that I’ve mobilized to be able to help share this message. So much of what we were talking about here and, and, uh, what’s in the book.
Um, in defense of freedom. And you can find all of those links at, uh, Tulsi gabbard. com. Do
[01:31:18] Gabby Reece: you ever get scared?
[01:31:21] Tulsi Gabbard: Yes. Yes. I use, I use those moments. Um, as motivation,
[01:31:35] Gabby Reece: we have to, I wish I could have done this in person, but thank you so much for your time.
[01:31:39] Tulsi Gabbard: I look forward to seeing you hopefully sooner
[01:31:40] Gabby Reece: Than later.
Thanks. Aloha. Thanks everyone for listening. Aloha. Thank you for listening to this week’s episode.
About Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician, United States Army Reserve officer, and political commentator who was the U.S. representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. Gabbard was the first Samoan-American to become a voting member of Congress.
