Former U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is making waves with her recent exit from the Democratic Party. Gabbard, who ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said in a recent Twitter video that she can ‘no longer stomach’ America’s current direction thanks to ‘woke Democratic Party ideologues.’ Gabbard joins Glenn, explaining her decision further. She says today’s Democrat leaders do NOT believe in freedom or the ‘God-given rights that are enshrined in our Constitution.’ So, does that mean Gabbard won't vote for ANY Democrat this upcoming election season? Listen to find out…

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Tulsi Gabbard joins us now.

Hi, Tulsi, how are you?

TULSI: Hey, Glenn, good morning. I'm good. How are you today?

GLENN: Good. First of all, let me introduce, host of the Tulsi Gabbard Show. And you can do find out more about her at Tulsi.substack.com.

So, Tulsi, why leave the Democrats, and why now?

TULSI: Glenn, you know, you and I have had a lot of great conversations. And so many of those conversations, often I find have been censored around freedom. As you mentioned. The Bill of Rights.

These fundamental principles our country was founded on. The things that are most important, that really bind us all together as Americans. And when it comes right down to it, today's Democratic party does not believe in freedom. They don't believe in freedom.

And because they don't believe in freedom, and because they are, you know, the party is led by fanatical ideologues, they are actively trying to undermine those God-given rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. They're actively seeking to undermine our freedom of speech. They want to control what we say and what we think. They are attacking our religious liberty. They cannot handle it, when people dare to speak out. Or even question, question the things they're trying to employees on us as a society, and the way they foment fear. You see this cancel woke culture. They try to silence anyone who dares to disagree, or anyone who dares to expose the insecurity -- their insecurity, and the weakness in their arguments and narratives. And for a whole host of reasons, and you can go and read my statement on Substack, or listen to -- you know, I spoke about this in detail. On the Tulsi Gabbard Show. But it really all comes down to freedom. And I can no longer be associated with today's Democratic Party, that is so actively anti-freedom.

GLENN: Tulsi, you know you and I have talked many times, and I really respect you. But I have to ask a couple of questions. And I want you to know, these are honest questions. I'm not trying to do anything, but really understand. A couple of things.

First of all, address the cynics that would say, you're only doing this now because you want the publicity for your podcast. Or, you know, Substack.

TULSI: I'm laughing a little bit as you're asking that, Glenn. Because every time I've made a decision, that got some attention, but was maybe politically not expedient or the popular thing to do, that was very often the response.

Like, oh, you're just doing this to get -- that's never made sense. That's never been the motivation that I've had.

GLENN: I know. I know.

TULSI: I've done my best, and continue to do my best, to continue to make decisions, whether it be about policy or other things based on what's right.

GLENN: Okay.

TULSI: And this was not a decision, that I made lightly or quickly. But it's one that I knew had to be done.

GLENN: Okay. This is the part that I am really interested in. Because I think there are people that are leaving the parties. Both parties. Because they think they're both about bullcrap.

There are people like Bill Maher, that are really speaking out against this Democratic mob.

And he -- people will say, I think he's turning conservative. No, he's not.

He's a classical liberal. He's a guy who believes in freedom, et cetera, et cetera.

He just believes in more taxes and government, and everything else.

So he's just being the kind of American, that loves the country. And agrees with the Bill of Rights. And the kind of American that doesn't want to fight his neighbor. Can live side by side.

I want to ask you, because you -- I mean, you endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016. Endorsed Keith Ellison. You are somebody that has -- you're way dune the rabbit hole to the left on your policies.

Have you changed your mind on those? Are you more like Bill Maher? What's happening?

JOHN: Well, first, I wanted to go back to what you mentioned, about being a classic liberal. And I think a lot of people have forgotten, or don't know what that actually means. If you look at classic liberalism. And this is something that you talked about.

Classic liberalism is about respecting individual freedom. And individual rights.

It's about really living up to that ideal of a government of, by, and for the people. It's about civil liberties and freedom. And my gosh, today's Democratic Party is -- is clearly so far off from the classic liberals of greats of our past.

You know, I -- I've never put myself, as you know, in a box. I've never cleanly fit into the so-called progressive box. Even as a Democrat. I've always been an independent Democrat. So there are things that I probably agree with their folks on. Or disagree with other folks on. But ultimately, what it comes down to is the Democratic party of today has literally gone insane.

And the foundation of freedom, has finally been lost. It's something they're actively attacking, which -- which makes it impossible to even have a conversation. About many of the other things, that affect us in our everyday lives. We can't stand on this common foundation and principle of freedom, and -- and recognizing our God-given rights enshrined in the Constitution, then there's -- there's not a whole lot of room to talk.

GLENN: So tell me what you think happened to the Democratic Party. As I see it. They gave -- they gave into the Marxists. But they're not really giving into the Marxists. That's a -- I don't know. That was a faint or something. I'm not sure what it was.

But it was the useful idiots. And really, what they've done, is they've become this corporatist, globalist monster.

What happened, do you think?

TULSI: You know, I can't tell you specifically, what the cause is. But what I have experienced, and what I've seen, is, you know, going back 20 years ago, when I first ran for statehouse here in Hawaii, and I looked at, okay. Well, which party do I want to affiliate with, at that time?

When I looked, and Hawaii's past especially, I saw the Democratic Party, big tent, inclusive party, respecting people who hold different views on different issues. But really rooted in the foundations of justice and fairness and freedom and being a champion for the little guy, for the working class Americans.

And that party is not recognizable today. It is a -- it is a party of the elites, by the elite and for the elite.

It is a party of warmongers, who are firmly in the grips of the military industrial complex.

It is a party that has left the people behind. And it's been taken over by these fanatical ideologues, who are blinded by their ambition and desire for power.

You know, I've been through this, over the years, and I've seen how, not only do they try to destroy people, who disagree with them. Even if you just don't say anything about whatever their cause at the moment is. Because it changes. Then their response is, well, you are complicit. If you are silent, you are complicit. You're part of the problem.

Then if you say, well, okay. Fine, I agree with that. It's not enough. Unless you get out there with your megaphone and stand on the street corner. And scream loudly and march in the protest. And proclaim your allegiance to whatever their cause of the moment is.

Then it's not enough. They're not convinced. The goalposts keep changing. They don't believe in truth. And when people don't believe in truth. And there are no boundaries to what they are propagating in our society. Which, frankly, poses a great danger and risk.

GLENN: So I'm taking -- and maybe I have this wrong. But I'm taking it that you -- you haven't become a conservative. But you still agree with some of the socialist, big government things that you supported in the past. So if that's true, who are you going to vote for?

I mean, how are you -- there's an election coming up. You don't have to have names. But do you vote for the party, even if the person is good?

TULSI: No. The answer is no.

I -- I have always been of the mindset that we should not be voting, based on party lines. We should be voting based on the character and values of a candidate. And their commitment to the Constitution.

You know, there are -- there are different issues. Or positions, that, you know, through my experience, I've seen, okay. Wow. Okay.

Well, I didn't know that. And I didn't understand that. And I think it's important to always be willing to self-examine and say, okay. Was I right on that, or not? Or is there a better approach to tackle the problems that we face?

You know, I was confounded when I was vice chair of the Democratic national party for a few years in Washington. Every time we would go to events during an election year. And you hear the mantra, vote blue, no matter who. And it never made any sense to me.

It never made any sense. Because I know a lot of people who probably should not have ever been running for office. But we're standing on a stage. Getting people support and votes, as people stood next to them saying, vote blue, no matter who. The who matters. Character matters. Your values matter. Your commitment. And who you are loyal to, matters the most.

The fact that we have gotten to a place and a country, where we have so many leaders in Washington, who took that oath, that every one of us takes. When you take public office. That oath to support and defend the Constitution. But they've thrown the Constitution in the trash. Or they're openly, you know, stomping their feet on it. In defiance of that oath, that they took.

This is where if you look at, start questioning, why are people doing these things? Why are they taking the position that they are taking?

Why don't they believe in the rule of law? How can they oppose free speech?

It's because they don't believe in the Constitution. And without that, they're floundering. And there is no foundation to stand on.

GLENN: Talking to Tulsi Gabbard.

And I think it is really important. I like Tulsi. I don't know if you would consider me a friend. But I would consider you a friend, Tulsi.

TULSI: I do. I do, Glenn.

GLENN: And while we, I'm sure, disagree on a lot of really big things, it is really important when somebody recognizes and says, oh, that's poison. That even though they're not on your team, per se, that you recognize, that's a huge, huge step, and important.

Because we have to get back to being a country, where we can live side by side. And disagree with each other. But still like each other.
And respect one another.

So Tulsi, good job. Thank you so much.

TULSI: Exactly. Thank you. Great to talk to you, Glenn. Have a great day.

GLENN: You too. Tulsi.substack.com. And you can find out more. Follow her on Tulsi Gabbard. @TulsiGabbard. Or TulsiGabbard.com.