The Daily Beans Refried Beans | Riptide Thinking; Current Messaging (feat. Phil Williams; Amy McGrath) | 12/26/2023
Dec 27, 2025
Phil Williams, an investigative journalist from NewsChannel 5, shares his journey inspired by Watergate and highlights his recent work exposing candidate deceptions in Tennessee. He emphasizes the alarming decline of local journalism, urging support for investigative reporting. Amy McGrath, a former Marine and political candidate, discusses her efforts with Operation Saving Democracy, targeting national security messaging and engaging swing voters. Both guests stress the importance of informed communication in protecting democracy from threats.
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Resume Claims Unraveled By Records
- Phil Williams recounted unravelling Andy Ogles' resume from claims of being a trained economist to a single econ course with a C.
- He traced job applications and transcripts to expose exaggerated credentials leading to further scrutiny.
School Choice Masks Privatization Agenda
- Williams found groups claiming to back charters were actually pushing full privatization and vouchers without accountability.
- Secret documents revealed billionaire-funded agendas that prioritize privatization over educational outcomes.
Riptide Thinking And Local News Collapse
- Phil Williams attributes local news decline to legacy outlets cutting staff instead of investing in serious journalism.
- He calls this 'riptide thinking' where cutting to survive accelerates collapse of local reporting.