Hello, What Next Plus family. Happy Friday. It's Mary. I'm here with an extra special

bonus episode for you because earlier this week, I sat down with the legendary independent

journalist Amy Goodman. You probably know Amy from her decades as the face of democracy now.

She has led that program for a long time

where she's covered wars and revolutions and protest movements and of course like Washington, D.C.

too. She's also the star of a new documentary all about democracy now and how she made it happen.

It's called Steal the Story, Please. It's playing in theaters now. Anyway, in this conversation,

we talk about everything from the time she literally had a gun held to her head while reporting

to the White House correspondence dinner and what she thinks reporters in Washington should be

focusing on these days. One more thing, Amy joined me from her documentary tour. So we connected while she was in the Rochester airport. She was fueling herself with some Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee, which, who among us? Here's the conversation.

Amy Goodman, for 30 years, you have led democracy now, which is a fiercely independent media outlet.

I'm going to start with a question about independence.

Have you ever been to a White House correspondence dinner?

I haven't.

Never. Was it ever a tough call for you?

No, on principle. I think there's a problem with journalists cozing up to power.

I've always had a critique of that.

But I think what happened this past weekend was horrible.

So let me be clear about that.

And I was horrified when I saw people cowering under the tables.

These are very dangerous times, Mary.

Yeah.

...