Episode Details

Host Jesse Jackson steps outside the Springsteen universe for a B-side conversation with Ernest Lineberger, a retired Naval officer and former Texas Instruments supervisor/industrial engineer who ran for Congress in a tough Texas district, lost the 2024 general election, then continued organizing town halls, protests, and outreach before losing a subsequent primary. Lineberger discusses why voters change their minds, the need for better-informed civic engagement, and frustration with politics as a “team sport,” including concerns about executive overreach, tariffs, and billionaire influence. He shares a childhood shaped by frequent moves, time in Italy and Monterey, and his Navy chaplain father’s strong influence on his Christian beliefs and inclusivity. Now fully retired, he’s supporting candidates like Vicki Goodwin, planning reunions, and promoting his memoir, There I Was. The episode closes with the show’s “Thunder Road” Mary question.

00:49 Meet Ernest Lineberger

02:30 Navy Career and TI

03:59 Why I Ran for Congress

06:26 Campaign Grind and Primary Loss

08:10 Texas Democrats Outlook

09:57 Representation and Fairness

11:20 Changing Minds in Politics

17:00 Early Music and Moving Abroad

19:56 Monterey High School Years

23:20 Faith and Community Values

26:35 Military Base Upbringing

27:29 Politeness and Listening

29:23 Why Veterans Matter

33:38 Getting Informed to Vote

36:07 Common Ground and Cynicism

38:58 Springsteen and Hope

41:27 America Abroad and Trust

43:38 Life After Campaigning

44:04 Book Stories and Motivation

47:18 Service and Gratitude

50:59 Thunder Road Mary Question

52:13 How to Reach Ernest

53:54 Podcast Wrap and Plugs

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