Episode 6: Under Pressure

Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra

NBC News

History, Congressman, Radicalism, Insurrection, Hitler, Senators, Right Wing, Constitution, Conspiracy, Radical, Political, Corruption, Violence, Archive, Senate, World War 2, Rachel Maddow Presents, Germany, Mystery, American, Politics, Fascism, Plot, Democracy, 1940s, Communists, Investigation, World War 1, News, Msnbc, Rachel Maddow, Overthrow, Dictatorship, Nbc News, Propaganda, Jews, Attack, Communism, Congress, Nbc, Anti-semitism, Government, Rachel Maddow Presents Ultra, Fascist, Ultra, Maddow, Nazis, Treachery, 1930s, Justice, Sedition, Extremism, Anti-semitic

4.8 • 31.5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2024

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As Sen. Joseph McCarthy's activities -- and his troubling connections to those on the ultra right -- are exposed in the press, Democratic Sen. Lester Hunt launches a final effort to take McCarthy on and reign in his abuses. In response, McCarthy and his allies launch a coordinated blackmail campaign against Hunt, using his own family, that will ultimately end in tragedy.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode contains descriptions that reference self-harm.
0:04.0	If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline,
0:11.0	or chat live at 988 lifeline.org.
0:17.0	This is an interview with Mr. Lester C. Hunt Jr.
0:26.0	Mr. Hunt is a historian teaching in a Chicago area college.
0:30.0	This interview is being conducted on December 29, 1979, Mr Hunt's home on Cornell Avenue in Chicago.
0:37.0	That is the voice of a grad student at the University of Wyoming. His name is Rick Ewig. It's 1979 and Mr Ewig is doing this interview for a research paper.
0:50.4	The paper is about a US senator from Wyoming, Lester Hunt.
0:55.0	He's in Chicago to interview the son of the senator.
0:59.0	Father was a United States senator from the state of Wyoming who served in the Senate from
1:05.4	1949 to 1954. It was 25 years since Lester Hunt had served in the Senate, 25 years since he died.
1:15.2	But this grad student managed to track down the senator's son and namesake,
1:19.7	Lester Hunt Jr., who had always been known by the name Buddy.
1:24.0	Taking seats right next to Mrs Hunt, Buddy Hunt, son of his excellency, Governor
1:30.3	Lester C, Hunt of Wyoming. Buddy Hunt had been a young man when his father died.
1:35.0	He'd been 26 years old.
1:38.0	Okay, what I would like to start with first is like a general background on your father,
1:42.0	since I really don't know much about.
1:44.0	Well let me see.
1:45.0	How, what do you want from getting to answer to think?
1:49.0	Okay, well I think my own benefit that I would like to have is a physical description of.
1:55.0	You know, was it your size or?
	...

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