S8 Ep1118: Truman's Rally and the Brave Dissent of Margaret Chase Smith GUEST: Nick Bunker In May 1950, a politically wounded Harry Truman embarked on a western tour to rebuild momentum and refocus the nation on his "Fair Deal." Despite a high-profile Chicago rall

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John Batchelor

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🗓️ 12 July 2026

⏱️ 8 minutes

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Summary

Truman's Rally and the Brave Dissent of Margaret Chase Smith GUEST: Nick Bunker In May 1950, a politically wounded Harry Truman embarked on a western tour to rebuild momentum and refocus the nation on his "Fair Deal." Despite a high-profile Chicago rally featuring stars like Elizabeth Taylor, his approval ratings continued to plummet amid the ongoing coal strike and corruption scandals in cities like New York. Within his own party, the "middle way" was failing to find traction. Amidst this polarization, Senator Margaret Chase Smith delivered her courageous "Declaration of Conscience" speech, calling out the Republican Party for using "fear, ignorance, bigotry, and smear" — her "Four Horsemen." She criticized both McCarthy's tactics and the Truman administration's perceived "bitterness" and lack of leadership. Though she was the first Republican to publicly challenge McCarthy, her message fell on "deaf ears" as the Senator's power grew. Only weeks later, the North Korean sneak attack on June 25 changed the world forever, ending the period of "shadow of fear" and beginning a hot war. (8)
1952 STORK CLUB

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0:33.6	I'm John Batchel with Nick Bunker.
0:36.6	The end of this story is a tragedy, the sneak attack by North Korea in late June of 1950, June 25th, 26th. However, building up to this, Harry Truman has a vision. He calls it the fair deal. It includes health care reform. It includes
0:57.1	housing, all the things that are needed for a country that's returning to normal. But all the
1:02.4	veterans out there, all the people who were in war industries, are now spending money. And
1:10.0	there need to be consumer goods. And Harry understands that and he's still thinking of the future, always the future, not just thinking of Joseph Stalin.
1:19.6	There's a moment where he goes on the road and it's very happy again to be on the road with his wife, Bess, and Margaret's daughter.
1:28.3	And they wind up in Chicago, I believe, at the Blackstone Hotel.
1:33.3	At this point, how does Truman think of the struggles that
1:37.3	Atchison is having with McCarthy?
1:40.3	And what does Truman make of McCarthy's ambition?
1:47.5	Does he think that he's a tool of Taft?
1:50.2	Does he think that he's a threat by himself?
1:56.1	Well, at first, when McCarthy began his campaign in late January, early February, 1950,
1:57.8	Truman had been trying to dismiss him.
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