(Episodes 75-79) A Catch-Up Post on Presidential Minisodes from Truman to LBJ

Happy Summer, Listeners! We're still catching up on our Spring cleaning, and we realized we owe you some teasers and some sources. With that in mind, we give you the rundown on the latest IYCKI episodes available now:

Episode 75, POTUS 33: Harry Truman ("Poof! You're the President")
When FDR passed away, then-VP Truman became POTUS. Truman had served in the national guard (his eyesight was too poor for him to attend West Point), failed in business as a haberdasher, and started his political career as a member of the judiciary. His services as POTUS is perhaps most famous for his having to decide whether to use the atomic bomb, but he also almost doubled the minimum wage. Learn more about Truman's terms as President by listening to his episode.

Episode 76, POTUS 34: Dwight D. Eisenhower ("Ol' Duckpin")
Then came Dwight D. Eisenhower, best known for his work as Commanding General in Europe during WWII.  Despite a heart attack - and, well, questionable health choices - Eisenhower dealt with the Cold War, desegregation, and other important policies during his time as POTUS. We have a wealth of fun facts about his convictions, some naming conventions, and how he motivated himself by being competitive with others.

Episodes 77 and 78, POTUS 35: John F. Kennedy ("Money, Catholicism, TV Debates, and the Presidential Art of Not Keeping It In One's Pants" and "The Assassination")
(Whew, that was a mouthful.) JFK had enough going on that his episode comes in two installments: one about the man, and one about his assassination. In the first episode, we talk about his affairs (religious, Presidential, medical, and otherwise) and give you some fun facts about the man. In the second episode, we recount his assassination and the conspiracy theories surrounding it.  Did you know that JFK actually was the target of about four assassination attempts? Join us for a chat about the retired postal worker, the radicals in Chicago, the trip to Tampa, and the events in Dallas leading to the official investigation. We also discuss a great many conspiracy theories (like the magic bullet), and the sources for those are here, here, here, here, and here (yow).

Episode 79, POTUS 36: Lyndon B. Johnson ("Don't Be a Jumbo - The LBJ Story")
Finally (for the moment), we talk about LBJ, who became President after JFK's assassination. LBJ grew up in rural Texas, served in the Navy during WWII, and entered the House of Representatives thereafter. We talk more about this heart attack survivor whose bladder may have saved his life and share fun fact after fun fact before getting into a whole host of riots. Seriously - so many riots that Sam had to split the list with Amanda.

Sit back, relax, and get caught up with us before we tackle our next project: Nixon and the Watergate Scandal!

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