1 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: This is an I heeart original retired Marine Corps Major 2 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: General Smedley Butler here smeddles to some, but you gotta 3 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: earn it. People ask me all the time if I 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: imagined what leading a coup on the White House would 5 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: feel like like? Did I imagine myself on that horse 6 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: at the front of the line. You bet your fucking ash. 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: I did. Because I never savored a sweeter buzz than Conquest. 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: I changed my middle name to Conquest. If it wasn't 9 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: already Darlington. Darlington's such a sweet name, why mess with it? Anyway? 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: The coup I can imagine myself there now. The night 11 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: before the march south to Washington, we camp and the 12 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: pine barrens around elk Ridge, Maryland. It's colder than a 13 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: witch's Why do you bleep that? I said? Nose Ah? 14 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: These I heart people anyway. Orders are to disembark at 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: four thirty, which, for those of you not in the know, 16 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: is military speak for two damn early. Our route is 17 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: straight down US one thirty miles to the White House. 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: The boys form a single column, twelveman wide, five hundred 19 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: thousand proud American veterans in black shirts and armbands. Every 20 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: man with a brand new Remington rifle. We reach sixteen 21 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: hundred Pennsylvania Avenue by sundown. The boys surround the White 22 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: House and I walk right in. I enter President Roosevelt's 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: study without knocking hand casually on my side Armholster like, yeah, 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: that's my gun. Jealous I have five hundred thousand men 25 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: outside who want peace but want something more. I tell 26 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: him what's well? He asks, with that goofball mid Atlantic voice. 27 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: Thing he's got. I want to be Secretary of State. 28 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: I say, third in the line of succession. But that's 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: not all. At this point, I lean in, which makes 30 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: him lean back. So then I lean in further Cheryl 31 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: Sandberg style, and I say, real quietly, Anderson here, Rosie, henceforth, 32 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: I'm going to act as the nations exactly. You can 33 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: continue to live here and draw your salary and pick 34 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: out the china. But that's a kid, And what do 35 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: you think? Took the coward less than a minute to 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: sign the commission, And just like that, the tree of 37 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: liberty hath been refreshed. I ended the depression, restored the 38 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: economy to its free market glory, outlawd war, and became 39 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: the first fascist dictator of the United States. All hail President, 40 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: Major General for Life Smedley Darlington conquest. Wait wait wait, 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: wait wait wait, Smedley, Now, dare you interrupt? The Leader 42 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: of the air quotes free world. None of that ever happened, though. 43 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: There was no armed coup, but there could have been. 44 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: That was their plan anyway, those jerks in the smoke 45 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: filled room, they tried to make an offer that was 46 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: like so hard to refuse from. iHeart Originals and School 47 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: of Humans. This is let's start a coup. I'm Ben 48 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: Bullen and I'm Alex French. Depending on whom you have, 49 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: the story we're about to tell you may or may 50 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: not be true. We've done all the research, read the books, 51 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: interviewed historians, but there are some big gaps in the 52 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: historical record. It will never know exactly what happened. So 53 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: in those gaps we've also had some fun. Oh that 54 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: cold open fantasy thing was fun. The rest is gonna 55 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: be straight downhill. Episode three. Let's get a Luminati. Oh 56 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: that's cool, get it, stalet it, get it? Oh, Illuminati 57 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: like Illuminati, I get it. That's stupid. Viers nineteen thirty 58 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: three and American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is on a 59 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: mission to end the Great Depression and reshape America along 60 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: the way. Roosevelt and does braintrust create employment and social 61 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: programs that alleviate this thing of poverty for millions of Americans. 62 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: He regulates dozens of industries and directs new oversight to 63 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: Wall Street. They're serious talk about a social safety net 64 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: being created, unemployment insurance, and pro ambitions on child labor. 65 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: And he broke from the gold standard, the basis for 66 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: American monetary policy since eighteen seventy nine, and forced Americans 67 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: to turn in their gold Roosevelt's new deal meant that 68 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: the old anything goes order of doing business was over, 69 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: and in his inauguration speech, FDR blamed America's business ely 70 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: for forcing his hand. Primarily, this is because the rulers 71 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: of the exchange of mankind's but have failed through their 72 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: own stubbornness and their own incompetence. Have admitted their failure, 73 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: and I've abdicated. So this is the presidential version of 74 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 1: trash talking. And all of this change meet some very 75 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: rich and powerful people, very angry. As we've mentioned, they 76 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: all hang out in the smoky Room, the place where 77 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: titans of industry gathered to concoct the world order. That's 78 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: a right. Well, yeah, and we're drunk on power and 79 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: cognac alike. Oh, there's a couple of them. Hey, guys, 80 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: look me in the eye when you speak. Please, thank you. Today, 81 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: Alex and I thought we'd paused the story of Smedley 82 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: Butler to see if we can get inside the room 83 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: where the coup was planned. You see, it takes time 84 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: and resources and discretion to put something like that together. 85 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: Maybe it starts as a kind of cocktail coup, a wild, 86 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: vaguely seditious idea that gets tossed around at a party. 87 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: But it sticks, it escalates, and all of a sudden 88 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: it's no longer a joke. People start taking it seriously. 89 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: Once we can see inside for ourselves, maybe we can 90 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: finally see who exactly these anonymous plotters and puppet masters are, 91 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: and we could figure out who's really pulling the strings 92 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: of this coup plot. Aute. Wait a minute, you want 93 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: to come in? Not on your tin type. Even if 94 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: we let you in, it's not like you could really 95 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: understand what it's like to belong here, or what wouldn't 96 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: we understand? Well, what it's like to be omnipotently wealthy 97 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: for one. Yeah, I mean, I don't know what podcasts 98 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: are paying these days, but I'm guessing I just spent 99 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: more on breakfast. That's a dick thing to say, Oh 100 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: was it? I'd apologize, but my money won't let me. Okay, 101 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: But I've just gotta know. What do you guys actually 102 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: do here all day? Gossip and make more money? Mostly, 103 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: I mean it's a lot of fun. We sit around, 104 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: read the papers, see what Blondie and Dag would are 105 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: up to, talk about so and so and this and that, 106 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: and playing coops. Yeah, of course there's some pressing of palms, 107 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: some greasing of wheels, some making of deals. I mean, 108 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: we're only human and incredibly oblivious to our own privilege. 109 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,600 Speaker 1: You get the vague but shady picture. Yep, sounds vague 110 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: and shady, all right. Also the drinks amazing. Try and 111 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: find a dryer, Gibson, I dare you so? The smoke 112 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: filled room. You keep talking about the smoke filled room. 113 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: It's not just one place. There are multiple locations, and 114 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: there are all kinds of conspiracies. We are thinking of 115 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: someday opening one in tooloom dedicated to figuring out once 116 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: and for all, if Leah Michelle can read truly, I'm 117 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: not a conspiracy theory for the agent. So on the 118 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: polance of my darlings on the riviera, the party moves. 119 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: Look at that a Gatsby reference in episode one and 120 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: now hemmingway, aren't we smart? Yeah? Now you see, our 121 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: little gang of insurgent plotters met on a weekly basis 122 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: in a smoky room at either the Metropolitan Club or 123 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: the Empire State Club, both fancy pants Manhattan, established mounts. 124 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: How do you get invited in? How do you get 125 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: invited in? Don't wear that for status? What it's a 126 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: baseball cap? It should stop at beauregards a road. This 127 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: is Benjamin Bowlin you're speaking to. He's a very prominent 128 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: member of the creative underclass. Yeah. Sure, I'm a big deal. 129 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: So come on show me around. No you'll touch stuff, 130 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: We won't, I promise. Oh god, both of you want 131 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: to come clear the ducks please? Alright? Alright, alright, since 132 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: you said it's so cute together. But after we give 133 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: you a tour, introduce you to some of the more 134 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: notorious denizens, we will raise your memory so you can 135 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: never speak of this again. Right on. Can we bring 136 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: our recording equipment and stuff we're not recording? We promise 137 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: everything's turned off. Okay, as long as they're off. Welcome, 138 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: I mean welcome to the smoke filled room. Okay, listeners, 139 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 1: let me describe what we're seeing here. Hang on, you 140 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: just said you won't go to record. Oh no, I 141 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: just like to narrate my life because I feel insecure 142 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: because I don't have as much money as you guys. Well, 143 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: that tracks, all right, proceed. The room smells of leather 144 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: and booze and wood polish and cigar smoke. The walls 145 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: are shimmering gold in the furniture's French walnut. There are 146 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: crown moldings everywhere. It seems like everybody in this room, 147 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: and it's all white. Guys, to be clear, speaks in 148 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: hush tones because nobody wants to be overheard. The men 149 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: wear gray flannel three piece suits with chalky white pinstripes 150 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: and gleaming ivory buttons. I dress it up with a 151 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: cravat and a boot and air just to be fun. 152 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: The smoke is so thick you can hardly see anybody's face, 153 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: although that guy looks familiar. Yes, I believe you know 154 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: Jerry Maguire. He keeps stalking Smedley in episode two, plate 155 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: in his head, face like a thumb, generally happy to 156 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: see you. Hellow right, that guy he told Smedley he 157 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: had some real financial heavyweights behind him. Guilty. I have 158 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: very delicate bones, so I do appreciate you calling me 159 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: a heavyweight. Wait wait, wait, so it's YouTube behind this. Well, 160 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: let's just say guys like us, unlike Robert Sterling claw 161 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: Arc over there, the guy who's papa left a millions 162 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: and singers sewing machine money, remember him, mister, I'll give 163 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: up half my fortune to save the other half. Yeah. 164 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: Eventually he winds up becoming a philanthropist and forming an 165 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: art institute with his wife doing all sorts of preservation. 166 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: What a way, What a simple dance? Talk about me 167 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: like I'm not here. What you got there, mister Clark. 168 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: A couple of mayonnaise and a skinny gale margharita. Wow, Yes, 169 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: it's that rich peasant's version of Jabel Fifting. It's cool. 170 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: So it's it's just these two guys here. Oh dear me. No, 171 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: there's lots of cool planners milling about, but they're in 172 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: the South wing. Now, where's that lever holy smokes? A 173 00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: secret passageway behind the toilet. The rich really knew how 174 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: to live? Then, Yes, here we are. Okay. So that 175 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: handsome fellow with a schlipped back her is Grayson Murphy. 176 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: Mister Mallett prevost Murphy. If you're nasty, don't gladly effortless 177 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: quaffier folia. He's not a stylist. He's a titan of 178 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: business and also proficient mischief maker, which is rather helpful 179 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: for cool planning. I mean, you gotta have fun with it. 180 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: Grayson went to the same fancy private school as the 181 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: DuPont brothers, Pierre Irenee and Lemon Science of the famous 182 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: munitions and chemical company. So safe to say we'll hear 183 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: more about them later. Well that's a safe bet. Right 184 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: after his graduation from West Point, Murphy joined military intelligence 185 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: and was dispatched by Teddy Roosevelt for a month long 186 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: spy mission to South America. Grayson tells me that part 187 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: of their coastal reconnaissance involved chartering a yacht and posing 188 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: as a rich tourist. Cigars and champagne for everybody. But 189 00:11:56,400 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: they were spying. Isn't that hysterical. No, okay, Grayson Murphy 190 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: spied for the United States and the Philippines too, and 191 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: he spent time in the Dominican Republic, like which the 192 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: United States also invaded. You know this an interesting amount 193 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: of crossover with Smedley Butler here, I mean how they 194 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 1: were both warriors of dollar diplomacy. You really are very 195 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: intelligent the way you connect these dogs. You ever thought 196 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: of writing some of the stuff down? Shucks? Thanks? Man? Well, 197 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: I actually did write a book. It's called Stuff They 198 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: Don't Want. I'm gonna stop you. I can't read. In fact, confidentially, 199 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: it was me who taught Lea Michelle how to not 200 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: be able to read. Really, m well, that's one conspiracy 201 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: theory solved, I guess. To wrap this chapter up, Grayson 202 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 1: works in operational planning during World War One, befriends the 203 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: guy who went on to lead the Office of Strategic Services. 204 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: Oh that's the forerunner to the CIA, right, and Alex 205 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure the guy who headed that up was 206 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: named wild Bill down of it? Cool? Well, now you're 207 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: just showing off Sis Boombard. The war ends, Grayson goes 208 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: on to hold board seats on a half dozen or 209 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: so major companies and a Conda, Copa Mining, Bethlehem Steel, 210 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: New York Trust, and then Ruma. How's it? He went 211 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: on to provide the voice of Yogi Bear. Really nope, 212 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: moving along now in the Safari room. Hang on, is 213 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: that a live tiger? Oh yeah, this is getting creepy. 214 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: Oh honey, where Josh getting started? Now Here over here 215 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: we have three distinguished blokes. Hugh Johnson. How about that name? 216 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: You get it? Yeah? Yeah, Hugh Johnson, I get it. 217 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: He's also frenemies with Rexford tug Well, as well as 218 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: my friend Nancy Hawks brother Mike get it, my cock, 219 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: my cock? Yeah, we get it. Yeah, I've read about 220 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: Hugh Johnson. Oh, I get it. Real mature guys is 221 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: a vital early member of FDR's brain trust. Right. His 222 00:13:56,680 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: nickname is iron Pants. Johnson headed up the National Recovery 223 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: Administration the n r A, just to be clear, not 224 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: the National Rifle Association, No good safe, the National Recovery Administration. 225 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: Look at you two knowing even more things, just fascinating. Oh, 226 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: look out the window, Orphans, Yay, get the rocks, we'll 227 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: be right back. Those guys are the worst Alex if 228 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: I remember right, General Hugh Johnson didn't last long in 229 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: the FDR administration. That's right. Hugh Johnson kind of had 230 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: a thing for fascist economics. We'll get to that in 231 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: a moment. But his NRA did do some good things. Yeah. Yeah. 232 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: The NRA stated purpose was the elimination of cutthroat competition. 233 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: They did this by bringing industry, labor, and government all 234 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: together to create what they called codes of fair practice, 235 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: you know the stuff we take for granted today, like 236 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: minimum wage or making child labor illegal. These regulations had 237 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: the added impact of creating jobs and boosting the economy. 238 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: For instance, enforcing a forty hour work week meant that 239 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: businesses needed to spread the available work among a larger 240 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: portion of the workforce, and this drove down unemployment numbers. 241 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: Johnson treated the NRA as his own personal fiefdom. He 242 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: had almost unlimited power, and with his charisma and can 243 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: do attitude, he did an incredible job selling the NRA 244 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: to the American public. This is from a nineteen thirty 245 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: three infomercial about the NRA starring Jimmy duranting, you and 246 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: you and you and you. You've got a president now. 247 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: He gave the land a new deel Holy God, now 248 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: you deal. NRA was so popular that in nineteen thirty three, 249 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: Time magazine named old iron Pants Johnson Man of the 250 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: Year by Time Zone admission, the pickens were slim FDR 251 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: one in nineteen thirty two, so they couldn't give it 252 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: to him two years in a row. Time also noted 253 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: that Johnson's competition included Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and as we 254 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: all know, those guys were dicks, but new dicks could 255 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: compare to the mighty huge Johnson. I'm sorry, I always 256 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: got that out with a straight face anyway. Hugh Johnson 257 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: and the NRA were celebrated, but then Johnson melted down. 258 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: He drank heavily, and he started disappearing on benders for 259 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: days at a time. He compared himself to Moses and 260 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: his NRA code to the Ten Commandments. Let's just say 261 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: he had delusions of grandeur and he started being a 262 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: little too public about where he got his ideas. At 263 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: the time, an economic system called corporatism was so hot 264 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: and fascist Italy. Here's how it worked. Mussolini's government created 265 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: twenty two corporations. Each corporation represented a different trade just 266 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: about every sector of the Italian economy was represented everything 267 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: from the production of fruits and veggies to forestry and lumber, 268 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: to chemical trades and electricity and water and good lord, 269 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: we got it. Yeah, you're losing papal nerd. Yeah. Mussolini, 270 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: of course, presided over each corporation. Below him was a 271 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: council of big wigs from the Fascist Party, employers and 272 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: laborers for each trade. Johnson's DRA was set up to 273 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: look a lot like Mussolini's corporatist system, just like the 274 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: Italians had their corporations. The NRA formalized trade organizations with 275 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: government officials, business owners, and workers, and it doesn't sound 276 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: too bad. Employees and employers were working together to create 277 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: codes of fair practice. But the truth was Johnson had 278 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: set up something that was more like corporatism light. Instead 279 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,640 Speaker 1: of benefiting the state like Mussolini's corporatism, the structure really 280 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: favored big business. US workers won the right to collectively bargain, sure, 281 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: but the pay remained pretty bad and the hours were 282 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: still long. So what we're saying is Johnson was essentially 283 00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 1: trying corporate fascism on for size. Banned with Gusto, he 284 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: actually starts sending pamphlets on Mussolini's corporatism to the cabinet, 285 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: except those pamphlets were straight up fascist propaganda. All this 286 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: shilling for fascist economics got Johnson some negative attention. In fact, 287 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: it may have led to him getting sacked from the NRA. 288 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: Not twitch when she joins our little club and becomes 289 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: one of the planners of our rebellion, quite the character 290 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: ark Q. Johnson had, no kidding. Let's take a break, 291 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: and when we get back, we're going to meet more 292 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: notorious denizens from the smoke filled room. Good. I could 293 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: use a refill anyway. And speaking of refills, that's the 294 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: sound of gin being poured haphazardly into the tumbler of 295 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: someone who, by the sound of it, has a drinking problem. 296 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: And it's the well defined problem. It's the only kind 297 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: of gin we hues, old gimlet eye gin, the gin 298 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: of champions, but not champions who like done stuff, champions 299 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: who are born into it. Yeah, sure, jim let. I again, 300 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: remember it's the it's what is the tangle? All right, 301 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 1: it's got the eye And now here's the real lads. 302 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: We're back with three pills for all. I think I'm good, guys, 303 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 1: This old gimlet eye. Gin kind of tastes like gasoline. 304 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: Let me see that. Oh that is actually gasoline. Sorry, 305 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: it's so smoky in here you can hardly read the labels. Yeah, 306 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: the boy runs your mouth out with some absinthe. Oh yikes, 307 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 1: this is him luck, I'm good, Okay, I am good. 308 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: Let's continue the tour. All right. Well, over here playing 309 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: tag in the cloak room are two of our finest 310 00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: almost but not quite presidents. They tried bless him. There's 311 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: Al Smith, four term progressive governor of New York, lost 312 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: the twenty eight presidential election to Herbert Hoover. Dad, someone 313 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: say my name, yes, hello, Herbie. Please don't call me Herbie. 314 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,120 Speaker 1: If you must use a nickname, stick to my favorite, 315 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: the Great Engineer, or are my second favorite, Huby la Huve. 316 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: In nineteen thirty two, Al Smith tried to block Roosevelt 317 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,880 Speaker 1: from getting the Democratic nomination for president. Smith made no 318 00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: secret that he loathed Roosevelt and opposed the New Deal. 319 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 1: Join the club literally, and here's Al Smith's partner in failure. 320 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: On John asked Davis, Oh, that's the guy who wrote 321 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 1: the gold Standard address that Butler was supposed to read 322 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: to the men at the American Legion Convention. I love 323 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 1: how excited you get about this stuff. It's really adorable. 324 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: Thank you. Davis was nominated by the Dems in twenty 325 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: four but then got beat by Calvin Coolidge by seven 326 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,880 Speaker 1: million votes. I believe it was. And they were like 327 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: twenty five people in the US back then. So he 328 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: served in Congress and as the ambassador to the United Kingdom. 329 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: He also argued one hundred and forty cases before the 330 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. So, you know, busy guy on politics, and 331 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: busy guys socially too, because he's buddies with the richest 332 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,360 Speaker 1: dudes in the whole country at the time, people like 333 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: the Rockefellers and Morgan's and DuPont's. Right, why do you 334 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: ask if you know the answer to Shay, I just 335 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: want to make it clearer. His friends are so powerful 336 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: that they're above politics. It's like they see presidents as employees. 337 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: It's true, men, these guys were connected. I'm thinking that 338 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: John W. Davis and Al Smith being here in the 339 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: smoke filled room seems like a major clue behind the 340 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: plot to depose FDR. Indeed Alex because all these smoky 341 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: room guys, Davis, Smith, Grayson Murphy, Robert Sterling Clark, not 342 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: to mention the alleged involvement of a handful of sitting senators. 343 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: All these folks were connected to an anti Roosevelt organization 344 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: called the American Liberty League. I never belonged to a 345 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 1: club that would have someone like me as a member, 346 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 1: except this one, because Roosevelt blows the group with public 347 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: in August nineteen thirty four. The League's stated purpose is 348 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: to hang on, let me pull up my shirt. I 349 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: tattooed their motto across my chest. Wow, losers, you're ripped. 350 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: Thank you. They put a pilates machine upstairs next to 351 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: the iron Maiden. So league stated purpose was to quote, 352 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: defend and uphold the Constitution, to teach the necessity of 353 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: respect for the rights of persons and property as fundamental 354 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,360 Speaker 1: to every successful form of government. To teach the duty 355 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 1: of government to encourage and protect individual and group initiative 356 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: and enterprise. Hang on, it continues to round my back here. Yeah. 357 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: To foster the right to work earn, say than acquire property, 358 00:22:59,960 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: and to preserve the ownership and lawful use of property 359 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: when acquired. Or more plainly, the purpose of the Liberty 360 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:13,360 Speaker 1: League is to influence the Roosevelt administration and if necessary 361 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: or possible interfere. Don't say it's so grim interfere, it's 362 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: a happy word. The League got off to an inauspicious start. 363 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,360 Speaker 1: They launched months prematurely, with no money in the bank 364 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: or membership, and only because a newspaper reporter had the 365 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: goods on the story about the formation of an anti 366 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: Roosevelt group formed by some of the world's wealthiest men. 367 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: That'll sell some papers. Smedley saw the headlines and remembered 368 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 1: his last meeting with Jerry McGuire Hallo, when he told 369 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: him about his adventures learning about fascist groups in Europe. 370 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: I studied Hitler, I checked out that ominous fascist group QUADAFU. 371 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: I took a sort of comedic photo where it looks 372 00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: like I'm holding up the leaning tower all in Ali. 373 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: There was an eight plus visit. McGuire told Smedley that 374 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: in a few weeks time there would be an announcement 375 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: about the formation of a powerful new political organization made 376 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: up of powerful men that would back the coup. This 377 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: organization would be created under the auspices of defending the constitution, 378 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: and it's not just made up of rich, shadowy types. 379 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: We've caught it. A few rich non shadowy types too. Yeah, 380 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: people will fuck you type money and influence folks like 381 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: Hollywood producer Hal Roach, League backers Directed US Steel, General Motors, 382 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: Standard Oil, and the DuPonts right, yes, yeah, we're just 383 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 1: getting there. The creators of the Liberty League were Irrite 384 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: DuPont and his two brothers, Pierre and Lamont. Now those 385 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: guys are scary, even if it's a lot of fun 386 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: to say Lamont, DuPont, Motpat pretty good Inne and his 387 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: brothers believe the New Deal constituted dangerous extremism. Most of all, 388 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: they hated the worker protections being churned out by the 389 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: National Recovery Administration because you know, they didn't see workers 390 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: as people. The DuPonts, in their lackeys from the League 391 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: wanted a lot of things lowell taxes, elimination, the federal relief, 392 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: perhaps a statue of Moi Apierre relement on zi, national 393 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 1: mall ones atuasi Lincoln Memorial, I don't know, just spitballing. 394 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: And to get all those things they wanted done. The 395 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: Liberty League gave money to right wing groups who opposed 396 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: communism or government regulation. At the same time, they actually 397 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: advised the Roosevelt administration on economic matters and advised on 398 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: new deal proposals when they benefited the DuPonts. They're basically 399 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: like Inner War Coax plus the Mercers, except they owned 400 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: a dynamite factory. Eventually they moved on to chemicals with 401 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: other applications. Yeah, but their primary business was always Boom 402 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,400 Speaker 1: and Bang. By nineteen thirty three, the company had assets 403 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: and excess of six hundred and twenty million In today's money, 404 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: that's more than fourteen billion dollars. They were the principal 405 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: stockholder of General Motors. Face At DuPont was an industrial powerhouse. 406 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: At the same time the DuPonts are launching the Liberty League, 407 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: they're also fending off accusations of war profiteering. During a 408 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: series of well publicized congressional hearings, the DuPonts were being 409 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: maligned and framed Lenai. You know. So the DuPont brothers 410 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: and their gang of anti regulation crusaders liked to point 411 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: out all the Havoc prohibition brought as a prime example 412 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: of government overreach. Irenae is emotional, militant, paranoid, megalomaniac that 413 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: outshines us all in his determination. I think I'm like 414 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: in love. Right around the time the Liberty League booted up, 415 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: Irenae's top lieutenant at the League had a meeting with 416 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:06,720 Speaker 1: Ku Klux Klan leader Hiram Evans. They discussed a possible 417 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: anti new Deal collab. The Devans guy, he kept coming 418 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: in here with his pointy hood and robe, so unsavory. 419 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 1: The only time he made me laugh was when his 420 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: hood got caught in the overhead fan. He was like, WHOA, 421 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,160 Speaker 1: I almost pulled a muscle. It was so funny. So 422 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: it seems like the DuPonts and their co conspirators at 423 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 1: the Liberty League had the logistical ability to pull off 424 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: the scheme, and they had the motive. No, no, no, 425 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: look here, you the DuPonts company makes neoprene and stuff 426 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 1: like that, the job creators and neoprene creators. You mustn't 427 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: make a big deal out of their consolidation of power, 428 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: nor their backdoor dealings with clumsy KKK members. And you 429 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: really mustn't make a big deal out of the fact that, 430 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 1: just as Roosevelt's cranking through his first one hundred days, 431 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: the DuPont family purchased the Remington Arms Company. Quiet, Lucius, date, 432 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: what the Remington Arms Company like? One of the oldest, 433 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: biggest firearms companies in the country. Oh shit, that would 434 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 1: mean a riful for every legionnaire in general. Butler's walk 435 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: to Washington. Who said Remington Arms? I said, Remington Farms. Yeah, 436 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: it's a fabulous company run by and for chickens. Yeah, sure, dude. 437 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 1: So they had the motive, they had the muscle, they 438 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: just needed the general Asimo. I bet these are the 439 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 1: puppet masters we've been looking for. You're out of line. 440 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: You are making a serious accusation against a valued member 441 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: of the smoke filled room community, and I'm not having it. Yeah. 442 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: Taking over the tour with your vast historical knowledge is 443 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: one thing, but you can't talk shit about one of 444 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: our best guys. We're throwing you out and don't come 445 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: back unless you want to go up on the turfy 446 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: wall with the other libertals. Well, another day podcast research, 447 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: another tumble into a darkened alley. Well say, let's head 448 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: back for sure. You know, the more I learn about 449 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: all this, the scariest part of the story is the 450 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: Liberty League in the DuPonts. I mean, these are the 451 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: sorts of people who can destabilize economies or convince the 452 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 1: American government to invade a sovereign nation. Yeah, people who 453 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 1: manufacture munitions, people who are accused of war profiteering, who 454 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: concoct plans with the ku Klux Klan, who believe with 455 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: conviction that their vision of the world is the best 456 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: and only vision. Seems like the DuPonts could be the 457 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:41,600 Speaker 1: masters of this entire enterprise. Telling you the hairs on 458 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: the back of my neck are up again, Alex again 459 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: with the hair's been. I mean, they always know when 460 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: something wicked is coming. Fair enough, are they gone? Yes? 461 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: They seem to beginning on some form of public transportation, 462 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: barf lucias. I think we know what we need to do. 463 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: All of us plotters and skibas and titans of industry. 464 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: Get Smaily Butler to lead the coup. Yes, and a 465 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: cook for the kitchenette. Oh, I love both those ideas. 466 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: Smedley gives a street cred with those pea brained veterans. Yes, 467 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: without them, who knows if we could even pull this off? 468 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: Oh we will, Billy Geld, we will, ye, You'll hear 469 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: where were you hiding this? Bittoone? Ah Brilliant and Gross 470 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: Gather Alund The Boys Companies coming Let's Start a coup 471 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: as a production of School of Humans and I Heart Podcasts. 472 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: Our hosts are Alex French and Ben Bolin. The show 473 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: is written by Alex French, with additional writing by Joe 474 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: ken Ocean. Original music and scoring by Joe ken Ocean. 475 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 1: Character voices by Joe ken Ocean. Does he Do Windows Too? 476 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: Eli Spetas is our producer. Emilia Rocky is our senior producer. 477 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: Sound design, scoring, mixing and mastering by Alexander Overington. Story 478 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: editing by Lacy Roberts, fact checking by Joscelyn Sears. Sean 479 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: Riggins is our recording engineer. Recorded at Tune Welders in Atlanta, Georgia. 480 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: Executive producers are Jason English, Virginia Prescott, Brandon Varr, and 481 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 1: Elsie Crowley. Special Things to Ethan Trucks clips courtesy of 482 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: the National Archives and Records Administration and the Academy Collections. 483 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: If you're enjoying the show, help us get the word 484 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 1: out by leaving a rating in your favorite podcast app. 485 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: And if you don't enjoy, we come for you, tune 486 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: in again next time for Let's start a coup school 487 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: of humans