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The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor
ArtsBooks
The John Batchelor Show
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9967 episodes

  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1120: Legacies of the 1920s: Hoover and Roosevelt Guest: David Pietrusza The final segment contrasts the presidencies of Herbert Hoover and FDR, the last of the six presidents from the 1920 cycle. Hoover, despite rising from "great poverty" to become a "grea

    12/07/2026 | 8 mins.
    Legacies of the 1920s: Hoover and Roosevelt Guest: David Pietrusza The final segment contrasts the presidencies of Herbert Hoover and FDR, the last of the six presidents from the 1920 cycle. Hoover, despite rising from "great poverty" to become a "great engineer," struggled with a cold public persona that failed to rally the nation during the Great Depression. Conversely, the wealthy FDR was transformed by his battle with polio, which observers like Frances Perkins believed allowed him to empathize more deeply with human suffering. FDR became a master of radio and newsreels, using them to refine his communication and build a broad "progressive coalition." Crucially, Roosevelt learned from Wilson's failure to compromise on the Versailles Treaty; when he later championed the United Nations, he made sure to involve Republicans in the process. By applying the hard lessons of the 1920 election, FDR successfully realized the internationalist vision that had eluded Wilson. (8)
    1920
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1120: A Landslide Victory and the Birth of a New Era Guest: David Pietrusza Warren G. Harding secured one of the most lopsided victories in history, winning 60% of the popular vote and 404 electoral votes. His victory was fueled by modern advertising techniques

    12/07/2026 | 11 mins.
    A Landslide Victory and the Birth of a New Era Guest: David Pietrusza Warren G. Harding secured one of the most lopsided victories in history, winning 60% of the popular vote and 404 electoral votes. His victory was fueled by modern advertising techniques, including celebrity endorsements from stars like Al Jolson. On election night, Americans received results through early radio broadcasts and by having numbers projected onto the walls of newspaper offices. While history often views Harding as a weak administrator, Pietrusza contends he was a strong politician who successfully focused on restructuring government and reducing national debt. His presidency ended abruptly with a fatal heart attack in 1923, leading to the famous midnight swearing-in of Calvin Coolidge by his father in Vermont. Coolidge's subsequent presidency was defined by his commitment to public service, modest living, and a philosophy of independent leadership that restored public trust in the executive branch. (7)
    1920
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1120: Campaigning on the Front Porch and the League of Nations Guest: David Pietrusza The 1920 campaign highlighted a stark contrast in styles: Harding's "front porch" campaign versus the active touring of Cox and FDR. Despite his reputation for "bloviating," H

    12/07/2026 | 5 mins.
    Campaigning on the Front Porch and the League of Nations Guest: David Pietrusza The 1920 campaign highlighted a stark contrast in styles: Harding's "front porch" campaign versus the active touring of Cox and FDR. Despite his reputation for "bloviating," Harding was a polished public speaker with a modern voice who understood how to avoid trouble. A pivotal moment occurred when Cox and FDR met a shockingly frail Wilson, leading Cox to commit fully to the League of Nations as his primary campaign issue. Pietrusza argues this was a tactical error, as the public was increasingly skeptical of international commitments. Meanwhile, the Socialist candidate Eugene Debs campaigned from a federal penitentiary, having been jailed for sedition. Though Debs won less than a million votes, his platform — containing ideas like Social Security — laid the groundwork for future American policy. This era marked the birth of modern political communication and the "next generation" of leadership. (6)
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1120: The 1920 Democratic Convention and the Ohio Connection Guest: David Pietrusza Meeting in San Francisco, the Democrats faced a grueling nomination process dictated by the "two-thirds rule," which required 44 ballots to select James M. Cox. The convention w

    12/07/2026 | 12 mins.
    The 1920 Democratic Convention and the Ohio Connection Guest: David Pietrusza Meeting in San Francisco, the Democrats faced a grueling nomination process dictated by the "two-thirds rule," which required 44 ballots to select James M. Cox. The convention was overshadowed by a frail Woodrow Wilson, who still harbored secret hopes for a third term despite his inability to even put in a full day's work. The contest featured William Gibbs McAdoo, Wilson's"dry" son-in-law, and the "moderately wet" Cox. The atmosphere was further charged by the recent Palmer Raids and anarchist bombings. Al Smith emerged as the first viable Roman Catholic candidate, though his time would not come until years later. Ultimately, the party chose Franklin D. Roosevelt as the vice-presidential nominee. FDR was selected largely for his famous last name and to move him out of New York state politics, where he had been a troublesome figure for the Tammany Hall machine. (5)
    1920
  • The John Batchelor Show

    S8 Ep1120: The 1920 Republican Convention in Chicago Guest: David Pietrusza The Republican Convention in Chicago was a sweltering "circus" where Warren G. Harding started with very low odds compared to favorites like Leonard Wood and Hiram Johnson. Harding initially

    12/07/2026 | 5 mins.
    The 1920 Republican Convention in Chicago Guest: David Pietrusza The Republican Convention in Chicago was a sweltering "circus" where Warren G. Harding started with very low odds compared to favorites like Leonard Wood and Hiram Johnson. Harding initially ran for the presidency primarily to gain the "glamour" needed to protect his Senate seat in Ohio, doubting he could actually win the top spot. However, the leading candidates eventually reached a deadlock, hitting their "upper limits" and forcing the party to look for a compromise. Unlike the Democrats' more complex rules, the Republicans required only a simple majority for nomination. The final party platform was a masterclass in ambiguity, designed to satisfy both pro-League members like Taft and anti-League "irreconcilables." By saying very little of substance, the party managed to maintain a fragile unity, eventually selecting Harding as the candidate who could bridge the various factions of the GOP. (4)
    1919
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About The John Batchelor Show
The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.
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