Whistlestop: Presidential History and Trivia

The Air Traffic Take Down

This episode of Whistlestop travels back to August 3, 1981 when 12,000 air traffic controllers walked off their jobs.
Whistlestop is Slate’s podcast about presidential campaign history. Hosted by our political correspondent and Political Gabfest panelist John Dickerson, each installment will revisit a memorable (or even a forgotten) moment from America's quadrennial carnival. Podcast production and edit by Jocelyn Frank. Research by Brian Rosenwald. Love Slate podcasts? Listen longer with Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, ad-free versions, exclusive podcasts and more. Start your two-week free trial at slate.com/podcastplus.Email:whistlestop@slate.com
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John Dickerson of Slate’s Political Gabfest revisits a moment from the American carnival of politics. Hear about the grand speeches, emergency strategies, baby kissing, and backstabbing that make each presidential cycle so fascinating.