Replies

The Reds tried to capture the young Democrat Party and almost succeeded under Jack Hall, Rorbaugh (Sp), Guiniers, Marshal etc and would have become the de facto territory leaders, including mayor of Honolulu. The US Naval Commandant threw them out for the most part, starting in 1948, thus stopping what would have become the first communist state in 1959 if the Hall-Abercrombie (and the CP sympathizing mayor of Honolulu in the 50’s) etc. gang had stayed in power. Once the Honolulu Record was exposed as a CPUSA operation, it further crippled CP operations in Hawaii for decades and their influence faded.

However, Soviet agent/CP leader Harry Bridges and his ILWU (longshores’ union) tried to strangle Hawaii in the early 70’s with a planned unification with Hoffa’s Teamsters, which would have prevented any ships/supplies to get to or from Hawaii to the mainland, etc. Nixon was going to seize the unions and jail there leaders if that was tried. The Reds got the message and backed off. Hoffa lost a lost of prestige over that and was on his way out, feet first or otherwise.

Frank Marshall Davis faded into an alcoholic oblivion. Unfortunately many of his later papers were not located (i.e. my talk with his son) but by then, his mind had been irreparably damaged due to drugs and drink. However, I discovered his name on a 1973 CP front list for one of their operations in Chicago. We don’t know if he actually authorized its listing or the Party just did it to pad that list. Nothing else showed up after 1973.

The big question is whether he had any real effect on a young and impressionable Barack Obama who sat in on Davis and his grandfather Dunham’s drinking/smoking sessions.