David Paul Kuhn: "The Hardhat Riot"

In this episode of The Book Club with Michael Smerconish, Michael sits down with journalist and author David Paul Kuhn to discuss his book The Hardhat Riot: Nixon, New York City, and the Dawn of the White Working-Class Revolution. Together, they revisit the dramatic events of May 1970, when construction workers and anti-war protesters clashed in lower Manhattan following the Kent State shootings and President Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Kuhn explains how the so-called Hard Hat Riot symbolized a deeper class divide in America—between blue-collar workers and college students—that reshaped the political landscape for decades to come. They explore how this moment foreshadowed today’s polarization, the “diploma divide,” and the shifting loyalties of the American working class from Democrats to Republicans. Kuhn is also producer of the documentary "Hard Hat Riot", now streaming on PBS. Original air date 1 October 2025. The book was published on 1 July 2020. The documentary was released on 30 September 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.