As Truman greeted well-wishers outside, a dramatic scene unfolded in private inside the White House. The president went to the Green Room to rest, where he was seized suddenly by stabbing chest pains. He grabbed his son James’s arm and said, “Jimmy, I can’t take this unless you get me a stiff drink. You’d better make it straight.” A minute later, Roosevelt was pouring whiskey into his mouth, fortifying himself for the reception.
