Alright, let me take this opportunity to recommend against installing the bearing/plunger combination that is not interference fit.
Here's how it ended up...
and see the bulging bearing housing on the right side below...
Now to be fair, the locktite I used was not the strongest sort. Perhaps if I'd been more disciplined with delaying the install til I got the stronger stuff, I would have had better results...but still it is a bandaid method that doesn't really address the inherent problem.
[EDIT: this below was my thought process at the time, but might not be the correct way it failed, see comments further down...]
As I was driving, I heard a slight squealing/spinning sound and I thought "yep the bearing is now spinning on the plunger, I hope it doesn't catch and seize". Next time I drove it - I had to drive it home - after quite a while a while I heard the noise change and sounded like stuff was going baaaad and thought "yep there it goes". Drove the rest of the way without using the clutch.
Opening her up, examination (thankfully) found that the failure was as predicted, and it looks like no other damage was done.
I saw Karcraft posted they have a good interference fit plunger/flat faced bearing combination so I've contacted them about getting those.
Let's be honest, none of us are super surprised it shat itself are we?