National Affairs: Fallout

Among the millions of pear-shaped words that poured forth from Los Angeles last week, a few said a lot. Among the few:

Adlai Stevenson wrote off his abortive try for the nomination with a one-sentence example of his good humor: “A funny thing happened to us on the way to the nomination tonight . . .” Harry Truman, who had lambasted Stevenson over the years as chronically unable to make up his mind, got it back when Stevenson was asked about Truman’s on-again, off-again attitude toward attending the convention: “The trouble with Harry is that he’s indecisive.” Added Actor-Director Jim Backus: “It is a disgrace that Harry Truman is not coming. It’s the same as Sam Snead not going to the Republican Convention.”

Pat Brown, California’s Governor, won the long-sticking epithet “Tower of Jelly” because he could not make up his mind which game to play—”Back-Jack” or “Favorite Son.” After it was too late to matter, an aide reported facetiously that Pat had just conducted another of his famous sidewalk polls. “He wants to find out whether we should support Albert Schweitzer or Fidel Castro for the vice-presidency.” Robert Meyner, the handsome New Jersey Governor who is barred by law from a third term, insisted on running as a favorite son against the manifold pleas and pressures of the state’s pro-Kennedy Democratic bosses. He thus won a niche—or, more correctly, a wall scratch—in history (41 first-ballot votes for Meyner), but lost his high hopes for a Cabinet job. “I want my 25 minutes on television,” Meyner confessed in a moment of greater vanity than wisdom. “I’m entitled to it.” Herschel Loveless, Iowa’s Golden Bantam Governor and favorite son, who withdrew to support Kennedy, warned a pack of restless Iowa delegates: “You go for Stevenson, and you’re dead.” Husked back one delegate: “You’re looking at a bunch of corpses.” Final count from Iowa: 21½ votes for Kennedy, 1½ for Loveless, 3 scattered.

Joseph P. Kennedy, as Comedian Mort Sahl (see SHOW BUSINESS) told it, re ceived a telegram from Vice President Nixon: “Congratulations. You have not lost a son. You have gained a country.” Bobby Kennedy, the steamrolling cam paign manager, was figured by one pun dit to be in line for a White House job if Brother Jack wins: “Bobby will make Sherman Adams look like George Washington. ” Jack Kennedy, wisecracking at a cozy victory party for his staff: “You know you’re all members of what’s become known as the dirtiest campaign outfit in modern history. To those of you who are going to be served with indictments, this is both hello and goodbye — and I don’t know you.” Stuart Symington heard one of his top aides say: “The next time a Kennedy man comes up to congratulate me on the clean campaign we conducted, I’m going to punch him in the nose.” Lyndon Baines Johnson, told by one supporter after he had agreed to run for the vice-presidency that his famed slogan “All the Way with L.B.J.” must now be changed to “Half the Way with L.B.J. ,” replied not so, said that his initials now stood for “Let’s Back Jack.” Lady Bird Johnson, commenting on her husband’s failure to win the No. 1 job: “I can’t say that I am not sorry, because Lyndon would have made a noble Presi dent — a tough, can-do President. But as a mother and a wife and a woman who wakes up in the morning and wants to call her day relief.” her own, I have a sizable feeling of relief.”