Nattering Naybobs of Negativity
Couldn't let this one pass. 32 years ago today, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigned following charges of tax evasion, only one part of the whole tragedy of the Nixon years.Agnew was a contemporary of Mayor Sam himself and I bet they were friends. Agnew is the one who referred to Nixon's critics as “an effete corps of impudent snobs” and "nattering naybobs of negativity."
I actually remember this day as I was in 4th Grade at Strathern Street School in North Hollywood and our teacher challenged us to find out what breaking news event had happened this day. I asked some painters who were working on a nearby classroom and listening to a transitor radio. They were able to fill me in. I was beaming as I was able to report to Mrs. Mintz on the downfall of old Spiro, whom I had heard my father and grandfathers always joke about.
An interesting note about Agnew is that he became Vice President of the United States a mere six years after entering politics as the Baltimore County Executive. About the same amount of time John Edwards (the Kerry running mate) was in office before becoming a VP nominee.
Today, I doubt most school painters know who the Vice President of the United States is and probably a few teachers too. Sad.
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 10/10/2005 02:35:00 PM
6 Comments:
What a touching vignette. I remember that, on that very day, I watched an episode of "Gilligan's Island" in which they almost made it off the island.
Former VP candidate has moved to CD14? But there's no meeeeeel for him to talk about working in, there?
October 10, 1973 I was a junior in high school and I was at a conference for high school student council types at UCRiverside. Does anyone remember in the seventies, UCR had the top-optional swimming pool for a while? I think that was why we wanted to go to this particular conference.
A high school teacher of mine, who took us to the conference, told us that Agnew had resigned. I was stunned, because Agnew had just said that he wouldn't resign if indicted. He said it twice, he almost screamed it, in fact.
That would be "nattering nabobs of negativism."
If you can spell those correctly, you ARE a member of the "effete corps."
You were in high school back then Joe? Man you are old! I don't even think Mayor Frank was born yet in 1973.
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