As I've stated before in these pages, President Disney was very much a product of his upbringing. While this was a great boon to the country in that he held on to the most basic ideals of liberty, independence, the work ethic, and the power of imagination, it also meant that he had occasional blind spots when it came to matters outside his personal experience.
This became evident during the first part of 1956. On the whole, the President was feeling upbeat. His approval ratings were at a record high, largely due to the infrastructure programs that he had managed to get through an initially reluctant Congress. I should state that despite my differences with Chief of Staff Cohn, I had to admit that his contacts in the legislative branch were invaluable when it came to getting our bills passed. Also, Disneyland was doing a booming business, meaning that President Disney's company seemed to be in good hands.
Unfortunately, General Abdal Nasser of Egypt was making noises regarding Israel, or "Palestine". All of our intelligence indicated that the General was an up-and-coming figure in Egyptian politics, and President Disney's advisers warned him of a possible instability in the Middle East if the United States did not take a strong stand regarding the defense of Israel. Sadly, the President remained unconvinced.
It was during a semi-official meeting in the Oval Office that he slipped into one of his unguarded moments. "Folks, I'm a big supporter of the United Nations," he started. This was true. The President wasn't a fan of the idea of one world government, but he did like the idea of peaceful agreements among different cultures. "I have to say, though, that the idea of Israel never did sit well with me. Oh, don't get me wrong, we're their allies, and we'll do what we must in order to make sure that things go well. However, I'm not going to let the Jews dictate American foreign policy. We're talking about a people that will take a mile for every inch you give them. I'll let our embassy in Egypt know that they need to keep an eye on Nasser, but I'm not going to lose sleep over the Arabs wanting their land back."
I sneaked a peek at Cohn during the President's comment about Jews. He stared straight ahead, unblinking, like he didn't recognize the insult. Or maybe he didn't see it as one. It was always hard to tell with Roy.
-The Truth Of Fantasy: A Washington Memoir, Former White House Press Secretary James Dodd.
Dear Col. Parker,
We regret to inform you that due to further input from our sponsors, we have determined that your client Elvis Presley is not an appropriate act for our television program Stage Show. Naturally, you and Mr. Presley will be compensated for the inconvenience as per your contract with CBS.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for your time and interest.
Sincerely,
Donald Frith
Bureau of Standards and Practices
Columbia Broadcasting Corporation
FORMER ACTRESS FOUND DEAD
LOS ANGELES- Former actress Norma Jean Mortenson, aka Marilyn Monroe, best known as the former fiancee of baseball great Joe DiMaggio, was found dead last night from an apparent intentional overdose of barbiturates. While no note was found at the scene, friends of the deceased Miss Mortenson stated that she had been unusually depressed lately following a string of career difficulties....
-Los Angeles Times, 2/24/56
"My fellow Americans, we have been on a disastrous course for the past three years, led by a showman, a carnival barker. Oh, he'll give you sights that are wondrous to behold, but they're little more than fantasy. Get close enough to the President's policies, and you will see the glue on the bearded lady, smell the greasepaint on the Wild Man of Borneo. These are serious times, my friends, and they call for serious men of good will to solve them."
-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, announcing his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.
"We now go to our reporter on the scene, Howard Riggs. Howard?"
"Jim, I'm standing in front of what was once the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in downtown St. Louis. Firemen valiantly battled the blaze, which nearly consumed the entire two-story structure. From what we have been able to determine, this tragedy began during the club's weekly meeting, when according to witnesses, several youths described as "tough-looking" blockaded the door from the outside and threw Molotov cocktails through the windows into the lower levels of the building. One moment, Jim, we're getting some movement through the door, the firemen may be bringing out some of the children...
"Oh. Oh, no. Oh, this is a tragedy. Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, I...
"I'm so sorry. The firemen are bringing out the bodies of the victims. There may be some small hope, but the blaze has taken what looks like at least five children so far. From what I'm overhearing, there may very well be no survivors at all."
-Breaking News Report from St. Louis radio station KTRS, 2/28/56
PRESIDENT PROPOSES THAT "STRONG NEW MEASURES" BE GIVEN TO FBI TO BATTLE RISE IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
-New York Times, 3/5/56
"Look at that bastard GO!"
-Overheard at launching of satellite Davy Crockett on 3/15/56, quoted in Land of Tomorrow: The Space Race In The United States.
MOUSEKETEER RALLY DRAWS THOUSANDS AT STATE FAIR TO WATCH SATELLITE LAUNCH -Ronald Reagan Featured Speaker
Calling the launch of the satellite Davy Crockett "A triumph for America against the forces of Communism," Mickey Mouse Club host Ronald Reagan entertained a crowd of thousands of youths from all over the state at yesterday's state fair.
-Little Rock Democrat-Gazette, 3/16/56