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KEFAUVER-KEATING AMENDMENT & A PLANE CRASH
As Tennessee's Junior Senator, Nancy Kefauver (D) enjoyed a bowl of clam chowder and drank from a mug of hot tea, a white-maned gentleman approached her solitary table in the Senate Dining Room. Walking up to the table almost like a pentitent child approaching a school teacher, New York's Junior Senator, Kenneth Keating (R) said, "Nancy, may I have a seat?"
Kefauver smiled and said, "Kenneth by all means. I haven't seen you since .... well since ...." and Senator Keating interjected "Since we laid Estes to rest," finishing the difficult words for the new widow. "Yes....that day. What can I do for you Kenneth," asked Senator Kefauver.
"Well Nancy, as you may or may not know, Estes and I were working on a piece of legislation that I think is more important than ever right now," said Keating. He was referring to the Kefauver-Keating Amendment whereby the text so far had read: "In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the said office shall devolve on the Vice President. In case of the inability of the President to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the said powers and duties shall devolve on the Vice President, until the inability be removed. The Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then be President, or, in case of inability, act as President, and such officer shall be or act as President accordingly, until a President shall be elected or, in case of inability, until the inability shall be earlier removed. The commencement and termination of any inability shall be determined by such method as Congress shall by law provide." However the areas not reached yet were:
Keating was referring to Senator Birch Bayh (D) of Indiana who succeeded Estes Kefauver as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendment. He had joined with U.S. Congressman Emmanuel Celler, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee had co-sponsored, S. J. Res. 1 and H.J. Res. 1 in the House and Senate.
Senator Kefauver batted her eyelashes and pinched Kenneth's cheek, as she arose, saying, "Then we will just have to get them to see our way in the committee process or on the floor." With that the widow Senator whisked from the room while Keating chuckled and said to no one in particular, "That's one Scottish lass who learns fast."
A few days later, a Pan American World Airways, Flight # 214, originating in Puerto Rico prepared to board at Baltimore's Friendship Airport.
A short, dark-haired gentleman in a suit, not very much unlike the regular passengers you saw on a Pan Am flight slowly walked towards the Boeing 707 Clipper Jet, accompanied by his wife, bundled in a fur coat. He was accompanied by an aide who held an umbrella over the man and his female companion. The short statured man was U.S. Senator John Tower (R) who was accompanied by his wife, Joza. The aide was a Young Republican working an fellowship at the Republican National Committee, an urbane Illinois gentleman who was a Navy veteran, named Don Sundquist.
"Now tell me again, why I am getting on this here plane, Donald?" asked the somewhat agitated Senator.
"Because Senator (Hugh) Scott is facing a tougher than expected reelection and you are the swingingest politician in the country. You were elected to Johnson's seat. The first Republican U.S. senator from Texas since Reconstruction, The third Republican from the former Confederacy since Reconstruction, The first Republican from the former Confederacy ever to win a Senate seat by popular vote...."
"Spare me the history lesson," growled the Senator as they reached the steps of the Pan Am Clipper Jet. "Just remember the last time the Cun-feder-acey (the Senator slurred and drew out the words in his twang) went to Pennsylvania it didn't do so well for us."
The aide smiled and said, "Maybe so, Senator, but the Yankee won and we need this Yankee to win. An aide to Senator Scott named James Corbett will meet you once you land in Philadelphia."
A crack of thunder after a flash of lightning made the young Navy veteran duck.
"Relax, Donald, we ain't in war. At least not yet," and with that, Senator and Mrs. John G. Tower boarded Pan Am Flight # 214, Clipper Trade Wind for the short flight.
Once on board, the Senator and his wife settled into their first class seats. The Senator ordered a scotch, neat, and pinched ever so slightly the bottom of the flight attendant as she turned to walk off. When his wife shot him a look, he grinned sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. At 8:24 p.m., Flight 214 departed for Philadelphia with 75 passengers and eight crew members on board. Because of high winds in the area, the crew chose to wait in a holding pattern with five other airplanes, rather than attempt to land in Philadelphia. At 8:58 p.m., while in the holding pattern, the aircraft exploded. The crew managed to transmit a final message – "Mayday, mayday, mayday ... Clipper 214 out of control ... here we go" – before crashing near Elkton, Maryland. All 81 people on board were killed.
Texas Governor John B. Connally was asleep and still recovering at the Governor's Mansion when he received a call late on the evening of December 8th. The white slim-line phone by their bed rang and his wife Nellie picked up the receiver. When she heard it was Howard V. Rose, the Governor's Chief of Staff, she roused the Governor from his sleep. "Honey it's Howie on the phone." The Governor cradled the phone with his good arm in the large king size oak bed he was in and said, "Howie, what's going on? Why so late with a call?" Rose intoned in his slow and methodical voice, "Guv'nah....there's been a plane crash. Senatah Tower was aboard with his wife. It was a Pan Am Clipper. It went down. Lightning strike. No sur'vivahs!" The news hit Connally like a bolt of lightning. "Guv'nah....we will need to be makin' an appointment soon to fill that seat. I thought you'd want to know as soon as possible. I shall send an appropriate message to the Tow'ah children." The Governor, mind already spinning, said, "Yes, good thinkin' Howie. Also send a Texas State National Guard jet to bring the pipsqueak and his wife's bodies back to Texas. I didn't like that drunken SOB, but he was a Son of Texas." With that he handed the phone to Nellie who replaced it on the receiver. He told her the news. Nellie Connally just sighed and said, "When will these deaths stop? Has Texas not had enough tragedy for a generation." Governor Connally rubbed his jaw and said, "Tragedy or opportunity, it's all in how you look at it Nellie. One thing is for sure, I'll have a ton of individuals wanting to be named the next Senator to Lyndon's old seat."
As Tennessee's Junior Senator, Nancy Kefauver (D) enjoyed a bowl of clam chowder and drank from a mug of hot tea, a white-maned gentleman approached her solitary table in the Senate Dining Room. Walking up to the table almost like a pentitent child approaching a school teacher, New York's Junior Senator, Kenneth Keating (R) said, "Nancy, may I have a seat?"
Kefauver smiled and said, "Kenneth by all means. I haven't seen you since .... well since ...." and Senator Keating interjected "Since we laid Estes to rest," finishing the difficult words for the new widow. "Yes....that day. What can I do for you Kenneth," asked Senator Kefauver.
"Well Nancy, as you may or may not know, Estes and I were working on a piece of legislation that I think is more important than ever right now," said Keating. He was referring to the Kefauver-Keating Amendment whereby the text so far had read: "In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the said office shall devolve on the Vice President. In case of the inability of the President to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the said powers and duties shall devolve on the Vice President, until the inability be removed. The Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then be President, or, in case of inability, act as President, and such officer shall be or act as President accordingly, until a President shall be elected or, in case of inability, until the inability shall be earlier removed. The commencement and termination of any inability shall be determined by such method as Congress shall by law provide." However the areas not reached yet were:
- the Senate official who was to receive any written declaration under the amendment
- the period of time during which the Vice President and Cabinet must decide whether they disagree with the President's declaration that he is fit to resume his duties
- the time before Congress meets to resolve the issue between the President, Vice President, and the Cabinet
- the time limit for Congress to reach a decision
Keating was referring to Senator Birch Bayh (D) of Indiana who succeeded Estes Kefauver as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendment. He had joined with U.S. Congressman Emmanuel Celler, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee had co-sponsored, S. J. Res. 1 and H.J. Res. 1 in the House and Senate.
Senator Kefauver batted her eyelashes and pinched Kenneth's cheek, as she arose, saying, "Then we will just have to get them to see our way in the committee process or on the floor." With that the widow Senator whisked from the room while Keating chuckled and said to no one in particular, "That's one Scottish lass who learns fast."
A few days later, a Pan American World Airways, Flight # 214, originating in Puerto Rico prepared to board at Baltimore's Friendship Airport.
A short, dark-haired gentleman in a suit, not very much unlike the regular passengers you saw on a Pan Am flight slowly walked towards the Boeing 707 Clipper Jet, accompanied by his wife, bundled in a fur coat. He was accompanied by an aide who held an umbrella over the man and his female companion. The short statured man was U.S. Senator John Tower (R) who was accompanied by his wife, Joza. The aide was a Young Republican working an fellowship at the Republican National Committee, an urbane Illinois gentleman who was a Navy veteran, named Don Sundquist.
"Now tell me again, why I am getting on this here plane, Donald?" asked the somewhat agitated Senator.
"Because Senator (Hugh) Scott is facing a tougher than expected reelection and you are the swingingest politician in the country. You were elected to Johnson's seat. The first Republican U.S. senator from Texas since Reconstruction, The third Republican from the former Confederacy since Reconstruction, The first Republican from the former Confederacy ever to win a Senate seat by popular vote...."
"Spare me the history lesson," growled the Senator as they reached the steps of the Pan Am Clipper Jet. "Just remember the last time the Cun-feder-acey (the Senator slurred and drew out the words in his twang) went to Pennsylvania it didn't do so well for us."
The aide smiled and said, "Maybe so, Senator, but the Yankee won and we need this Yankee to win. An aide to Senator Scott named James Corbett will meet you once you land in Philadelphia."
A crack of thunder after a flash of lightning made the young Navy veteran duck.
"Relax, Donald, we ain't in war. At least not yet," and with that, Senator and Mrs. John G. Tower boarded Pan Am Flight # 214, Clipper Trade Wind for the short flight.
Once on board, the Senator and his wife settled into their first class seats. The Senator ordered a scotch, neat, and pinched ever so slightly the bottom of the flight attendant as she turned to walk off. When his wife shot him a look, he grinned sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. At 8:24 p.m., Flight 214 departed for Philadelphia with 75 passengers and eight crew members on board. Because of high winds in the area, the crew chose to wait in a holding pattern with five other airplanes, rather than attempt to land in Philadelphia. At 8:58 p.m., while in the holding pattern, the aircraft exploded. The crew managed to transmit a final message – "Mayday, mayday, mayday ... Clipper 214 out of control ... here we go" – before crashing near Elkton, Maryland. All 81 people on board were killed.
Texas Governor John B. Connally was asleep and still recovering at the Governor's Mansion when he received a call late on the evening of December 8th. The white slim-line phone by their bed rang and his wife Nellie picked up the receiver. When she heard it was Howard V. Rose, the Governor's Chief of Staff, she roused the Governor from his sleep. "Honey it's Howie on the phone." The Governor cradled the phone with his good arm in the large king size oak bed he was in and said, "Howie, what's going on? Why so late with a call?" Rose intoned in his slow and methodical voice, "Guv'nah....there's been a plane crash. Senatah Tower was aboard with his wife. It was a Pan Am Clipper. It went down. Lightning strike. No sur'vivahs!" The news hit Connally like a bolt of lightning. "Guv'nah....we will need to be makin' an appointment soon to fill that seat. I thought you'd want to know as soon as possible. I shall send an appropriate message to the Tow'ah children." The Governor, mind already spinning, said, "Yes, good thinkin' Howie. Also send a Texas State National Guard jet to bring the pipsqueak and his wife's bodies back to Texas. I didn't like that drunken SOB, but he was a Son of Texas." With that he handed the phone to Nellie who replaced it on the receiver. He told her the news. Nellie Connally just sighed and said, "When will these deaths stop? Has Texas not had enough tragedy for a generation." Governor Connally rubbed his jaw and said, "Tragedy or opportunity, it's all in how you look at it Nellie. One thing is for sure, I'll have a ton of individuals wanting to be named the next Senator to Lyndon's old seat."
- DCPritt
- Word Count: 1.3k