Vice Presidential Support Trips
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Type Of Activity
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Political Fund Raiser
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Location
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Location
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New Orleans LA
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Date of Activity
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02 December 1969
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Coordinates
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02 Dec 69 to New Orleans LA-Political Speech
It was almost a year after the election when I was sent to New Orleans to support Vice President Agnew. The Vice President had just delivered a hard line speech concerning media bias toward the Nixon White House. We expected his speech in New Orleans to continue along the same lines as his Cedar Rapids speech and we were correct as he continued to criticize the network news media. The Secret Service was also expecting some demonstrations and public protest during the period of time he would be in the city.
Vice President Agnew in Cedar Rapids IA |
I departed Washington DC with two WHCA personnel and enough radio equipment to support the VP and the USSS. Our first stop after landing at the New Orleans International Airport was at the local USSS Field Office and review the Itinerary of the upcoming trip with the Advance Agent. When we were finished at the field office we went to the Royal Orleans Hotel where we were staying.
The Royal Orleans Hotel on Bourbon St
The next morning we met with the Hotel Manager and the local TELCO representative to survey the Suite where the Vice President would stay and the room that we would set up the USSS command post. We also conducted a survey of the hotels mechanical room and the roof for a location to install the B/C base station and its antenna. All circuits were then ordered from the TELCO rep. and we started the installation of our equipment. The suite had several key telephones installed with ring down circuits to the USSS CP. Key phones were also installed in the CP along with the remote console for the radio’s. When we were finished installing the radios we conducted a radio survey of the motorcade route to insure we had necessary coverage.
The last piece of equipment that
was installed for the VP staff advance was a DEX1...
a Thermal copy fax machine ...6 minutes per page or a DEX1A doubled the
speed to 3 minutes per page. It operated on a POTS telephone line and had an
acoustical coupler for the telephone handset. You would get that odor on your
hands and clothes. DEX1 odor resembles that of burned brake pads on a car. The staff
received the daily news summary every morning on the DEX machine and it took forever
receive the multi-page document.
The Royal Orleans Hotel near the VP's Suite |
The VP speaks at a Republican fund raiser |
The Agnew’s on the way to Brennan's Restaurant |
The Vice President’s popularity had increased with Republicans ever since his now well-known speech attacking the Network media by saying “A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals.” and by calling them “nattering nabobs of negativism”. The Vice President became the Nixon Administrations most prolific fund raiser and was in great demand. The Agnew speech criticizing the news media came out of a personal and political context of personal enmity against the press and in favor of building a new political coalition.
The Vice President continues to blast the National Networks
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Vice President Agnew went to New Orleans and, as everyone now knows, he wowed not only the audience, but millions who saw him on television. Overnight, the Vice President lifted the country out of its depression and had everyone laughing.
23 Feb 70 to Phoenix AZ-Political Speech
I was again assigned to support Vice President Agnew and was sent this time to Phoenix AZ where he was speaking at another fund raiser. Which we found out would be held at the Del Webb Town House Hotel.
The Vice President’s popularity had increased with Republicans ever since his now well-known speech attacking the Network media by calling them “nattering nabobs of negativism”. The Vice President became the Nixon Administrations most prolific fund raiser and was in great demand.
Del Webb’s Townhouse in Phoenix AZ in 1970 |
Vice President Agnew arrived made his speech and departed the following day. It was time for us to pack up and return home. I was leaving temperatures in the mid-eighties to the subzero temperatures in Greencastle PA.
When I returned from Phoenix I found out in Early March of 1970 that the Microwave Towers including Cannonball were going to be closed and all of us would be sent to other locations which were to be determined. This was to be accomplished by June and I would be assigned to the San Clemente Communications Detachment as the NCOIC of the San Clemente Communications Contingency Team. The CCT was a new concept that we would develop and refine once all of the team members arrived in California.
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