Recalling a Frigid Iowa Presidential Campaign Odyssey From Balmy Austin

With the nation’s first 2012 Republican Primary caucus about to unfold in the snows of Iowa in the next few days, I am reminded of a personal experience in that quadrennial drama some 32 years ago. It was a chilling one, both physically and psychologically.

As Director of Communications for Texas Governor John B. Connally’s campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 1980, I was keenly interested in assessing the support of our opponents, and most notably that for Governor Ronald Reagan of California. As part of that   mission, I travelled to Ames, Iowa one icy night to surreptitiously visit a rally for Reagan at a local school auditorium.  Despite banks of snow, subfreezing temperatures and a howling wind, I was startled to witness a  jampacked turnout of hundreds of his loyalists. Chastened, I reported back to headquarters that we might be in “deep trouble” (sanitized version). Sure enough, that preview turned out to be an accurate barometer.  On January 21, we received only 9% of the caucus vote. But surprisingly, it was George H.W. Bush who led the pack with 32% of the vote, compared to 30% for Reagan. The lead  then see-sawed between the two through Puerto Rico, New Hampshire, Massachusetts anf Vermont primaries, while Connally placed all of his chips on South Carolina, where he had the vigorous support of  Governor James Edwards and legendary Senator Strom Thurmond, both political powerhouses in the state.  And Connally support did surge to 30% in the March 8 primary.  But a rising Reagan overwhelmed him with a thunderous 55% of the vote. As a footnote  to how that happened, Wikipedia records that heading into South Carolina, political operative Lee Atwater worked to engineer a victory for Reagan.

“Lee Atwater figured that Connally was their biggest threat there ( in South Carolina). So Lee leaked a story to me that John Connally was trying to buy the black vote. Well, that story got out, thanks to me, and it probably killed Connally….Lee saved Ronald Reagan’s camdidacy,”  said Lee Bandy,  a writer for the South Carolina newspaper The State.

We folded out hand, flew back to Texas, cancelled later primaries, and dutifully campaigned for the Reagan-Bush ticket across the state,

With all due respect to both of them,  John Connally would have made a great president.  He later served as Secretary of the Treasury for President Richard Nixon.

-Julian Read

JFK assassination experiences relived by Austinites

The date of November 22, 1963 will forever be seared into the minds of all who were living then. That was the fateful day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Texas Governor John B. Connally was near-fatally wounded in a Dallas motorcade.

On the 48th anniversary of that date last week, I joined prominent Austinites and longtime friends Larry Temple, Ben Barnes and Neal Spelce in reliving our collective experiences of that tragic time before an audience at the Headliners Club.  Attorney Temple, than an assistant to Governor Connally, was deeply involved in planning for the President’s trip to Texas. Former Lt. Governor Ben Barnes, then a young member of the Texas House of Representatives, devoted weeks to selling tickets for a mammoth fundraising dinner in Austin that was to climax the tour, and to coordinating preparations with the White House.  He then put together an impromtu prayer service in the Capitol instead of the gala dinner. Well-known broadcast personality Neal Spelce went from mapping out news coverage plans with the local police chief to broadcasting the heartbreaking word that there would be no dinner.

It was my fate to be in that Dallas motorcade as a host to a busload of  national and state reporters–just a few vehicles behind the presidential limousine as it passed beneath the window of the notorious Texas Schoolbook Depository. And as the shots rang out before us, I became immersed in the ultimate crisis that would keep me in Parkland Hospital nonstop for the next three days. 

As a years-later footnote to our experiences, Temple related how he, together with prominent media leaders Tom Johnson and Bill Moyers, travelled to New York to demand that the History Channel recant an absurd documentary claim that then Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson had been part of a conspiracy to kill the President. As a result, the  History Channel did broadcast an acknowledgment of its error, and sent a letter of apology to Lady Bird Johnson.

And was there a conspiracy of some kind? Who knows? But I always will believe that it was solely the act of one demented individual.

–Julian Read

Texas Supreme Court Justice Joe Greenhill Funeral Rich With Tales

The Who’s Who of the old Austin legal and political community jammed downtown St. David’s church Tuesday afternoon to say goodbye to revered retired Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court Joe Greenhill.  And along with the reverent moments to celebrate the life of a genuine comunity icon, attendees got a generous diet of humor from longtime friend Larry York and sons Joe, Jr. nd Bill Greenhill.

York told the story of the day newly elected Lt. Governor Bill Hobby was sworn into office at the State Capitol. When Justice Greenhill called upon Hobby to raise his right hand to take the oath, Hobby–a lefthander, intinctively raised his left hand. So Greenhill, never missing a beat, raised his own left hand and continued to administer the oath.  And the Chief Justice said no one ever questioned whether Hobby was legally Lt. Governor.

Another tale from York that regaled the audience was about the time Greenhill took his rather run-down 12-year-old green Dodge into an auto repair shop to fix some problem. When told the part needed was no longer available, Greenhill instructed  the repair man to “just rig up somthing” he thought would work.  Then, eyeing the SO-13 state license plate, the repair man asked him if  he was in government. Greenhill confessed he was a Justice, to which the man looked over the green Dodge once more and replied “well, you must be a really honest judge”.

On  more serious notes, friends heard how Greenhill always answered his own phone and showed his handwritten opinions to 60-year-long wife Martha to be sure they were easily understood by the layman. They also heard how that in a time before desegregation, he made sure that  visiting lawyer Thurgood Marshall had a place to stay while in Austin to argue the landmark Herman Sweatt-University of Texas case, even though as then- assistant Attorney General for  Texas, he was bound to oppose him in court.  The passing of Chief Justice Greenhill takes away one more giant of Texas history.

–Julian Read

Wisconsin Legislative Standoff Reminds of Texas Capitol Episodes

Texas legislative history got a sidelight reference in a national wire story this week about the current standoff in Wisconsin between new Republican Governor Scott Walker and the state’s public employees.  Associated Press writer Scott  Bauer reported that the Wisconsin Senate was just begining to  debate a measure being pushed  by the governor and his Republican allies who control the chamber that would end a half-century of collective bargaining for those workers, when 14 Democratic lawmakers disappeared from the Capitol on Thursday, bringing the debate to a sharp halt.  The move drew cheers from tens of thousands of protesters who filled the state house this week.

In his article, Bauer wrote that “Thursday’s events were reminiscent of a 2003 dispute in Texas, where Democrats twice fled the state to prevent adoption of a redistricting bill designed to give Republicans more seats in Congress. The bill passed a few months later”

Bauer failed to mention a legendary earlier episode at the Texas state capitol. The June 4, 1979 edition of TIME magazine reported in hilarious detail on the time that a dozen state senators, dubbed the Killer Bees, vanished  to combat a bill being pushed by then Lt. Governor Bill Hobby that would have established a presidential primary election on March 11, 1980.  One objective was to give former Governor John Connally a chance to win early in the 1980 primary season and gain a boost toward capturing the Republican nomination for President. But the bill would have established two primaries, one in March for President, and another in May for state and local offices. That would have permitted voters to “cross over” between Democrats and Republicans, a practice that gave heartburn to the all-liberal-to-moderate twelve senators.

The Killer Bees holed up in a cramped garage apartment hideaway just three miles from the Capitol. Since their absence prevented a quorum to conduct Senate business, Hobby dispatched state law enforement officers to search for and return the legislative fugitives.  According to TIME, ” It was one of the most celebrated man hunts in the history of the state. As many as 50 lawmen, including members of the vaunted Texas Rangers, combed the countryside, scanning the sagebrush and cactus scrubland, throwing up roadblocks, searching bars and rumaging through seedy border towns. For five days the hunt went on while the 12 wily fugitives eluded the long, sweaty arm of the law, even though their mug shots were splashed all across the front pages of the state’s newspapers. Finally, after 102 hours of avoiding pursuers, the twelve turned themelves in..”  The measure eventually was defeated after procedural negotiation with Lt. Governor Hobby. 

(For more colorful details, Google Texas Killer Bees)

–Julian Read

BCS Championship Game Turnovers: 4; Rose Bowl: 0

At the end of the near interminable bowl season, it is interesting to note that the Auburn-Oregon BCS National Championship game of January 10 had more miscues than the Rose Bowl epic on New Year’s Day. TCU and Wisconsin slugged it out for 60 minutes without a single turnover by either team, a rare feat that has been totally overlooked by the nation’s media. In contrast, Auburn and Oregon both gave up the ball twice through  interceptions or fumbles. Likewise, the BCS game led slightly in penalities, recording 11 for 84 yards , compared to 10 for 61 yards in the Rose Bowl game. TCU gave up a stingy 20 yards from only four penalties.

 The warm glow of Texas Christian University’s historic Rose Bowl victory still stirs the emotions of that school’s legion of grads, including yours truly. Among other superlatives  from the weekend spectacle was the remarkable  fact that TCU–with only 8000- plus students, bought more than 27,000 tickets. The pent-up passion of  Frog fans to have their day was reflected in a quote by former Sports llustrated byliner and longtime friend  Dan Jenkins that appeared in a pre-game LA Times face off with Fox host Greta Van Susteren on who would win  the game.  Said Jenkins: “…It would be nice to see the Frogs win, but I’ve already received a great gift:  That TCU in my lifetime would make it into the Rose Bowl—-the one famous stadium it has never played in—is a truly rewarding thing for this college football fan.”  He is a 1953 graduate of Texas Christian.

In a post game conversation, Dan  confessed that he had a strong itch to report the game for some  news outlet, though he is long retired from his brilliant career as sportswriter and novelist (think Semi Tough among a string of sports classics).   I urged him to write it anyway as if in SI–for himself if no one else.  It was a story that won’t come along again anytime  soon. I would love to read how he would have recorded it for future generations.

–Julian Read

texasofftherecord back in business after identity crisis

For the benefit of those who have been kind enough to miss these periodic postings and have asked why they have been MIA, we are pleased to report that texasofftherecord is alive and well after surviving an extended identity crisis.  The lesson to learn: do not lose your password!  We can vouch for the impregnable WordPress security measures in case you do so. Many thanks to its tech gurus who helped colleague Temple Barron and me to navigate the challenges of regaining visibility.  The full story is too involved to recite.  And does anyone remembers life when you did  not need to maintain a directory of personal passwords?

 Hopefully, followers will forgive some subsequent postings that are well behind the calendar but considered worthy of note nonetheless.

–Julian Read

Dolph Briscoe Passing is Loss of State’s Quintessential Texas Rancher

Texas lost another giant of its history over the weekend with the passing of  Dolph Briscoe, governor of the state from 1973  through 1979, and a prominent South Texas business leader and philanthropist for decades.  Governor Briscoe was the personification of the legendary Texas rancher of  book and movie lore, whose family land holdings once sprawled over  600,000 acres, making it the largest privately-owned property in
the state.

His death recalls a personal turning point in my own life in which he played a key role. In December of 1961, Briscoe hosted  a meeting of then- Democratic political movers and shakers at his famed Catarina Ranch to discuss the 1962 Governor’s race.  Described in his own book, as told to editor Don Carlton, (director  the Center for American History at the Univesity of Texas), Briscoe had supported then-Governor Price Daniel in the past. But Daniel, who already had served three terms, had hesitated to announce his plans for another term, leading conservative Democrats to coalesce around John B. Connally, who was serving as Secretary of the Navy as an appointee of President John F. Kennedy.  As Briscoe notes, the Catarina, with its deep South Texas seclusion that includes a private air strip,  was the perfect place to map political plans. As expected, the meeting confirmed united support for Connally among prominent political leaders from across fhe state.

A few days later, in Fort Worth, I received a call from Scott Sayers, a member of the Texas Legislature. telling me that John Connally had asked that I have coffee with him at the Hotel Texas, a popular political gathering place . Then a Fort Worth resident and counsel to legendary oil man Sid Richardson and his nephew Perry Bass, Connally was aware of my budding experience as a young public relations and political counselor, including sucessful election campaigns for State Represntative Don Kennard and CongressmanJim Wright. Over coffee, Connally shared his experience as Navy Secretary, where he watched research grants going to California, New York and other states, but not to Texas.  That convinced him that the state’s future depended on vastly increased emphasis on higher education.  He then outlined his vision to make that objective the foundation of his campaign for Governor.”I don’t know what all I need (in this campaign)” he said after talking further about his concerns for Texas, “but I think you o.  And I would like for you to sign on with me”.  Thus began a relationship that spanned more than four decades, involving years of confidential counsel through good times and bad, the handling of millions of dollars in campaign funds ( cash was legal back then), and all without any formal contract.

After his role in helping launch Connally’s campaign, Briscoe was chagrinned that Governor Daniel finally declared as a candidate for a fourth term.  but to no avail. Connally led primary voting  over the Governor and four other candidates, and served three terms as governor before retiring voluntarily in 1969.

Governor Briscoe’s gentlemanly presence. generous philathrophyand sense of history will be keenly missed and fondly remembered. We  can be grateful to Don Carlton for overcoming the Governor’s modesty to help preserve his legacy for future generations. 

–Julian Read

Bo Byers Passing Marks Another Milestone in Texas Journalism History

Family, friends and former colleagues paid a final tribute in Austin today to Bo Byers, a Texas journalistic icon for more than fifty years. Bo had passed his 90th birthday last fall, and speakers stressed how much he crammed into those years. He even went back to UT to earn a graduate degree  in his seventies, and was a choir leader until recently at Central Presbyterian Church, where he had been a loyal member since he was eight years old. Although he worked for a number of Texas newspapers over his distinguised career, Bo was best identified as the Capitol Bureau  Chief of the Houston Chronicle for many years. He was noted for his tough but fair questions that produced keen political coverage.  It was in that context that I met him in the early 1960s when I was handling communications for then-candidate for Texas Governor John B. Connally. It was he who first chronicled my behind-the-scenes role for the Governor. And over our 50-year friendship, one historic occassion still stands out.

It occured at the Hotel Texas  in Fort Worth  late on November 21, 1963, the night before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  The President and First Lady had retired upstairs after the first day of their Texas visit,  So Governor Connally, their host for the visit, was holding court in the hotel coffee show. Bo, who was part of the pres Corps traveling with the President, joined us for some political banter, during wich he revealed that the Chronicle would be publishing a new poll the following Sunday showing the respective strengths of leading public figures. He went on to share that Governor Connally was shown to be more popular than the President, a not-surprsing  fnding in view of headwinds Kennedy was facing his third year in office, but one no less pleasing to Connally.  Less than 15 hours after that giddy interlude and its exciting  anticipation of tomorrow, we all were immersed in the unthinkable nightmare that awaited us just 35 miles to the east in downtown Dallas.

Remembering Liz Carpenter and That Day in Dallas

As I prepare to join a throng of other friends and admirers of Liz Carpenter at the LBJ Library in Austin tomorrow ( March 26)  for a final memorial salute to this journalisic and political icon, one of many personal memories especially comes alive.

On the morning of November 22, 1963, just hours before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in  Dallas, Liz and I stood together against a back wall of the then-Hotel Texas ballroom in downtown Fort Worth to witness his appearance at a non-political Chamber of Commerce breakfast.  She was there to represent Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson to the  media. I had the same role on behalf of Texas Governor John B. Connally,  host for Kennedy’s Texas tour.  The President  and other guests already were  in the room, but First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, the other star attraction, was nowhere to be seen.

“Do you think she will show ?” Liz asked me.  “Are you kidding?”, I replied, confident in the JFK team’s sense of drama.  ” She will make her own grand entrance.”   Sure enough, moments later, Jackie radiantly appeared through the door in  the pink dress and pillbax hat that were to become tragically engraved  in public memory  later in the day. Upon her arrival, the President offered the quip “It takes Jackie a bit longer than Lyndon and me to get ready, but then  she looks a lot better….”   The crowd roared.

Little did either of us dream during that lighthearted  interlude that it was only a matter of hours until  Liz would be called upon to write the heartbreaking statement that Johnson would make to the nation as he assumed the presidency following the tragedy.

Liz was a force of nature to all who met and knew her, an indomitable voice of authority and passion in the intertwined  worlds of journalism and politics.  It was impossible to ignore her, and simply easier to accede to her will. Her devotion and drive have for decades been a primary force in keeping the Johnson flame burning in the public mind– for the  President , for Lady Bird Johnson and for other members of the family.  She leaves a proud mark on Texas and U.S. political history.

–Julian Read

“Letters to Jackie” Has Strong Texas Connection

Last Sunday morning, prominent Austinite Jane Louis was the impressive lead interview in a CNN news feature regarding letters she wrote as an 11-year-old youngster to First Lady Jackie Kennedy in the wake of the President’s assassination in 1963.  The program focused on the new book “Letters to Jackie,” a compilation of  250 of 800,000 such condolence messages received at the White House.  Jane wrote once a week for six months. Her youthful compassion was to foreshadow a lifetime calling.  An angel-on-earth Episcopal Seminary graduate, she has followed a mission of caring, counseling and comforting families in times of grief, including my own. Her special talent  for blending uplifting humor with sorrow at memorial services is legendary. In a happier realm, she also officiates very selected weddings.

 There is yet another strong Texas condolence link to that tragic time. Then-Governor John B. Connally, Jr. was critically wounded  when President Kennedy was killed and lay in Dallas Parkland Hospital at the time of the funeral. So John B. Connally, III represented the family at the service. In doing so, he  presented a handwritten note from his parents to Mrs. Kennedy.  And Nellie Connally has told the story of how she took  John’s hand in both of hers  and responded warmly to the gesture. “And right then, that young man fell in love with Jackie”, she said.  Mrs. Kennedy replied later with her own never-published personal note to Mrs. Connally.

–Julian Read