Fifty years ago, Richard Nixon was once again running to become President of the United States.
And his campaign had planned a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from Disneyland, one summer evening.
My friend Steve was going to be singing in a large youth choir, and he invited me to tag along … even though I didn’t know any of the songs.
When Steve and I first entered the Convention Center, we saw a woman that looked like Nixon’s wife Pat. We followed her for maybe ten minutes before we found out it wasn’t her.
The choir was positioned directly above the stage where Nixon would be speaking. After we sang our songs … which I had to learn quickly … Nixon spoke.
I can’t recall anything he said.
Two other remembrances from that evening:
*Steve and I ran into Burt Ward, who played Robin on the TV show “Batman,” and we both got his autograph. I have never seen someone write so fast in my life.
*Nixon had a catchy campaign song. The chorus went like this:
Nixon’s the one
Nixon’s the one
Nixon’s the one
For me
Ten year later, I was standing outside Anaheim (now Angel) Stadium after a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the California Angels.
The lights were turned off behind Gate 1 where various ballplayers sometimes came out after the game. I was waiting to get the autographs of any player I could.
I remember getting the autograph of Brewer’s player Paul Molitor on his rookie card. He went on to become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And then former President Richard Nixon emerged from Gate One.
Nixon lived in nearby San Clemente, and he often visited the ballpark as a guest of Angels’ owner Gene Autry.
As I recall, he had two secret servicemen around him.
Three of us walked up to the ex-President and politely asked him for his signature. Nixon signed for all of us and was very compliant.
The Nixon Library, located in Yorba Linda, California, is probably fifty miles from my home. While I’ve only been there once, I’m on their mailing list, and receive invitations constantly for book signings, lectures, and special events.
President Nixon did far more good for his country than he’ll ever receive credit for, but most people will only remember him for Watergate.
But as former President Clinton once said:
_______________
Back in 1966, actor Ronald Reagan ran for Governor of my home state of California. He was elected for a four-year term.
Four years later, Reagan ran for re-election, and made many campaign stops.
One stop was at Loara High School in Anaheim … the school I attended. (Famous Loara grads include three singers: Jeff and Tim Buckley and Gwen Stefani.) Loara had won the AAA football championship two years before and had an award-winning band, so maybe that’s why the campaign stopped there.
After school one day, Reagan’s campaign bus drove onto the athletic field where many of us played.
The governor emerged and a few of us quickly went up to him and asked him for his signature.
(Unless a public figure is doing a meet and greet somewhere, the only way to get someone’s autograph is to walk up to them assertively and ask them for it.)
Reagan whipped out his own felt pen from his suit pocket and signed several items … left-handed … including a 3×5 index card for me and another for my friend Steve.
I should have stayed for whatever event was planned that day, but I was so excited to get Reagan’s autograph that I went straight home.
Fourteen years later, Reagan was running for a second term as President, and he came to DeAnza College in Cupertino, California … near the current Apple Headquarters … and held a rally in their stadium.
I took my kids along and hoisted my son Ryan on my shoulders so he could see the President when he was speaking.
We waved at the motorcade after the event, and I never saw President Reagan again. (Note the slogan on the Reagan poster below!)
However, my brother John lived in San Bernardino for many years, and he lived across the street from a Secret Service agent who told John that Reagan and his wife Nancy were flying into March Air Force Base in Riverside. Even though Reagan was no longer President, the agent asked John if he wanted to meet Reagan.
When the former President and his wife got off the plane, John and his wife Joy were the only two people there to greet them. Reagan greeted them both by name and John had video taken of the event.
The Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, is really cool. There’s a US government helicopter on display at the Nixon Library.
The Reagan Library has Air Force One … which you can tour!
_______________
There was a leader in my last church who was a lobbyist for a major corporation. He often flew to Washington DC during the week for important meetings.
Knowing my interest in politics, my friend asked me if I wanted to attend Bush’s first public speech after 9/11 in Sacramento, California.
I said yes.
When George W. Bush was re-elected President in 2004, my friend asked me if I wanted to attend Bush’s Inauguration.
I said yes.
We stayed at a 5-star hotel … it was 16 degrees outside and snowing the day before the event … but going to the inauguration was a lot of fun.
Another time, Bush 45 was going to be speaking to a group of business people at a hotel near the San Francisco Airport, and my friend invited me to go along.
As I recall, it was a $2000 a plate luncheon.
I remember seeing … and hearing … the protesters across the frontage road … going through security … being forced to wear a suit … and being given very little edible food for lunch.
Comedian Dennis Miller warmed up the crowd and introduced 45, and when he was almost done speaking, my friend leaned over and said to me, “When he’s done speaking, go up and shake his hand.”
So I did. There was a rope around the perimeter of the podium, but Bush came up to the rope afterward. When he shook my hand, I blanked out, and said, “Thank you.” He did a double take and then kept shaking hands.
“Thank you?” That was the best I could say?
_______________
In November 2012, Mitt Romney was running for President against incumbent Barack Obama.
Romney’s last rally was in Manchester, New Hampshire … ten minutes down the hill from the apartment my wife and I were renting at the time. (I was serving a church in New Hampshire as interim pastor.)
My wife was in California, and I had nothing else to do, so I drove downtown and walked to the Verizon Arena where Romney would eventually be speaking.
It was cold outside … 30 degrees … but the place was packed.
I met a guy in line, and we hung out together, taking photos of each other while standing about thirty feet from Romney.
Kid Rock sang a few songs … I didn’t know any of them, but they were LOUD … and some other politicians showed up and spoke.
Romney and his wife finally emerged around 11:30 pm. As rallies went, it was well-planned and exciting.
Romney lost New Hampshire anyway.
_______________
I’ve had brief encounters with three presidents … one before he took office, one while in office, and one after he left office.
I’ll always remember those brief encounters … and someday, tell my grandchildren about them.
However, the Gospels are full of brief encounters that various men and women, boys and girls had with Someone far greater.
And people not only remembered those encounters … those encounters changed their lives.
Thankfully, a few of those meetings were recorded for us in the pages of the New Testament.
I’d rather have an encounter with Jesus than anyone else.
As Billy Graham’s vocalist George Beverly Shea wrote and sang:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today
And that includes ANY President you can name.
AMEN! I Love Your Stories! You have lived an interesting life!
LikeLike
Hey, we were at the same Reagan rally at De Anza College!
LikeLike
Dave, I believe it was on Labor Day in 1984. That was a good morning!
LikeLike
Jim, you are very good at getting autographs!
LikeLike
Getting autographs requires being at the right place at the right time with plenty of patience. When I used to go to Arizona for spring training, I’d arrive at one team’s camp at 8 am, leave between 9:30 and 10 am for a second team’s camp, and arrive at a third team’s camp in time to catch the players who were leaving their camp early. That was probably the most fun I ever had getting autographs.
LikeLike