Here's a "Holy S--t" for a Sunday morning:

[PCIntern]

Pat Paulsen, for you younger folk, was a comedian who ran for President several times, most notably in 1968. Note this paragraph from Wiki about him:


The Smothers Brothers approached Paulsen with the idea of running for president in 1968. His campaign in 1968 and succeeding years was grounded in comedy, although not without serious commentary. He ran the supposed campaigns using obvious lies, double talk, and tongue-in-cheek attacks on the major candidates, and he responded to all criticism with his catchphrase "Picky, picky, picky." His campaign slogans included, "Just a common, ordinary, simple savior of America's destiny,” “We’ve upped our standards, now up yours,” and, “United we sit.” He gave essentially the same answer to every question on social issues: "To get to the meat of the matter, I will come right to the point, and take note of the fact that the heart of the issue in the final analysis escapes me."[4] And in announcing his candidacy on the Smothers Brothers show, Paulsen said, “Now I ask you: Will I solve our economic problems? Will I ease the causes of racial tension? Will I bring a peaceful end to Vietnam? Sure, why not?”[5]

$&@&$&@&$&@&$&@&$&@&$

This guy was FDR next to The orange-u-tan in the WH.

[hlthe2b]

1. Yup...

Speaking of the Smother's Brothers, I had to look them up to convince myself that I'd not read that one of them had died recently. NO, happy to report both Tom and Dick are still with us. Pat Paulsen, of course, died many years ago (1997).

Who would have thought with the then controversy about Nixon making a cameo appearance on Laugh In, that we'd now go to a 24/7 "Laughingstock" tv figure in the White House.

[bobbieinok]

17. Nixon's 'Sock it to me' cameo is on uoutube

[FakeNoose]

44. Perhaps you're thinking of Tim Conway

... another brilliant comedian who passed away last year?

The Smothers Brothers are from the same generation but their show had a liberal political bent that the network found unacceptable in 1968. It was mainly their anti-Vietnam-war stance that sent them over the edge. Sadly their show only lasted one season, but every episode was awesome. As a teenager in 1968 and an anti-war advocate, I was thrilled and excited by the Smothers Brothers. I'm still a fan even to this day, but it's been many years since either of them have performed.

[luvs2sing]

2. The Smothers Brothers were great.

We never missed their show on Sunday nights. Paulson was so funny and spot on for the times.

[rzemanfl]

7. I have to wash socks. BBL n/t

[lark]

11. One of the best shows ever - an anti-war spotlight plus tons and tons of fun.

It was must see TV for us! The Brothers were so brilliant and Tommy, so funny!

[ashredux]

13. They had to fight the Network... it were terribly funny

[bobbieinok]

19. Wasn't Pete Seegar singing The Big Muddy (anti Vietnam War) on their show the final straw?

Recurring line ---and the big fool* says press on

*this meant LBJ ---Hey, hey LBJ/How many kids did you kill today?!

[leftieNanner]

16. An Old Smothers Brothers Story

My friend Liza had several SB records (actual vinyl!) and we were lying on the floor in their entry hall listening to them and in hysterics. Her father was the Rector of our church (fabulous guy) and just as we slipped into new peals of laughter, Father Al walked in with the Bishop. Al thought it was great, the Bishop - not so much.

[luvs2sing]

18. My parents had several of their albums.

They had some risqué lyrics for folk songs that I learned as the real lyrics then went to elementary school and told my music teacher they left out some verses. 😂😂😂

[brewens]

3. Did you ever see the blackface bit on the Merv Griffin show? I thought it was brilliant,

but some might think it unacceptable, even with the point he was obviously making. It's on youtube.

[PCIntern]

4. No but I will take a look.

[PCIntern]

6. Omg.

JFC.

[empedocles]

5. Enjoyed the OP narrative

[RDANGELO]

8. I remember when I was young in Massachusetts,

in the primary there Paulsen got more votes than Scoop Jackson. Jackson lost his temper and went into a tirade.

[bobbieinok]

21. Do I recall correctly--some of W's 'brain trust' had worked for Scoop? PNAC people?

Is PNAC right? Project for a New American Century

[RDANGELO]

33. I really don't know.

I know he was a hawk on foreign policy.

[bobbieinok]

34. Paul Wolfawitz, Doug Feith,Richard Perle, Eliott Abrams--Scoop protegees worked for W

Found article on internet from 2004 Seattle Times about these and others working for W who had been Jacksons protegees

[PCIntern]

36. Doug Feith was an acquaintance of mine

Don’t get me started

[DFW]

9. I remember 1968 and Pat Paulsen just fine

The whole era was just so lost and distressing, especially after RFK was shot. The idea of Pat Paulsen was so preposterous, it looked like an idea whose time had come. Hubert was a decent enough guy, but humor was not his strong suit, and Nixon appealed to the same kind of people Trump appeals to now. They thought humor was a Communist plot.

[bobbieinok]

22. My dad took us kids to hear Nixon when he spoke in the U of Tulsa stadium in 52

That is strange to remember

[DFW]

27. My dad knew him

My dad was on the trip to Russia (the "Kitchen debate" trip), and then ran into him quite a few times while he was president, including one rather embarrassing moment (for Nixon) with PM Trudeau in Canada.

I never met Nixon or Agnew (fine with me), though I met Ford and Rockefeller a few times.

[bobbieinok]

30. I remember the 'kitchen cabinet' event. Quite a BFD!

[BComplex]

37. What was the embarrassing moment for Nixon with Trudeau, DFW?

Don't leave the best part out!!!

[DFW]

38. I have told this before, but in a nutshell.....

In the winter of 1968-1969, I was living in Spain. My dad and the rest of the family went down to Mexico (Cozumel or some such place) for a week's vacation. Lying on a mat by the pool, my dad noticed PM Pierre Trudeau of Canada. He went up to him, said he was a journalist in Washington representing a St. Lawrence Seaway area newspaper, recognized Trudeau, and promised not to ask him one question the whole time. Trudeau thanked him profusely for letting him have an uninterrupted vacation.

A few months later, there was some big event on the St. Lawrence Seaway, and my dad was sent up to cover it. Nixon was with Trudeau when he spied my dad. Always wanting to be the important big man in any situation, Nixon brought Trudeau over and said, "hey, have you met the Prime Minister of Canada?" He was, of course expecting a negative answer. Instead, Trudeau instantly recognized my dad from the hotel in Mexico, and they both told Nixon, "why, yes, we've met before. We saw each other on vacation recently." Taken by surprise, and completely deflated as the big host who thought he was the only one who knew everybody, Nixon scowled, said, "oh," and slunk off. Trudeau and my dad had a big chuckle over that.

[roamer65]

42. Nixon HATED Prime Minister Trudeau.

I can only think the PM enjoyed every minute of that exchange.

The Rt Hon PM Pierre Trudeau is one of my heroes.

[DFW]

47. Trudeau was too much of a diplomat to make a big deal out it

My dad never published it, of course, but had a great time telling it to friends and family afterward.

Trudeau was a worldly, educated intellectual. Nixon was street-smart, but always defensive about his lack of worldliness. He did graduate summa with a degree in history from Whittier college in California, but I don't know how far that enhanced his knowledge of the real world. With him, "humanities" seemed to be a category of courses to take, where "humanity" remained a foreign expression to him.

[roamer65]

48. Very accurate assessment of the two.

I see so much of Pierre in Justin nowadays. His dad would be very proud of him right now.

Thank you for sharing that story.

[DFW]

49. When I lost my dad, our family lost its "Canadian Connection."

When he was alive, he was at the Canadian Embassy so often, a regular Wednesday morning meeting was set up there with the Canadian ambassador and reporters from areas of the USA that bordered on Canada. It was even named after my dad. I played in a rock band when I was 15, and one of the band members was the son of the Canadian ambassador at the time. We sometimes used to practice in the basement of the Canadian Embassy residence in Rock Creek Park. Unlimited Canada Dry (of course) soft drinks and leftover filet mignon from last night's official reception.

The friendship continued up until the last Canadian ambassador to the USA while he was still alive, Raymond Chrétien. I never met Raymond's uncle, the PM, but Raymond and I remain friends to this day. He was absolutely the finest foreign service officer of ANY country I ever met. After my dad was gone, Raymond's last posting after Washington was Canada's ambassador to France, and we used to get together sometimes in Paris. When he retired, Raymond had two big parties at the Paris embassy digs (and WHAT digs they were!), one for the Anglos and one for French speakers. I was the ONLY Anglo invited to the French party, which was an honor to my French, but dull, since I knew NOBODY from the French government, and so was very much the odd man out.

[roamer65]

50. I'm sure you got an earful about Rene Levesque.

That would have been right around the time of the first Quebec separation referendum.

[DFW]

51. Less than you would think

Levesque wasn't taken as seriously as he would have preferred, although many had to pretend they did.

[roamer65]

52. LOL.

[BComplex]

43. That's a great story! And good on your dad for respecting Trudeau's vacation!

Your dad must be one of the good ones!

[DFW]

45. He was. He was the reason I never considered going into journalism.

I could have had all the contacts I could dream of, and all the doors opened I wanted. But his were shoes that were just too big to fill. When right-wing pundit Bob Novak first arrived in DC from Chicago in 1957, he asked who he should consult to learn the ropes of DC, and was sent to my dad's office. My dad had only arrived 7 years before that! Although they were on opposite ends of the political spectrum, they became friends (welcome to Washington).

You don't get elected President of the Gridiron Club for being an insignificant journalist, even though his paper was in a one-horse town in upstate NY. My dad was even cited in the Congressional Record by members of BOTH parties for his fairness and his accuracy. Try accomplishing THAT these days.

He was definitely one of the good ones. As in "after-him-they-threw-away-the-mold" good.

[BComplex]

46. That warms my heart, DFW.

I wish they'd bring that kind of mold back!

If we could get the Fairness Doctrine reinstated, it would stop some of the censorship the media has put on real journalism. There's still some out there, but it gets harder when the paying gigs keep the lid on some of the most comprehensive and enlightening journalists.

[MyOwnPeace]

10. The book about the Smothers Brothers

"Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" by David Bianculli is a great read - especially how they were pressured by the president of the United States to stop their anti-war comments, including banning Pete Seeger from appearing on their show (he ultimately did, singing "The Big Muddy" - fantastic anti-war song).
The show was ultimately cancelled for political reasons.

[Ferrets are Cool]

12. I would take Pat Paulsen right now x1000

[PCIntern]

14. I saw him at Steel Pier in 1970 in Atlantic City

Riotous. That deadpan expression.

[bobbieinok]

15. He was great! And so funny! I believe there are clips of him on youtube

[UncleNoel]

20. I once made Tommy Smuthers laugh!

He was the MC at a New Democratic Coalition meeting featuring speakers like McGovern, Ted Kennedy, and Gov. Hughs.

After the event, Tommy was running around collecting partially filled wine bottles while I spoke with his guitarist about Alabama politics. Tommy came up and heard us talking and asked,
"how are politics in Alabama?"

I answered, "The complexion of politics in Alabama is changing.:

He laughed.

I also had a short chat with McGovern as we both met in the middle of an empty room on our way to the exit. I briefed him on Alabama politics very quickly. Unforturnately, the paper I wrote on who would vote for McGovern in Alabama did not change their minds and the McGovern campaign in the Miami convention recognized the regular Dem Party and not our challenge, despite Julian Bond pleaing for our challenge on national TV (a speech I wrote for him quickly in an empty room with my handy-dandy little typewritger.

Those were exhilerating times.

[TheRickles]

28. You made an important contribution - the Bond speech moreso than the complexion joke! n/t

[PCIntern]

35. I'm extremely impressed!!!

Wow. Kudos to you.

Those were the days of my idealism and hope.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

40. +1

[electric_blue68]

41. Wow such history...

Sen George McGovern! Rep. Julian Bond!

Some of my favorite polititical people.

While '71 was my first vote at 18 - the first year eighteen yr olds could vote; McGovern was my first Presidential vote at 19 yrs old.

I always thought Julian Bond or Rep Ron Dellums would be our first African-American President.

Thanks for the story!


Loved the Smothers Brothers Show.
Anyone remember David Frye?

[Faygo Kid]

23. My all-time favorite show, and Pat was great.

Had the pleasure of spending time with him around 1990, he was a friendly, modest guy. And it's long past time for The Smothers Brothers to be presented with the Mark Twain Prize. They were important and made a difference. Funny as hell, too.

[bobbieinok]

25. My now ex and I heard them in grad school. They performed in the Amphitheater on campus

We watched them every week

[Buns_of_Fire]

24. "If elected, I will win."

If only today's politicians would state their agenda in such a clear and compelling manner.

[TlalocW]

26. In middle school, which for me ws in the 80s

Nickelodeon started showing re-runs of the Monkees. My sisters were born in the 50s; my brother and I in the 70s, and I remember seeing some Monkees albums in the records shelves but never listening to them, but I got into the show. Pat appeared in one episode at the end warning us about aliens with backwards feet. Mom saw me watching it and explained who Pat Paulsen was, and I instantly admired him.

TlalocW

[CTyankee]

29. I got a big laugh out of hubby with the "up yours" line...nice remembrance today!

[CrispyQ]

31. LOL - We've upped our standards, now up yours.

[keithbvadu2]

32. Stump speech

[GeoWilliam750]

39. Very interestink!