# 362, April 19, 2005
MARION, Ohio: My speaking career and the news from the Vatican seem to be running in parallel this month. Today I was invited to address a lunch put on by the International Association of Administrative Professionals, which to some of us older folks means Secretaries, and as soon as I quit talking, news came over the radio about the new Pope Benedict XVI. (I ain’t sure but I believe that’s 16 in the Roman language). Well, by coincidence on April 2, I was appearing at an Armstrong Steel Erectors safety conference, and right after the bell rang for me to quit, we got word of the passing of John Paul II. Now, I don’t know what the next big news from the Catholic Church might be, but I’m gonna try to get a speech scheduled just ahead of it.
This is the home of our former President, Warren G. Harding, and the big news in The Marion Star, the paper he founded, is about plans for a Mural they’re going to paint on the side of a building. It’s big enough they can include a chunk of the history of the whole county. They got some good ideas so far, and they’ll sure make room for an image of Mr. Harding. I suggest they show the front page of the paper in 1921 with his picture and the headline the day he was inaugurated. If they include a golf club for him, it’ll put a smile on his face. They’ll draw a train, a farm field with corn and cows and hogs, and maybe an ice cream cone. And a box of Cracker Jacks. I bet you didn’t know, and I didn’t myself till today, that no matter where in the world you eat Cracker Jacks, they come from Marion.
In Oklahoma City, they paid tribute to the victims of that fertilizer bomb ten years ago. They did away with McVey, and if our courts can get off the streets more of these hate-filled radicals that want to do harm to their our country, why maybe then we could spend more manpower on the ones trying to sneak in.
Gas is down to $2.00. Say, did you ever think gas at $2.00 would be GOOD news?
P.S. Yes, gas was $1.95 the day I wrote this. The next morning every station in Ohio had it back up to $2.25.
Historic quotes from Will Rogers:
(On meeting President Harding in the White House) “But [Will Hayes] didn’t even get to start to introduce me before the President said, ‘Hello, where’s your chewing gum?’ So instead of me telling him anything funny, he starts in repeating things I had said on the Follies for years. So the fellow who tells you Mr. Harding went right from the farm to the White House is cuckoo. I told him I wanted to tell him the latest political jokes. He said, ‘I know them. I appointed most of them.'” (undated notes)
“I only hope our future presidents can be gifted with his sense of humor and justice. He was a mighty good friend to us theatrical people; he was a good friend to all kinds of people.” WA # 36, August 19, 1923
“If [President Harding] had a weakness it was in trusting friends, and the man that don’t do that, then there is something the matter with him. Betrayed by friendship is not a bad Memorial to leave.” DT #1528, June 16, 1931