REFLECTION: POLITICAL HUMOR

Every election year I reach up to a bookcase shelf and take out Hotbed of Tranquility by Brook Hayes, a former congressman from Arkansas who served many terms and knew most of the presidents in the 20th century. It contains a series of humorous anecdotes that made Hayes a popular after dinner speaker. Here’s one of his stories that really amused me:

“In pursuit of positions, job seekers seem to be prepared to go to any lengths to get attention. Woodrow Wilson’s daughter insists that a story told about a job seeker and Wilson while he was governor of New Jersey is absolutely true. Governor Wilson’s highway commissioner passed away. Early in the morning of the next day, around 2 or 3 A.M., the governor’s phone rang by his bed. Sleepily, Wilson picked up the phone. The voice at the other end of the line identified itself, and Wilson recognized the name of a second echelon New Jersey Democrat. “Governor,” the voice said, “I understand the highway commissioner has passed away. I would like to take his place.

“Governor Wilson with quiet disdain retorted, “If it is all right with the undertaker, I am sure that it is quite all right with me.” He then hung up the phone and tried to get back to sleep, probably by counting disappointed office seekers jumping over a pork barrel.” (113)

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