Word: dirksen
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Noel, Noel. A while later, Illinois' Republican Senator Everett Dirksen launched into a seasonal mercy speech. "I had a moment to spend downtown the other day," he said. "I could hear the Gramophones and radios pealing out the lovely words and phrases which somehow give animation to people in this one season and that somehow soften the spirit-Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and 0, Little Town of Bethlehem." The members of the Senate, suggested Dirksen, should soften their spirits toward Joe McCarthy...
Shortly after Dirksen finished came one of the strangest performances of last or any other week. Republican Leader William Knowland announced that he had decided not to support the Watkins committee in its recommendation of censure. His argument: McCarthy's offenses had been committed before McCarthy's re-election...
Posies. Some ten feet away from Dirksen, drinking it all in, was North Dakota's Non-Partisan League Senator William Langer. Dirksen's speech, said Langer, "brought tears to my eyes. I wondered if we should not include in the resolution a provision for sending flowers to Senator McCarthy, and whether we should not debate the kind of flowers which should be sent-whether they be forget-me-nots, chrysanthemums or roses...
...Everett Dirksen apparently could not decide if Langer was being facetious. He finally decided to play the North Dakotan straight, and as always, Dirksen was ready with a flowery reply. Said he: "The only thing I know in the rulebook about flowers is that there is in the general rules appertaining to the Senate a provision that flowers must not be brought into the Senate Chamber." It would be best, he thought, for individual Senators to follow their consciences about sending bouquets to Joe. But, he added, "Any Senator is at liberty to send flowers ... if the sweet and gentle...
When the ten-day adjournment was finally voted, the pro-McCarthy Republican Senators could scarcely conceal their delight. Ev Dirksen unintentionally explained why. Leaving the floor, he was asked by newsmen if some sort of filibuster was in prospect. Dirksen seemed shocked. "Goodness me, no," he replied. "Nothing could be further from the fact, that I'm trying to prevent a vote. Time is always a great healer, its soothing effect brings peace of mind." Then he paused, and added: "I don't know whether a vote can be reached...