Word: dirksen
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Actually, Dirksen was being perfectly consistent. He is a Midwestern Republican-and one not notable for his admiration of the G.O.P.'s Northeastern "kingmakers." Moreover, Ev and Barry have long been warm Senate friends. Dirksen was instrumental in 1955 in making Goldwater chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, a job that put Barry into constant contact with Republicans all over the U.S. and gave him hundreds of far-flung pulpits from which to preach his views. Finally, Dirksen had said for months that he would back whichever candidate he thought would help the most Republican Senate nominees...
Goldwater dickering to assure Dirksen's support. After his vote against the civil rights bill, Goldwater assiduously worked on Dirksen, visited the minority leader's office often, had drinks and dinner with him. Said one top Goldwater aide of Dirksen: "You never quite know what the old rascal is going to do, and it doesn't do to press him. But we were pretty sure he'd be with us when it came time to vote...
...Rookie or a Patsy?" Ironically, one factor in solidifying Dirksen's stand for Goldwater came from Scranton himself. On June 22 Scranton flew to Washington, dropped in at Dirksen's office and tried to sell the Senator on becoming a favorite-son candidate in Illinois-an obvious ploy to withhold first-ballot votes from Goldwater. This annoyed Ev. When Scranton left, he phoned a friend and thundered: "What do they think I am? A rookie or a patsy? I certainly am not impressed...
Next morning Dirksen was on the phone again, this time trumpeting to a man in Illinois: "The whole world knows that I'm for Barry Goldwater...
...matter of fact, the whole world didn't. But to make certain that the world soon would, Goldwater staffers moved quickly that same day. Campaign Manager Denison Kitchel stopped in at Dirksen's office, said Barry had been wondering how Ev would feel about making the nomination speech for Goldwater at the convention. Dirksen did not quite say yes, but he certainly didn't say no. A few hours later, Barry himself buttonholed Dirksen on the Senate floor, asked him outright to make the nominating address. Dirksen agreed on the spot...