Word: khrushchevism
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...number of Khrushchev's intimates were there, all tipsy, telling bawdy stories and evaluating the charms of the stewardesses, waitresses and secretaries on the staff of the delegation. Those of us from the Foreign Ministry were usually careful because Gromyko did not like us drinking and talking too much. But we knew that he, unlike Khrushchev, would never appear in the bar, considering it beneath his dignity...
...Although Khrushchev valued Gromyko's diplomatic experience, he could not resist teasing him, often calling him an arid bureaucrat. "Look at that," Khrushchev would say, nodding toward Gromyko and smiling. "How young Andrei Andreyevich looks." (He really did look very young for his years.) "He doesn't have a single gray hair. It's obvious he just sits in a cozy little place and drinks tea." These jests were not at all pleasing to Gromyko, but he always managed to force a smile...
...Khrushchev said on another occasion, "Andrei Andreyevich is an excellent diplomat and tactician; he knows negotiations from A to Z. But as an ideologist and theoretician he's rather poor. He has little taste for theorizing. But we're working on him. We'll make something...
...evening Khrushchev, who as usual had been drinking heavily, decided to have some fun with Nikolai Podgorny, who at the time held Khrushchev's old job as party boss of the Ukraine and later became a member of the Politburo. Khrushchev turned to Podgorny. "Why don't you dance a gopak for us? I miss Ukrainian dances and songs...
...gopak is a strenuous national dance, performed in a squatting position, with the men rapidly kicking one leg out and then the other, all the time moving around a large circle. Podgorny looked at Khrushchev in amazement. He was in his 60s. Khrushchev egged him on. Podgorny realized his leader was not joking. With obvious reluctance, he stood up and awkwardly bobbed up and down a few times. Khrushchev clapped loudly and praised Podgorny. "Well done!" he said. "You are in the right place there in Kiev...