I heard a great story about Senator Dirksen a few weeks ago. Dirksen and LBJ were close friends from their days together in the Senate. Dirksen was Minority Leader and LBJ was Majority Leader at the time LBJ became Vice President. LBJ always had this thing about wanting to one-up his buddies. So, after he became President, LBJ had a telephone installed in the Presidential limo. It was the only car phone in Washington, and probably the US, at the time and LBJ just loved to call his friend Senator Dirksen from the car and make it clear he was calling from his car. LBJ's car phone number wasn't listed, as LBJ always felt he had the upper hand if he initiated the call.
So Senator Dirksen comes up with this plan to one-up LBJ. As the highest ranking Republican in the Senate, Dirksen used his status to get a phone installed in his car. Then, he had one of his aides call in a favor with someone on LBJ's staff and got LBJ's car phone number. Then, he waited until a time when he knew LBJ was in the limo and jumped in his car and called LBJ from his car phone. "Lyndon, this is Everett Dirksen; I'm calling from my car." LBJ is initially flustered, but then comes up with a brilliant retort: "Can you hang on Everett. I've got a call coming in on my other line."
Don't forget. This was around 1964, before anyone had even heard of call waiting. |
