POLITICAL KNACK: JIMMY WALKER
By
Richard J. Noyes
Some people who are not naturally glib attempt to acquire the skill of “deceiving without offending” through strenuous means. The Irish, for example, will hang you upside down over a parapet to help you reach and kiss the Blarney Stone located near Cork at Blarney Castle. The myth being that the gift of gab is bestowed on anyone who manages the kiss. If successful you may be able to spin a more enchanting yarn, but in the end you’ll likely be accused of being “full of the old Blarney.”
Speaking of blarney, Jimmy Walker, also known as “Beau James” because he dressed impeccably like a dandy, was mayor of New York City from 1926 until 1932 when he resigned and fled to Paris under threat of prosecution.
The dapper Walker didn’t fancy the grind of office; but he loved the nightlife, racetracks and the ladies. He even wrote a hit song: “Will You Love Me in December as You Do In May.”
The gallivanting mayor was a deft off-the-cuff speaker who could dismiss rivals and other critics with a quip. During a meeting with Governor of New York and future president Franklin D. Roosevelt, FDR asked the Mayor, “Mr. Walker, why do the Irish always answer a question with a question?”
Jimmy replied, “Do they now?”
Richard J. Noyes, former Associate Director, Center for Advanced Engineering Study, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a consultant to public and private sector organizations.
Noyes is the co-author with Pamela J. Robertson of Larceny of Love, a provocative print and eBook novel that traces the interwoven careers of three men in jeopardy and the unforgettable women in their lives. http://larcenyoflove.com/
“Whenever dramatic storytelling about people you like is created around business, sports and film, I'm a happy reader. I'm sure you will be as well.” –Kevin Marcus
Another recent print and eBook by Richard Noyes and Pamela Robertson: Guts in the Clutch: 77 Legendary Triumphs, Heartbreaks, and Wild Finishes in 12 Sports, with a Foreword by Drew Olson of ESPN. http://gutsintheclutch.com/
“The best compilation of fascinating sports stories I have read.” -David Houle, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer of documentaries on Hank Aaron and the Harlem Globetrotters.
