And by Now You Are Aware of the Difference Jam Between What Is Disclosed, Ineluoing by Rogge. in the Ex Sass's and Not Included in the Report
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Bruae3 7/22/85 Gibson ie a bit partis4n in hie Hale Boggs on J. Edgar hoover but I believe that he is easentially correct. Bas onnjecture on p. 2, that 1/ago's waa teacting to something by the FBI, denied by his widow. heti Support in an FBIJ tickler recently disclosed to Mark Allan and which I used in litigation. A few extra pages of that tickler ar.:, attn bed. Of courao we have no way of kAga knowing the-4 the FBI had prepared dossiers on tha committee members and its staff t4oa. I know of no support for what Gibson pretea about Regis on tha Commission (63) bo,;ause he wee absent moat of the time and not really doing much the rest of the time. I think that here Gibson hao Cap and Russell confused beausc Russell did go kfter Marina. and by now you are aware of the difference Jam between what is disclosed, ineluOing by Rogge. in the ex sass's and not included in the Report. Nonetheless a good place of which I'd not heard earlier. Save for H. vue,,b&,o THE SOUTHERN SPEECH COMMUNICATION JOURNAL Hale Bob 47 (FALL, 081), 54-03 fashion Wet to be called HALE BOGGS ON J. EDGAR HOOVER: plore Boggs' :no. ives, the : accuracy of his charges, an, RHETORICAL CHOICE AND • POLITICAL DENUNCIATION- DIRK CAMERON GIBSON Boggs, who. has been tk trader of voles, a stirrinq .Hale Boggs' 1971 denunciation of J. Edgar' Hoover was an to fit conventional political unexpected and highly controversial rhetorical act. This essay the Southern Manifesto—a proposes an explanation of why only Boggs stood in Congress lators of Suprenn2 Court to complain about FBI behavior feared by many, through con- against civil rights legislatit sideration of public end private motives. In addition the accuracy it would he a mistake to ci of Boggs' brief speech is explored. years were typified by "inc rights issues, and he "even d hen Hale Boggs took the floor of the House of Representa- of 1965 and 1963."3 Once Ix W tives cn April 5, 1971, to deliver an extemporaneous de- deliver an extemporaneous nunciation of J. Edgar Hoover, the former Director of the another congressman, so Ow Federal Bureau of Investigation was generally considered to be soctated with inunodoratz s one of the most powerful men in this country. Although several Thomas Hale Boggs wr. Democratic presidential aspirants had expressed interest in 1971 February 15, 1914, and tssi in dismissing Hoover, there was little doubt that Hoover would A.B. in journalism from Ti remain as head of the FBI as long as Richard Nixon was re- largely became one cI puhli elected. the Tulane law school, for Boggs spoke -barely a minute, yet his three hundred and one 1 current ,congre,swoman from words had considerable impact.' The House Majority Leader headed the New Orleans PI from Louisiana demanded that Attorney General John Mitchell organization., request Hoover's resignation. on the grounds that the FBI had adopted "the tactics of the Soviet Union and Hitler's Gestapo" Michael Barone, Grant Iljiho. by wiretapping members of Congress and infiltrating campus American Politics (New York: F. I term "stonew411" groups.' Boggs address was termed "the harshest criticism of war UP'd /1'{' eftat to attempts' CO Mille diRCIIMI4,,I Hoover ever heard in the House," and the reaction from the Nixon noted in a March 1:2, 19;1- Nixon Administration was the issuance of denials of guilt, in a man, -you can say i don't rentonts coy answer to that that t tan s y White. House Tropurribli Dirk Cameron Gibson (MA., Indiana University, 1f.79) is an Associate 4 Barone„ Cjifusa, ant! Mathews Instrurter in the Department of Speech Communirrt:ion, Indiana University. No Trace in Four Days," Corowco. 1Congressional Record, 5 April 1971, p. 9470. , 6/3 a ron e, Ujifusa, and M.ithewt. ; 2' Congress Wiretaps Denied," Washington Post, 7 April 1971, Sec. A, p. 1; 6 Personal interview with tiro. 1 i Cong. Rec., 5 April 1971, p. 9470. *Barone, Ujiiiiba, and MatIle,.• 54 personal interview with lion. Lind) I wig" re'er 11SIOnsfrIr1F:"*".77,-.661IFIreemirlar167TRZY.911Ronskmarc771's*7*,"7""IfYrg"r- "rArsNsyce6*sr'*•*—Nwys-Tt.-sorerfs*.y.rrr.rt n ,.1.7,110,1•1,171 • t . Hale Boggs on J. Edgar Hoover 55 fashion later to be called "stonewalling.", This study will ex- plore Boggs' motives, the rhetorical nature of his criticism, the EDGAR HOOVER: accuracy of his charges, and reactions to his speech. :HOICE /114D UNCIATION THE MAN N GIBSON Boggs, who has been described as "a mercurial man, a gifted trader of votes, a stirring old-time orator," cannot be simplified of J. Edgar Hoover was an to fit conventional political stereotypes. Although he had signed rhetorical act. This essay the Southern Manifesto—a 1956 protest by some southern legis- P t ly Boggs stood in Congress lators of Supreme Court desegregation decisions—and voted cared by inelity, through con- against civil rights legislation four times between 1956 and 1964, ∎ive.c. additton the accuracy it would be a mistake to characterize Boggs as racist., His later years were typified by "increasingly moderate stands" on civil rights issues, and he "even dared to support the Civil Rights Acts of the House of Representa- of 1965 and 1968. ' Once he even took the floor of the House to liver an extemporaneous de- deliver an extemporaneous rebuttal to a reactionary speech hp) the former Director of the another congressman, so that his state might not be unfairly as- is generally considered to be sociated with immoderate sentiments.° iis country. Although several Thomas Hale Boggs was _born in Long Beach, Mississippi, ad expressed interest in 1971 February 15, 1914, and twenty-one years later he attained his le doubt that Hoover would A.B. in journalism from Tulane University. Boggs' career then as Richard Nixon was re- largely became one of public service. After his graduation from the Tulane law school, for example, he and his wife Lindy, t his three hundred and one current congresswoman from Louisiana's Second District, spear- 'he House Majority Leader headed the New Orleans People's League, a good government wney General John Mitchell organization.* c grounds that the FBI had Inion and Hitler's Gestapo" aMichael Barone, Grant Ujitusa, and Douglas Mathews, The Almanac of ess and infiltrating campus American Politics (New York: E. F. Hutton and Company, 1970), p. 332. The term "stonewall" was used by officials in the Nixon Administration to refer "the harshest criticism of to attempts to stifle discussion or communication regarding an issue. As and the reaction from the Nixon noted in a March 22, 1973, meeting with John Dean and Bob Halde. nee of denials of guilt, in a man. "you can say I don't remember. You an say I don't recall. I can't give any answer to that that I can recall." See the New York Times staff, The White flou.w Transcripts (New York; Viking Press, 1974), p. 171. University, 1979) is an Associate [Barone, Ujitusa, and Mathews, p. 332; "Boggs, Begich Disappearance: inmunication, !Juliana Un iverrity. 9470. No Trace in Four Days," Congressional Quarterly 30, 21 October 1979. p. 2774. .n Post. 7 April 1971, Sec. A, p. 1; 5130 none, Ujifusa, and Mathews: p. 532. •Personal interview with Hon. Lindy Boggs, 13 June 1979. *Barone, Ujifusa, and Mathews, p. 304; Cong. Quarterly, p. 2774; and personal interview with Hon. Lindy Boggs, 13 June 1979. "2"r"rll '^.'"'r'Cr;; eta 56 The Southern Speech Communication Journal Hale lima Boggs was the youngest member of Congress in 1940, when Lindy Boggs. who added the he began serving the first of his fifteen terms. Then he failed in beautiful tonal 'qualities an his first bid at re-election. But following a brief tour in the Navy; he regained his House seat in 1947. His service in Congress then a remained unbroken until his death in 1972' Indeed, Boggs was The message conveyed unopposed in the last of his campaigns, mainly because in his relatively simple and str,ight last general election he had massed 69% of the vote.' campus surveillance anti wit Although Boggs voted against civil rights bills in 1956, 1957. .men the FBI was enthitiget 1960, and 1964, he later reversed his position and twice voted— Bill of Rights. Three times as mentioned earlier—for civil rights causes. Furthermore, Boggs of Rights, and twice he dim frequently pleased northern and urban Democratic leaders by gressional wiretapping. supporting free trade and social welfare legislation." According Boggs' allegations about to one respected political periodical, he "always supported liberal were not disputed, in part du domestic legislation."" FBI field office in Media, Pen Evidence of Boggs' popularity with different factions of the by the perpetrators "provtd Democratic party may he found in his career. In 1954 he became investigating students as if the first deputy majority whip, a position ostensibly created for Senate committee later obsel the Louisianan by House Speaker Sam Rayburn. Then in 1962 early '70's "student groups Boggs stepped up to the position of Majority Whip, a post he including every member of ti held for nine years until beating Mo Udall of Arizona for the and every Black Student Ulli Majority Leadership. Itt addition, Boggs chaired the platform Although Boggs' allegati• committee at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and he little controversy, his plea tor served on two presidential commissions." about FBI wiretapping of c. According to his widow and congressional successor, Boggs' criticism; as will be demon:, high school and collegiate debate experience had a great deal of stantial evidence can be cite influence upon his speaking style.