January 6, 1955. It was on the occasion of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's third annual State of the Union message. The president unexpectedly began his speech by mentioning that it was January 6 and the 72nd birthday of the venerable Speaker of the House, and publicly wishing for Mr. Rayburn many happy returns of the day. Instantly, the crowd that filled the House chamber was on its feet, noisily cheering, whistling, and stamping its feet and clapping its hands in a reverberating approval of the Speaker. Visitors in the galleries could not distinguish Republican from...
January 6, 1955. It was on the occasion of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's third annual State of the Union message. The president unexpectedly beg...
