In 1975, John Dean – former White House Counsel to President Richard Nixon – served a short prison sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up scandal.
Then he started a new career as a writer.
In 1976, Rolling Stone magazine
Dean’s article about the convention, illustrated by artist Ralph Steadman, was titled “Rituals of the Herd.”
It was published in the issue of Rolling Stone dated October 7th. But that issue actually hit the newsstands on October 1, 1976.
When it did, the you-know-what literally hit the political fan.
In the article, Dean recounted a joking comment made to him and singer Pat Boone by Earl Butz (1909-2008), who was appointed Secretary of Agriculture by President Nixon and was still serving in that role under Nixon’s successor, President Gerald Ford.
By the night of October 1st, news of Butz’s quip had spread nationwide. Here’s how United Press International reported it:
“Butz had used vulgar words in saying that many blacks don’t vote Republican because they only want good sex, ‘loose shoes’ and ‘a warm place’ when they use the toilet.”
*** LANGUAGE ALERT ***
Don’t read any further if you’re offended by (or shouldn’t be reading) X-rated language – because now I’m going to tell you what Butz really said, as reported by John Dean in his Rolling Stone article.
Pat posed a question: “John and I were just discussing the appeal of the Republican party. It seems to me that the party of Abraham Lincoln could and should attract more black people. Why can't that be done?” This was a fair question for the secretary, who is also a very capable politician.
“I’ll tell you why you can’t attract coloreds,” the secretary proclaimed as his mischievous smile returned. “Because colored only wants three things. You know what they want?” he asked Pat.
Pat shook his head no; so did I.
“I’ll tell you what coloreds want. It’s three things: first, a tight pussy; second, loose shoes; and third, a warm place to shit. That's all!”
Pat gulped twice.
To say the news about this quote caused an uproar in the racially tense mid-1970s would be an understatement.
Faced with harsh criticism and pressure from the White House, Republican Party leaders and just about everyone else (except the kind of people who would actually laugh at that joke), Butz resigned on October 4th.
Here are some of the other famous quotes and phrases linked to October 1:
• “It was a blond. A blond to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window.” - Famous pulp fiction lines written by American author Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) in his classic noir novel, Farewell, My Lovely, which was published on October 1, 1940.
• “The Ugly American” - Title of a novel co-written by Eugene Burdick (1918-1965) and William Lederer (b. 1912) which became a shorthand term for arrogant Americans who ignore the customs of foreign countries. The book was published on October 1, 1958.
