On September 13, 1960, the lead headline on the front page of the Idaho Statesman read, “Nixon to Make Major Address at BJC Tonight.” Yes, it was that Nixon. He was campaigning for president, running against John F. Kennedy. Nixon’s speech was about reclamation, power, and flood control. Idaho was selected for the location of the campaign speech because the state had much interest in the topics.
The speech was preceded by a bit of drama. The vice president’s airplane had one engine conk out shortly after it took off from Portland. The Boise Fire Department was on hand at the Boise Airport in case of trouble. Nixon shook hands with pilot Perry Thomas after the plane rolled to a stop and told him he had done “a darn good job.” Nixon insisted he wasn’t nervous about it, because there were three working engines on the plane and because it was the sixth time it had happened on a flight since he had become vice president. The plane made it to Boise about ten minutes early, even with one bum engine.
About 1,500 people came to see Richard Nixon at the airport, and about 5,000 lined the streets along the motorcade route to the Hotel Boise. That night’s speech was heard by about 4200 people, a near-capacity crowd at the Boise Junior College Auditorium.
Airplane troubles plagued another plane in the Nixon entourage when Nixon flew out on September 14. His plane was working fine, but about half of the 55 journalists accompanying the candidate had to wait four hours because their airplane had developed a leak in its hydraulic system. A substitute plane flew in from Seattle to pick them up and take them to Peoria, Illinois where Nixon was headed next.
The speech was preceded by a bit of drama. The vice president’s airplane had one engine conk out shortly after it took off from Portland. The Boise Fire Department was on hand at the Boise Airport in case of trouble. Nixon shook hands with pilot Perry Thomas after the plane rolled to a stop and told him he had done “a darn good job.” Nixon insisted he wasn’t nervous about it, because there were three working engines on the plane and because it was the sixth time it had happened on a flight since he had become vice president. The plane made it to Boise about ten minutes early, even with one bum engine.
About 1,500 people came to see Richard Nixon at the airport, and about 5,000 lined the streets along the motorcade route to the Hotel Boise. That night’s speech was heard by about 4200 people, a near-capacity crowd at the Boise Junior College Auditorium.
Airplane troubles plagued another plane in the Nixon entourage when Nixon flew out on September 14. His plane was working fine, but about half of the 55 journalists accompanying the candidate had to wait four hours because their airplane had developed a leak in its hydraulic system. A substitute plane flew in from Seattle to pick them up and take them to Peoria, Illinois where Nixon was headed next.
President Richard Nixon at the Boise Airport in 1960.
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