“I worship the quicksand he walks on”
“I worship the very quicksand the President walks on,” American humorist and Washington (DC) Post columnist Art Buchwald (1925-2007) said of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966. Buchwald would use the remark about other presidents, and conservative political columnist Robert Novak (1931-2009) frequently used Buchwald’s line, with credit.
Buchwald was a satirist, so a president in quicksand (that is, “trouble”) meant better material for him to write about.
Wikipedia: Art Buchwald
Arthur “Art” Buchwald (October 20, 1925 – January 17, 2007) was an American humorist best known for his long-running column in The Washington Post, which in turn was carried as a syndicated column in many other newspapers. His column focused on political satire and commentary. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary in 1982 and in 1986 was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Google Books
Son of the Great Society
By Art Buchwald
Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Publications
1967, ©1966
Pg. 228:
ABOUT PRESIDENT JOHNSON:
“I worship the very quicksand the President walks on.”
2 October 1966, Independent Star-News (Pasadena, CA), “Art Buchwald Wears Court Jester’s Bells Well” reviewed by George Feinstein, Scene sec., pg. 4, col. 1:
(Review of Son of the Great Society—ed.)
After all, Buchwald’s syndicated columns, here reprinted, are not exactly love letters to the great white father. He writes: “I worship the very quicksand the President walks on.”
9 November 1967, Oakland (CA) Tribune, “A Funny Thing Happened…” pg. 6, cols. 1-2:
“I’m the only one at this table who’s all for the Administration,” Buchwald said. “I am truly a son of the Great Society. I was raised an orphan and I find in President Johnson a father image. And I worship the very quicksand he walks on.”
17 February 1971, Lexington (KY) Herald, “Nixon Policy ‘Blotcho,’ Columnist Tells Crowd” by Lu Williams, pg. 2, col. 4:
“I may be cynical but I worship the quicksand President Nixon walks on,” said nationally syndicated columnist Robert Novak last night during his dialogue on domestic problems.
18 January 1973, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), “Humorist on Nixon: ‘I Worship the Quicksand He Walks On’—Buchwald” by Millie Ball, sec. 1, pg. 28, col. 1:
President Nixon—“He’s a very fascinating man; I worship the quicksand he walks on.”
Google News Archive
1 June 1974, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “‘Don’t Louse Up Perfect World’: Nixon ‘Quickstand’ Thrills Buckwald,” pg. 1, col. 4:
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP)—Columnist Art Buchwald told Holy Cross COllege graduates yesterday that his main message to them was simply: “We’ve given you a perfect world, now don’t louse it up.”
Buchwald told 533 graduates and an estimated 4,000 guests that “President Nixon is still President. As a humor columnist, I need President Nixon more than he needs me. I worship the quicksand he walks on.”
Google News Archive
9 December 1977, Nashua (NH) Telegraph, “The Quicksand’s Getting Firmer” by David Broder, pg. 4, col. 5:
Even before Art Buchwald cracked that “I worship the quicksand on which President Carter walks,” there were signs that the president had developed a hankering for more solid ground.
Google News Archive
27 April 1993, Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, MO), “Journalist offers witty, serious Washingtn view” by Cathryn Maya, pg. 1, col. 3:
Novak joked that he consulted with his principal political adviser, Art Buchwald, prior to the evening’s commentary. “He told me that he worships the very quicksand that the president walks on.” Novak said, much to te delight of the audience.
Twitter
Jewish Comedians
@JewishComedians
Art Buchwald: I worship the quicksand he walks in. | #Quotes
1:23 PM - 7 Jan 2016