Every now and then we hear stories that need to be repeated. We just love the tale told by Time reporter Karen Tumulty that appears in the magazine's Swampland blog.

The Washington bureau of Time magazine is moving to a new locale, and Karen is trying to decide what to keep and what to toss. Her notes from the '96 Bob Dole campaign? A Lyndon LaRouche pamphlet?

But there are some artifacts that you come to realize are real treasures. Like my favorite press release of all time. It is dated July 19, 1994, and was issued by then-Senator Howell Heflin's office. That morning, the Senator had been dining in the Capitol with some Alabama reporters, and suddenly felt a sniffle coming on. The reporters were aghast when the Senator reached into his pocket, pulled out a bit of fabric and began to wipe his nose with ... a pair of ladies underwear. Hence the following:


STATEMENT OF SEN. HOWELL HEFLIN
HANDKERCHIEF
JULY 19, 1994

I mistakenly picked up a pair of my wife's white panties and put them in my pocket while I was rushing out the door to go to work.

Rather than take a chance on being embarrassed again, I'm going to start buying colored handkerchiefs.

Yep, that's one press release that I'm hanging on to.

categories: Washington Senators

2:38 - June 12, 2009

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