Two for the Future

Somebody pressed the "up" button, but the elevator (ah, symbolism) headed down--straight from the lobby of Long Island's Garden City Hotel into the basement, where it landed with a distinct thump. Said Nelson Rockefeller: "Well, we can't go down any farther. We're at the bottom." Said Happy: "Oh well, then I won't worry about it." After five interminable minutes, the doors opened and Nelson, Happy and eight other passengers climbed out. "Hey," gawked a workman, "it's the Governor." "Hey, Governor!" shouted another, holding out a house phone, "say hello to Artie Menkler. He's the one who got you out." Rocky took the phone. "Thanks, Artie," he said. "We were just trying to reach the Governor of Michigan."

Rockefeller not only reached Michigan's George Romney, who was waiting on the second floor, he embraced him as the party's most promising national leader and potential savior. Addressing 2,400 Republicans at a $100-a-plate fund-raising dinner for the Nassau County G.O.P., Rocky noted that both Romney and New York's Republican Senator Jacob Javits were on hand. "It's nice to have them here together," he said pointedly. "I find a growing feeling among Republicans that it might be nice to have them together in our future."

There has been much talk of pairing the Michigan Governor with the New York Senator in 1968 (TIME, May 13), but Rocky was the first officeholder to endorse the idea publicly. He will by no odds be the last: in fact, some observers think it is such an obvious ticket that there is no point in holding a convention. Rocky, of course, had a couple of other objectives in mind. One was to undermine New York-based Richard Nixon, who has been impressing Southern Republicans on recent speaking excursions. The other was to solidify the support of New York's greatest vote getter, Javits, behind Rockefeller's own bid for a third four-year term as Governor in November.

The beneficiaries of the Rockefeller manna insisted, of course, that it was far too early to be writing tickets. "I am highly complimented," said Romney, "but my attention is focused on 1966." To be sure, Romney announced later in the week that he would seek a new four-year term as Governor of Michigan--but without the hallowed promise to serve out his term without drifting off in pursuit of better things. Javits also made news later in the week, though for a different reason. Ever the politician, he accepted an accolade as "1966 Father of the Year,"* posed for pictures as Actress Eva Gabor pinned a ribbon betokening the award on his lapel.

As for Nelson Rockefeller's own presidential aspirations, they have wound up right where the wayward elevator did. Since last July he has been insisting that he was out of the running "forevermore." Last week he restated his position in the strongest terms yet. Quoth the Rock: "I speak as one who has taken himself out of national contention, completely and forever, without reservation."

*Javits' three children are Joy, 17, a Riverdale Country School senior; Joshua, 16, a Riverdale junior; and Carla, 10, a fifth-grader at Dalton School.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.