I attended an event 56 years ago, April 30, 1970, similar to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner April 25, 2026, marked by drama, however, not as shocking as the attempted assassination of the President.
I was a guest at the 27th Annual White House News Photographers Awards dinner at the April 30, Annual 1970 White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA) at the Sheraton–Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. (later known as the Sheraton Washington Hotel and currently the Marriott Wardman Park.)
President Richard Nixon was scheduled to speak that evening, but instead we were addressed by Vice President Spiro Agnew, because Nixon was making an address to the nation. We all listened as President Nixon broadcast to the country that U.S. and South Vietnamese troops had entered alleged neutral Cambodia to clear out North Vietnamese and Viet Cong sanctuaries.
The announcement surprised the American public and triggered nationwide anti-war protests. The Kent State shootings took place just four days later.
The reaction inside the ballroom was mixed. As I recall two or three of the attendees got up and walked out in protest, but other than that there were no booing, anti-war or anti-Nixon shouts.
Bob Hope was the master of ceremonies and Roberta Peters sang the national anthem. I can’t even recall the names of the other guests at my table.
I was invited by that year’s current WHNPS’s president, George Thames, the longtime New York Times White House photographer.
At the time I was employed by IBM in its communications organization in Manassas, Virginia. I frequently hired George on a freelance basis. As a former newspaper reporter, I realized that if I wanted photos that grabbed the attention of readers or an editor opening an envelop containing a press release nobody could do it better than a news photographer. And George Thames was one of the best. I was fortunate he accepted the assignments I offered.
I was surprised to be offered an invitation to the event and eagerly accepted.