Alright, I have held my tongue, but enough of you seem to have known Jim
Schlesinger that you might enjoy a story. I was working for him at DOE in
1978-9 when (then and now) Governor of California Jerry Brown announced that
he was flying to DC to confront Jimmy Carter about the gasoline lines.
Remember those? Brown scheduled a major press conference at National
Airport. With this public relations disaster about to unfold, several of us
met with Schlesinger to figure out what to do. Between puffs of his pipe,
his only responses were: "Not to worry." "It'll be fine." "He won't be
staying long."
What did the Secretary know? Under California law, the Lieutenant Governor
acquires full powers when the Governor is out of state. As soon as Brown's
airplane left California airspace, LG George Deukmejian -- like Schlesinger,
a Republican -- signed an emergency Executive Order declaring that he had
discovered the cause of the gasoline lines: silly California environmental
requirements that were hereby immediately suspended. Brown got this news
from the press as soon as he stepped off the plane; he promptly turned
around and flew back home. Schlesinger would have made a great character in
House of Cards.
Brian Mannix
