NESHOBA COUNTY FAIR — Over the course of three days this week, some 72 politicians — from Neshoba County Place 1 constable candidate Wesley Ward to Gov. Haley Barbour — will hold forth under the tin roof of the pavilion under the old oaks on Founder’s Square at the Neshoba County Fair.
For those of us who are residents of the fairgrounds, the long days of seemingly endless political speeches are as blessings and curses. The speeches bring visitors to the fairgrounds and visitors bring the promise of renewed friendships and the fellowship of a cabin full of company sharing meals with us.
The down side is that for every interesting, entertaining speech one hears from over the public address system on the cabin porches, one will hear 10 speeches delivered in monotones by speakers making their first and only appearance at the state’s premier political stump.
As fairgoers prepare for the gubernatorial candidates’ speeches on Thursday this week, it will mark only the second time that a son has followed his father in making such a speech. The first time was when Paul B. Johnson Jr. followed his father Paul B. Johnson Sr. in making a gubernatorial bid.
This year, Democratic gubernatorial front runner John Arthur Eaves Jr. will follow his father John Arthur Eaves senior in a gubernatorial bid.
The senior Eaves gave one of the all-time favorite political speeches in Neshoba County Fair history on July 30, 1987. Eaves’ infamous “air conditioner” speech was given by the flamboyant, white-suited Winston County native when he was running for governor on the issue of bringing Mississippians a $10 car tag.
Sleeves rolled up, sweating profusely and speaking like an evangelist at a tent revival, Eaves — surrounded by family, friends and supporters (including young John Arthur Eaves Jr.) — exhorted the Neshoba crowd with this memorable line:
“Don’t let them tell you that a country boy with red clay dirt on his heels can’t be governor of Mississippi! A country boy can survive ...
“They laugh at these $10 car tags. You know why? They don’t want the people of Mississippi to have $10 care tags.
“And then they get down there after they get elected and sit in those ivory towers in Jackson smoking those long cee-gars, tugging on those cee-gars with the air conditioner turned down so low you could kill hogs! And they laugh and chuckle at the taxpayers and working people of this state,” Eaves thundered.
The crowd roared. Eaves lost the gubernatorial race in 1987 to Ray Mabus, but the speech remains legendary.
Ironically, both the senior and junior Eaves attorneys now practice law in ivory-colored, multi-storied downtown Jackson law offices that are, I presume, heavily air-conditioned.
Eaves Jr. is not as animated a speaker as his father, but he speaks with the zeal of an evangelist. During a recent interview, Eaves spoke of his memories of his father’s old style campaigns and the fun he had taking part in them.
Eaves Sr., Gov. Ross Barnett, Robert “Blow Torch” Mason, Bill Waller, Jimmy Swan, Evelyn Gandy, Jim Buck Ross, and even Henry Kirksey “got” the Neshoba political speaking environment. President Ronald Reagan understood it as well back in 1980.
After 72 political speeches, it takes a little something extra to get the people on the porches and standing around the pavilion to stop talking among themselves and take notice.
A good joke, a funny story or an image of mean-spirited politicians shivering in a board room as cold as a meat locker — but remember that Neshoba County Fair political speeches are 10 percent policy pronouncements and 90 percent old-time political theater.
Contact Perspective Editor Sid Salter at (601) 961-7084 or e-mail ssalter@clarionledger.com
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