Another piper down

[edgreen]

Yes, Howard Baker was a politician and I don't want to start crap. Frankly, other than the fact he was somehow involved in the Watergate hearings, I don't remember that much about him. But I do remember when you could smoke your pipe anywhere, including our own national capital. Here's Howard and a few fellow pipers at the hearings.

 

[numbersix]

Great photo - thanks for sharing.

 

[juvat270]

Isn't that former Tennessee Senator and actor Fred Thompson in the foreground?

 

[phil67]

Sure looks like him.

 

[papipeguy]

Yep, both are from Tennessee.

 

[juvat270]

I did some googleing and it is. Apparently he was minority counsel to Howard Baker during the Watergate hearings. There's the same picture as the OP but from a different perspective on his Wikipedia page.
Regardless, I wonder what they're smoking?

 

[lordnoble]

Mixture 79, of course! :rofl:
-Jason

 

[edgreen]

There was a film from the same perspective and spot that CBS News played the night Baker died. All you could see was this wall of smoke flying from all three of those pipes at the same time.
I vote for Mcclelland 900 - Refined Tennessee Ribbon.

 

[jbbaldwin]

The Washington Post also ran this photo of Sens. Thompson and Baker -- you can clearly see Thompson's pipe in hand.
[Edited for size.]

 

[jbbaldwin]

...and here's another one.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

Everytime the topic of smoking inside of buildings/planes/vehicles is broached, I always think about this scene.
The Goods: Smoking Speech
When I was in Bahrain we could smoke in the malls, hotels ... anywhere. That era has since ended there as well. When I came home on leave for the first time, I went to a bar, lit up ... and then couldn't find an ashtray. I was then informed that new laws had passed (while I was away) and I had to take my cigarette outside.
Context aside, the pictures are pretty cool.

 

[mso489]

And in the background, to the right, is Sen. Sam Ervin from Morganton, N.C., where Cornell & Diehl has

been located for years, and to the left, his staffer and later N.C. Insurance Commissioner (I think it was)

Rufus Edmisten.

 

[edgreen]

I love Thompson's suit in that last picture. So, so period

 

[plateauguy]

A piper is a piper - don't care about his politics. Great pictures.

 

[natibo]

Must have been nice to be able to carry around your pipe all day and smoke whenever and wherever you felt like it.

 

[gregprince]

Was Thompson holding a pipe? I couldn't see past the suit.

 

[edgreen]

I guess those presidential election matching funds help keep you out of polyester.

 

[philip]

But I do remember when you could smoke your pipe anywhere, including our own national capital.

It doesn't seem that long ago!
Here's a bit more history I found.