The telephone rang in the wedge-shaped Washington office of Jesse M. Donaldson, the First Assistant Postmaster General. Picking it up, Donaldson heard a voice say: "This is the President."
With the air of a man who suspects that his caller is playing a practical joke but is willing to string along for a while, Donaldson replied: "Yes, Mr. President." "Your boss has just resigned," said the voice. Donaldson knew that Postmaster General Bob Hannegan had just quit to buy the St. Louis Cardinals (see SPORT).
"I just heard that," Donaldson said. "I'm sorry about it."
"I'm appointing you Postmaster General," the voice...
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