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The Vice President's campaign biography, a 116-page document called Where He Stands: The Life and Convictions of Spiro T. Agnew, records that as a boy in Baltimore, he used to help his Greek-born father prepare talks before local groups. "While the Governor's best subject was English," writes Author Ann Pinchot. "this is how he learned to perfect and polish the eloquence and clarity for which he is now known." Alas, it is precisely his prose style that frightens off so many, including some who are sympathetic to his basic message. Columnist William F. Buckley Jr., while concurring in Agnew's description of an "effete corps of impudent snobs," felt impelled to deliver an explication de texte: "The rhetorical arrangement is extremely unsatisfactory," wrote Buckley. "The word 'snob' should rarely be preceded by an adjective. An 'effete corps' has its stresses wrong, which is itself distracting."
There are more serious criticisms. Agnew delivers a sort of .45-cal. prose —heavy, highly charged, often inaccurate and dangerous. If students and liberals are disposed to an apocalyptic vision of America as a runaway, can cerous technocracy, Agnew's audiences are suggestible to his appeals to a "Love It or Leave It" America. In Harrisburg. Pa., two weeks ago. Agnew attacked the more militant dissidents as "vultures" and declared: "We can afford to separate them from our society with no more regret than we should feel over discarding rotten apples from a barrel." What did he mean by separation? Expulsion? Concentration camps?
Black and White
Other times, the sayings of Spiro are merely camp—howling violations of political politesse. "If you've seen one slum," he declared during the campaign, "you've seen them all." The odd thing is that the line makes a certain cockeyed sense: there is a miserable monotony about urban slums. If Agnew had made the point with any sensitivity, the effect would have been the opposite of the one he achieved.
A strong tendency to verbal excess reflects the essential Agnew. He sees things in black and white, and has an absolute passion for oversimplification.
"Civil disobedience." he says, "leads inevitably to riots, and riots condoned lead inevitably to revolution."
Agnew's delight in locker-room bonhomie also leads him astray. Last week, for example. Agnew attended a black-tie stag dinner at the White House for Prince Philip. With remarks from the diplomatic Deans—Acheson and Rusk —the evening proceeded with a certain urbanity. Then the Vice President rose to propose a toast to the guest of honor. Some people, Agnew began, found his manner of speech alarming, but there was no need to worry about that now: "All of you with tightened sinews and constricted sphincters can relax." A distinct chill settled on the room. One White House adviser slowly dropped his head to the table and cupped both hands over his ears.