How we treat the Europeans

Amidst all the detailed recollections of the functioning of the European Commission, I ran across this account, in his biography, of Roy Jenkins‘ day in Ann Arbor on December 17, 1978:

“8.30 plane to Detroit. Drove to Ann Arbor for lunch with the President of the University of Michigan and about forty other people at about 12 o’clock. It was a ghastly luncheon, not a drop to drink at the long reception beforehand - I hadn’t expected anything at lunch - totally inedible food, and speeches, which again I hadn’t expected, after lunch. Then over to the theatre for the commencement and honorary degree ceremony and my address to an audience of about four thousand. To be honest, I don’t think the address went very well: it was a good speech, but too long, thirty-four minutes, and slightly too elaborately prepared, as well as trying to say too much. In any event I always find commencement addresses difficult, and the total absence of alcohol didn’t help either.”

For you following at home, that president would be Mr. Administration Building himself, Robben Wright Flemming.