The Tolbert Report

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NBC’s “Meet the Press” confirmed today what my dedicated readers already know – that I am a true political nerd. Executive Producer Betsy Fischer asked the following trivia question yesterday on twitter: “RNC Chair under fire. Who was the 1st RNC Chair asked on MTP whether or not he would resign?”

As everyone knows, “Meet the Press” began airing on November 6, 1947. At that time, Rep. Carroll Reece from Tennessee was the RNC chairman but his successor, Rep. Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, was actually the first RNC Chairman to appear on MTP on October 31, 1948.  However, Scott was not controversial so there was no reason for him to be asked if he would resign.

This brings us to New Jersey State Assemblyman Guy Gabrielson who took over in 1949 as RNC Chairman and – as anyone who has seen New York Gov. David Paterson on SNL knows – most politicians from New Jersey are corrupt. Gabrielson was no exception and then freshman Sen. Richard Nixon, who ironically enough was making a name for himself as a reformer, called for his resignation due to Gabrielson’s involvement in a loan scandal. Gabrielson appeared on “Meet the Press” on September 30, 1951 where reporter May Craig pressed him if he was going to resign his post. Gabrielson refused and served out his term as chairman.

I am sure you all knew that but I won a MTP coffee mug for being the first to respond to Fischer on twitter with the correct answer.  And if you still don’t believe I am a political nerd, check out this article about me in Sync.