By Clyde Noel

While most Americans were preoccupied with news of military action in Iraq, David and Julie Nixon Eisenhower spoke about their heritage and life in the White House during their Celebrity Forum lecture March 21 at Flint Center, De Anza College.

Looking chic in her pink suit, Julie said the modern White House is referred to as the “Goldfish Bowl.” “When David and I lived in the White House, it was closer to the real world than it is today. In 1953, my father had only a few Secret Service agents trailing him. Today, the vice president has more than 100, and that is hard to accept.”

Speaking with warmth and charm, Julie and David skillfully blended anecdotes with up-close points of view and scholarly knowledge of the presidency.

“We met at the Eisenhower/ Nixon inauguration when we were both 8 years old,” Julie said. “At the time I had a big black eye from a sledding accident, but we were married 12 years later.”

Julie said there are no secrets in the White House, only frustration, inaccurate stories and downright lies by the media. She referred to President Eisenhower’s romance with Kay Summersby, which his aides denied.

“People take it as truth,” she said. “Television has tremendous power over our lives.”

Julie referred to George W. Bush as a likable and charming president until 9/11, but said we should not underestimate him.

“Presidents do not go into war lightly. It’s a tremendous responsibility in making decisions, and I know Bush must deeply believe this is the only course.”

Julie showed a serious side when she spoke about leaders and where they come from. What drives people to lead a country? With all the negative aspects of politics and the loss of a personal life, why would people do it?

“You don’t run for public office unless you have a specific vision. You are driven by ideas and a vision. All leaders share something in common. They feel they are the only ones who can do the job,” she said.

David, a grandson of Gen. and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is a historian and scholar. Recalling his days in the White House, he said, “It’s a symbolic building, graceful and practical, and has appropriate qualities. I remember the movie theater, the swimming pool, the big back yard and the servants. The Secret Service agents taught me a lot with their dedication. They even taught me stickball.”

David, who graduated from Amherst College in 1970, serves as a research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and a fellow in the university’s international relations department.

David said he is presently involved in training people to go into public service and teaching them leadership skills. “I get many students from Wharton business school who want to study leadership,” he said.

The largest applause of the evening was given to the moderator of the speakers series, Dick Henning, when he announced next year’s Celebrity Forum lineup.

The speakers for next season are: Sept. 12, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Hugh Sheldon; Oct. 17, Salman Rushdie; Nov. 14, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; Jan. 9, 2004, Tom Freedman, advisor to President Clinton; Feb. 6, 2004, biographer Michael Beschloss; March 12, 2004, satirist Garrison Keiler; and April 6, 2004, TV journalist Jane Pauley.