Just before the entire East Coast ends up underwater, the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg recalls a Sandy (fire)storm of an entirely different sort, collecting various press accounts of the January, 1985 evening in which Redskins RB John Riggins attended the National Press Club Foundation’s annual banquet. Riggins, famously said to have dozed off during President George Bush’s speech, had the good fortune to be seated next to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, says of the incident, “we’re linked together for life, which is good for me, but not so good for her.” From the AP :
One of those at Riggins’ table, People’s Washington bureau chief Garry Clifford, confirmed that Riggins told Mrs. O’Connor, “Come on Sandy baby, loosen up. You’re too tight.”
Ms. Clifford said the justice laughed and appeared not to be insulted. “It was a very funny evening…No one was dying of embarrassment,” she said.
Associated Press photographer Ron Edmonds said he stepped over somebody sprawled on the floor at the end of the evening, not recognizing the person as Riggins.
“They took him out the VIP door,” said Edmonds. “They were dragging him, feet behind.” He said the person being dragged was mumbling incoherently.
I remember this nugget well, but a couple of fact checks on your synopsis- that would be the elder George H. W. Bush, and if the incident occurred in 1985 GHWB would still have been vice president.