The Day Eleanor Roosevelt Rallied the Nation

Everyone knows the famous speech President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered to congress after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor: "Yestahday, Decembah seventh, nineteen fohty-one, a date which will live in infamy...!"

But did you know that first lady Eleanor Roosevelt also gave a stirring speech about the attack before his address, right on December 7th, just hours after the bombing? I didn't either.

It was Sunday, and Mrs. Roosevelt had a weekly radio show at that time, which she actually went on with. But first she had something to say about the traumatic events of the day:

Our Trusty Doomsday Plane

Plane of Doom

Did you know we have a Doomsday Plane? I didn't (at least under that name), although having lived through parts of the Cold War I kind of suspected.

The Doomsday Plane, built out of a Boeing 707 and part of "Operation Looking Glass," exists to make sure that even if the President is blown up and all our military bases are wiped out, never fear! We can still faithfully launch all our nuclear missiles -- including the ones on the subs -- from one of these planes. Actually we have 16 Doomsday Planes because, you know, you can never be too careful.

So rest easy tonight.

I bring this up because one was evidently circling Denver the other day. At first citizens of the 'mile-high city' were concerned, but when they learned it was just their friendly neighborhood Doomsday Plane a warm feeling of security enfolded them like a cuddly radioactive blanket.

Heroes Passing

Jeremiah Denton, the Vietnam POW famous for blinking the word "Torture" in Morse Code during a propaganda interview, has just died. He was one of the first prisoners to be released and on to become a Senator in the 1980's.

After his captors found out what he had done, Denton's torture increased. But when released he commented, "We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances."

Rest in peace, Admiral Denton.