In 1959, by any measure, Pat Boone was on top of the world with a very successful TV show, a best-selling book ("Twixt Twelve and Twenty"), a top 10 hit by the same name and a box office smash movie ("Journey to the Center of the Earth").
Letter of the Day: Time to stop the campaigning and get to work, Mr. President
September 18, 2009 at 2:59PM
Still, Boone went to Elvis Presley's manager, Col. Tom Parker, to ask how he could stay on top.
Parker told him, very succinctly, "You've got a problem, son, and it's called overkill. You're everywhere, while my boy's over in Germany in the army. At the rate you're going, by the time he comes back, you'll be old hat."
Boone had his best year in 1959 and his worst in 1960 (when Elvis came home from Germany).
Barack Obama might take note of Parker's advice. Like Pat Boone, he's everywhere. People are beginning to wonder: Shouldn't somebody tell him it's time to stop campaigning and start working? The sleeves are rolled up, the coat and tie are off, and as he said last Saturday at the Target Center, he's "fired up and ready to go!"
That's great, Mr. President, but you're only going to make another speech at another campaign stop, that's not the same as working.
BOB HUGE, EDINA
