John Glenn Stood up to a Vice President
When NASA had to abort John Glenn’s first flight in January 1962, Vice President Lyndon Johnson wanted to come inside the Glenn house and talk John’s wife, Annie. Annie Glenn was a private person. She managed the limelight of being an astronaut’s wife with grace, but she didn’t look for – or want – the press attention. She especially didn’t want her stutter, an 85% speech impediment, publicized. John Glenn was his wife’s biggest cheerleader, even taking grocery and repair lists to work and placing phone orders himself. Having Johnson in the house would also mean allowing strange photographers inside and ordering the one photographer, Life magazine’s Loudon Wainwright Jr., out. And, as she firmly noted, “I had a migraine.” Annie called John, who had been sitting in wait (and in vain) for five hours, telling him she didn’t want Johnson in their home. He backed her up, and Johnson stayed out.