Chevrolet Summit

To prepare for Mr. Nixon’s arrival the Soviet regime got Jews off the streets and pineapples onto the streets. The pineapples and other fresh fruit were put on sale at stands stationed along Mr. Nixon’s motorcade route from Moscow airport to the Kremlin. Reasonably priced fresh fruit is at least as interesting to the Soviet citizen as a presidential visit. The fruit stands were designed to lure a nice crowd to the parade route. Never let it be said that Mr. Brezhnev is not a thoughtful host.

The Jews—specifically, leaders of the Jewish dissidents who want to emigrate from the Soviet Union—were arrested to prevent any unseemly demonstrations during the visit by the leader of the Free World. It would be nice (but, of course, wrong) to believe that it was to express disapproval of Soviet antisemitism that Mr. Nixon chose this year’s gift for Mr. Brezhnev. The leader of the dictatorship of the proletariat is an automobile freak and when Mr. Nixon went to Moscow in 1972 he brought with him a nice bauble—a swank Lincoln Continental. This year he brought only a Chevrolet.

About the Author

George F. Will

George F. Will has been a columnist, beginning with National Review, since 1973.

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To prepare for Mr. Nixon’s arrival the Soviet regime got Jews off the streets and pineapples onto the streets. The pineapples and other fresh fruit were put on sale at stands stationed along Mr. Nixon’s motorcade route from Moscow airport to the Kremlin. Reasonably priced fresh fruit is at least as interesting to the Soviet citizen as a presidential visit. The fruit stands were designed to lure a nice crowd to the parade route. Never let it be said that Mr. Brezhnev is not a thoughtful host.

The Jews—specifically, leaders of the Jewish dissidents who want to emigrate from the Soviet Union—were arrested to prevent any unseemly demonstrations during the visit by the leader of the Free World. It would be nice (but, of course, wrong) to believe that it was to express disapproval of Soviet antisemitism that Mr. Nixon chose this year’s gift for Mr. Brezhnev. The leader of the dictatorship of the proletariat is an automobile freak and when Mr. Nixon went to Moscow in 1972 he brought with him a nice bauble—a swank Lincoln Continental. This year he brought only a Chevrolet.