| | In April 1994, Waggonner flew to Yorba Linda, [[California]], to attend Nixon's funeral, at which [[Bob Dole]] delivered a brief eulogy. Indeed, he had maintained communication with Nixon long after both had left Washington. Nixon's first outing after his resignation was a trip to Shreveport for an event the Waggonners hosted at their home, remembered Rene Gibson, a former Waggonner staffer, as reported in ''The Shreveport Times'' on the occasion of Waggonner's death. | | In April 1994, Waggonner flew to Yorba Linda, [[California]], to attend Nixon's funeral, at which [[Bob Dole]] delivered a brief eulogy. Indeed, he had maintained communication with Nixon long after both had left Washington. Nixon's first outing after his resignation was a trip to Shreveport for an event the Waggonners hosted at their home, remembered Rene Gibson, a former Waggonner staffer, as reported in ''The Shreveport Times'' on the occasion of Waggonner's death. |
| − | In the 1964 gubernatorial primary runoff and general election, Waggonner endorsed Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]] who, like Waggonner in 1961, was opposed by the Republican Charlton Lyons. Waggonner objected to the strengthening of the Republican Party in Louisiana. He once said that Louisiana, unlike other southern states, already had a two-party system through its "[[Earl Long|Long]] and anti-Long factions. Nevertheless, in his later years, Waggonner occasionally endorsed Republicans, including 1996 presidential nominee Bob Dole of [[Kansas]], who had been Ford's vice-presidential choice in the 1976 loss to [[Jimmy Carter]] and [[Walter Mondale]]. In 1981, Carter's successor as president, [[Ronald W. Reagan]], who had campaigned for Charlton Lyons for governor of Louisiana in 1964, appointed Waggonner to the 15-member National Commission on Social Security Reform, headed by the famous economist [[Alan Greenspan]]. | + | In the 1964 gubernatorial primary runoff and general election, Waggonner endorsed Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]] who, like Waggonner in 1961, was opposed by the Republican Charlton Lyons. Waggonner objected to the strengthening of the Republican Party in Louisiana. He once said that Louisiana, unlike other southern states, already had a two-party system through its "[[Earl Long|Long]"] and "anti-Long" factions. Nevertheless, in his later years, Waggonner occasionally endorsed Republicans, including 1996 presidential nominee Bob Dole of [[Kansas]], who had been Ford's vice-presidential choice in the 1976 loss to [[Jimmy Carter]] and [[Walter Mondale]]. In 1981, Carter's successor as president, [[Ronald W. Reagan]], who had campaigned for Charlton Lyons for governor of Louisiana in 1964, appointed Waggonner to the 15-member National Commission on Social Security Reform, headed by the famous economist [[Alan Greenspan]]. |