Manolo Sanchez (Nixon's valet)

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Manolo Sanchez
Sanchez (Holding the umbrella) in 1970
Personal Aide to the President
In office
January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byPaul Glynn
Succeeded byTerrence O’Donnell
Personal details
Born
Manuel Sanchez

1929 (1929)
A Coruña, Spain
CitizenshipSpanish
American (naturalized)
SpouseFina
OccupationValet

Manuel "Manolo" Sanchez (born 1929[1]) was a long-time valet to Richard Nixon, known for his unfailing loyalty and fierce devotion to the former United States president. Sanchez was born in Spain and immigrated to Cuba at a young age. There, he worked as a dishwasher and laborer before moving to the United States. He was employed by Richard Nixon from 1962 to about 1980. The famously reserved Nixon developed a close friendship with Sanchez and once described him as a member of his family.

Early life

Sanchez was born in A Coruña, Spain. In 1946 he immigrated to Cuba where he worked as a dishwasher and laborer. In 1950 he immigrated, again, to the United States and initially resided in the state of Florida.[2]

Career

Early years with the Nixons

Sanchez began working for Richard and Pat Nixon in 1962 after being referred to the couple by Nixon family friend

Bebe Rebozo. Sanchez and his wife Fina moved into the Nixons' 12-room apartment at 810 Fifth Avenue in New York City.[3] Nixon would later describe the Sanchezes as "members of our family in a very special way".[4] Twelve years later, when asked by a reporter if he would continue working for Nixon after he left office, Sanchez responded "the boss will not need to ask me. Wherever he goes in three years from now, he knows I will go with him".[5]

Manolo Sanchez, third from left, presents Richard Nixon with a cake at his 61st birthday party in 1974 at the San Diego home of Walter Annenberg.

On January 15, 1967, Nixon held a dinner at his home during which he decided to run for president of the United States in 1968. In attendance were Pat Nixon, the Nixon's children, Nixon's longtime secretary Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo and Fina Sanchez. All attendees, except Pat Nixon, encouraged him to seek the Republican nomination.[6]

White House years

Sanchez moved to Washington with the Nixons during the presidency of Richard Nixon, and lived with Fina in a suite on the third floor of the Executive Residence of the White House.[2]

Sanchez and Nixon
During a conversation with Manolo Sanchez at the EEOB in 1973, Richard Nixon inquires about acquiring Cuban cigars.
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Sanchez, along with the president's physician

citizen of the United States and Nixon and some female cleaners who were present applauded. One of the women present, Carrie Moore, asked Nixon to sign her Bible, which he did, and holding her hand told her that his mother "was a saint" and "you be a saint too".[7] White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman would later describe the incident in his diary as "the weirdest day yet".[8][9]

During his last years in the White House, Nixon became increasingly dependent on Sanchez, and the two developed a

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Russell E. Train about overly cumbersome environmental regulations, citing the instance of mangrove trees at his property in Key Biscayne, Florida, which he couldn't cut down, before turning to Sanchez and asking "isn't that right"? Sanchez reportedly replied:[12]

No, Mr. President. You know when I have my day off down there I go fishing. I know that the fish I catch need those mangroves to grow up in. If you cut them down there won't be any more fish.

Post-presidency

He continued working for Richard and Pat Nixon at their post-presidency home in

Palm Springs to get Nixon's reaction. Sanchez replied that,[14]

Someday I'm going to tell you everything, the way they framed him. I think it was maybe even harder on me than on him. The pardon was a big relief to us all. He is in good spirits, thank you, God.

By 1980, after nearly two decades serving the Nixons, Manolo Sanchez retired with his wife, Fina, and returned to Spain.[15][16]

Personal life

Sanchez was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1968; Nixon sponsored his application, attended the ceremony, and took the oath of allegiance with him. Sanchez married his wife, Fina, in Spain.[2]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 978-1627792424
    .
  2. ^ a b c Beckman, Aldo (November 22, 1970). "Manuel and Fina Sanchez Happy in White House". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  3. ISBN 978-1451676945
    .
  4. ISBN 0618134328
    .
  5. ^ "President's Top Fan". Palm Beach Post. April 14, 1974. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  6. ISBN 978-0786727032
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0-8129-9537-4
    .
  8. ISBN 978-0143128342
    .
  9. ^ "Nixon's Weirdest Day". WETA. April 23, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  10. ^ Childers, Sam. "Presidential Valets". whitehousehistory.org. White House Historical Association. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  11. UPI
    . December 2, 1986. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  12. ISBN 0807148253
    .
  13. ISBN 978-1621574422
    .
  14. ^ "Valet Reports Nixon is in Good Spirits". Associated Press. September 10, 1974. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  15. ^ Diliberto, Gioia (January 25, 1982). "The Nixons Find a New Home and a New Contentment". People. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  16. Washington Post
    . Retrieved March 6, 2017.
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