BARRY GOLDWATER

Former presidential candidate and Arizona senator Barry Goldwater was an extremely familiar fave in Phoenix when I lived there in the '80s and '90s, and my path crossed his several times -- twice at my hair salon, where he also got his hair cut, and once at a fundraiser banquet, which several of us from my ad agency were attending and where he was the keynote speaker. Having once met President Reagan in Phoenix, I wanted give Goldwater equal time. So after his rambling speech (he was in his late 70s and apparently operating at less than a hundred percent), I walked up to the dais and introduced myself. For all the reception I got, I might as well have said hello to a floral centerpiece.