But He Sounded Perfectly Clear

Dwight Dobbs, 41, owner of an office supply company in Urbana, Ill., got so tired of Watergate and what he considered disrespect toward the President by the news media that he rented three billboards that read: "I have more faith in this man . . . than I have in any of his accusers . . . especially the press." Dobbs was rewarded with the thrill of his life.

The phone rang, a male voice announced, "This is the White House switchboard," and told him to hold on for the President. Then that most familiar of voices came on and chatted with Dobbs for fifteen minutes.

The euphoric Dobbs was the lion of Urbana for two days. Then the bottom dropped out. The Associated Press telephoned him to say that it had checked with the White House and found that Nixon had made no such call. Dobbs, who maintains that every inflection of the famous voice was perfectly clear, called Deputy Press Secretary Gerald Warren to confirm the report. No, Warren said, the President had not called, but added that Nixon did indeed thank him for his support. Further consolation came last week in the form of personal letters from both Richard and Pat. But the phantom mimic is still at large.

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