European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 27, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Aide june 1977 the stars and stripes Pago 19 Midge Costanza to not in the position where i need permission to do anything by Jurate Kazickas associated press Midge the Only woman in the upper echelons of the White was addressing a kiwanis banquet in her native when a fire Bell interrupted her its god cracked that the next Job in looking Only As an of Shes had to Settle for being assistant for Public Liaison to president the sfoot1 cos Lanza has the Power to decide among thousands of groups and individuals wanting to see the presi gets past the White House the Job keeps her Telephone ringing 200 times a Day while hundreds of letters pleading for a hearing in the White House pile they come from a diverse lot shoe Industry Montana practical interpreters for the activist Book jewish War greeting card women against tuna Industry the National Gay task Costanza let the Gays and Disse Jiting mail promptly 44 and is a former Vic mayor of and the daughter of a sicilian sausage company i love being he Only woman in the White she but she wishes there were i cant represent every woman in the Shes also the Only the Only the Only and the Only former elected Public official on the White House in a White House establishment already marked by youth and Midge Costanza the real name she never uses is Margaret has added a spirit of striding in her pantsuit and three Inch heels into the White she Calls out Tell the president Imback so he can feel secure one hand on playing the she a shaved past a group of startled White House visitors and murmured when you Sec you know what the president meant when he talked about lust in his for All her Costanza clearly admires the president As much As Carter appears to enjoy her he Calls her Midgie and when they meet publicly they hug each in a Hes a she her dark eyes Light up behind octagonal shaped thick glasses when she says of her Mission this is Otic of the greatest opportunities in my to serve 220 million to be part of and in a position to effect Costonza and Carter met in 1974 when she was running for Congress in Rochester and he was National democratic committee chair she lost her election but helped Carter win his when she co chaired his new York after the she called and in going to advise you from and he would you like to do it from the White House she started in a cluttered room just a few doors from the Oval much of the work for her and a staff of 10 involves referring petitioning groups to different agencies its almost like Public relations Costanza recalling a meeting with a visiting foreign dig she what can i do for him probably but he got to Sec me he can go Home and say that he was heard at the White and that what really but there Are tangible thanks to Costa Ricas a jewish cemetery in Russia was saved from being handicapped people who had been demonstrating for Days finally got to see hew Secretary Joseph Eleanor Roosevelt will be declared a National historical organizers of food Day got to Cater a meatless meal in the while de spite the protests of the cattle i will never apologize for allowing any organization to participate in the government it helped Costanza she was but Mast often her seriousness is concealed behind an uninhibited display of Irever you know when tie president kept talking about spending More time with your families Costanza asked a group of Federal i dont have so just when i decided to Start a he told me i so i asked him what was the difference Between sinning and its sinning when i catch he Carter and his entourage appreciate cos Lanzas improvisation of Bella former congas own Man and now a candidate for mayor of new York even Abzug thinks co stanzas interpretation is almost More real than the real raucous her uninhibited style is says Stuart assistant to the president for Domestic its much needed i dont normally kid around with any but she is one of the few people who can net a laugh out of presidential assistant Hamilton often the target of co stanzas irrepressible debunking i looked like Hamilton id kill she once said also gives her High Marks for Job Costanza displays Confidence in her in not in the position where i need Permis Sion to do she i feel the Confidence of the and to has never criticized but she is sensitive to critics who say that she lacks real clout in the White i have the Opportunity to affect policy As Well As anybody she if 1 see issues were not nothing stops me from pointing them out As i have she works almost nonstop through the skip Ping staying late to reach out to the people we want to find out what they feel about presidential and we react to the requests of people who Call As and say there is a need out there that you arc not this government and every government belongs to the people we have no business treating people As if they were interrupting our they Are the Carters Costanza i cant represent every woman in the by Erma Bombeck at wits end several weeks ago i appeared on the Johnny Carson show and was never so humiliated m my 1 was tin Only one on the show who didst have to leave do you know what its like to sit there and Walsh Lucille flail blow kisses to the audience and confess 1 have to dash or Joey Lle Atherton breathlessly take her leave i have a show to it made me wish Mary haunt re scheduled the Tupperware party that had originally been planned Lor the same that Why i never show up for awards for with my id be present when i won and what kind of class is that to be present for your award cant you just hear it accepting for Erma bom Beck this evening will be Erma a Low moan of disapproval goes Over the crowd As i Grope my Way to the podium the audience is signalled for silence if my agent were accepting for me this eve he would say How grateful 1 am to All the Little and How sorry i am that i could not be Here in person to Tell of How much it Means to me thank you and Good a Friend of mine in show business youd recognize her name immediately if i told you confided to me its a real drag not knowing up for things and looks a lot easier than it really last year she i didst slow up for three four celebrity Tennis four awards eight press and a prune Festi Val in a retirement Village my eyes glistened with admiration How did you do it it want she said i got so tired trying to find places to go one night 1 slipped into my dark glasses and went to an Al night everyone was All hiding out we All went out and played in whey Golf until 2 i never knew How difficult you dont know half of i spent three Days once trying to get an accepted 1 finally had to Settle for a reformed Flasher what time is it Why Ive got an interview with the press for lunch at and 1 dont dare show up for another want to come to my House and do the Viva Towel test or anything in i but 1 cant in Early for an autographing party and have to arrange a Flat the other night i had a dream in which i appeared on the Carson show and As the audience laughed themselves into hernias 1 stood up and this has been such lets to it again but i really have to Good night Johnny Johnny Johnny what a mean he left to minutes ago us
