so here he was, of course, to help proxmire. but really, he would actually laid the groundwork for his for his own primary campaign a few years later. so let's fast forward to a few years later, april 9th, 1959, again, about two years from our past event, we've got 23 year old milwaukee journal reporter ira captain steen, who was covering a dinner at the schrader hotel. this was his first time ever covering kennedy and though kennedy hadn't yet announced his plans to run for president, that was foremost on everyone's mind. and ira kept his pencil and notebook at ready just in case. any major announcements were to be made that night. i recap. and steve, the 23 year old washington correspondent for the milwaukee journal wove his way toward the back of the crystal ballroom. the date thursday ninth, 1959. the assignment. the gridiron dinner. well, ira was one of the younger people in the room. his youth was not to be confused with inexperience. since 1953, ira had taken on any assignment that crossed his desk. first as a student wri