A week later, on March 24, the President hosted his first state dinner, for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of Canada. He complained to Haldeman about it the next morning: "We've got to speed up these dinners. They take forever. So why don't we just leave out the soup course?" "Well...," Haldeman began. Nixon cut him off: "Men don't really like soup." On a hunch, the chief of staff called the President's valet, Manolo Sanchez, and asked: "Was there anything wrong with the President's suit after that dinner last night?" "Yes. He spilled soup down the vest." The action memo went out: No more soup, ever.
Richard Reeves, President Nixon: Alone in the White House
