William Loeb III - Legacy

Legacy

Loeb is best remembered nationally for his alleged role in attacking Edmund Muskie through the Union Leader in what is known locally as the Canuck letter, derailing the Maine senator's 1972 presidential bid. Loeb is said to have helped in the forgery and publication of the letter in the paper's op-ed section. The letter slandered French-Canadians, and implied Muskie was prejudiced against them. Muskie's emotional defense of himself in front of the Union Leader offices in Manchester was seen as a sign of weakness and instability. Muskie later claimed that there were not tears in his eyes, as many papers reported, but rather snowflakes (as it had been snowing that evening).

Loeb also gained infamy in the 1970s for attacking then-governor Walter R. Peterson, Jr.'s teenage daughter for allegedly advocating the use of marijuana. She suffered an emotional breakdown as a result of the stress and public scrutiny thrust upon her in the wake of the allegations. Loeb was instrumental in the victory of Meldrim Thomson, Jr. in the next gubernatorial election, and remained a political ally until his death.

William and Nackey had one daughter, Edith Roosevelt Loeb-Tomasko. Nackey and George Gallowhur had a daughter from their marriage, Nackey E. Gallowhur-Scagliotti. Both daughters operate the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.

Author Kevin Cash published a biography of Loeb entitled Who the Hell IS William Loeb? in 1975. Loeb's legal threats forced Cash to create his own publishing company, incorporated in Delaware, out of Loeb's reach. After four New Hampshire publishers balked at printing it, Cash had the book printed in Vermont.

In New Hampshire, his major legacy is an anti-tax pledge that has been taken not only by all Republicans seeking gubernatorial nomination, but all Democrats who have successfully been elected.

Loeb did not hesitate to castigate fellow Republicans, once writing: "This newspaper now solemnly charges that President Eisenhower has done more to destroy the respect, honor and power of the United States than any President in its history." (Editorial, "Prince Of Appeasement," June 23, 1955, referring to the Austrian Treaty that allowed the Soviet Union to continue influence over Austria.) Loeb also stood alone among conservatives in his staunch support for Jimmy Hoffa, despite otherwise being a foe of labor.