The Woman Who Knew Everyone: The Power of Perle Mesta, Washington's Most Famous Hostess
Renowned for her world-class parties featuring politicians and celebrities, Perle met Eisenhower in the 1920's when he was a lowly major, Truman as a senator in the 1940's and LBJ as a junior congressman. Those friendships had echoes throughout her long life. After she helped out with fundraising at a key moment in Truman's 1948 campaign, he named Perle as envoy to Luxembourg, only the third women to hold a diplomatic post. She was a regular at the White House for four decades.