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This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon.

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4526411
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GOP National Leadership Conference, Washington, DC, March 3, 1972
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4526411
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document
title
GOP National Leadership Conference, Washington, DC, March 3, 1972
description
This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon.
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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Administration goals and achievements
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4526411
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1972-03-31
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1972
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1972-03-01
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3
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1972
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The original documents are located in Box D32, folder "GOP National Leadership Conference, Washington, DC, March 3, 1972" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box D32 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library GOP NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, WASHINGTON HILTON HOTEL, WASH., D.C. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1972. IT IS IT NOT THAT I HAVE BEEN SWEPT UP IN THE CHINA TRIP EUPHORIA, BUT FROM WHERE I STAND I LOOK UPON 1972 WITH A GREAT SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN TERMS OF THE OUTLOOK FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THE NATION AND THE WORLD. LOOKING FIRST AT THE SITUATION IN CONGRESS AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE HOUSE I COULD SPEND THE NEXT FEW MINUTES CRITICIZING THE DEMOCRATS FOR NOT MOVING MORE QUICKLY ON WELFARE REFORM, FEDERAL REVENUE SHARING, HEALTH CARE, AND REORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I WON'T FORD & LIBRARY GERALD I COULD ALSO FIND FAULT WITH THE DEMOCRATS FOR NOT SIGNING, -2- IN MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF NUMBERS, A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT BACKING THE PEACE PROPOSAL HE REVEALED ON JANUARY 25. BUT I WON'T. I WILL NOT ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF CARPING CRITICISM INDULGED IN DAILY BY THE DEMOCRATS -- BECAUSE TIME AND TIDE ARE ON OUR SIDE. PRESIDENT NIXON'S AGENDA FOR AMERICA HIS AGENDA OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY, IS MOVING AHEAD. I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT HAS AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF AMERICANS BEHIND HIM WITH EVERY IMAGINATIVE INITIATIVE HE HAS TAKEN TO BUILD PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN THE SEVENTIES. I SPEAK NOT ONLY OF HIS SENSATIONAL SURPRISE, THE UNPRECEDENTED EVENT OF HIS TRIP TO CHINA -- FROM WHICH WE KNOW ALL THE WORLD HAS GAINED AND GERALD -3- THE CAUSE OF WORLD PEACE HAS MOVED FORWARD. I SPEAK ALSO OF THE PRESIDENT'S FORCEFUL ACTS TO BRING PRICE STABILITY TO OUR ECONOMY AND FRESH ONGOING IMPETUS TO OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH I DO NOT DESPAIR ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S MAJOR MEASURES IN THE CONGRESS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE. THIS MEANS THESE BILLS EITHER WILL BE ADOPTED THIS YEAR -- AND I BELIEVE MOST OF THEM WILL BE -- OR THEY WILL BECOME ISSUES THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL TAKE TO THE VOTERS THIS FALL. THE DEMOCRATS KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION?S MAJOR MEASURES ENJOY POPULAR BACKING, AND SO THEY WILL ACT ACCORDINGLY. FOR THE MOST PART THEY WILL SEEK TO RESHAPE THEM AND TO TAKE THE CREDIT FOR THEIR ENACTMENT. BUT I FEEL SURE -4- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER WHO THE AUTHOR OF THIS LEGISLATION ACTUALLY WAS. I FEEL SURE, TOO, THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE IN THIS ELECTION YEAR WHO THE TRUE PEACEMAKER IS IN AMERICA. AND THEIR VOTE WILL NOT GO TO ONE WHO REJECTED PRESIDENT NIXON'S VIETNAM PEACE PROPOSAL BEFORE THE NORTH VIETNAMESE DID AND THEN FOLLOWED UP BY URGING A PEACE SETTLEMENT ON THE ENEMY'S TERMS. AT HIS JANUARY 1969 INAUGURAL, RICHARD NIXON SAID: "THE GREATEST HONOR HISTORY CAN BESTOW IS THE TITLE OF PEACEMAKER." I AM CERTAIN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL BESTOW THAT TITLE ON OUR PRESIDENT. NO MAN HAS WORKED HARDER TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES TOWARD THAT GOAL - FORD & LIBRARY GERAL -5- AT THE SALT TALKS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA THROUGH DE-ESCALATION, VIETNAMIZATION AND NEGOTIATIONS, IN MIDDLE EAST PROPOSALS, AND IN THE CHINA DOOR-OPENING. NEVER HAS A PRESIDENT BEEN SO HAMPERED BY DOMESTIC POLITICAL CARPING, AND YET MANAGED TO TAKE SUCH GIANT STRIDES TOWARD WORLD PEACE AND STABILITY. AS I SAID AT THE OUTSET, I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE NATION AND THE WORLD. I BELIEVE IN 1972 THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SEE THE VIRTUAL END OF THIS COUNTRY'S INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM. I BELIEVE PRESIDENT NIXON'S NEW ECONOMIC POLICY WILL HAVE BROUGHT INFLATION LARGELY UNDER CONTROL. I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT'S STRONG MEDICINE TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY WILL PROVIDE MORE JOBS AND CUT UNEMPLOYMENT -6- I BELIEVE WE WILL SEE THE TURNING POINT IN THE BATTLE TO CONTROL DRUG ADDICTION THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT'S WAR AGAINST DRUG ABUSE. ALL THIS HAS COME ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE RESPONSIVE AND CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. WE HAVE A GREAT NATIONAL LEADER IN RICHARD NIXON. THE THEME OF THIS GATHERING IS "TOGETHER AGAIN." LET US GO FORWARD TOGETHER TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JUST AND STABLE PEACE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF RICHARD NIXON. LET US GO FORWARD TOGETHER IN DEVELOPING A GENUINE PEACETIME PROSPERITY. LET US GO FORWARD TOGETHER TO BUILD PROGRAMS WHICH RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF A DYNAMIC PEOPLE IN A TIME OF CHANGE. -7- LET US RECOGNIZE THAT UNDER THE EXCITING LEADERSHIP OF RICHARD NIXON WE ARE TAKING PART IN ONE OF THE GREAT MOMENTS OF HISTORY. AND SO WE GO FORWARD TOGETHER. --END-- FORD i LIBRARY DERALD distribution 50 Copies w/Mr. w/Mo. Fouly M Office Copy REMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH. REPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT A GOP NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE WASHINGTON HILTON HOTEL WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1972 FOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY EXPECTED AT 9:30 A.M. FRIDAY It is not that I have been swept up in the China trip euphoria, but from where I stand I look upon 1972 with a great sense of confidence in terms of the outlook for the Republican Party, the Nation and the world. Looking first at the situation in Congress and specifically in the House, I could spend the next few minutes criticizing the Democrats for not moving more quickly on welfare reform, Federal revenue sharing, health care, and reorganization of the Federal Government. But I won't. I could also find fault with the Democrats for not signing in more than a handful of numbers a letter to the President backing the peace proposal he revealed on Jan. 25. But I won't. I will not engage in the kind of carping criticism indulged in daily by the Democrats--because time and tide are on our side. President Nixon's agenda for America, his agenda of peace and prosperity, is moving ahead. I believe the President has an overwhelming number of Americans behind him with every imaginative initiative he has taken to build peace and prosperity in the Seventies. I speak not only of his sensational surprise, the unprecedented event of his trip to China--from which we know all the world has gained and the cause of world peace has moved forward. I speak also of the President's forceful acts to bring price stability to our economy and fresh ongoing impetus to our economic growth. I do not despair about the President's major measures in the Congress, because they have the support of the people. This means these bills either will be adopted this year--and I believe most of them will be--or they will become issues that the Republican Party will take to the voters this fall. The Democrats know that the Administration's major measures enjoy popular backing, and so they will act accordingly. For the most part they will seek to (more) -2- reshape them and to take the credit for their enactment. But I feel sure the American people will remember who the author of this legislation actually was. I feel sure, too, that the American people will recognize in this election year who the true peacemaker is in America. And their vote will not go to one who rejected President Nixon's Vietnam peace proposal before the North Vietnamese did and then followed up by urging a peace settlement on the enemy's terms. At his January 1969 inaugural, Richard Nixon said: "The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker." I am certain the American people will bestow that title on our President. No man has worked harder to develop initiatives toward that goal-at the SALT talks, in Southeast Asia through de-escalation, Vietnamization and negotiations, in Middle East proposals, and in the China door-opening. Never has a President been so hampered by domestic political carping, and yet managed to take such giant strides toward world peace and stability. As I said at the outset, I am optimistic about the future of the Republican Party, the Nation and the world. I believe in 1972 the American people will see the virtual end of this country's involvement in Vietnam. I believe President Nixon's New Economic Policy will have brought inflation largely under control. I believe the President's strong medicine to stimulate the economy will provide more jobs and cut unemployment. I believe we will see the turning point in the battle to control drug addiction, thanks to the President's war against drug abuse. All this has come about because we have responsive and creative leadership at the national level. We have a great national leader in Richard Nixon. The theme of this gathering is "Together Again. " Let us go forward together toward the establishment of a just and stable peace under the leadership of Richard Nixon. Let us go forward together in developing a genuine peacetime prosperity. Let us go forward together to build programs which recognize the needs and aspirations of a dynamic people in a time of change. Let us recognize that under the exciting leadership of Richard Nixon we are taking part in one of the great moments of history. And so we go forward together. # # # 50 capies w/ Mr. F. only a Office Copy REMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH. REPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT A GOP NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE WASHINGTON HILTON HOTEL WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1972 FOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY EXPECTED AT 9:30 A.M. FRIDAY It is not that I have been swept up in the China trip euphoria, but from where I stand I look upon 1972 with a great sense of confidence in terms of the outlook for the Republican Party, the Nation and the world. Looking first at the situation in Congress and specifically in the House, I could spend the next few minutes criticizing the Democrats for not moving more quickly on welfare reform, Federal revenue sharing, health care, and reorganization of the Federal Government. But I won't. I could also find fault with the Democrats for not signing in more than a handful of numbers a letter to the President backing the peace proposal he revealed on Jan. 25. But I won't. I will not engage in the kind of carping criticism indulged in daily by the Democrats--because time and tide are on our side. President Nixon's agenda for America, his agenda of peace and prosperity, is moving ahead. I believe the President has an overwhelming number of Americans behind him with every imaginative initiative he has taken to build peace and prosperity in the Seventies. I speak not only of his sensational surprise, the unprecedented event of his trip to China--from which we know all the world has gained and the cause of world peace has moved forward. I speak also of the President's forceful acts to bring price stability to our economy and fresh ongoing impetus to our economic growth. I do not despair about the President's major measures in the Congress, because they have the support of the people. This means these bills either will be adopted this year--and I believe most of them will be--or they will become issues that the Republican Party will take to the voters this fall. The Democrats know that the Administration's major measures enjoy popular backing, and so they will act accordingly. For the most part they will seek to (more) -2- reshape them and to take the credit for their enactment. But I feel sure the American people will remember who the author of this legislation actually was. I feel sure, too, that the American people will recognize in this election year who the true peacemaker is in America. And their vote will not go to one who rejected President Nixon's Vietnam peace proposal before the North Vietnamese did and then followed up by urging a peace settlement on the enemy's terms. At his January 1969 inaugural, Richard Nixon said: "The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker." I am certain the American people will bestow that title on our President. No man has worked harder to develop initiatives toward that goal-at the SALT talks, in Southeast Asia through de-escalation, Vietnamization and negotiations, in Middle East proposals, and in the China door-opening. Never has a President been so hampered by domestic political carping, and yet managed to take such giant strides toward world peace and stability. As I said at the outset, I am optimistic about the future of the Republican Party, the Nation and the world. I believe in 1972 the American people will see the virtual end of this country's involvement in Vietnam. I believe President Nixon's New Economic Policy will have brought inflation largely under control. I believe the President's strong medicine to stimulate the economy will provide more jobs and cut unemployment. I believe we will see the turning point in the battle to control drug addiction, thanks to the President's war against drug abuse. All this has come about because we have responsive and creative leadership at the national level. We have a great national leader in Richard Nixon. The theme of this gathering is "Together Again. " Let us go forward together toward the establishment of a just and stable peace under the leadership of Richard Nixon. Let us go forward together in developing a genuine peacetime prosperity. Let us go forward together to build programs which recognize the needs and aspirations of a dynamic people in a time of change. Let us recognize that under the exciting leadership of Richard Nixon we are taking part in one of the great moments of history. And so we go forward together. # # #