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    "label": "10/24/74 - President's Dinner, United GOP Fundraiser, Chicago",
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    "title": "10/24/74 - President's Dinner, United GOP Fundraiser, Chicago",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1252115",
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        "Republican National Committee (U.S.)",
        "Speeches, addresses, etc.",
        "Congressional elections"
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 2, folder \"10/24/74 - President's Dinner, United\nGOP Fundraiser, Chicago\" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at\nthe Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nI\nUnich Proy/Dius\nTHANK YOU, DAN TERRA, FOR THAT FINE INTRODUCTION.\nNeo IT'S\nA GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE IN CHICAGO AGAIN\nTHE HOME OF THE BEARS,\nTHE BULLS,\nAND THE KANGAROO\nTHAT'S WHAT\nI LIKE ABOUT CHICAGO,\nYOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON EXCITING THINGS\nThe Wondy City.\nHAPPENING HERE\nDAN TERRA TELLS ME, THE WAY THAT KANGAROO HAS\nBEEN DODGING TACKLERS\nTHERE'S A BIG CONTROVERSY OVER WHAT TO DO\ndo\nWITH HIM WHEN THEY CATCH HIM.\nTHE CHICAGO POLICE WANT TO PUT\nHIM IN THE ZOO -- AND THE CHICAGO BEARS WANT TO PUT HIM IN THE\nBACKFIELD!\nAND, OF COURSE,\nTHE DEMOCRATS WANT TO REGISTER\nHIM\nAT LEAST ONCE!\nDigitized from Box 2 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\n- 2 -\nI WAS TALKING TO MY OLD FRIEND, GEORGE \"PAPA BEAR\"\nHALAS, BEFORE THE D INNER --- AND I WAS TELLING HIM HOW, SINCE I\nBECAME PRESIDENT, I'M USUALLY INTRODUCED IN A VERY STATELY AND\nThis\nDIGNIFIED MANNER, SUCH AS TONIGHT.\nALL EXCEPT FOR ONE D INNER\nWHEN I WAS INTRODUCED BY A FORMER TEAM MATE OF MINE FROM THE\nMICHIGAN FOOTBALL TEAM. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT INTRODUCTION.\n- 3 -\nHE SAID, \"LAD IES AND GENTLEMEN, IT MIGHT INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT\nI PLAYED FOOTBALL WITH JERRY FORD FOR TWO YEARS -- AND IT MADE A\nLASTING IMPRESSION ON ME. .I WAS A QUARTERBACK. JERRY FORD\nWAS THE CENTER.\nAND YOU MIGHT SAY, IT GAVE ME A COMPLETELY\nDIFFERENT VIEW OF THE PRESIDENT!\"\n- 4 -\nTmy bride we\nCHICAGO IS GETTING TO BE A HABIT WITH\nAND Y LOVE\nTHE PLACE.\nI WAS HERE IN JUNE FOR A CONGRESSIONAL BOOSTERS\nFUNDRAISER AND AGAIN IN JULY AT A DINNER FOR STATE SENATE INCUMBENTS\nAND CANDIDATES.\nAND BETTY WAS HERE IN SEPTEMBER FOR A LUNCHEON\nHONORING REPUBLICAN WOMEN CAND IDATES.\n- 5 -\nINCIDENTALLY, BETTY IS A CHICAGO NATIVE, AS YOU\nMAY KNOW. SHE SENDS YOU HER LOVE. SHE IS DOING FINE AND\nTOLD ME SHE HOPES TO BE BACK IN HERE AGAIN SOON TO SEE ALL HER\nOLD FRIENDS.\n- 6 -\nYOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THIS\nBIG, DYNAMIC CITY OF YOURS. IT LOOKS TOUGH ON THE OUTSIDE BUT,\nAT HEART, IT'S A REAL SOFTY --.A WARM, FRIENDLY PLACE. THAT'S\nWHY I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO COME BACK -- AND THAT'S WHY I'M so PROUD\nOF THE FINE SLATE OF CANDIDATES OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY IS RUNNING FOR\nOFFICE HERE IN COOK COUNTY. CHICAGO IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST\nCITIES IN THE COUNTRY. IT DESERVES THE BEST. LEADERSHIP. AND\nTHAT IS WHAT YOUR BLUE-RIBBON GOP SLATE OFFERS.\n- 7 -\nI ALSO WANT TO THANK THE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS WHO\nPRECEDED ME ON THE PLATFORM THIS EVENING:\nBILL CROFT, WHOHAS DONE A GREAT JOB AS DINNER CHAIRMAN\nAND M.C.;\nPETE BENS INGER, WHO WILL MAKE A GREAT COUNTY SHER IFF;\nHARRY PAGE, WHO IS RUNNING HARD AND WELL FOR STATE\nTREASURER, AND WHO IS JUST THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB;\n- 8 -\nCHUCK PERCY, ONE OF THE MOST INTELLIGENT, ARTICULATE\nMEN IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, AND A GOOD FRIEND;\nGEORGE BURDITT, WHO WILL MAKE A GREAT COLLEAGUE FOR\nCHUCK - A SENATOR WHO WILL VOTE AGAINST BIG SPENDING AND AGAINST\nINFLATION THE KIND OF MAN WE NEED IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE;\nAND, OF COURSE, DAN TERRA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED\nREPUBLICAN FUND OF ILLINOIS. DAN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU\nFOR A JOB WELL DONE.\n- 9 -\nSINCE THIS CAMPAIGN BEGAN I HAVE BEEN TO ALMOST EVERY\n128,000 milso.\nPART OF THE COUNTRY. A EVERYWHERE I FOUND THE SAME THING.\nPEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF GOVERNMENT. PEOPLE ARE\nWORRIED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE HEAD ING AS A NATION, AND WHAT IS BEING DONE\nABOUT THE PROBLEMS WE FACE.\nAND PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT,\nWHETHER IT IS GRAFT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OR ABUSE OF POWER AT THE TOP.\n- IO -\nIT IS UP TO THOSE OF US IN POLITICAL LIFE TO GIVE THE KIND\nOF LEADERSHIP, THE KIND OF EXAMPLE THAT AMERICANS CAN BELIEVE IN.\nAND THAT IS WHAT THE ILLINOIS G.O.P. HAS DONE, HERE IN COOK COUNTY\nAND THROUGHOUT THE STATE.\n- II -\nNOW I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL PROPHETS\nWHO THINK THAT THE GAME IS UP -- THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STAMPEDE\nBLINDLY INTO THE DEMOCRATIC COLUMN.\nBUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.\nTHAT IS WHY I AM HERE\nTONIGHT.\n- I2 -\nI HAVE BEEN IN PUBLIC LIFE FOR 26 YEARS NOW.\nI HAVE\nSEEN A LOT OF ELECTIONS AND I HEARD A LOT OF WISE PREDICTIONS.\nBankly\nTHEY WERE ALMOST ALWAYS WRONG.\nIT WAS THE ONE THING YOU COULD\nCOUNT ON.\n- 13 -\nTHE ONLY RULE OF THUMB THAT I KNOW AND IT IS ONE\nTHAT HAS NEVER FAILED ME -- WAS TAUGHT ME BY ONE OF MY DEAREST,\nOLDEST FRIENDS.\nHE WAS A GREAT CONGRESSMAN, A GREAT SENATOR\nAND A GREAT ORATOR.\nI WILL NEVER FORGET HIM.\nHE CAME FROM ILLINOIS AND HIS NAME WAS EV DIRKSEN.\nJullo\n- I4 -\nI REMEMBER ONE AFTERNOON -- WHEN WE WERE TALKING\nTOGETHER IN HIS CAPITOL OFFICE. Co was / a Diant and\nGiants / sugar g'vi. always wished. his 2\njust bit I Ext.\nTHE VIETNAM WAR WAS GOING FULL BLAST.\nINFLATION WAS\nA PROBLEM.\nTHE DEMOCRATS HAD SWAMPED US IN 1964, AND A LOT OF\nPEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT THE G.O.P. WAS FINISHED.\nFRANKLY, I WAS FEELING A LITTLE DOWN, A LITTLE\nDISCOURAGED, AND I TOLD EV so.\n111\n- 15 -\nHE PAUSED FOR A MOMENT, LOOKED AT ME AND SAID,\n\"JERRY, DON'T LET IT GET YOU DOWN. YOU JUST KEEP IN THERE DOING\nYOUR BEST FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE WILL DO THEIR BEST FOR YOU.\"\nTHAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID, AND I FOUND OUT THAT\nEV DIRKSEN WAS RIGHT.\nIT WORKED.\nIT WORKED FOR ME IN THE CONGRESS AND I BELIEVE IT WILL\nWORK IN THE WHITE HOUSE.\n- I6 -\nBUT TO DO MY BEST FOR THE PEOPLE AND FOR AMERICA,\nI AM GOING TO NEED THE HELP OF GOOD MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CONGRESS --\nMEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL HELP ME FIGHT GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND\nWHIP INFLATION.\nWHAT WE NEED WHAT WE MUST HAVE IF WE ARE TO SEE\nAMERICA THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT ECONOMIC PERIOD -- IS NOT A\nVETO-PROOF CONGRESS BUT AN INFLATION-PROOF CONGRESS.\n11\n<1)\n- 17 -\nI THINK ALL OF US HAVE LEARNED IN LIFE THAT PROBLEMS --\nTHE REALLY BIG PROBLEMS -- DON'T SPRING UP OVERNIGHT.\nAND THEY\nDON'T GET SOLVED OVERNIGHT EITHER.\nINFLATION IS LIKE THAT.\nIT HAS BEEN BUILDING UP FOR\nYEARS, LIKE A DISEASE IN THE BODY OF THE ECONOMY.\nCURING IT\nWILL TAKE TIME.\nBUT IT CAN BE DONE.\n- 18 -\nHOW DID IT HAPPEN?\nHOW DID INFLATION GET OUT OF\nCONTROL?\nTHERE IS NO SINGLE, SIMPLE ANSWER.\nBUT ONE BIG REASON\nIS GOVERNMENT SPENDING.\nHAND-IN-HAND, THEY HAVE GROWN TOGETHER.\nPC\nEACH UNBALANCED BUDGET - -- EACH WASTEFUL SPENDING BILL RAMMED\nTHROUGH THE CONGRESS -- HAS ADDED TO YOUR COST OF LIVING AND FED\nINFLATION.\n- 19 -\nWHO IS TO BLAME?\nTHERE ARE MANY VILLAINS.\nBUT THE BIGGEST BURDEN OF GUILT LIES ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE\nBIGGEST SPENDERS. AND THE FACT IS THAT ONE POLITICAL PARTY HAS\nRUN THE CONGRESS -- AND HELD OPEN THE NATION'S PURSESTRINGS --\nFOR 38 OF THE LAST 42 YEARS, AND FOR THE PAST STRAIGHT 20 YEARS.\n- 20 -\nTHAT PARTY IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND WE CANNOT\nALLOW IT TO DRIVE THE BUDGET DEEPER INTO THE RED AND THE RATE OF\nINFLATION HIGHER INTO THE BLUE.\nTHAT IS WHY EACH OF YOU IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER\nTHIS YEAR, WHEN so MUCH HANGS IN THE BALANCE.\nYOUR ENTHUS IASM, YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK\nAND, MOST OF ALL, YOUR VOTE, ARE THE KEYS TO WHIPPING INFLATION\nAND PRESERVING A HEALTHY TWO-PARTY SYSTEM IN AMERICA.\n- 21 -\nHERE IN ILLINOIS YOU ARE LUCKY.\nYOU HAVE 12 GREAT\nREPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION: BOB MICHEL,\nED DERWINSKI, JOHN ANDERSON, PAUL FINDLEY, BOB McCLORY,\nJOHN ERLENBORN, ToM RAILSBACK, PHIL CRANE, GEORGE O'BRIEN,\nBOB HANRAHAN,\nED MADIGAN AND SAM YOUNG.\n- 22 -\nEACH OF THESE GREAT FRIENDS AND FORMER COLLEAGUES\nIS A REAL CHAMP A HARD-HITTING INFLATION FIGHTER.\nAND so\nARE THE OTHER II REPUBLICAN HOUSE CANDIDATES.\nWE NEED THEM IN WASHINGTON. THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT.\n- 23 -\nBUT YOU DON'T JUST FIGHT INFLATION IN WASHINGTON.\nTHE BATTLEFIELD IS THE WHOLE COUNTRY -- EVERY STATE, EVERY COUNTY\nAND EVERY CITY.\nso I HOPE YOU WILL ALL GET BEHIND YOUR REPUBLICAN\nSTATE LEGISLATURE CANDIDATES. ONLY THEY CAN GIVE YOU THE KIND\nOF RESPONSIBLE, ECONOMICAL STATE GOVERNMENT YOU WANT.\n- 24 -\nTHAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF OUR PARTY. -- FROM\nLINCOLN'S DAY TO THE PRESENT. TO BE JUST, TO BE FAIR, TO BE\nRESPONSIBLE.\nTO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND TO GIVE AMERICA\nTHE KIND OF GOOD GOVERNMENT IT NEEDS AND DESERVES.\n- 25 -\nTHE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS STOOD THAT TEST. IT ENDED\nTHE LONGEST, BLOODIEST WAR IN AMERICA'S HISTORY,\nIT HAS BEGUN\nTHE LONG, HARD PROCESS OF RETURNING POWER FROM THE FEDERAL\nGOVERNMENT BACK TO THE PEOPLE\\AND THEIR LOCALLY ELECTED LEADERS;\nAND, IT IS LEADING THE BATTLE AGAINST INFLATION AND GOVERNMENT\nSPENDING -- A BATTLE AMERICA MUST WIN.\nIF WE PULL TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT. AS EV DIRKSEN SAID,\n\"IF WE DO THE BEST WE CAN FOR THE PEOPLE, THEY WILL DO THEIR BEST FOR US.\"\n#\n# #"
}