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First Debate, 9/23/76: Closing Statements
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1672829
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First Debate, 9/23/76: Closing Statements
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Michael Raoul-Duval Papers
Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter Debates Files
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The original documents are located in Box 26, folder "First Debate, 9/23/76: Closing
Statements" of the Michael Raoul-Duval Papers 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. Michael Raoul-Duval 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United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives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.
fill
HIGH PRIORITY
1st
THE WHITE HOUSE
debate
WASHINGTON
September 21, 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Richard A. Cheney
FROM:
Dave Gergen
SUBJECT:
Closing Statement
FORD is GERALD LIBRARY
Jamie Humes has come up with a very good,
emotional closing statement that I think ought
to be considered. I find the closing Eisenhower
anecdote particularly appealing.
CC: Mike Duval
Foster Channock
Attachment
DRAFT CLOSING STATEMENT
I did not seek this job. I was happy
as a Congressional Leader in the House. I
didn't seek to be Vice President. When I was
called, I met my responsibility. I had no desire
to be President, but when the constitutional
crisis developed, I again faced my responsi-
bility.
Taking office at a difficult time, I have
tried to do my level best as your President.
I think you will agree times are happier
FORD & LIBRARY 076839
today. You saw it last 4th of July when millions
of people of all ages and races spontaneously
came out without riot or incident to show the
love of their country. More than a voyage to
Moon or Mars, the world saw a country that had
regained her faith as guardian of democratic
hopes and dreams.
No, I don't claim that this was due to any
dramatic program of mine. You the people reached
back into the roots of your past and rekindled
the hopes for the future.
No President by enacting a program or signing
a bill lifts the spirit of a nation. He can only
-2-
hope by charting the right legislative course
and setting the proper Presidential tone, he helps
renew confidence and restore the faith.
This I have tried to do. I have tried to
heal the wounds of War and Watergate. I have
tried to check the inflation and revive the
economy.
But there is much yet to be done, and I
want the chance to finish the job. To do that
I need your support, I also need your prayers.
Shortly after the war, my good friend
General Eisenhower bought a farm in Gettysburg.
At the closing, a clerk in the courthouse said,
"General, why when you live in New York did you
buy this farm in Pennsylvania?" And General
Eisenhower replied, "I want to take of piece of
land and return it to God better than I found it."
With God's help I ask that you join me in
making this land a brighter and happier place to
live and work and dream.
FORD LIBRARY & SERVID
AG/FC
Draft 9/19/76
GERALD FORD LIBRARITY
Two years ago, the Nation was in a state of turmoil, Americans
had almost lost their historic respect for the Presidency, our economy
had been through a severe battering by inflation and was on the brink
of slipping into the severest recession since the 1930's.
Regrettably, too often over the previous years our leaders
had bombarded us with hollow rhetoric, with great promises and
massive federal programs to solve the Nation's ills. Every problem
had to be confronted with a new federal solution with great promise
and fancy titles. Too often we found that they had over promised to
the American people and this has lowered the respect of both Congress
and the Executive branch.
I set as my first goal the restoration of integrity in the
Presidency and a restoration of confidence in government. It was
essential that we move away from our emphasis on finding quick cures
for long term problems. As a result of this patchwork approach to
domestic problems, the patient's condition deterioriated because
we were taking the wrong medicine.
In January 1975, I set into motion a series of proposals and
I've followed these basic principles during the past year and a half.
In the economic area it's very clear that while we are still
far from our goal of restoring full employment and a vital economy,
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
-2-
we have made very significant progress. The Nation has been
healing during the past two years. We have reduced inflation and
restored confidence so that both consumers and businessmen invest
in the future of the country. We have added almost 4 million jobs
suring the past year and a half and all evidence points to continued
improvement throughout the rest of this year and into the future. I
am convinced that if we stay on the steady policies which I've initiated,
we will reach our goal, which is a job for every American who wants
one.
It is important to look ahead to the next four years and begin
to focus on the types of problems which are still likely to persist in
overall economy. While restored economic health will enable us to
bring inflation fully under control, reach an adequate level of capital
investment and continued job creation, there remain problems which
economists call structural. Eventhough the economy will have been
restored to health, we will find that there will exist continued pockets
of unacceptably high levels of unemployment. We are likely to find
that teenage unemployment, especially amongst black teenagers, will
continue too high and we must now start to focus on programs which
we will need then while brond economic recovery policy initiated
- 3 -
restores a much higher level of overall employment and prosperity.
Accordingly, I will propose to the next Congress that they
strongly focus upon a proposal which I believe was given short
shrift in the political atmosphere of the last year, namely, the
proposal to encourage capital investment and job creating plant
investment in areas of exceptionally high unemployment.
FORD & GERALD LIBRARY
SUGGESTED CLOSING REMARKS
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
When I became President of the United States in August
of 1974, my fellow Americans, you know as well as I the dif-
ficult situation we inherited. The economy was sliding into
the worst recession in forty years. The nation was in the
grip of the worst political scandal in a century. We were a
divided, embittered people.
Every decision I have made was done so in the hope to
lead this country out of the dark night into the sunshine of
the Bicentennial Year of our Independence---a year when the
spirit of America is visbly re-awakening, when the old pride
in our nation is visibly returning.
What I want now is your confidence, your vote, to lead
us into a better future, and way of life for our children.
Unlike Mr. Carter, I will not slash seven billion dollars
out of your defense budget because that is the kind of false
and foolish savings which would risk the security of this
country, and indeed the peace itself. This is the first elec-
tion in 16 years in which Americans have not been fighting and
dying somewhere, and I do not intend to risk that.
Also, I am not going to go to Congress and demand all
the new agencies, new bureaucrats, new spending schemes that
are called for in the platform of Mr. Carter. For three
reasons. The American people can't afford them. They are the
same old failed solutions of the sixties. And because this
- 2 -
nation does not need more and bigger Government in Washington---
it needs better Government and less Government interference
reformsive
in the lives of our people.
The decision this November is whether in her Third
Century, America will travel the road of freedom- being led
by free men and free institutions. Or whether we wish to
follow the path of so many of our European friends and opt for
more and more Government. It is not too stark I believe to
say that the choice this country is rapidly coming to face is
between freedom and socialism. And in that contest, I choose
freedom.
# # #
FORD LIBRARY & GERALD
SUGGESTED CLOSING REMARKS
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
When I became President of the United States in August
of 1974, my fellow Americans, you know as well as I the dif-
ficult situation we inherited. The economy was sliding into
the worst recession in forty years. The nation was in the
grip of the worst political scandal in a century. We were a
divided, embittered people.
Every decision I have made was done so in the hope to
lead this country out of the dark night into the sunshine of
the Bicentennial Year of our Independence---: a year when the
spirit of America is visbly re-awakening, when the old pride
in our nation is visibly returning.
What I want now is your confidence, your vote, to lead
us into a better future, and way of life for our children.
Unlike Mr. Carter, I will not slash seven billion dollars
out of your defense budget because that is the kind of false
and foolish savings which would risk the security of this
country, and indeed the peace itself. This is the first elec-
tion in 16 years in which Americans have not been fighting and
dying somewhere, and I do not intend to risk that.
Also, I am not going to go to Congress and demand all
the new agencies, new bureaucrats, new spending schemes that
are called for in the platform of Mr. Carter. For three
reasons. The American people can't afford them. They are the
same old failed solutions of the sixties. And because this
- 2 -
nation does not need more and bigger Government in Washington---
it needs better Government and less Government interference
reformsive
in the lives of our people.
The decision this November is whether in her Third
Century, America will travel the road of freedom- being led
by free men and free institutions. Or whether we wish to
follow the path of so many of our European friends and opt for
more and more Government. It is not too stark I believe to
say that the choice this country is rapidly coming to face is
between freedom and socialism. And in that contest, I choose
freedom.
# # #
FORD & LIBRARY CERALD