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7345869
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Pool Report - Air Force One - Mobile/Miami - September 26, 1976
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7345869
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1976-09-26
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1976
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Digitized from Box 31 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library PRESS NY-14FSP Via ITT (REV. 9/68) Telegram FOR ITT USE ONLY [9-26-76] DESTN. PR-CL ORIGIN WORDS CUSTOMER UI Sender's Name and Address Date Following message is to be sent at ordinary Press Rate- unless otherwise indicated. Via PRESS insert "ITT" POOL REPORT AIR FORCE ONE September 26, 1976 enroute, chief of staff richard b. cheney wandered back and was drawn into (though without much reluctance it should be noted) a discussion of the southern tripm and george wallace's appe arance at a GOP rally. Cheney agreed with the obvious, saying he thought wallace's appearance was ind eedpolitically significant. "It shows that jimmy carter has a problem in the south," he said, adding that the untire trip indicated that ford has "a lot ofsupport" in the south and that the presidential race im the south will by-and-large be "a close two-party contest." back to carter: cheneysaid carter' S situation with the south could be somewhat compared to reagan's problem with the south; that is, reagan worried about the north and picked schweiker and im So doing bet mississippi get away from him. similarly, he said, carter has been taking stands and saying things elesewhere that are beginning to hurt him im his; home area. %2 "I really think Carter's got a fundamental problem in the south," he said. "He's not tracking with a majority of the people im the south." for instance: "It's been a long time since a guy who advocates ourning the defense budget has carried the south." cheney listed carterås positions on gun control, 14B Taft- Hartley as other problems for him im the south. "A man of carter' osopht has never carried the south," he repeated. cheney also said he though) the playboy interview hurt carter but the real impact couldn't t be measured. "I don't think it helps him any." The bottom line to cheney was that the president will do quite well in carter territory. "I really believe we'll carry a number of deep south states," he predicted. the ford camp hasnot done any pollingim the south since just past labor day but is polling at the moment. He named Mississipp, Louisiana and Virginia as states where ford was in "good shape" and added that polls had indicated that the border states "seem to be tougher (for us) than the deep south states." HE SPECIFICALLY NOTED TROUBLE TENNESSEE. IN asked about ford's prospects elsewhere, he repeated earlier PFC estimates that ford was doing well in Illinois and New York and that Pennsylvania and New Jersey "leok good." He didn't presisely define that but our best judgment is that he was saying these are states where ford is respectable, notahead; as an example he cited a four point deficit to carter im new york. he described california as a tossup and didn't fi have a fix on texas; no polling since carter's LBJ or playboy gaffes (the pool's word, not his). ITT World Communications Inc. subsidiary of International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation Over All messages are accepted subject to rates, rulas and regulations in the applicable tariffs on file with the Federal Communications Commission. PRESS® NY-14FSP Telegram Via ITT IREV, 9/68) FOR ITT USE ONLY DESTN. PR-CL ORIGIN WORDS CUSTOMER UI Sender's Name and Address Date Following message is to be sent at ordinary Press Rate- unless otherwise indicated. Via PRESS insert "ITT" Page 2 cheney also repeated his predictiom made in the wee hours after the first debate that withim two weeks ford would be even with or ahead of carter in the polls. cheney was asked if ford would be helped outside the south by his campaigning with (and endorsements by) such prominent segregationists: as john bell williams and william colmer. he said, "I don't think ith hurts outside the south, adding that the question assumed a racial overtone to thax southern politics immemion which is no longer valid. he also said ford". strong position in opposition to gun control all day long wouldn't hurt outside the south, either. "Racism is not the issue today it was ten years ago," he claimed. XIIE asked if any of the politicians ford has seeh in the last two days brought up henry kissinger's efforts to establish black majority rule in south africa, he said that "no ONe even mentioned it." as for the political fallout in the south, "My assumption would be it does: not have any impact." On the subject of the michigan investigations allegedly involving ford" S prior campaign finances, cheney said there are "no plans" to ask the special prosecutor whether the president is the target of the current investigation in grand rapids. "all of that stuff was reviewed previously whem. he was confirmed (as veep)." to ask the special prosecutor the question "would assume the question ne eds to be asked. I don', think it does." nobody has contacted thewhite house asking for material on the matter. back to politics: asked about fordes political problems at the moment, cheney cited trouble in agricultural areas--mainly because of the embargo on grain and price levels im general. price levels are down "and when prices are down they remember the embargo." and since areas where this is a problem are traditionally heavily republican, cheney pegged the farm problem as "the numberbneproblem, asked for the reasons why ford has been better of late, he said the debate was obviously important. the fact that ford won im kansas city, laying reagan away, was also important as was the prompt иих reunification of the party and the fact that "oun (presidential) strategy has proved sound in that he stayed home and focused on theoeople's business." carter has helped, too, he said, with comments on LBJ and taxes, the latter which he described as "themost signifcant" factor. again he said theplayboy thing might have hurt canter but it clearly didn't help him. as a result of all this, cheney said that "the gap has closed much faster than expected." airport and hotel arival uneventful. defrank/pierpoint/embrey ITT World Communications Inc. subsidiary of International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation Over All messages are accepted subject to rutes, rules and regulations in the applicable tariffs on file with the Federal Communications Commission.