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From Anderson to MacGregor RE: programmed election night activities. Proposed schedule of events attached. Handwritten note added by unknown. 6 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 10/26/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 46-53
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This file contains:
From Anderson to MacGregor RE: programmed election night activities. Proposed schedule of events attached. Handwritten note added by unknown. 6 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 10/26/1972
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
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46
53
10/26/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Anderson to MacGregor RE:
programmed election night activities.
Proposed schedule of events attached.
Handwritten note added by unknown. 6 pgs.
Monday, April 02, 2012
Page 1 of 1
Committed for I. Re-clection of :... President
MEMORANDUM
October 26, 1972
High Priority
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HONORABLE CLARK MacGREGOR
FROM:
STANTON D. ANDERSON
SUBJECT:
Election Night Program
This memorandum outlines our plans for the programmatic seg-
ment of election night activities. The program segment is
designed to begin at 6:00 p.m. election night and continue
through the anticipated appearance of the President at the
Shoreham. This memorandum is one of four outlining the
other - aspects of election day and evening. You have already
received a memorandum dated October 20 entitled "Election
Day and Evening Activities," outlining hotel arrangements
and other logistic details, a memorandum dated October 23
entitled "Retrieval of Election Results, outlining the
process we propose to follow in gathering election results
for the President and for you, and a third memorandum now
being written, entitled "Influencing the Vote," which deals
with the activity occurring on election day and the use of
surrogates and other Administration spokesmen during the
early evening hours.
Purpose and Tone of Election Evening
The primary purpose of our election night activity is to
provide a suitable setting for the anticipated appearance of
the President. An auxiliary purpose is to provide for the
invited guests at the Hotel an opportunity to view election
results and to participate personally in the President's
first public appearance after his re-election.
The tone of the evening is designed to start off with upbeat
entertainment aimed primarily at the Young Voters who will
be present, and gradually throughout the evening the enter-
tainment will become more Presidential in tone, culminating,
of course, in the President's anticipated arrival.
I propose that, as Campaign Director, you be the Master of
Ceremonies throughout the evening. You would introduce the
attachment not sent
The Honorable Clark MacGregor
October 26, 1972
Page Two
evening and explain it's purpose, then act as interpreter,
analyst and announcer of major political developments
throughout the evening. You would also be Master of Cere-
monies during the Presidential program segment discussed in
detail below.
Entertainment
Mike Viner of MGM Records has agreed to produce the enter-
tainment portion of election night. The entire entertainment
segment will play a secondary role to the other activities
that evening. However, I feel that a certain amount of
entertainment is important in that it can help create enthu-
siasm and excitement as the evening progresses.
I think it would be appropriate to have Mike Curb, President
of MGM Records, be the Master of Ceremonies for the enter-
tainment segment. As you know, his group recorded the Nixon
Rally Song and he has contributed a great deal of time and
effort in helping with our Celebrities program.
We anticipate starting the entertainment at 6:00 p.m. Most
of the guests at this time will be YVP's and junior staff
people from the Committee, the White House and the RNC who
will not have election night duties. Accordingly, for this
first segment we have scheduled a rock and roll group to
entertain from 6:00 to 6:30. (See Tab A for a proposed time
schedule for the entire evening.)
The second entertainment segment will run from 7:15 to 7:30.
We have scheduled Solomen Burke, a black rhythm and blues
singer, for this segment. The third segment will run from
8:30 to 8:45 and feature the Nashville Brass, an upheat instru-
mental group. The fourth segment will run from 9:30 to 9:45,
and feature Pete Fountain and his group.
We have also made arrangements for Don Costa, Frank Sinatra's
band leader and arranger, to form an orchestra for election
evening. The Costa segment is planned for immediately before
the anticipated Presidential program segment. This orchestra
would also play "Ruffles and Flourishes" and "Hail to the
Chief" at the President's arrival. The orchestra would also
play appropriate music during the applause period for the
President as 10 enters and departs.
The Honorable Clark MacGregor
October 26, 1972
Page Three
We recognize that all of the entertainment segments must nec-
essarily be tentative since the evening's timing is dependent
upon election results and on the anticipated arrival of the
President. All of the entertainers have been informed of the
need for flexibility and they also realize that their presen-
tations may be interrupted if important events develop.
Election Results Segment
The primary purpose of our retrieval of election results is
to provide the President and you with additional information
and analysis to supplement network election results coverage.
However, keeping the guests in the ballroom apprised of up-
to-date election results is a secondary purpose.
As you know, we plan to locate a 9' by 12' Eidaphor Screen
behind the speakers' podium. On this screen we will have
the capability to carry live coverage of the three networks
plus the ability to print any election information we develop.
In other words, we can show the best parts of election cover-
age from all three networks plus any information or analysis
we feel is important.
We. anticipate showing election results on the Eidaphor screen
during the following periods: 6:30 to 7:15, 7:30 to 8:30,
8:45 to 9:30, and 9:45 to 10:45. We also anticipate breaking
into the entertainment segments to report any significant
developments that occur. During these election results seg-
ments both the Eidaphor vidco and audio capabilities will be
operating. During the entertainment segments the video por-
tion of the Eidaphor will continue to operate, keeping the
guests informed at all times.
As indicated earlier in the entertainment discussion, the
time schedule for viewing election results must be flexible,
and will be subject to change if McGovern concedes earlier
than expected or if the anticipated appearance of the Pres-
ident is changed.
Presidential Program Segment
This is the sincle most important - aspect of election night.
The proposals contained herein are necessarily tentative,
The llonorable Clark MacGregor
October 26, 1972
Page Four
but I believe they serve as a starting point for further
development. I suggest that the McGovern concession state-
ment serve as the beginning point of the Presidential program
segment. It is difficult to estimate exactly when McGovern
will concede. Bob Teeter and I have been informed that the
networks will not project a winner in a state until the polls
in that state have closed. Based upon the poll closing times
in each state, we estimate that the President will be pro-
jected the winner in states totalling 303 electoral votes by
8:30 p.m. However, these are only network projections and we
feel that McGovern will not concede until the early network
projections are received from California. This would be
between 11:00 and 11:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
After introductory remarks, you would introduce and recognize
the individual members of the Committee for the Re-election
of the President Cir. Dale, Ed Nixon, Etc.). Next you would
introduce Tom Evans and Anne Armstrong, Co-Chairmen of the
RNC. The RNC involvement is important to show the spirit of
cooperation which has existed throughout the campaign. Evans
could then introduce Senator Dole for a few brief comments.
Next you would introduce the Vice President and members of
the Vice President's family. The Vice President would then
give his remarks.
No
This segment would take approximately 20 minutes, time
enough for the President and the First Family to motor from
the White House to the Shoreham.
After the Vice President had finished his remarks, you would
return to the podium and introduce the President and the
First Family. There will be a great deal of enthusiasm gen-
erated for this segment, and I would anticipate a prolonged
period of applause before the President begins his remarks.
The details concerning who should be on the podium during the
Presidential remarks will have to be determined by the White
House at a later date. The podium was constructed to be
large enough to comfortably hold the President and the First
Family, hrs. Mamic Mschhower, the Vice President and Mrs.
Agnew, and members of the Vice President's family.
The Honorable Clark MacGregor
October 26, 1972
Page Five
Conclusion
This memo goes into some detail, but I feel that is is impor-
tant for you to focus on these details since they mean so
much to the tone and character of the evening. Since time is
now of the essence, your comments on or approval of this pro-
posal as quickly as possible is requested.
Approve
Disapprove
Discuss
Tab A
Proposed Time Schedule for Election Night
6:00 - 6:30
The Mob
6:30 - 7:15
Election Results
7:15 - 7:30
Solomen Burke
7:30 - 8:30
Election Results
8:30 - 8:45
Nashville Brass
8:45 - 9:30
Election Results
9:30 - 9:45
Pete Fountain
9:45 - 10:45
Election Results
10:45 - 11:05
Presidential Program Segment
-- Clark MacCreger Remarks
-- Clark MacGregor Introduces
the Committee. for the Re-
Election of the President
-- Clark MacGregor Introduces
Anne Armstrong and Tom
Evans
-- Tom Evans Introduces
Senator Bob Dole
--- Clark MacGregor Introduces
Vice President and Mrs.
Agnew and Family
- Clark MacGregor Introduces
President and First Family