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From Peggy Steinman to RN RE: outcome of the election in Pennsylvania. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Letter], 11/18/1968
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From Peggy Steinman to RN RE: outcome of the election in Pennsylvania. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Letter], 11/18/1968
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
51
27
11/18/1968
Campaign
Letter
From Peggy Steinman to RN RE: outcome of
the election in Pennsylvania. 3 pgs.
Friday, June 05, 2015
Page 1 of 1
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection: President's Personal Files
Box Number:
188
Folder:
R.N. Notes on Letters [14 of 16; S]
Document
Disposition
171
Return Private/Political
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
n /
Ltr
& teinman to RR
11/18/68
C
[171]
RE: Outcome election in Pennsy luania
FILE GROUP TITLE
BOX NUMBER
PPF
188
FOLDER TITLE
Rn Notes on Letters [14/16, &]
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercia
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4
CONESTOGA HOUSE
1608 MARIETTA AVENUE
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
TELEPHONE 717-397-5353
November 18, 1968
The Honorable Richard M. Nixon
Apartment 5 A
810 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York
Dear Mr. President:
I sincerely feel I must write this letter in light of the outcome of
the election in Pennsylvania. I hope that it will aid you in any decision
you may make in the future regarding appointments or official recognition
given to Pennsylvania officials and citizens.
The predominating factor, of course, is the present unpopularity of the
Shafer administration. The election of all of the state-wide Democratic
candidates, with the exception of Senator Clark, would attest to this
fact. I feel this dramatically illustrates the lack of trust and confidence
in the present administration by the people. You were a victim of the
anti-administration feeling in Pennsylvania. It does not matter to whom
one talks, or in what walk of life they come from, be it black or white;
there is one definite thought I constantly hear and that is the intense
dislike of Governor Shafer.
Further, I know there was a definite lack of enthusiasm for your
candidacy by all those in power. As you well know, Governor Shafer,
Senator Scott and the present administration supported Mr. Rockefeller
for the nomination. Approximately a week after your nomination, Governor
Shafer made a statement on televi sion that he still considered Mr. Rocke-
feller to be the best qualified man. This attitude on his part was
unbelievable and did not enhance your election.
I do know that Governor Shafer had prevailed upon those backing your
nomination to stay away from the convention in Miami. His excuse being
he did not want to embarrass anybody. I might also add that those from
Pennsylvania who were for you at Miami were given absolutely no
consideration by Shafer and his associates - to the extent they were not
even courteous.
I have heard it said repeatedly that you merely received lip service
from this administration. There certainly appeared to be a lack of
interest and dedication to your candidacy that was required to obtain
victory in Pennsylvania. This lack of enthusiasm started at the top with
Governor Shafer and, as a result, went straight down through the ranks.
Governor Shafer in Pennsylvania did very little on your behalf except
when you would appear and only then he appeared genuinely interested in
your candidacy!
CONESTOGA HOUSE
1608 MARIETTA AVENUE
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
TELEPHONE 717-397-5353
-2-
We know that no man can succeed at a job unless he can devote all of
his energy and interest to what he is doing. It was obvious that people
who were avid Nixon backers were either ignored or gotten out of Shafer's
way. The Shafer people's contention was you could not win and they were
not going to help you!
Dave Maxwell, Campaign Chairman of Pennsylvania, was a Shafer man and,
as a result, was worthless. I met him in Allentown on your swing
through Pennsylvania. Personally, I was very unimpressed and have talked
to many others who concur. He was not of the caliber of your group of
men. I want you to know I was very impressed by your staff which was
absolutely superb and you are to be complimented on such a fine
organization.
The needed publicity, the public rallies, the constant flow of
information and material to the voters was lacking. I informed your
New York Headquarters OI this and it was at that time we decided to
provide you with extra coverage on our television station. This,
unfortunately, was not enough to rescue Pennsylvania for you. I am
enclosing a front page editorial written the day you were in Allentown.
We followed this up the next ten days with an editorial daily on a
different phase of your program.
As a result, I am very proud to enclose an article to show you Lancaster
County led all other counties in Pennsylvania in the majority and
plurality votes. This is in direct contrast to 1964 when Lancaster County
went Democratic for the first time in many years.
I have talked with Mr. Harold Horn, who worked as an unpaid volunteer
for United Citizens for Nixon-Agnew as a field man. He had spent the
last two months working in New Jersey with Jim Skidmore, paying
particular attention to Hudson County. I do know that they were really
dedicated and worked very hard in New Jersey. He had requested me to try
to get you to visit the Jersey City area, which you did.
The normal Democratic majority was reduced by 100,00 votes in Hudson
County. This visit, along with the hard dedicated work of the United
Citizens people of New Jersey, carried the state for you.
In talking with Mr. Horn, he informed me that he was personally shocked
at the lack of effort in Pennsylvania on your behalf. He thought there
was a lack of interest - a very loose inefficient organization with a
lack of an overall program. There were counties that never did have a
Citizens organization. One of your great supporters was Congressman
Ed Eshelman, who was very unhappy with the way things were going in
Pennsylvania and tried his best to help.
I talked with our National Committeewoman about ten days before the
election and she told me she had just become concerned we were not going
to win in Pennsylvania. I told her I had been concerned for a long time
CONESTOGA HOUSE
1608 MARIETTA AVENUE
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
TELEPHONE 717 397-5353
-3-
and that the trouble in Pennsylv ania was that everybody was too
complacent. (This is just an example of the Shafer people, of which
this woman was one.) I stated to her at that time that I thought the
whole organization beginning with Governor Shafer and Campaign Chairman
Maxwell really did not have the interest and enthusiasm needed to win
in Pennsylvania.
The Citizens organization here was not strong enough to combat the
Shafer forces, who just kept delaying things and doing nothing. One of
the main differences between New Jersey and Pennsylvania was that the
Citizens group in New Jersey had a very strong organization of men who
took command and saw that the job was done.
I just want you to realize the animosity in Pennsylvania that does exist.
From good sources I am told that Governor Shafer has a group of people
around that protect him to such an extent he has really no idea how
unpopular he is. Somewhere you must find good strong people in
Pennsylvania dedicated to your cause far removed from the present
administration. If not, in another four years the same thing will happen
again. The chances of electing a Republican Governor in 1970 are very
slim unless the Republicans can produce a really good candidate with
great appeal.
I think that if we are to strengthen our party and help your administration,
we must give consideration to those who were most loyal to you. If you
were to reward those who were loyal to others, I think it would seriously
harm our party.
This letter expresses my thoughts on our efforts in Pennsylvania. I know
others feel as I do. I have very strong feelings on losing Pennsylvania
and I wanted you to know the facts.
I want to wish you and your administration every possible success. I am
positive you will be an outstanding President.
Sincerely,
Pegges Steinman
Peggy Steinman
PS/db
Enclosures