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From Khachigian to Price, Jr. RE: "Thoughts for Acceptance Speech" 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/15/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 53-45
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WHSF: Contested, 53-45
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From Khachigian to Price, Jr. RE: "Thoughts for Acceptance Speech" 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/15/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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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
53
45
8/15/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Khachigian to Price, Jr. RE: "Thoughts
for Acceptance Speech" 2pg
Monday, June 25, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
N-1
memo
Khachigian to Price re: Thoughts
8/15/72
J
[DUC#143]
for Acceptance speech".
N-2
clawson to Price re: "saturday
6/16/72
J
memo
[DOCHI44]
Evening post".
FILE GROUP TITLE
STAFF SECRETARY
BOX NUMBER
135
FOLDER TITLE
Presidential Speeches July 1972 August 1972 [II]
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
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 complied for law
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G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.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H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.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 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection:
Staff Secretary
Box Number: 135
Folder:
Presidential Speeches July 1972 - August 1972 [II]
Document
Disposition
143
Return Private/Political
144
Retain Open
[Ilem N-1
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 15, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
RAYMOND K. PRICE, JR.
FROM:
KEN KHACHIGIAN the
SUBJECT:
THOUGHTS FOR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Basically, here are my thoughts as to the direction of the
Acceptance speech after McGovern's last two national performances.
Frankly, I would like to see McGovern on the air giving those types
of speeches from now till November.
I can't put my finger on it, but it is the whining, whimpering,
petulance that seems to me to make the guy sound like, as someone
said, a common scold. There is no lift to his speeches, no basic
optimism, no relief from the onslaught of national decay.
TIME magazine had an interesting introductory piece this week
saying that there was, this summer, "a new summer sweetness, an
ease, or apathy, and in some parts of the country a distinct savor of
contentment. " TIME also said, however, that there were still signs
of an "undercurrent of malaise. "
TIME is probably right on both counts. As far as the contentment
goes, I think RN is right on the money -- the sense of contentment is
going to rub off by osmosis to RN's benefit.
The malaise, or alienation, or whatever you want to call it is
quite another thing. This is the string McGovern is playing, and he will
press it by touching the deepest chords of resentment he can find.
The antidote to this is, as I see it, quite fundamental. It requires
an upbeat, optimistic (though not pollyannish), "bully pulpit" approach
which will confront the dark thoughts and the sense of foreboding that
McGovern is seeking out.
People can be convinced that this disquieting mood is not cause for
political upheaval, but rather just the opposite: it is cause to keep the
sturdy hand at the rudder, the deft statesmanship, and, yes, the pro-
fessional President.
Page 2
Discontent can be channeled toward the up-tightness of
McGovern or it can be channeled toward the steadiness of RN.
That is our choice to some extent, and the President can make
this fairly clear in the Acceptance speech.
The question is do we dwell on our sins, or do we accept
our sins and dwell on our virtues (or, as someone said, on the
"better angels of our nature").
Frankly, the President needs to stir a lot of people out of the
lethargy which causes them to feel sorry for themselves and
for the country. That might be the case if we let it slide without
confrontation. The national character is just as debatable an issue
as the economy or Vietnam. RN has the advantage on this one, and
he should use every ounce of moral suasion at his command to mark
a retreat from the steady drumbeat of negativism which pervades
McGovernism -- the sickly admission that we don't have self-confidence
and that we have lost our direction.
As far as I am concerned, this should be the central theme coming
out of Miami Beach. Few people can do it as well as RN -- and believe
me, there are millions of Americans waiting for their national leader
to convince them that they aren't as bad off as everyone seems to say
they are.