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- Part of White House Staff Member and Office Files (Nixon Administration), President's Office Files
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THE
"MINI-CONVENTION" COVERAGE
PRESIDENT
HAS
SEEN
August 8, 1972
PBS covered entire afternoon session from 2-4:05 pm. NBC's
earlier plans to cover it were blissfully cancelled. But NBC, along
w/PBS - - anchored by Braden were only nets to cover the entire
evening session from 7 pm til 10:45 or so. ABC and CBS both had
short bulletins around 8:30 on Shriver's nomination. CBS then returned
at 9:30 w/Eagleton speech and stayed on til 10:40. ABC came on at
10:05 for last of McG's speech and lasted til about 10:35.
"Well, here we are again, 11 led Chancellor on a night when Dems
are doing something neither party has ever done before. E affair
recounted including film of McG saying they' re glad they took longer
in picking Eagleton than GOP did w/VP in 168 and Chancellor note that
E made his disclosure the night just before Knight papers broke the
story. Doesn't look like McG will have any difficulty in getting Shriver
approved, said John, who then briefly recounted Shriver's background.
Brinkley said the session was "essentially" the Dem convention,
only smaller in size and older older because it takes time to become
a DNC member; money to attend meetings; a job one can leave or
a profession (like lawyers) who have something to gain. Youth can't
meet these qualifications.
Kiker said you'll see lots of smiles tonite as Dems want to show
goodwill and happiness. But if you look closely, you'll see tears
underneath as the Party's in "shambles. " Westwood hasn't been able
to put the DNC in shape yet and there are fights within the McG staff -
some over Eagleton, but mostly it's just a "plain old power struggle. 11
Many in Labor haven't come around as McG had hoped, said Kiker,
plus McG has money problems. Contributions dropped off since the E
disclosure and may pick up but Dems won't match what the GOP has.
All this has led to a "big morale crisis. 11
Utley followed, noting few outside of Mo. had heard of Eagleton
til nominated, and the "Tom who?" jokes began. Nobody expected
him to turn out to be one of the "big surprises" of the year. Clip of
E's acceptanee speech followed.
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