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This file includes a memo from Vice President Rockefeller concerning the debates.
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1554446
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Third Debate: Suggestions - Miscellaneous
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1554446
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Third Debate: Suggestions - Miscellaneous
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This file includes a memo from Vice President Rockefeller concerning the debates.
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White House Special Files Unit Files
Ford - Carter Debates Files
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Campaign debates
Presidential campaign, 1976
Vice-Presidents
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1976-10-31
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10
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1976
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1976-10-01
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 3, folder "Third Debate: Suggestions -
Miscellaneous" of the White House Special Files Unit Files at the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
An informed source at the Washington Post told me that Mr. Maynard may
ask the President about:
1. The plight of Soviet Jews. Why have they been ignored?
2. What specifics the President would offer towards plugging tax loopholes?
3. Would the President consider using governtment created jobs to help
alleviate unemployment, or consider a CCC type program; if not, why not?
4. How does the President explain the lack of decorum (Earl Butz,
Congress
General Brown) among those who surround him and what does he think
of Sec. Kissinger talking behind his back?
Research for Maynard included Mayaguez data, "Blind Ambition," (John Dean's
book) and Jerry TerHorsts book on Ford.
GENAL FORD CIBRARY
Digitized from Box 3 of the White House Special Files Unit Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
INFORMATION
October 18, 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
Vice Presidential Jun Request
JIM CANNON
FORD
SUBJECT:
The Vice President asked me to send to you these
suggestions for your third debate.
note
Original sent to your
Washington office.
MEMORANDUM
Live The Pros
TO:
Honorable Nelson A. Rockefeller
for
FROM:
Dean Alfange
DATE: October 12, 1976
Is there no one around who can write a few inspirational
phrases for the President to use in the next debate? Here is how
I would sum it up - right at the close:
TIMING: It's the President's last time around in the
debate. He turns toward Carter, looks at him eye to eye, a pointed
gesture and a pause. He then begins, his gaze still focused on
Carter
Mr. Carter, it's time you level with the people. You have
placed yourself, courageously, on every side of every issue. You
would have us reduce our military strength and yet get tougher with
the Soviet Union. You VOW a balanced budget; yet the platform you
endorse would make shambles of the budget, multiply inflation,
undermine the value of savings and of pensions and thrust the cost
of living skyward.
Who are you trying to fool, Mr. Carter? You pose as the
champion of organized labor, but in plush surroundings you tell the
captains of industry they need not worry. One day you stand for
ethnic purity, the next for ethnic diversity.
This is no time for double-talk, Mr. Carter. We are
electing a President, not a magician. (Here another gesture
firmly pointed toward Carter). You have just ten days left, sir,
to tell the American people what you truly believe, not about
love, sex or religion, but the issues -- issues that affect the
lives of our people and the security of the United States.
(At this point the President turns away from Carter and
looks straight into the camera)
My fellow citizens, I have taken a clear cut stand on
every issue. I do not care if what I say is unpopular so long
as my conscience tells me it is right, that it is good for America
and for the cause of peace. The great Presidents of this country
have never been popular, but they have always been right.
Let me tell you what I believe. I believe this Republic
is the hope of all mankind - the free and those struggling to be
free from totalitarian domination. I believe this Republic can
remain the moral leader of the world so long as liberty and love
of country shall dwell as tenants in our hearts.
As President I will never allow America to sink in the
morass of socialistic paternalism. I believe in the challenges
of opportunity. I prefer the thrill of fulfillment to the stale
calm of utopia. I reject the guaranteed existence - from cradle
to the grave. That would make all of us the wards of government,
humbled and dulled by having the state look after us.
-2-
I pray that the American people will never trade freedom
for beneficence nor their dignity for a handout. Freedom is the
most precious word in the English language, but it is strangely
missing from the vocabulary of the Democrat Party.
My fellow Americans, it is our heritage to stand erect,
proud and unafraid, to think and act for ourselves, enjoy the
benefits of our labor and - when the day's work is done - to thank
God and say: this I have accomplished for myself, my family, my
country and the less fortunate of this nation and the world. This
is the meaning of America.
Let the President memorize this, or something like it,
then get someone who knows public speaking to coach him on how
best to say it.
Some of the phrases I have used in the text were written
by me in a piece called "My Creed", which was published sometime
ago, but the President may use them as his own.
-3-
The Final Debate
1. In the final debate, Carter should be disarmed with short, pithy,
answers like the following:
A. If Carter Mentions Nixon or Watergate.
I'm not here to debate the worth of President Nixon. His
policies were basically sound. As for his moral decisions
with Watergate - he has had to pay whatever price was
demanded - resignation from office.
B. The Pardon of Nixon - Admittedly a Debatable Subject.
The nation was in trouble - I made a decision. I did what
I felt was right. You have accused me of no leadership.
You don't want leadership. You just want something to bark
about. I have dealt forthrightly with issues. You won't
face an issue before election, you are on both sides of
every issue depending on which crowd you are facing. How
can people expect any honest dealings with issues from you
after you are elected?
C. The Ship Incident.
We had a background of a ship off the coast of North Korea
being hijacked. Lack of action lost the ship and humiliated
the whole crew. Yes we had a word from the communists. You
can't trust their words. So I acted immediately and got the
ship and the men back. I wanted no repetition of the other
incident. I exhibited the leadership that you accuse me of
not having. What would you have done? I suppose you would
have grinned at them. And they would have grinned right back
as they ignored your pleas. They would have outgrinned you.
Our men would still be in their hands.
2. Last Debate - What I meant to say. Admit an error of clarity
of expression. We do not acknowledge the right of any country
to control those countries.
3. Somewhere state - I admit you are a hard person to debate because
of two things.
A. You are on both sides of most questions.
B. You have no concrete program or plans. All you have is vague
dreams with no substance. You are going to the people, but
your whole program is government which alienates the people,
compassion, etc. All you do is talk with no substance.
4. Foreign Problems.
They all came into existence under Democrat Presidents. The
nightmare division of Germany. The take over of Eastern Europe.
The no win policy of wars in the Far East and partition of Korea.
The mess in Vietnam - all occurred during the regime of a Democrat
President and Democrat Congress. We are just beginning to make
some sense out of foreign policy - cite some of the accomplishments.
5. Every time you make a point like the above - then say -
"Let's get back to what we can pin down that you stand for -
your platform". Then read points from his platform and show
he is headed for special interest groups and socialism. Nail
him all through the debate with his own platform and make him
defend it. Thus - get him on the defensive. If he doesn't
answer - then bring it up again the next time you speak.
This is the one thing you can make him defend or he will look
like a fool if he doesn't defend it.
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEPT
TALKING POINTS FOR RALLY PRECEDING DEPARTURE
October 22, 1976
-- Might make reference to "The day of the big game
dawned brisk and clear" line that begins many
sports stories.
-- The remaining days in this election are vitally
important, just as baseball games are won in the
last inning and football games in the last quarter.
-- We have achieved the biggest political comeback in
American history -- from a deficit of 30 points to an
election that is now virtually even.
-- We are on the verge of the biggest political upset
in American history. Momentum is with us. The
tide is running in our favor. We must now go all
out in these final ten days of the campaign.
-- This is an important election. The future of our
economic system
of our social system
the future
of world peace may well depend on the outcome.
-- America is at the turning point. Do we go forward
with a progressive, creative society, dedicated to
freedom and human rights? Or fall back into a
regimented, conformist society, dominated by big
government?
-- We have not and we will not promise more than we
can deliver -- but we will deliver all that we promise.
-- Let us commit ourselves today, and in the days
immediately ahead, so that when we meet, in years
to come, we can confidently say: America is a better
place for our having been here.
LIBRARY