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Morgan County Committee Fund-Raising Dinner, June 15, 1963
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Morgan County Committee Fund-Raising Dinner, June 15, 1963
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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The original documents are located in Box D16, folder "Morgan County Committee Fund-
Raising Dinner, June 15, 1963" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and
Speech File 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. The Council 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box D16 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Excerpts from address by Rep. Gerald R. Ford
Morgan County Committee Fund-Raising Dinner
June 15, 1963
The Republican Party in 1964 has a number of top-notch potential candidates
for the nomination of President and Vice President. I hope we will have a wide
open, unbossed national convention where the will of the majority of the Repub-
lican delegates will prevail in order to reflect the true view of rank and file
Republicans nationwide.
******
If I am a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1964, I will of
course support one candidate over the others, but let me assure you, without
hesitation or qualification, if my candidate or candidates lose, I will work and
vote for the Republican nominee. We should not be so committed to a single per-
sonality or so limited in our Republican ideals and philosophy that we insure vic-
tory for the radicals and big-city politicians who now dominate and control the
Democratic Party. Let us never forget that the Republican Party is the only ve-
hicle today by which the best traditions of America can be preserved and expanded.
******
During the first two years in which Secretary Benson was in charge of the De-
partment of Agriculture, he actually spent 7.5 billion dollars. During the first
two years in which Orville Freeman was in command, there was a one hundred per cent
increase in expenditures. Freeman spent a total of $14 billion. I contend that
Secretary Freeman is the most expensive commodity ever produced by the Department
of Agriculture. When we combine these enormous costs with Freeman's insatiable
appetite for greater controls over every farmer, we have in the Secretary a luxury
which the American people can do very well without.
******
A few suggestions for the months ahead:
1). Tell the Truth - Tell it Often - Tell it with Conviction
It is beginning to get through to the American people that there is very
little substance to the fog of publicity put out by the mimeograph machines
in the White House.
Folks at home are beginning to realize that an Administration can manage
the news just so long.
The American people are catching on. By the time of the 1964 election,
if we do our job, all Americans will know there is a shaky, shifty foundation
2
under the House that Jack built.
2). Point out basic differences between Democrats and Republicans
While today's Democratic Party is dominated by radicalism and "big city
politicians," the G.O.P. continues to represent modern, progressive, common sense,
conservatism with party control resting in the rank and file membership.
The Democratic Party today is the party of "big government" demanding more
and more government power over every citizen. As Republicans we defend and insist
upon individual initiative, free enterprise, and limited government.
Our Republican Party is a unified, national party with achievable goals. Our
opponents form a peculiar coalition with no unity in purpose and little mutual
respect.
3). Point out the failure of the Democrats to fulfill their campaign promises.
Let me say with emphasis - - no Administration promised more and
produced less.
*
In 1960 during the political campaign the Democrats promised to devise a new
national strategy allegedly designed to increase the strength of the non-communist
world. Tragically for the United States and our allies, in the past two years and
four months the Democratic Administration has simply resurrected the discredited
"wait and see" or "let the dust settle" foreign policy that lost China and eastern
Europe in the 1940s to the Communist dictators in the Kremlin.
Despite the campaign promises of new prestige the Kennedy Democrat Administration
has:
1). waited while the Wall was built in Berlin
2). waited while Soviet troops and arms were shipped into Cuba
3). dilly-dallied in Laos
4). made concession after consession in the negotiations for a nuclear test ban
5). removed ballistic missiles from Italy and Turkey.
We must remind our fellow citizens that under eight years of the Eisenhower-
Republican Administration our military strength and strategy successfully met the
Communist challenge in Berlin, at Quemoy and Matsu, and in Lebanon in the Middle East.
We must remind our fellow citizens that America's prestige and success in the
1950's has deteriorated under the vacillating indecision of the "wait and see"
policies of the Democrats.
*
What Republicans must do to win
We Republicans must start walking across America block by block, stopping at every
home and farm and factory and dockside along the way, pointing out the failure of the
Democrats and selling these basic Republican prinniples I have been talking about.
3
If we do this, we will retire the Kennedys from the White House to Glen Ora,
or Newport, or Hyannis Port, or Palm Beach, or wherever else they may have homes
by that time.
The people who are going to put the wheels under the Kennedy rocking chair and
push him out of the White House are right here in this room. You have an important
state. You have the enthusiasm and the desire. You can get the money. You have the
independent spirit of the Abe Lincolns and Teddy Roosevelts and Dwight Eisenhowers and
other greats of our Republican Party. You have all the ingredients so that you can
bring victory to us and to the nation in 1964. The question is -- will you accept
the challenge ??
Excerpts from address by Rep. Gerald R. Ford
Morgan County Committee Fund-Raising Dinner
June 15, 1963
The Republican Party in 1964 has a number of top-notch potential candidates
for the nomination of President and Vice President. I hope we will have a wide
open, unbossed national convention where the will of the majority of the Repub-
lican delegates will prevail in order to reflect the true view of rank and file
Republicans nationwide.
******
If I am a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1964, I will of
course support one candidate over the others, but let me assure you, without
hesitation or qualification, if my candidate or candidates lose, I will work and
vote for the Republican nominee. We should not be so committed to a single per-
sonality or so limited in our Republican ideals and philosophy that we insure vic-
tory for the radicals and big-city politicians who now dominate and control the
Democratic Party. Let us never forget that the Republican Party is the only ve-
hicle today by which the best traditions of America can be preserved and expanded.
******
During the first two years in which Secretary Benson was in charge of the De-
partment of Agriculture, he actually spent 7.5 billion dollars. During the first
two years in which Orville Freeman was in command, there was a one hundred per cent
increase in expenditures. Freeman spent a total of $14 billion. I contend that
Secretary Freeman is the most expensive commodity ever produced by the Department
of Agriculture. When we combine these enormous costs with Freeman's insatiable
appetite for greater controls over every farmer, we have in the Secretary a luxury
which the American people can do very well without.
******
A few suggestions for the months ahead:
1). Tell the Truth - Tell it Often - Tell it with Conviction
It is beginning to get through to the American people that there is very
little substance to the fog of publicity put out by the mimeograph machines
in the White House.
Folks at home are beginning to realize that an Administration can manage
the news just so long.
The American people are catching on. By the time of the 1964 election,
if we do our job, all Americans will know there is a shaky, shifty foundation
2
under the House that Jack built.
2). Point out basic differences between Democrats and Republicans
While today's Democratic Party is dominated by radicalism and "big city
politicians," the G.O.P. continues to represent modern, progressive, common sense,
conservatism with party control resting in the rank and file membership.
The Democratic Party today is the party of "big government" demanding more
and more government power over every citizen. As Republicans we defend and insist
upon individual initiative, free enterprise, and limited government.
Our Republican Party is a unified, national party with achievable goals. Our
opponents form a peculiar coalition with no unity in purpose and little mutual
respect.
3). Point out the failure of the Democrats to fulfill their campaign promises.
Let me say with emphasis - no Administration promised more and
produced less.
******
In 1960 during the political campaign the Democrats promised to devise a new
national strategy allegedly designed to increase the strength of the non-communist
world. Tragically for the United States and our allies, in the past two years and
four months the Democratic Administration has simply resurrected the discredited
"wait and see" or "let the dust settle" foreign policy that lost China and eastern
Europe in the 1940s to the Communist dictators in the Kremlin.
Despite the campaign promises of new prestige the Kennedy Democrat Administration
has:
1). waited while the Wall was built in Berlin
2). waited while Soviet troops and arms were shipped into Cuba
3). dilly-dallied in Laos
4). made concession after consession in the negotiations for a nuclear test ban
5). removed ballistic missiles from Italy and Turkey.
We must remind our fellow citizens that under eight years of the Eisenhower-
Republican Administration our military strength and strategy successfully met the
Communist challenge in Berlin, at Quemoy and Matsu, and in Lebanon in the Middle East.
We must remind our fellow citizens that America's prestige and success in the
1950's has deteriorated under the vacillating indecision of the "wait and see"
policies of the Democrats.
******
What Republicans must do to win
We Republicans must start walking across America block by block, stopping at every
home and farm and factory and dockside along the way, pointing out the failure of the
Democrats and selling these basic Republican principles I have-been talking about.
3
If we do this, we will retire the Kennedys from the White House to Glen Ora,
or Newport, or Hyannis Port, or Palm Beach, or wherever else they may have homes
by that time.
The people who are going to put the wheels under the Kennedy rocking chair and
push him out of the White House are right here in this room. You have an important
state. You have the enthusiasm and the desire. You can get the money. You have the
independent spirit of the Abe Lincolns and Teddy Roosevelts and Dwight Eisenhowers and
other greats of our Republican Party. You have all the ingredients so that you can
bring victory to us and to the nation in 1964. The question is -- will you accept
the challenge ??