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4526086
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Case-Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, February 7, 1968
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4526086
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document
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Case-Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, February 7, 1968
citationUrl
collections
Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
Speeches
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Republican National Committee (U.S.)
Outer space
Political conventions
Political party platforms
Presidential campaigns
Urban policy
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4526086
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1968-02-29
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2
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1968
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1968-02-01
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2
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1968
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The original documents are located in Box D23, folder "Case-Western Reserve University,
Cleveland, OH, February 7, 1968" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
NOTES FOR CASE-WESTERN UNIVERSITY SPEECH, Feb. 7., 1968, CLEVELAND, OHIO.
(The Speech is to deal with how Republican convention is run, platforms, and what effect
space progress and urban problems may have on the 1968 election.)
ALTHOUGH NO CONVENTION IS BOUND BY THE RULES OR PRACTICES USED IN PREVIOUS CONVENTIONS,
CERTAIN TRADITIONS ARE CARRIED FORWARD.
MUCH OF THE COURSE OF THE CONVENTION IS DETERMINED IN ADVANCE BY THE
ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, AND THESE PLANS GENERALLY
ARE RATIFIED WITHOUT OBJECTION BY THE FULL NATIONAL COMMITTEE BEFORE THE CONVENTION BEGINS.
THE ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF ONE MEMBER FROM EACH STATE. THIS
COMMITTEE PICKS THE TEMPORARY OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION, INCLUDING THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Digitized from Box D23 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
2/Case-Western Notes
AND THE TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN AND THE NOMINEE FOR PERMANENT CHAIRMAN. NORMALLY THE KEYNOTER
AND THE TEMPORARY CONVENTION CHAIRMAN ARE ONE AND THE SAME.
THE WEIGHT OF PRECEDENT SINCE 1920 IS THAT THE PARTY'S LEADER IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES SERVES AS PERMANENT CHAIRMAN.
THE PERMANENT CHAIRMAN OF THE CONVENTION SHOULD NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR EITHER
PRESIDENT OR VICE-PRESIDENT.
THE RULES OF THE CONVENTION USUALLY PROVIDE THAT THE COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS
REPORT FIRST IN CASE THERE IS ANY DISAGREEMENT OVER THE SEATING OF DELEGATIONS. IF A
FIGHT OVER SEATING DEVELOPES, THE TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN OF THE CONVENTION IS IN A POWERFUL
3/Case-Western Notes
POSITION TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME. THIS PROVED TRUE, FOR INSTANCE, DURING THE
EISENHOWER-TAFT BATTLE IN 1952.
ONCE THE SEATING OF DELEGATIONS IS TAKEN CARE OF, THE PERMANENT CHAIRMAN TAKES
OVER AND MAKES A SPEECH. OTHER SPEECHES AND THE REPORTS OF THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES
FOLLOW--PERMANENT ORGANIZATION, PLATFORM, RULES, ADDRESSES BY PARTY LEADERS,
EX-PRESIDENTS, ETC. ARE THE ORDER OF BUSINESS WHILE REPORTS ARE BEING PREPARED. SOME OF
THE SPEECHIFYING IS MOSTLY A HOLDING OPERATION, PENDING REPORTS FROM THE COMMITTEES. IT
IS ONLY WITH THE REPORT ON PERMANENT ORGANIZATION THAT THE PERMANENT PRESIDING OFFICER
TAKES OVER AND THE CONVENTION BUSINESS ACTUALLY GETS ROLLING.
4/Case-Western Notes
THERE SOMETIMES ARE STIFF FIGHTS OVER THE WRITING OF THE PLATFORM. THE GENERAL
RULE IS THAT THE PLATFORM MUST REFLECT THE WISHES OF THE PARTY'S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.
AFTER ALL, HE HAS TO RUN ON IT. THE PLATFORM IS IMPORTANT IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS A
STATEMENT OF PARTY PRINCIPLES AND, IN EFFECT, A PROMISSORY NOTE PLACED IN THE HANDS OF
THE VOTERS. WITH ITS PLATFORM, A PARTY IS SAYING TO THE VOTERS "IF ELECTED WE WILL..."
THE CYNICAL WILL SAY THAT POLITICAL PLATFORMS ARE BUILT NOT TO STAND ON BUT TO
GET IN ON--AND ARE PROMPTLY FORGOTTEN AFTER THE ELECTION. I THINK THE SUCCESSFUL PARTY
SHOULD BE HELD STRICTLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS ELECTION PROMISES AS SET FORTH IN THE PARTY
PLATFORM. IF THE PERFORMANCE DOESN'T FIT THE PROMISES, THEN THAT PARTY'S PLATFORM IS INDEED
5/Case-Western Notes
MEANINGLESS AND THE PARTY DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE KEPT IN POWER. REPUBLICANS CERTAINLY AIM TO
MAKE THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION ANSWER FOR ITS BROKEN PROMISES IN THE 1968 CAMPAIGN. FOR
INSTANCE, THE 1964 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM PROMISED THE PEOPLE PRICE STABILITY. INSTEAD WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED THE WORST UPSURGE IN PRICES SINCE THE KOREAN WAR AND THE INFLATIONARY SWELL IS
CONTINUING.
THE ATTENTION OF MANY VOTERS IS FOCUSED ON OUR URBAN PROBLEMS. THE A RTY WHICH OFFERS
THE PEOPLE THE MOST FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS CAN EXPECT STRONG SUPPORT IN THE
CITIES. IN THAT CONNECTION, IT IS NOTABLE THAT PRESIDENT JOHNSON BELATEDLY IS EMBRACING IN
PART THE REPUBLICAN APPROACH IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF HARD-CORE UNEMPLOYMENT--ENLISTING THE
LEADERSHIP AND COOPERATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN TRAINING THE HARD-CORE UNEMPLOYED,
6/Case-Western Notes
WITH THE GOVERNMENT PAYING THE EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES. THE REPUBLICAN APPROACH OF A TAX
CREDIT INSTEAD OF DIRECT SUBSIDY IS BETTER BECAUSE THE INCENTIVE IS GREATER.
THE BASIC REPUBLICAN APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE CITIES IS TO GIVE THE
CITIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THE MEANS TO DO THE JOB--DO IT WITHOUT
INTERFERENCE FROM A FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY WHICH OFTEN DELAYS OR CRUSHES SUCH EFFORTS WITH
A LOAD OF RED TAPE. I AM TALKING ABOUT SHARING OF INCOME TAX REVENUE WITH THE CITIES AND
STATES ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS AND MAKING BLOCK GRANTS TO LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT FOR
ATTACKS ON CERTAIN PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF SPELLING OUT EVERY INCH OF THE WAY HOW THE MONEY
SHALL BE SPENT. REPUBLICANS BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE URBAN PROBLEMS IS TO SUPPLANT
7/Case-Western Notes
THE TOTAL FEDERAL APPROACH WITH A LOCAL-STATE-FEDERAL APPROACH AND THE ALL-OUT LEADERSHIP
AND COOPERATION OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE BRAINS AND BRAWN.
OUR PRIVATE ENTERPRISE SKILLS, TECHNOLOGY AND EXPERTISE AND THE ADVANCED WORK
OF OUR SCIENTISTS HAVE COMBINED TO PRODUCE OUR ENVIABLE SPACE PROGRAM. I HAVE BEEN
ASKED TO ASSESS THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF THAT PROGRAM. THE SPACE PROGRAM HAS POLITICAL
IMPACT IN THE SENSE THAT ANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OR FAILURES THAT OCCUR REFLECT ON THE
ADMINISTRATION IN POWER. THE OPPOSITION PARTY CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT SEEK TO MAKE AN
ISSUE OF ANY SPACE PROGRAM FAILURE FOR POLITICAL GAIN BUT NEITHER SHOULD WE REFRAIN FROM
LEGITIMATE CRITICISM FOR FEAR OUR CRITICISM WOULD BE MISINTERPRETED. WE WOULD OBJECT--AND
8/Case-Western Notes
SHOULD OBJECT--TO A SPACE PROGRAM SPEEDUP OR A 1968 SPACE SPECTACULAR OBVIOUSLY UNCORKED
TO ENHANSE THE ADMINISTRATION'S IMAGE AS THE ELECTION APPROACHES.
THE 1968 CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE FOUGHT OUT ON THE LINES OF WHICH PARTY CAN BETTER
SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE PEOPLE .WHICH PARTY CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING GENUINE
PROSPERITY AND NOT FALSE PROSPERITY FED BY WAR AND INFLATION AND WHICH PARTY CAN DO A
BETTER JOB OF BRINGING THE VIETNAM WAR TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION AND WINNING THE PEACE.
ON THAT, I REST MY CASE.
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