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1252107
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10/19/74 - Greensboro, North Carolina
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1252107
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document
title
10/19/74 - Greensboro, North Carolina
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collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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North Carolina
Republican National Committee (U.S.)
Congressional elections
Speeches, addresses, etc.
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19
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1974-10-19
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10
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1974
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19
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1974-10-19
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10
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1974
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The original documents are located in Box 2, folder "10/19/74 - Greensboro, North
Carolina" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box 2 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
GREENS BORO, NORTH CAROLINA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1974
IF I MIGHT CHANGE THE LYRICS SOMEWHAT: NOTHING COULD
BE FINER THAN TO BE IN CAROLINA IN THE AFTERNOON!
THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL WELCOME AND TURNOUT.
GOVERNOR HOLSHAUSER, I AM NOT EXACTLY A STRANGER TO NORTH CAROLINA,
BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT I AM CONSTANTLY AMAZED BY THE HIGH DEGREE OF
SPIRIT I WITNESS ON EVERY VISIT I MAKE TO THE TARHEEL STATE.
In. Holohman
June Helms
Vinegar Bend miple
Jim Broyhell
Earl Birth
Jun Martin
Jun Caroon
Steve Ratchie
Ward Punny
Bill stevens
- 2 -
AS YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO OUT
AT PINEHURST TO PLAY IN A GOLF TOURNAMENT.
YOU'LL BE RELIEVED
TO KNOW THAT I DID NOT BRING MY CLUBS WITH ME TODAY.
- 3 -
THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY I AM PARTIAL TO
NORTH CAROLINA. THE FIRST IS THAT JUST SOUTH OF HERE AND
THROUGHOUT THIS PARTICULAR AREA, A GREAT DEAL OF FURNITURE IS
MANUFACTURED. AS YOU KNOW, WHERE I COME FROM IN GRAND RAPIDS,
MICHIGAN, WE ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR THE FURNITURE WE MANUFACTURE.
BELIEVE ME, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING IN COMMON THE
TRAIT OF BUILDING STRONG AND STURDY STRUCTURES FOR THE FUTURE
OF AMERICA.
- 4 -
THE SECOND REASON I AM PARTIAL TO NORTH CAROLINA IS
THAT I SPENT SOME TIME HERE DURING THE WAR -- JUST DOWN THE ROAD
AT CHAPEL HILL.
I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT FINE PEOPLE LIVED HERE
AND HOW CLOSELY I IDENTIFIED WITH THIS STATE.
I WAS AN OFFICER
THEN IN THE NAVY'S V-5 PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM FOR AVIATORS.
- 5 -
I ALSO MET AT THE TIME AND BECAME GOOD FRIENDS WITH A MAN WHO
SERVES NORTH CAROLINA'S 8TH DISTRICT so WELL IN THE CONGRESS:
EARL RUTH. EARL, I AM HAPPY YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE TODAY,
AND I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON NEXT YEAR TO
CARRY ON YOUR GREAT RECORD OF SERVICE TO YOUR DISTRICT.
- 6 -
NORTH CAROLINA IS TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR HAVING A
DEGREE OF LEADERSHIP THAT IS ENVIED BY OTHERS.
ONE OF THE MAIN
REASONS IS YOUR FINE GOVERNOR; JIM HOLSHOUSER.
BESIDES EARL, THERE ARE ALSO SOME OF MY OTHER FORMER
CONGRESSIONAL COLLEAGUES HERE: JIM BROYHILL, VINEGAR BEND MIZELL
AND JIM MARTIN. THERE IS NO QUESTION BUT THAT YOU WILL ALL BE
BACK WORKING WITH ME IN THE 94TH CONGRESS.
- 7 -
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA DELEGATION
CHIEF
IS HEARD IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THERE IS ONE BENEFICIARY:
^
THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
NOW, LET US GET TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND.
THE BUSINESS
AT HAND IS THE DECISION THAT THE VOTERS ALL OVER AMERICA ARE GOING
TO MAKE IN TWO AND ONE-HALF SHORT WEEKS.
THAT DECISION WILL
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF AMERICA IN A TIME OF GREAT
TESTING.
- 8 -
THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF BILL STEVENS
FOR SENATOR AND WARD PURRINGTON AND STEVE RITCHIE FOR THE
CONGRESS.
THAT IS WHY I AM PROUD TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU
ELECT JIM CARSON TO THE REMAINDER OF HIS TERM AS ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF THIS GREAT STATE.
- 9 -
THESE VOTES CAST ON NOVEMBER 5TH ARE GOING TO
REPRESENT THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION A CITIZEN CAN MAKE IN A
DEMOCRACY.
I AM GOING TO BE AS FRANK WITH YOU AS I HAVE TRIED
TO BE BEFORE ALL OF MY FELLOW AMERICANS.
IN THE BLUNTEST TERMS:
I NEED THESE MEN IN THE CONGRESS.
I NEED THE HELP OF
BILL STEVENS TO GUARD THE PUBLIC TREASURY FROM THE RAIDS OF THE
BUDGET BUSTERS.
- IO -
I NEED YOUNG MEN LIKE STEVE RITCHIE AND WARD PURRINGTUN
TO CARRY THE BALL FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT -- THE TYPE OF
GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL BRING THE SAME KIND OF COMMON SENSE TO
THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AS EACH OF YOU HAVE TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL
FAMILY ECONOMIES.
- II -
I HAVE BEEN ACROSS THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY OVER THE LAS T
YEAR -- MOST RECENTLY THE MIDWEST, THE EAST, AND NOW THE SOUTH.
NEXT WILL BE THE WEST.
THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME EVERYWHERE:
LET'S DO SOMETHING.
LET'S STOP WRINGING OUR HANDS IN FRUSTRATION.
LET'S STOP CASTING ACCUSATIONS AND SEEKING POLITICAL BROWNIE
POINTS WITH OUR PROBLEMS.
LET'S DEAL WITH OUR CONCERNS.
THAT IS THE MESSAGE I HAVE HEARD.
- I2 -
IT IS A MESSAGE THAT SAYS, IT IS TOO LATE FOR POLITICS
AS USUAL.
IT IS TOO LATE TO PLAY GAMES WITH THE ECONOMIC FUTURE
OF EVERY WORKING MAN AND WOMAN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
- 13 -
THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY.
I WANT TO LET THE
PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA HEAR FROM ME IN NORTH CAROLINA.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE WHO WOULD RATHER CRITICIZE THAN
FIND SOLUTIONS.
BUT I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
NEITHER ARE
THE MEN I HAVE INTRODUCED TO YOU TODAY. THEY ARE ACHIEVERS --
NOT COMPLAINERS.
THEY ARE DO-ERS --- NOT POO-POOERS.
- I4 -
THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM I SUBMITTED TO THE CONGRESS
AND THE NATION ON OCTOBER 8TH WAS THE RESULT OF WEEKS OF INTENSIVE
STUDY AND THE FRUITION OF A MASSIVE SUMMIT CONFERENCE WHICH
SOLICITED WIDESPREAD VIEWS FROM ALL SECTORS OF AMERICA.
- 15 -
I SUBMITTED THAT ECONOMIC PROGRAM IN GOOD FAITH.
I BELIEVE IT WILL WORK IF WE WILL ONLY GIVE IT A CHANCE.
YET, WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION?
THE RESPONSE FROM THE
GREAT MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAS BEEN HEART-WARMING.
THEY ARE
PITCHING IN TO WIN.
BUT STILL OTHERS IN CONGRESS AND ELSEWHERE,
I AM SORRY TO REPORT, WOULD RATHER HAVE A POLITICAL ISSUE THAN
AN ECONOMIC SOLUTION.
- 16 -
THIS IS NO TIME TO SEEK POLITICAL ADVANTAGE FOR
ANY PERSON OR ANY PARTY. OF COURSE, I WANT MY PARTY TO WIN.
BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT I DO NOT WANT IT TO WIN AT THE EXPENSE OF
THE NATIONAL WELLBEING.
- 17 -
ON NOVEMBER 5TH, THE DECISION IS UP TO YOU AND
MILLIONS OF OTHER VOTERS ACROSS THE LAND.
YOU CAN CHOOSE
TO SEND TO THE CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PARTY WHICH
HAS CONTROLLED US FOR 38 OUT OF THE LAST 42 YEARS AND
HELPED CREATE THE PROBLEMS WE ARE NOW TRY ING TO SOLVE.
- 18 -
OR YOU CAN VOTE TO CHANGE THINGS.
YOU CAN VOTE TO PUT AN END
TO END
ONE-PARTY RULE IN CONGRESS.
YOU CAN VOTE TO ENHANCE
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES.
YOU CAN VOTE FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PLACING
CURBS ON FEDERAL SPENDING AND TO FIGHTING INFLATION.
- 19 -
THE TEAM OF BILL STEVENS IN THE SENATE AND WARD
PURRINGTON AND STEVE RITCHIE IN THE HOUSE WILL WORK WELL FOR YOU
NORTH
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
I RECALL THAT STEVE WAS THE ONLY AIR FORCE
FIGHTER ACE IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT.
THAT MEANS THAT STEVE IS
A STRAIGHT SHOOTER.
so IS WARD AND ALL OF THE OTHERS WHO NEED
YOUR HELP TO BRING SOME PERSPECTIVE AND BALANCE TO THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
- 20 - -
IN SHORT, WHAT I NEED IS A CONGRESS, THAT IN THE WORDS
OF A TELEVISION COMMENTATOR, WILL PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS
THE LEGISLATION.
THANK YOU.
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