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This file contains materials relating to Robert Ellsworth, Darlene Schmalzried, Margita White, Bo Callaway, and the Pike Committee.
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Press Secretary Briefings, 12/11/75
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Press Secretary Briefings, 12/11/75
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This file contains materials relating to Robert Ellsworth, Darlene Schmalzried, Margita White, Bo Callaway, and the Pike Committee.
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Ron Nessen Files (Ford Administration)
Ron Nessen's Press Briefing Transcripts
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Florida
New Hampshire
Vail (Colo.)
White House (Washington, D.C.)
Governmental investigations
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Presidential campaign, 1976
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1975
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1975
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Digitized from Box 15 of the Ron Nessen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
This Copy For
NEWS CONFERENCE
#389
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH BILL GREENER
AT 11:37 A.M. EST
DECEMBER 11, 1975
THURSDAY
MR. GREENER: Let me go over the President's
schedule this morning on some of the staff meetings.
He had breakfast this morning at 7:15 with Secre-
tary Simon to discuss the tax cut legislation.
He had a meeting at 8:30 this morning with
Secretary Dunlop in which he discussed the common situs
picketing legislation.
He had a meeting at 9:30 with Secretary Rumsfeld
and General Scowcroft. Rumsfeld reported on his NATO
meetings.
I think you have all the others.
We have one announcement which has not been posted
yet, and that is that the President announces his intention
to nominate Robert Ellsworth to be Deputy Secretary of
Defense. This is a new position created by Public Law 92-
596 on October 27, 1972. In other words, there will be two
deputies.
Q
What is this one for?
MR. GREENER: Primarily the intelligence area.
Q
Has this position ever been filled before,
Bill?
MR. GREENER: No, it has not.
Q
Is there a formal title to it?
MR. GREENER: Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Q
For something?
MR. GREENER: No, just Deputy Secretary of Defense.
MORE
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Q
Isn't Ellsworth presently Assistant Secretary
for International Affairs?
MR. GREENER: He is presently Assistant Secretary
of Defense for International Security Affairs.
Q
How does he rank in relation to Clements?
Are they coequal?
MR. GREENER: No. After he is confirmed, the
President plans to designate William Clements as principal
deputy.
Q
Is this, in effect, an upgrading of inter-
national security to the Deputy Secretary level?
MR. GREENER: It is merely amatter of filling
that position that has been vacant.
Q
Was that Congress' intention when they did
that, to upgrade international security from the assistant
to deputy level, do you know?
MR. GREENER: I don't know. I will have to check
it for you, Jim, what the intent of the law was.
Q Bill, didn't Mel Laird want this, because he
needed another deputy when he was at the Pentagon, to handle
operational affairs and another guy to handle hardware?
MR. GREENER: John, as I say, I don't know what
the background of it is. I just know the law designates
the two of them.
Q What was Ellsworth getting? What will he
be getting under this change?
MR. GREENER: He was Assistant Secretary, getting
$39,900, I think, but let's check it. I will get it for
you exactly. His new salary will be $44,600. We will check
the other one.
Q Bill, is there something in Ellsworth's
background that qualifies him for this job?
MR. GREENER: Since June 5, 1974, he has been
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security
Affairs. From 1969 to 1971 he served as U.S. Permanent
Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization. There is a handout on it. It will be coming
to you shortly.
Those are all the announcements for today.
MORE
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- 3 -
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Q
On DOD, can you tell us when you are going
over there?
MR. GREENER: When I am going over there?
Q
Yes, assuming the confirmation is all
complete.
MR. GREENER: Shortly after confirmation. I just
don't know.
Q
Before the Vail trip, should that materialize?
MR. GREENER: I just don't know yet. I did talk
to the President --
Q
When are your confirmation hearings?
MR. GREENER: Next week, as far as I know, Fran,
but I have not been given a date.
Q
Bill, in the meeting with Mr. Dunlop this
morning, did the President make a final decision on signing
or vetoing the common situs picketing bill?
MR. GREENER: No, he did not.
Q
You started to say something else. You did
talk to the President or something.
MR. GREENER: I was going to give some information
on Vail. I asked the President this morning, and the
problem of setting the date on Vail is what is the calendar
for Congress. If Congress is in session over Christmas,
then the President will be in town. If the Congress completes
their work on say the 20th, then the President does contem-
plate 29th. departing the 23rd or 24th for Vail, returning on the
Q
Why would he return so early on the 29th?
Why doesn't he just stay through New Year's?
MR. GREENER: Because he feels he should get
back and do the work that is in front of him -- the State
of the Union, legislative --
Q
But that has never been an inhibition because
he could always take work to China and work anywhere we wanted.
Q
He took work to Vail last year.
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MR. GREENER: This is the President's desire, to
come back.
Q Does he feel that the days he spends in Vail
he cannot work effectively?
MR. GREENER: He will be working while he is there,
also.
Q But not as effectively as he could back here,
and that is why he is coming back?
MR. GREENER: No, I would not say that. He just
feels that he would like to come back.
Q Does he feel the Congress will be in session
beginning the 29th?
MR. GREENER: He does not know.
Q
Is he seeking to or attempting to avoid
criticism for excessive traveling by cutting down his stay
in Vail?
MR. GREENER: No, he is seeking to return to his
office, where he would like to be on the 29th.
Q Bill, he is aware that perhaps as many as
100 members of his staff and the White House press corps
will be taken away from their families at Christmastime
if he does in fact do this?
MR. GREENER: Why would they be taken away from
their families, Bob? Couldn't their families accompany
him?
Q
Those of us who have to go.
MR. GREENER: Well, couldn't your families accompany
you?
Q Probably not.
MR. GREENER: As I understand it, reservations have
been made, and I also should have added that in the event
that it is that period of time and that is where they are
to go, the people are trying to work out with the owners in
Vail that you can sublet the condominiums for whatever period
you are not there so as not to lose that amount of money.
Q
They are trying to?
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- 5 -
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MR. GREENER: And they are very hopeful. They
have talked to them twice in the last two days, and they
told me this morning that it looked very good, but I just
don't have a final word on it, Bob.
Q
But is he aware of these difficulties?
That is what I am asking.
MR. GREENER: Yes, he is.
The answer on Ellsworth's prior salary level was
$39,900, Lou.
Q
Bill, in addition to one lawsuit for $100,000
charging sex discrimination in the White House Press Office,
there is the fact that Margita White is still not being paid
as much salary as Ron Ziegler's former male assistant in the
same job.
My question is, has the President or Mrs. Ford
expressed any concern about this treatment of women by
the White House Press Office?
MR. GREENER: No.
Q
Do you have any comment, Bill? Do you have
any comment?
MR. GREENER: Do I have any comment?
Q
Yes, do you, on this question.
MR. GREENER: Les, I think it would be rather
inappropriate for me to comment on the $100,000 suit, which
is in litigation, and secondly Margita White is standing
right here and if she has any comment is welcome to make it.
Q
Yes, do you have a comment, Margita?
MRS. WHITE: I am perfectly happy with my salary.
Q
Bill, did you meet with the President this
morning?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I did.
Q
Did anything come up about the forthcoming
Gallup results showing Reagan leading the President?
MR. GREENER: No.
Q
Is the White House aware of this poll, and
do you have a reaction to it? It apparently shows Governor
Reagan now leading President Ford.
MORE
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MR. GREENER: I have not seen the poll, so I
would have to check on it.
Q
Do you know if the President is aware of
the forthcoming poll, Bill?
MR. GREENER: I do not, Saul. It was not mentioned
at all.
Q
Bill, was there any discussion at all that
you are aware of, with the President, with Callaway or Stu
Spenceror anybody who is going down to this Houston meeting
about any moves to counter Reagan or advance the President's
chances? There are a number of people going down there, and
I wondered whether that subject matter has come up at all
in the White House?
MR. GREENER: The subject matter has not come
up at all, Lou.
Q
On that same thing, Bo Callaway attended a
Cabinet meeting yesterday, which was somewhat unusual, and
supposedly reported to the President on the campaign so far.
What did he tell the President?
MR. GREENER: I did not attend the Cabinet meeting,
so I will have to ask.
Q
Can we get a rundown on that?
MR. GREENER: I will do my best for you.
MR. SPEAKES: We posted it yesterday.
Q
You didn't really say anything.
MR. SPEAKES: There was not much detail, just a
basic rundown on staffing and who is in New Hampshire that
works for the Ford Campaign Committee and who is in Florida.
It was a very quick rundown.
Q
They did not say how you are doing in New
Hampshire?
MR. SPEAKES: No.
Q
No evaluation of the progress of the campaign
in either State, Larry?
MR. SPEAKES: No. Bo stated he is expected to
win in Florida and New Hampshire.
Q
He told the President that?
MORE
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MR. GREENER: The answer that he gave was that what
he gave him was a rundown of the staffing at the President
Ford Committee and also the people that were involved in
New Hampshire and Florida and then the question was asked
whether or not he gave him any report on how he felt the
President was doing in New Hampshire and Floriday, and Larry
answered that he did state that he expected to win in both
States.
Q
Any amplification?
MR. SPEAKES: No.
MR. GREENER: No amplification.
Q
Do you mean he said, "Mr. President, we think
you are going to win in New Hampshire and Florida," that's
all?
Q
The President said, "That's good.'
Q
Bill, is there anything further you can say
about the President's campaign plans, so far as you know?
MR. GREENER: No, I have nothing on that.
Q
Can you tell us what this meeting with the
Spanish-American Republicans is about?
MR. GREENER: Sure, if I can just find it.
Q
Bill, can I go back to the other thing for
just a second before you get into that?
MR. GREENER: Sure.
Q
Is it going to be common practice now for
the next year for the President's Cabinet to be kept up on
the politics of the President's campaign? Will they be,
in effect, political advisers as well as administrative
advisers?
MR. GREENER: There are no plans for that, Ann.
It was just a matter of bringing them up to date on the
staffing and let the Cabinet know where everything was
standing.
Q
Why does the Cabinet need to know where the
President's political organization stands?
MR. SPEAKES: It is the other way around. Bo was
keeping up on issues. The Chairman of the RNC attends
Cabinet meetings regularly.
MORE
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- 8 -
#389-12/11
Q
Was there any discussion, do you know, Bill,
of the use of Cabinet members in the campaign in these
primaries?
MR. SPEAKES: I think they do plan for some of
the Cabinet members, except that those that are traditionally
nonpolitical.
Q
No detailed discussion of who would be going
where?
MR. SPEAKES: No.
Q
Let's turn that around for one minute.
MR. GREENER: Wait a minute.
Q
Bill, did Larry say that the Chairman of the
RNC attends Cabinet meetings regularly?
MR. GREENER: Yes, he did, and she does.
Q Let's take that a little bit further. If
Larry says it has been standard practice for the Chairman of
the National Committee to attend Cabinet meetings, is Mr.
Callaway going to attend all or most Cabinet meetings from
now on?
MR. SPEAKES: I don't know.
MR. GREENER: I don't know. We will Lave to check
it. I have heard of no such plans.
Q
On the Rumsfeld meeting this morning, did
they discuss the withdrawal of some nuclear warheads from
the European theater?
MR. GREENER: As you know, we never confirm or
deny the positions of nuclear warheads, so there would be
no way to answer your questions.
Let me just answer the question that Bob had. The
meeting was requested by Benjamin Fernandez, who was
Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, to
discuss and request Administration actions in the areas of
Presidential appointments and also to reaffirm the need for
the Position of the Special Assistant to the President for
Spanish-speaking Affairs, a post held now by Fernando C.
DeBaca, and that basically was the whole thing.
Q
They did not discuss the role of the Spanish-
American Republicans in the campaign or are not discussing
it?
MORE
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- 9 -
#389-12/11
MR. GREENER: It is not part of the paper. Of
course, they are having the meeting now, so I don't know
what they are discussing.
Q
Has the President been in touch by telephone
with Secretary Kissinger since Secretary Kissinger arrived
in Brussels over the use of the new proposal --
MR. GREENER: Not to my knowledge, but you can
check on that.
Q
Question?
MR. GREENER: The question was whether or not the
President has been in contact with Secretary Kissinger by
telephone today.
Q
On the subject of Kissinger's view, before it
passes into history, do you have any comment on the dropping
of the contempt citations by the House?
MR. GREENER: Nothing except that we are pleased
that the committee was able to get the information that they
required.
Q
Bill, just one more on that, if I may. There
are reports this morning that the President personally
ordered this information to be turned over to the committee
when he got back from China and was briefed on the dispute--
he personally ordered that the material be turned over.
Are those reports correct?
MR. GREENER: Not to my knowledge, Jim, but I will
doublecheck it for you by asking the President. I didn't
ask him if he specifically ordered it, nor had I heard of it.
Q
How did it happen?
MR. GREENER: What do you mean, how did it happen?
Q
Who set the wheels in motion for this
conference?
MR. GREENER: As I mentioned the other day,
members of the staff of the White House and the State
Department were working with members of the committee to
effectively give them the information that they required.
Q
Yesterday it was the position of the White
House that the President was not going to compromise with
Congress on the tax bill; that is to say, he was going to
insist on a spending ceiling and that that be matched with
the permanent extension of the tax cuts.
MORE
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- 10 -
#389-12/11
Now, Senator Scott, on the Hill this morning,
urged the Congress to compromise with the President. Was
Scott just talking off the top of his head or does the
President have a compromise in mind?
MR. GREENER: I would not care to characterize
what Senator Scott was doing, but the President's position
is firm; that is, that he would like to have the tax cut
that he has proposed and he will accept no tax cut that does
not couple with it a spending limit.
Q
As Senator Scott, the Republican Minority
Leader, said, how can he expect the Congress to compromise
with the President because it appears from what you have
said again that the White House position is unyielding
and there is no room for compromise.
MR. GREENER: The President's position is just as
I stated, Walt, and that is clearly that he would like an
$11 billion larger tax cut than that being proposed by the
Congress and that he would also like it coupled with a
spending ceiling limiting the growth by some $28 billion.
Q
Then we can conclude Senator Scott misspoke
about compromise?
MR. GREENER: You can draw your own conclusions.
I would not care to characterize it.
Q
Bill, last March 13 Paul Miltich, who was
Mr. Ford's Press Secretary for eight years in the House and
as Vice President, was appointed to the Postal Rate Commission.
I was wondering, do you know of any expertise or experience
in postal rates that would qualify him for this, and did Mr.
Nessen have anything to do with this transfer of jobs?
MR. GREENER: I don't know enough about Mr. Miltich's
background to say what is required for that. I will have
to check on it for you, Les.
Q
Was Ron Nessen consulted in any way? Did he
participate in this in any way? Did he have anything to
do with the transfer of jobs?
MR. GREENER: I would have to check on it. As
you know, I was not here.
Q
Bill, can we go back to taxes?
MR. GREENER: Certainly.
MORE
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Q
I think that Senator Scott is being quoted
this morning as having told reporters that he agrees with
the feeling by Democratic Senate leaders that a Presidential
veto would be overridden in the Senate. Congressman Rhodes
yesterday said he could not forecast what would happen in
the House.
We were told last week, I think, that the
President was confident that the veto could be sustained at
least in the House. Is he getting any new information on
this, and is he making any efforts to get in touch with the
leadership to try to work out some kind of a compromise or
it? is he determined to proceed with this battle without changing
MR. GREENER: The President is not determined
to proceed with any battle. He would like the Congress, as
I said, to place a spending ceiling that couples with any
tax cut that is presented and that remains firm and he
expects that to be sustained.
Q
Does the President still think that a veto
could be sustained?
MR. GREENER: Yes, that is what I said. He
expects it to be sustained.
Q
In the House or the Senate or both Houses or
what?
MR. GREENER: I don't have the specifics on that,
John.
Q
Are we talking about the same thing, the
entire package, or just the compromise, which would extend
the tax cut for three months or six months?
MR. GREENER: No tax cut of any kind unless it is
coupled with a spending ceiling.
Q
Of $395 billion for fiscal 1977 because
yesterday Mr. Scott said if somebody was 1 percent or 2
off, who's commenting?
MR. GREENER: I don't think they have come down
to that. You are being very "iffy" on it. Obviously, the
President would like $28 billion and $395 billion. That
is exactly what he proposed.
Q
Bill, I am puzzled by your statement that the
President expects the veto to be sustained if his own
lieutenants on the Hill have told him it won't be. There
seems to be some lack of communication between Senator Scott
and Mr. Rhodes and the White House.
MORE
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MR. GREENER: I can only tell you what his aides
are telling him, Bob, and that is that it can be sustained
and will be sustained.
Q
And by his aides, you mean Mr. Friedersdorf
and the others in the Congressional Liaison?
MR. GREENER: And the others that are dealing
with the Congress, correct.
Q
But not the Congressmen who are going to do
the voting? They are not telling him, right?
MR. GREENER: I don't know that, Bob. You are
reporting to me on what they are saying. I have not--
Q
I am asking you. Have Mr. Scott and Mr.
Rhodes, who are the leaders, told the President that it is
going to be sustained or that it is not going to be
sustained? I am asking.
MR. GREENER: I don't believe they have said
either, Bob, to him.
Q
On the contempt citation, one more detail.
The Buchen letter will send to the House the actions taken by
the Forty Committee, but while the President was in China
the Senate Select Committee produced a report which said
that the most apparent covert action which was in Chile
when President Nixon was in the White House deliberately
bypassed the Forty Committee, it went from the Oval Office to
the CIA to the Embassy in Chile.
The question is, will the White House supply
those covert actions which bypassed the 40 Committee as
part of that compromise package?
MR. GREENER: I don't believe we have had any
problems at all that I know of with the Senate Select
Committee, and we provided them with the information they
requested.
Q
I am talking about the House.
MR. GREENER: You said Senate.
Q
I know, but the Senate Committee produced
that report; the Buchen compromise deals with the House.
Will the White House supply the House Select Committee
with those actions which deliberately bypassed the Forty
Committee?
MR. GREENER: Has such a request been made?
MORE
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#. 89-12/11
Q
I know the ball is in Buchen's court and he
mentioned only those actions approved by the Forty Committee
to get away from the Executive privilege on the State
Department.
MR. GREENER: I think, as I understand the
situation, that they have received the information they
feel is necessary.
Q
I wonder if you would take that question. Will
the White House apply those actions which bypassec the Forty
Committee?
MR. GREENER: I will just have to check 01 it for
you. It is a specific that I don't know.
Q
On the same subject, still trying to find out
who initiated this compromise, the President had invoked
Executive privilege with respect to the State Department
subpoena and then Mr. Buchen sends a letter saying that we
will give you more of the Forty Committee and the 303 Committee,
four more years of their records that you asked for, and
then the committee people come down and say they are
getting everything they need, including State Department
recommendations, which was the area in which the President
invoked Executive privilege.
Who directed Mr. Buchen or Mr. Highland to show
them material which satisfied their State Department
subpoena? They say it did. Who directed them to do that?
If it was the President, when did he do it -- before he
left for China or after he returned, or what?
MR. GREENER: Jim, I just said I did not discuss
that with the President. I will find out for you.
Q Bill, on the common situs picketing situation,
the President in the past has said that he supports the
idea but we are a little vague on where he S tands on the
bill now. Has that become clarified after his talks with
Secretary Dunlop this morning, and could you tell us where
he stands now?
MR. GREENER: He still has to wait to see the bill.
There are some 15 additional amendments, as I understand it,
that are on the bill, and he needs to see that and see what
effect above and beyond what the President asked for, and
so he did not make any decision on it until he can see it.
Q
But he still supports the principle?
MR. GREENER: As far as I know, yes.
MORE
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Q
Bill, when did Mrs. Smith begin attending
Cabinet meetings? Right after her ascension?
MR. GREENER: Yes, as soon as she became Chairman.
Q
I realize to an extent I am asking you about
prior Administrations, but do you know, by any chance, whether
that had been standard practice in the previous Administrations?
MR. GREENER: I don't know.
Q Bill, as Phil Buchen makes clear in his
letter to Mrs. Schmalzried's complaint to her lawyers, the
Civil Rights Act that was cited by her lawyers does not
apply to the White House, it does not apply to the Hill.
I wonder if the President feels, however, that
the civil rights bans on sex or racial discrimination should
apply, whether there should be a new law whichdoes include
all Federal agencies?
MR. GREENER: To begin with, you would have to
ask the Civil Service Commission, who is the one that
made that ruling, whether or not it applies to the White
House and Congress.
Q No, no, Bill.
MR. GREENER: Let me just finish.
Secondly, the President is against discrimination
of all sorts, as you know, and will not tolerate any
practice of it in the White House or any other place that he
controls, and the question of whether or not he would
propose any additional legislation, I would have to check
with him, John.
Q
If that is the case, why does he not raise
Margita's salary to what Jerry Warren was getting for
doing exactly the same job, whether she is happy or not
with that salary. If you say that he won't tolerate it,
Bill, how can you say this?
MR. GREENER: Very simply. I just did. (Laughter)
Q
Well, that's great.
Q
While you are at it, Mr. Greener, could you
ask him --
MR. GREENER: Les, let me just finish, that she
is happy, as she said, and second of all --
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Q
So were the slaves, Bill. They had rhythm
and so forth. I mean, seriously, this is a principle
above and beyond whether she is happy or not. She is
doing the same job that Jerry Warren did and she is not
getting the same pay. How can you stand up there,
seriously, Bill, and say that the President won't tolerate
it when it is going on right in this press room?
MR. GREENER: It really isn't, Les. I believe
you checked this morning. She actually is making more than
Jerry made.
Q
No, no, no. She said this morning $39,000
is what he made and she is making $37,000. Isn't that
right, Margita.
MRS. WHITE: I did not recall specifically.
Q I did. I wrote it down. Do I have to
tape the phone calls?
MRS. WHITE: I seem to recall it was around
$39,000.
Q
Right. You are making less than that,
aren't you?
MRS. WHITE: I am making almost $38,000.
Q
That is right. That is less, isn't it?
MR. GREENER: I am sorry. I thought it was.
Q
Mr. Greener, on the same subject, could you
ask the President, then, why he golfs at Burning Tree if
he discriminates against women?
MR. GREENER: Yes, I will, Fran.
Q
Bill, in the past few days two chairmen of
regulatory commissions have quit their posts, and at the
same time they have issued letters that were extremely
critical of the way the White House staff handled their
redesignations or nonredesignations. I refer to Mr. Sampson
and Mr. Timm.
Is the President aware of this, and has he made any
effort to directly communicate to these people and tell them
that their services were no longer required? Why did he
allow them to just dangle in the wind this way?
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MR. GREENER: You are expressing that, but let
me just say that on Mr. Timm he has submitted his resig-
nation and it was requested by then the President's
counsel Roderick Hills on behalf of the President. As to
the details --
Q
Did the President communicate directly with
either Mr. Timm or Mr. Sampson?
MR. GREENER: Not to my knowledge. It was done
by the Counsel's Office.
Q
Could I go back to Miss Schmalzried for one
minute?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
Q You said a moment ago the President will not
tolerate discrimination in any form.
MR. GREENER: Thatis correct.
Q Is it his position, then, that there was no
discrimination in the case of Miss Schmalzried?
MR. GREENER: My answer would have to be that since
it is in litigation, I am not going to comment on the case,
Jim.
Q
Bill, I would like to follow through. Didn't
Phil Warden bring her down from the Capitol Hill press corps?
MR. GREENER: Yes.
Q Bill, if I can ask one morequestion on
that picketing bill, are we right in assuming that Mr.
Dunlop reiterated his position that the President should
sign the bill at this meeting this morning?
MR. GREENER: He did not this morning. He simply
went over some of the new amendments with him, and they
didn't make any decision.
Q Bill, may I ask a question. It seems as
though we have not seen the President doing anything by
way of fund-raising or speaking to Republican functions
since before the economic summit conference at Rambouillet,
and that is a good many weeks ago, and we have heard very
little by way of how he thinks his campaign is doing since
then.
Is the President's campaign on the back burner
now as opposed to his Presidential functions? We have not
seen any political activity by the President. You are not
answering any questions about a Gallup Poll this morning.
Is the President's political campaign in a state of eclipse?
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Q
Limbo is what you call it.
MR. GREENER: The President has stated all along
that he plans to campaign on his record, and that is what he
is doing, working in the office as the President. As you
know, with the exception of the one time in Boston, the
remainder of those trips were on behalf of the RNC and the
State committees.
THE PRESS: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
END
(AT 12:18 P.M. EST)
#389
This Copy For
NEWS CONFERENCE
#390
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH BILL GREENER
AT 3:04 P.M. EST
DECEMBER 11, 1975
THURSDAY
MR. GREENER: Let me just give you this much. As
I said, it is not that big an announcement but instead of
walking around and telling you I just thought everyone could
come in.
Senator Mansfield and some other members of the
Senate - by name Senators Muskie, Bellmon, Russell Long and
Carl Curtis - asked to meet with the President today to talk
about the tax cut bill. He has agreed and at their request
will be meeting with them at six o'clock this evening.
That is the sum total of all I have but I just
thought everyone wanted it.
Q
Did they say what their purpose was?
MR. GREENER: They did not.
Q
Will you give us a readout after the meeting
at six p.m.?
MR. GREENER: I have no idea, Phil.
Q
How long, an hour meeting?
MR. GREENER: We have to check on it. I don't know
if there will be a picture or not.
Q
Did they ask for an hour?
MR. GREENER: They just asked to come down and meet
and he is meeting with them.
Q
You did say this is on the tax cut, is that
right?
MR. GREENER: It is on the tax cut. That is what
they asked for.
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Q
And nothing has changed from what you told us
in the briefing this morning?
MR. GREENER: The President's position remains
exactly the same as I stated it this morning.
Q
Did you find out what the weekend plans are,
by the way?
MR. GREENER: I have not.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END
(AT 3:06 P.M. EST)