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7346059
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Pool report #5
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document
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1
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7346059
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document
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Pool report #5
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7346059
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6
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1976-10-06
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10
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1976
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Digitized from Box 32 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidentia Library
October 6, 1976
POOL REPORT #5
The President emerged from the Sutro residence at about 11:30 a. m.,
P.D.T., for the trip to check lighting and microphones at-the Palace
of Fine Arts. A group of about 20 pre-school and kindergarten children
were ushered from across the street to greet the President before he
departed. He chatted with them briefly, shook a few hands, and waved
to the small crowd across the street.
He arrived at the Palace of Fine Arts at 11:43 a. m., PDT, after a short
drive through the Presidio to get there. He immediately went inside
through a stage entrance. About 15 minutes later, pool newsmen and
photographers were allowed in. The President was standing behind his
podium, facing the desk where the questioners and moderator will sit.
Those chairs were now occupied by Ford staffers including Nessen and
Mike Duval.
Ford told reporters and technicians on the stage that "it's getting lik. old
stuff, and that he "feels very comfortable there.
The President exited the Palace at 12:15 p.m., PDT, and stopped for an
impromptu news conference with reporters.
He was asked to answer a charge made by Jimmy Carter during his visit
to the Palace earlier, that Ford showed insensitivity about blacks for not
apologizing for the Earl Butz affair and that it was a legitimate issue for
the foreign policy debate.
Ford said, "that it seems to me thatGovernor Carter ought to think back
to his comment about ethnic purity, which was interpreted to be a slur
against blacks and his subsequent apology, so I don't think his record is
clear itself." Ford added that he thinks 'we took the appropriate action
in the way we handled the Butz matter. Ford reminded newsmen that
Butz did apologize and was reprimanded by him.
He was asked to respond to another Carter statement to the effect that
both Ford and Carter would be debating a.s equals tonight. Ford said,
'I'll let the American people decide that."
Ford disagreed with aides who said the President would be participating
in the foreign affairs debates with added constraints because foreign
leaders will be interpreting Ford statements as U.S. policy. Ford said,
"I'll speak very frankly, I believe that a President under these circum-
stances whose got 3. good record can speak forthrightly, straightforwardly,
and frankly and I intend to do so." He added, I don't see any" constraints.
In a response to a question, Ford told reporters to "listen carefully"
when asked if he planned any surprise foreign policy announcements
tonight.
Asked if he intended to be more aggressive in toni ght's debate, Ford
advised, "we'll wait and see."
(MORE)
21
- 2 -
On the Mayaguez GAO Report, Ford asserted "It's always very easy
for someone 18 months after a very critical issue has taken place, to
write a report. Of course, none of those johnny-come-lately, Monday
morning critics were there when the incident happened. so they didn't
have to make the minute-by-minute decisions. I can! help but feel that
the issuance of that report at this time, is nother example of partisan
politics. 11 He continued "I don't believe the American people will believe
somebody, who in the luxury of 18 months afterwards, can sit back and
write a repart. I think they' 11 believe the President, who was there and
had to make the tough decisios on an incident that was important to the
American for gn policy.
Ford was asked how he assessed the significance of tonight's debate in his
overall campaign. He said "they're all very very important and I look
at this one as important and I look at the one on the 22nd as important."
He left the Palace area at about 12:23 p. m, for the trip back to the Sutro
residence via the Presidio road again. Awaiting him at the residence
on the sidewalk, was Silas McGee (spelling? ), who is said by aides to be
an old football teammate of Ford's from high school. Ford then returned
inside.
Knoller - AP Radio
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