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Address by Robert Finch: President's Associates Dinner at Occidental College. 18 pages. [Other Document], 2/18/1961
Handwritten list: Sen., Cab., W. H., Gov., Relig., Pres., Cong., Bus., Educ. 1 page. [Other Document], n.d.
Bob Haldeman to Advance Men, re: Article examples of what not to do. 6 pages with attachments. [Memo], 7/20/1960
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Address by Robert Finch: President's Associates Dinner at Occidental College. 18 pages. [Other Document], 2/18/1961
Handwritten list: Sen., Cab., W. H., Gov., Relig., Pres., Cong., Bus., Educ. 1 page. [Other Document], n.d.
Bob Haldeman to Advance Men, re: Article examples of what not to do. 6 pages with attachments. [Memo], 7/20/1960
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
White House Special Files Collection
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Box Number Folder Number Document Date
Document Type
Document Description
46
22
02/18/1961
Other Document
Address by Robert Finch: President's
Associates Dinner at Occidental College. 18
pages.
46
22
n.d.
Other Document
Handwritten list: Sen., Cab., W.H., Gov.,
Relig., Pres., Cong., Bus., Educ. 1 page.
46
22
07/20/1960
Memo
Bob Haldeman to Advance Men, re: Article
examples of what not to do. 6 pages with
attachments.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Page 1 of 1
ADDRESS BY ROBERT FINCH
P.g
PRESIDENTS ASSOCIATES Dinner
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
FEBRUARY 18, 1961
in.
As 1 rather modestly attempt to convey to you what I believe the
lessons of the 1960 presidential campaign should be to each one of us as
citisens, educatiors, business men and the like, it seems to me I should
first lay down one or two ground rules.
this is latally
The first is that with the understanding that there are no press
off the record
present, I am speaking in complete candor with the hope that what my
Dn t mestake conder
remarks may lack in rhetoric they will make up in conviction. for apalogy
Secondly, I will generally attempt to be as objective as possible
although I'm sure it in ofrem
because all of us recognize/that my involvement in this campaign was such
some
that, blas must necessarily be present.
Finally, I must make it clear that I speak only for myself and do
not want any implications raised that 1 am in any way expressing another
person's point of view unless I specifically so label it.
Turning first to what might be termed the anatomy of this campaign.
I should like to take you back with me to December of 1958 to Florida where
Len Hall and I met with Nixon to discuss the 1960 nomination. I ask you to
recall the situation at that time. The Republican Party had just been through
a brutal debacle at the polls and suffered massive losses across the nation.
money
We experienced our own share of it here in California, with which most of
you are painfully familiar. The Eastern press, particularly the New York
Reperblica
Times, was heralding Nelson Rocksfeller as the new White Knight in shining
armor and had written Nixon off for 1960. The Gallup Polls in December of'58
- 2 -
showed Rockefeller leading Nixon as the popular choice for the Republican
nomination. Certainly no political leader in recent history had been so
maligned
thoroughly shot-at and attacked as had Nixon since 1952.
At the conclusion of the 1958 campaign then, these were the raw
political facts. The Democrate outregistered the Republicans 3- 2 across
the country. The Democrate held a 2 - 1 margin in the Senate and House
and in state governorships. To be more specific, in 1958 the Republicans
only had 14 governors, controlled both houses of the state legislature in only
7 states, only had 592 state senators and only 1, 942 state representatives
across the country.
As a matter of interest, it is significant to note that in 1952 the
Republicans had 30 governors as against only 14 in 1958, 26 states with two-
house legislative control in 1952 as against 7 in 1958, 857 state senators in
1952 as against 592 in 1958, and 2,809 state representatives in 1952 as
against 1, 942 in 1958. In 1152, of course, we controlled the House of
Representatives, but in 1958 we had only 153 Republican congressmen. This
was the sad state of the Republican organization and of the Nixon fortunes at
this point in time. And I can say categorically that as 1958 came to a close
Dick Nixon had grievous doubts about whether it was possible for him, or
indeed any Republican, to win in 1960.
I think it worth noting that at this moment when Dick Nixon was still
semalance aja personal
in the throes of his own personal decision and without any organisation, Jack
Kennedy had been moving in an organised fashion for over two years to seek
the goal which he later successfully obtained.
- 3 -
The decision having been made to seek the nomination, a variety of
factors came together in the next year and a half to improve this unfavorable
situation and bring Dick Nixon the Republican nomination.
First and foremost is the result of the manser in which he conducted
himself in office, later of course came the unexpected bonus of the Russian
trip and the Kitchen Debates, and finally the settling of the steel strike, all
of which provided him with a much greater degree of public acceptance and
an improved position in the polls.
A second factor, not appreciated by many observers, was the great
equity Dick had with the working politicos of the country in 1952, 1954, 1956
and 1958 -- when other campaigners of national stature for the GOP were
all too rare.
Finally, there was the undeniably compelling factor that he was the
Vice President in an on-going administration, one heart beat away from the
Presidential office. And for a convention to have repudiated Nixon would
have been for that convention to repudiate the Administration itself.
Looking back, however, upon the various presidential preferential
primaries, I must observe that in retrospect from a staff point of view,
it might have been to Nixon's advantage to have had to contest in party
primaries with opposition as Kennedy did. In other words, after Rockefeller's
withdrawal, we were forced to enter Nixon's name in some 12 primaries where
Dick could not physically campaign in the way that Kennedy had to. Therefore,
without any opposition we had no opportunity to test key campaign personnel on
any scale and develop our team in the heat and tumult of actual campaigns.
now, lets look in a but more detail at some specific criticism
that home been made of the nexin compaign
- 4 -
40
The first, of course, which raises controversy relates the Debates.
Critics state it was a mistake in the first place to have any debates. I
point out that even prior to the conventions the chairmen of both parties
testifying before Congressional committees, had committed themselves to
the principle of "great debates" for the reason that they felt they would be
able to save many millions of dollars of television expense. Strong pressure
had, of course, been generated by the TV networks who felt that these public
service affairs would obscure the payola and giving regging scandals of the previous
year. But beyond this commitment 1 can tell you that in a pell which was
taken in the interlude between the Republican and Democrat conventions
that the established Kennedy-Johnson ticket ran a minimum of 10 points
better than any combination of Nixon-Rockefeller, Nixon-Lodge, or Nixon-
Morton. In other words, those who said, "Why did you agree to debate,
weren't you ahead?" were not aware of the fact that when the decision as
to the debates had to be made, the best data available showed the Republican
ticket substantially behind.
FANT
In my opinion afar criticism of the Debates is not the decision as
to whether they should be held (which in my opinion was unavoidable), but
rather should go to the format which was adopted. In other words, instead
of the give and take of the classical style of debate (which was Nixon's first
instinct) and which would have afforded discussion of the issues in depths,
what was achieved was a kind of glorified "meet the press' but with a limited
In shart deliberately
few minutes for answers. They were designed to entertain; not to inform.
T
. 5 -
my openen
This worked for the benefit of Kennedy who provided glib generalisations
with limited chance to rebut# and since most of the questions by the panel
were specifies there was really no opportunity to discuss basic philosophy.
Finally, it must be recognised that for our ticket to win it was
necessary to get eight to ten million Democratic votes, plus between 55 and
60 per cent of the Independent vote. And certainly despite the television
appearances, we captured almost this requisite number.
The second major tactical decision which was much criticised arese
out of Dick Nixen's acceptance speech declaration in which he stated he would
campaign in all fifty states, and of course he did. The argusment here was
that if be had spent more time in the major industrial states like Illinois,
Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York, that that would have been decisive in
terms of the Electoral College. To this argusment I would point out that the
forces at work in these industrial states -- that is, the big city Democrat
machines, the labor controlled vote and the combination of minority and
economic factors coupled with the weakkess of the Republican organization
were not susceptible to being changed that drastically by Nixon's physical
campaigning. And secondly, that in appearing in all fifty states we established
the Republican Party as a truly national party (making great strides in the
South) and were it not for this fifty state campaign I do not believe that we
would have carried more Congressional Districts and more states than did
Kennedy.
And then there were those who said that Nixon did not "hit hard enough."
I will make the flat allegation that no presidential candidate ever presented the
- 6 -
Republican philosophy more clearly than did Dick Nixon. In checking the
record of the campaign, 1 note that in at least one of his speeches each day
he pointed to the basic cleavage of philosophy between himself and Kennedy.
AND AGAIN his need
He reiterated again, that the wave of the future turned on the individual
8N
to the extent that JFK specific was
American and, unleashing the private sector of our economy and that the
sumed to be greater
the opposition's answer was always.reliance on the Federal Government, and
the return to hany collective approach and conformity.
For example, although they did not receive the attention I thought
they deserved in the press, Nixon, not only in his speeches, but in major
position papers released from time to time during the campaign, made this
point and others on (1) scientific research, (2) education, (3) farm policy,
(v) communism, (5) tax matters, (6) housing and urban renewal and the like.
These were major efforts and many pages in length. and yet 2'll wagor mony
of you had na adearthey were evevrelesed
Finally, we were criticised heavily. particularly by our own Catholic
supporters, for refusing to discuss the religious issue. Here the arguments
ran that Nixon should openly point to the Bailey Memorandum which Kennedy
circulated in 1956 to prove that a Democratic Catholic would get 80 per cent
and ide films
of the Catholic vote in the big cities, AND THAT Dich should POINT
out that Catholics were in effect being "used." Nixon, as a matter of
conviction, refused to do this because he honestly felt that a man's religion
had ao boaring on his capability for the top office of the land. He would never
even allow this to be discussed in strategy sessions, and I do not believe that
had be followed the advice of those supporters that the result would have been
altered.
diclosilosophy. which From 2 STAFF -7- STANDPOINT I KNOW some events campaign over
5Am huBell believes events weighed more neavily in this then
hodge, we Auger had no control hurt bedly Peale, RN'SILLNESS,
These are tactics at What general lessons are there for us as a result of the 1960 presidential
campaign?
I believe, first of all, that the whole system of presidential preferential
primaries in those states where they exist, need to be re-examined. There are
too many disparities in the manner in which elections are held in these several
wise s Oregon
states for the results to be consistently significant. In the final analysis also
orleckofit
individual wealth of the candidates/involved is too great a factor.
Secondly, 1 believe that, in the British pattern, the length of a presidential
campaign should be shortened. I mean by this that we would, of course, have
to legislatively restrict through the use of the media the amount of advertising
and actual radio and television appearance made by the candidates to within
On the besis of my experience, I doubt whether we willsee
specific lates. another 50-57 etc campaign SUCH 25 RNS in our life time.
Thirdly, I believe that all of our media need to examine most carefully
their responsibilities in a national political campaign. For example, our data
never indicated (and certainly the results did not show) that there was ever the
Kennedy landslide 60 blatently predicted in the national periodicals three weeks
prior to the election. More specifically again, I believe it wrong for alleged
political experts in the East to appear on television and radio while the polls
are still open for three hours on the West Coast (and for evea longer periods of
time in Alaska and Hawaii) placing partial returns into an electronic computer
of one national candiciate
over the other
which results in odds at 1,000 - 1 for a Kennedy victory, In other words,
people who were still to vote on the West Coast or in Alaska or Hawaii would
assume from this that either there was no point in voting at all, or if they
planned to vote for Nixon, not go to the polls. or people who wanted to be
- 8 -
"with the winner" would on the basis of those analyses vote for Kennedy when
they might otherwise have voted for Diek Nixon.
Fourthly, nothing could have demonstrated as vigorously as this election
the importance of each individual vote. and the prediums of its beeng intelligency
cast and properly counter
While nearly 69 million votes were cast last November which was 10 million
more votes than in the last election, and for the first time each major party drew
more than 30 million votes, only 66 per cent of the citizens of voting age went
to the polls. Of those who were registered to vote 81. 5 per cent voted. bigimprovement
#The American Heritage Foundation has completed a study of obstacles
which it concludes prevented nearly 20 million persons of voting age from
exercising the franchise. It lists as printical obstacles: state, county and
precinct residence requirements, lack of machinery to count persons confined
to home or hospital by illness or accident, inadequate absentee ballot provisions,
rigged literacy tests, poll taxes and social pressures.
The Foundation calls attention to the mobile population of the United
States, pointing out that 33 million people moved from one location to another
last year. It counts a substantial proportion of these as executives and pro-
fessional people qualified to be responsible voters. Yet in 35 states, there's
a one-year residence law which barred this group from voting eligibility for national office
It seems plain from these statistics that there is more to be done
toward getting out the vote than merely encouraging those whose eligibility is
secure. The machinery of the ballet bax needs medernisation, a problem for eace
of the seneral states to meet."
Beyond this, however, for those who are able to vote, you have very
great discrepancies some deliberate -- in the makeup of the ballot, its
- 9 -
simplicity and understandability in various states. For example there is the
negative ballot in Texas where voters are required to draw lines through the
names of candidates whom they do not want. This results in tremendous
confusion, and many ballots were thrown out or left to the discretion of the
It has been estimated that approximately 10c, 000 paper ballots were unraledaled The
election judges., Many voters did not realize they had to strike all but one
paper
of the five or six names which appeared on the presidential ballot. In this
respect it is interesting to note that where machines were used in Texas
(accounting for approximately fifty per cent of the votes cast in that state)
and this problem was not present Nixon ran 40, 000 votes ahead of Kennedy.
Then there is the question of voting mechanics in each state. For
example, and I would urge Governor Brown's new commission to consider
it seriously, I see no reason why California can not do as many other states
being
do and require that absentee ballots after completed to be mailed to the home
precinct by election day so that they may be counted with the other votes cast
and the results made immediately available. This serves several purposes.
For example, in an election as close as this, the national results could have
white
turned on California alone, and for a solid eight days the absentee ballots
were Being counted, the American people would not have known who the President
Elect was to be. Secondly, it removes the possibility of duplicate balloting
for
and if a person is able to vote physically the inspector at the election board
can simply remove the mailed ballot, if the voter has chosen to exercise his
vote in person.
Then there
Miere is the question of fraud and outright irregularities at the
polls, which deprive the citizen of the hones + count once he has properly cast
AN
HORS vote
- 10 -
For example, in Chicago, 2nd Ward, 50th Precinct, where there were 22
legitimate resident voters, there were 82 applications for ballots, and 77
actual votes cast. Or in Precinct 27, Angelia County, Texas, there were
86 voters who actually turned out and yet the supervisor turned in a total
of 171 votescast: 147 for Kennedy-Johnson; 24 for Nizon-Lodge. Or to
broaden it a little bit Fannin County, Texas went to Kennedy-Johnson by
3- - 1. They recorded 6. 138 total votes cast and it so happened that there
were only 4, 895 eligible voters according to the rolls.
- Excerpt A
I am not hereby suggesting that the kind of fraud for which indict-
ments were issued in Chicago is exclusively the province of the Democratic
Party. I am saying that because of the weakness of the Republican Party
in the big cities of Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago and the total control of
those cities by one party, grave dangers exist as to an honest count in any
election. This was certainly true when the Republicans controlled Philadelphia FOR
EXAMPLE.,
an aroused citizenry and
The only way to prevent fraud is before election day and this means, vigorous
party organizations on both sides of the street with every poll manned.
Finally, we come to the question of the popular vote once cast and
counted resulting in the Presidency being conferred on the man receiving
the most votes. In other words, the problem of the Electoral College.
Electoral Chilege
Officially, history will record that 26 states voted for Nixon; 22 states voted
Byrd.
for Kennedy and 2 states voted for Blrd. Now, of course, Bird's name never
him
appeared on the ballot in the 2 states recorded for Bird. For that matter,
neither Nixon's or Kennedy's name appear on the ballot. But the weakness
Excerpt A
The techniques used though are ordinarily a lot harder to detect. They fall
into several broad categories: chain balloting, ghost election boards, vote
buying, rigged election machines, voting of transients, voting in the name
of the dead, disqualification of valid voters, qualification of invalid voters,
falsification of voters' affidavits, failure to count abasentee ballots.
- II -
of the Electoral College is not simply that the electors of each state have
no legal compulsion to vote in the College as their states voted in the popular
we can get beyond
being
winner like all way
count. It is rather that until each state's votes are counted in Like mainer,
you do not encourage the development of real two-party strength in all the
states of the nation. It is for this reason that I favor the Coudert Proposal
which would be that the Electoral vote would be cast proporionalito the popular wrnning
vote in each Congressional District. This would encourage real two-party
development. For example, in the South where at the present time many
people refuse to vote because they assume the Democrate will carry the state,
it would create the desire to strenghts then party organization at the grass roots
level. I am sure that my opinion is influenced somewhat by the fact that if
this system had been in effect last November, Nixon by virtue of having
carried more Congressional Districts than Kennedy, would have been
inaugurated in January.
So much for the campaign. There is, of course, a great deal more
which can be said about the election, and I will be happy to answer questions
on any of those point or others following the formal part of my remarks.
1 will only conclude by saying that in any election where there is only
a percentage difference of 1/5 of 1 per cent in 69 million votes cast, and where
in 3 states
a total of 15,000 popular votes would have completely reversed the Electoral
College result, it is obviously easy to point to one of the many factors which
and for each person to home as pet theory as to
would have affected the final result. why we lost
Let us attempt to consider for a moment what this election signifies
eeonomee
by way of the present private political philosophy of the American voter.
- 12 .
49.9
Nixon, essentially an economic conservative, polled 4919 per cent of
the two-party vote against an opponent running on a liberal, bigger govern-
ment platform. According to the Gallup Poll, Nixon received 94 per cent of
the Republican vote, 56 per cent of the Independent vote and 15 per cent at
the Democratic vote. In my optains, this means that on the basic question
of our economy
of developing the private sector as against government welfarism, the
American voter, despite sluggish business and unemployment over the 6 per
cent mark, haraly handily provided a mandate to massive government spending. This
national
is true in housing, minimum wage and all facets of the federal economy.
I must since 19's say parentretically RN'S RACE that if as Rayburn indeed saysue are in the warst depression
Secondly, the polls indicated that the personality projected by the
two presidential candidates provided ao sweeping advantage to either, for
it wis generally feet that
while Kennedy was the more photogenic and possessed the most political
"
of the women's note
sex appeal, the Gallup Poll gave Nixon 51 per cent, and gave kennedy only
49 per cent.
Another conclusion reached by the Callup organisation was despite
the extensive use of television and other mass media, relatively few voters
were pried loose from their original convictions about the candidates. A
nationwide panel of voters interviewed by the Gallup organization at five
different stages of the Presidential campaign showed only A 1 per cent change
In other words, inhile2010
in the candidates standing from August to the election.
future of the party
But what does this election show visa vis the, Republican organisation?
Republicans can loke
Lthink we can take enowmous pride in the fact that Dick Nixon carried 228
Congressional Districts, as against 206 Congressional Districts for Kennedy,
and that in the course of this campaign we picked up a net of two governors,
- 13 -
7 more states in which we control both houses of the state legislature, and
300
almost 30 state senators, and better than 380 state representatives. In the
House we picked up a net gain of 21 representatives.
What those figures and the almost 200, 000 letters which Dick Nixon
has received since the election (more, in fact, according to the Senate Post
Office than has President Kennedy) tell us is that the Republican Party of
ofendividual responsibility
today is ideologically strong and virile: that its basic philosophy, appeals to
perhaps a slight
the majority of the American people.
The problem of the Republican Party today is that organizationally
its muscles are flabby. As a matter of fact it can be said fairly of both
political parties that they have been almost killed by "over hatching" and
"over civil servicing." Responsible patronage and responsible organization
which used to excite good young people to go into politics 1s now almost
totally absent. The Democratic Pary has solved its organizational problem
by turning those matters over to the Labor Unions. But we Republicans
must unfortunately rely on the excitement of election day to bring out the
volumtaers and on a narrow base of financing.
as to loke future of the Demo party, 2 can only observe elements that cogene halding deverse
And in commenting on the present weakensees of our Party, I must
observe that I am sorely distressed at what appears to be a lack of construe-
tively critical comment as well as tactical comment on the part of Repub-
licans since the oaset of the Kennedy Administration, Certainly the Democrate
in the early days and weeks of the Eisenhower Administration let not a day go
by without Mtter comments upon the cabinet of "big business" or supposed
conflicts of interest, or nit-picking at the slitghest disparity between the
platform of the Republicans and their performance.
- 14 -
Certainly an appropriate subject for comment, whether based on
ideological or purely moral considerations, is the diffence between what
Kennedy's platform set forth, what he said during the course of the campaign,
and his performance to date.
For example, probably no two subjects were more thoroughly discussed
by Kennedy and Nixon in this past campaign than the areas of our nation's
economy and defense visa vis the Soviet Union. Isn't it worthy of comment
that the two men selected to head these vital offices (both nominal Republicans)
have earlier stated views on a whole variety of subjects completely at variance
with the Democratic platform adopted in Los Angeles? More recently. how
much real concern has there been about the morality of Kennedy repeating
again and again as a fact during the course of the campaign that there was a
missile gap, as against McNamara's report that there is no missile gap.
The few voices raised with respect to the selection of Bobby Kennedy
seemed to be chiefly concerned with the fact that a President for the first
time was appointing a brother to the cabinet, not on the more realistic
or important grounds of whether Bobby Kennedy was legally competent to
head the chief law enforee ment agency of the Federal Government. Or,
more importantly, whether he would avoid using those vital offices in a
partisan way. Certainly some question should have been raised with respect
to whether be would act as Attorney General regarding individual civil
liberties and legal processes in the same way that he acted when he was
counsel to the Committee on Government Operations.
- 15 -
What kind of morality is it that on the one hand talks about employers
needing to take drastic steps to curb the dollar flow and, on the other hand,
urges a higher minimum wage which only adds to the labor costs and further
drives American enterprise abroad.
the
What kind of morality is it that calls for increased discipline on, one
hand and massive Federal hand-outs on the other?
Where is the responsible criticism, whose voice has been raised
to ask, for example, about the half-million-dollar-plus "back pay" that Defense
one of the largest
Secretary McNamara is to receive from The Ford Motor Company over the
next five years?
There is no secret about this all the facts have been published and
documented -- and my point is not, for one moment, that either Secretary
McNamara or Ford is "up to" anything. But surely the contrast with
Democratic treatment of at least one of Mr. McNamara's predecessors is
startling - and surely we Republicans ought to keep close tabs on such
affairs. Indeed: not only ought to; we have a public responsibility to do so.
Of one thing we can be certain. Unlike the Eisenhower Administration,
the Kennedy Administration will couch every move with an eye toward its
political effect. Interier Secretary Stewart Udall makes no bones of his
intention to use public works proposals as a tool to pressure congressmen
into supporting the Kennedy Administration's legislative program. Udall was
specifically just ad as saying that he saw nothing improper in the role he
played in urging various Western representatives to vote for an expansion
of the House Rules Committee to open what might have been a bottleneck in
- 16 -
getting Administration bills to the House Floor for a vote. I am net
criticizing this technique. I am merely saying that with the Kennedy Admin-
istration acting in such an intensely partisan climate, there must inevitably
come a counter-reaction with partisan comment from the Republicans, and
that this should be accountably constructive. It should be continuing, and it
should come from the grass roots up. And, the sooner all of us get at it, the
better
I have covered a great deal of ground here in far too short a time.
I have attempted to apply some broad brush strokes to terribly complex
problems. But in the final analysis, all of what I have been saying, solutions
to the problems I have raised, comes down to individual action, individual
responsibility, and individual dedication.
La closing I should like to borrow several quotations with the
one is
observation that to me these lines come closer to why 300 are in politics
one
and how we should pursue politics than any I have ever seen.
=
It was Jun Farley who said, In the final aualysis, the politician has
nothing to offer but his word. If he tells the truth and keeps his word, he
gains the devotion of his friends and the respect of his enemies ...
The
passing of one's word is the execution of a sacred bond -- and the fulfillment
"
of that bond is the hallmark of a great politician.
Second: & He said " He who chooses politics as & career will have
the experience of ages to guide him in reaching for higher, if unattainable,
goals. In extending his grasp, he may give his name to an age where it
may shine brightly for all time. For those to whom such fame is demed,
- 17 -
there is comfort in knowing that we are providing experience to be drawn
upon by those to come. We are the progenitors of the perfect rulers of
the future, men in whom thought and action are delicately balanced and
from whose rule political blessings will flow.
Finally, I would like to quote from one of my favorite political
authors of whom I am sure you have never heard. His name is Andrew
Oliver. He lived in the American colonies at the time of the Revolution,
and he held many public offices. He was not only active politically, be
was the father of 17 children.
He said "Politics is the most hazardous of all professions.
There is not another in which a man can hope to do so much good to his
fellow creatures neither is there any in which he may do more widespread
harm -- nor is there another in which he may so easily lose his own soul --
nor is there another in which a positive and strict veracity is 80 difficult.
But danger is the inseparable companion of honor. With all the temptations
and degredations that beset it, politics is still the noblest career that any
man can choose."
Dich Nexan believe this, 2 believe this and 2 treat you
and your cheldren well believe it log.
Pj 2/18/61 Final Draft
Sen
lab
W.H.
Gov
Relig
Pees
Duksen
Seaton
Hange
Dockefeller
Maham
Eisenhower
morton
Rogers
Harlow
Hatfield
coldwater
Fodge
Persons
underwood
spellman
Hover
Bush
temming
sugesty
Stratton
mokay
Kennedy
Bridges
miet E.
Hardley
warren
Kuchel
Drain
Bus
Cauc
Fong
Cong
Quinn
AHP
Scott
GE
Sawrence prove loll
Byrnes
Kealing
Hind
JWT
alleck
Mc Donned
Hesbingt foyce
BOB HALDEMAN
fairts
Bell
Douglas
Bagwell
Roussellot
Flamigan
Kaplan
Wilson
lislia
miller
Taber
Mortimer
Dipscomb
Farmon
stark AMI
July 20, 1960
MEMORANDUM
TO: Advance Men
FROM: Bob Haldeman
The attached copies of articles which have appeared recently or a while
back is the press are sent on to you as classic examples of what not to de
and as examples of what can happen If you de get too much stuff out ahead
of time.
The Kennedy article from Les Angeles shows what will happen If a local
guy is cornered by the press and "spills the beans".
The Nixes story from Chicago is pretty much the same.
The earlier Ninon story from San Francisco shows what will happen If a
couple of our people get to talking in front of the press, or in a public area
where the press can overhear them and emphasises the need again for carrying
on year discussions in private somewhere.
P.S. The enclosed photograph in the Indian headdress is another horrible
example of what to avoid. Don't let plans be made for anything which will
trap the Vice President into gag photos such as this.
Hoppe in Wonderland
Be Spontaneous--
Ready, Set, Go!
By Art Hoppe
SOME 250 to people hurried down to the airport yes,
say hello to Vice President Nixon. Most
arrived just in time to say good-by.
It was all due to ice in Chicago. Mr. Nixon was
scheduled to arrive here at 12:15 p. m. by a United
jet airliner from Washington to board a charted
plane for Sacramento,
His trip to the Winter Olym-
pics is officially "nonpolitical" and
thus any favorable demonstra-
tions at the airport would have to
be "spontaneous." As everybody
knows, there's nothing in politics
that requires more weeks of care-
ful planning than a spontaneous
demonstration.
Five spontaneous busloads of
Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, assorted students, the Palo
Alto High School band and various Young Republi-
cans bearing placards were scheduled to show up at
noon in a complex problem of logistics.
AT, a. m., local Republican leaders received the
word that Mr. Nixon's jet had skipped a stop in
Chicago because of ley runways and would arrive
here at 11:15 a. m., a full hour early. Consternation.
It was far too late to rearrange the spontane-
ous demonstration. Furthermore, a second sponta-
neous demonstration for his arrival in Sacramento
wouldn't be ready until 1:20 p.m.
"Couldn't United fly lazy S's over Kansas?" sug-
gested one local aide, thoughtfully tearing out his
hair. United couldn't.
"He's just going to have to wait here until
12:15," said another, "or he'll throw the whole
Itinerary out of kilter for the next three days."
At 11:15 a. m. Mr. Nixon stepped off the plane
and co-operatively agreed to the delay. He was
tucked away out of sight in a lounge at the far end:
of Concourse B with Mrs. Nixon, his assistants and
five telephones.
An hour dragged by. The crowd spontaneously
gathered behind a roped-off area at one end of the
tarmac. Republican leaders, who had belatedly got
the word of the early arrival, hustled up to Come
course B for huddles.
AT 12:20 Mr. and Mrs. Nixon descended the stairs
to the tarmac. The band struck up "Entrance
of the Gladiators." A score of placards waved mes-
sages ranging from "We R 4 U Dick" to "Welcome
Mr. Nixon, Den 4, Pack 63, Daly City Cub Scouts."
A Boy Scout spontaneously presented Mrs.
Nixon with a bouquet of roses and Mr. Nixon proved
himself an able campaigner, shaking hands, making
friendly jokes and signing autographs.
In contrast to the flock of Democratic candi-
dates who flew through these parts last week look-
ing dour, dedicated and determined, Mr. Nixon ap-
peared relaxed and genial-just as though he didn't
hate anyone, which presumably he won't until after
the Democratic Convention in July.
After 30 minutes of this, Mr. and Mrs. Nixon and
the flock of aides boarded the charter plane and
flew off to Sacramento where the spontaneous dem-
onstration went off right on schedule, the way a
proper spontaneous demonstration should.
Tremendous Welcome
vans, they III be inflated by
machines.
The danger of sabotage, as
the Kennedy people see It, will
Geared Up for Kennedy
come when the inflated bal-
loons are carried from the vans
into the arens Itself.
By GRACE BASSETT
Also packed in boxes at vol-
Diar Staff Writer
unteer headquarters and not to
LOS ANGELES, July 8.-Behind the public "the-people-
be opened until the nomination
will-come-to-us" confidence at Kennedy headquarters here are
are packets full of noisemakers.
thousands of volunteers quietly going out after the people.
Reed Enterprises has painted
These silent workers hope to swell to 100,000 the crowd to cheer
hundreds of eight foot poles for
their candidate to town. He is due to arrive at 12:30 p.m.
Kennedy posters red. white and
tomorrow.
blue. In preparation. too, are
The word being used for this signatic planned welcome is
150 triangular Kennedy ban-
"spontaneous" smong the Idea
nera, 80 State posters of white
men for the Massachusetts Sen-
furnished lista of all party
cardboard to be hoisted by
stor. The turnout, the shouts,
members. Kennedy partisans
Kennedy delegates.
the bands and the banners
divided up the names. Each
There are six giant roll-down
simply will be proof of the
worker dialed five other Dem-
signs, presumably to be released
gram-roots popularity of the
ocrats and asked each of the
from the balconies around the
front runner, they say.
five to call five more,
glant domed roof of the arena.
But both paid and unpaid
When Benator Kennedy steps
Kennedy men report they're
workers are sweating behind
off his plant he'll be greeted by
getting new ideas every day for
the scenes over the arrange-
A small contingent, including
the demonstration. Their major
ments for the "spontaneous"
some 30 "Kennedy girls," most-
aim is to draw spectators into
welcome.
ly college students, decked out
the play begun by delegates on
in chic red, white and blue
the floor. They Instat they can't
Kennedy clubs all over the
dresses, white shoes, white
estimate the cost. The men
Los Angeles area are going all
gloves and white chokers and
being paid agree with that.
out to make sure that the Ben-
straw hats with bright blue
ator's greeting is a big one.
natin ribbons. A California
And Alan Reed Enterprises, a
dressmaker designed the out-
Hollywood advertising and gift
fits.
firm which has also been hired
Then, the Senator will head
to help stage a massive demon-
toward the mob expected to
stration in the Sports Arena on
jam past capacity a parking
Wednesday, when Senator Kon-
lot reserved for welcoming
nedy is offered for the party
crowds.
nomination is providing pro-
In Open Car
fessional assistance.
Of the arena demonstration,
He doesn't plan a speech.
Mr. Reed, an ex-actor, prom-
He'll answer reporters' ques-
tions. And he plans to ride in
Ises: "I can tell you that It will
an open car at the head of a
be like New Year's eve in
caravan routed the length of
spades." And the airport wel-
Wilshire boulevard to the Bilt-
come promises to be just about
more Hotel, headsuarters for
the same.
the convention.
For some days, Mr. Reed has
The 100,000 rooters are ex-
been sending banners, posters
pected to line the boulevard all
and noisemakers to two vol-
the way to the hotel, with more
unteer offlces tucked away
to cheer him across the side-
some two miles from the plush
walk and in the lobby.
front offices for Kennedy at the
The Kennedy headquarters is
Biltmore Hotel. They'll be used
cagy about preparations for the
at the airport and in the arena.
nomination display at conven-
In preparation for tomorrow's
tion hall next week. Mainly,
welcome, some 200 drivers were
Kennedy workers are afraid
to pick up thousands of hand-
over-zealous Stevenson sup-
bills at one of the volunteer of-
fices at dawn today. The fliers,
porters might ruin plans If
announcing the time and place
they could find out about them.
of Senator Kennedy's arrival,
What the Kennedy camp
were to be handed to factory
hopes the Stevenson camp
workers as they checked in at
doesn't find out is that bal-
plants all over the metropolitan
loons are the key to the demon-
stration.
area.
This technique was designed
Forty-five hundred ballons,
to draw a lot of workers and
some a foot in diameter, some
their families to the Kennedy
five feet and some snake-
reception, which will be on
shaped rocket balloons, are in
most workers' day off.
storage at Mr. Reed's place.
For a week, chain telephone
They will be apirited down
calls by volunteers have spread
to the grounda of the Sports
the word that the Senator
Arena probably on Wednesday,
would come to the convenion
the day Benator Kennedy's
city Saturday. The Democratic
name is placed before the con-
National and State Committees
vention. There, Inside to closed
Meanwhile, Back in Chicago
GOP Has Big Plans Afoot
Huge, 'Spontaneous' Program
another when he debarks from
coach in front of the Conrad
a helicopter at Meigs field.
Hilton hotel.
For Nixon Is All Set to Roar.
"We expect a. half-million
Jones said the locations and
people to show up at the Sher-
times for many of the events
aton-Blackstone hotel, where
are still indefinite.
Republicans already have a few things lined up for #
he will go by motorcade."
"spontaneous" demonstration when Richard M. Nixon's name
Jones said.
OTHER GOP convention
is placed in nomination in the International Amphitheatre.
planners are preparing an en-
They Include a team of acro-
thusiastic reception for Presi-
bats who will bounce on a
ter ski show on the Chicago
SCATTERED throu
dent Eisenhower when he at-
the downtown hotels will be
river.
tends the conclave in its sec-
trampoline doing flips for
girls In old-fashioned bathing
"We may switch to Lake
ond and third days July 26-27.
Nixon.
suits, handing out badges and
Michigan because we're having
William Bentschler, head-
Five bands will be standing
pins.
trouble getting skiers to per-
Ing the committee In charge
by to provide muale.
form in the river," Jones said.
A band concert at Bucking-
of Ike's welcome, said the
Seventy - Iive drum major-
ham fountain will be held at
Later in the day there will
President will arrive at
ettes. "The Young Republican
8 p.m. Monday followed by a
be a parade of antique cars.
O'Hare airport at 11:30 a.m.
torchlight parade through the
Lassles," will lead the tradi-
While the show is starting in
July 26 and at Meigs field
Loop to the Sheraton-Black.
about an hour later. A Presi-
tional tom-tow and placard
Chicago, an Abe Lincoln mo-
stone hotel.
dential motorcade through
march.
torcade will be getting under
"We'll have at least 500
the Loop will be held If the
And an army of men on
way in Springfield.
torches," said Jones.
It will make stops in Lin.
President in willing.
stilts will be towering above
coin, Bloomington, Pontise and
AL p.m. Wednesday, July
The President will address
the rest of the marchers.
Oak Park before winding up
*27, a band of Indians Is
the convention the night of
with a rally Saturday, July 23,
scheduled to attack a stage
July 26.
"FROM THEN ON." said
at the Sherman hotel.
Barney Jones, who makes the
demonstration plans for the
ALSO SCHEDULED for Sat-
entire GOP convention. "the
urday is a sports car parade
people on the floor will take
and 8. clown show at State and
over."
Randolph.
Jones of River Forest is In
Another parade with 10
charge of putting together A
bands, marching units, and an
week of entertainment here
elephant will be held Sunday,
that is a brew of the best of a
July 24.
circus, a state fair, New Year's
The biggest event Monday,
Eve. and Disneyland.
July 25, will be the arrival
of Vice-President Nixon.
Just to provide musle, he
has more than 20 bands
He'll be welcomed by one
lined up.
band at O'Hare field, and
There is going to be a water
ski show, an elephant. cowboys
and Indians, beautiful girls,
and parades, parades, and
parades.
THE FESTIVITIES will be
gin Friday, July 22. with & wa-
UPI TELEPHOTO
VICE PRESIDENT IN INDIAN HEADDRESS AT MINOT, N.D.
Carl Whitman, Indian from Fort Berthold reservation, made presentation
Chris -
Kennedy's Advance Man
S.A EXPRESS 9-8-60
my file
Didn't Want LBJ Along
By JAMES MeCRORY
ward-haeling, machine politician
The advance man for Democrat-
with the air of revalty dealing
is Presidential Candidate John
with persents.'
Kennody's San Antonio visit dida't
Distikes Criticina
favor Vice-Presidential Nominee
Present at the first party also
Lyndon Johnson's accompanying
were Dist. Atty, and Mrs. Charles
Kennedy on his Texas tour
Lieck
Paul Reddam, 14 years with the
At the Voigt dinner resainn, Dick
Massachusetts' sensior and him
Meskill, editor of the Alame Reg-
self out of Boston, believes Konne-
ister, Bill Sinkin, and two teache
dy muld do as well or better go
try were present.
The guests report Reddam does
ing if nine.
our take too well to constructive
Endomn revealed his appoalition
criticism of the boxe, and his I'M
to Johnson's presence on the trip
action coming wrapped in * Bose
at # dinner party earlier this week
ton accent, rubbed them wrong.
given by Mrs. Kathleen Vongi, AL
Reddam actually tried to avoid
conversation on policy matters,
that party, which broke up early
out when he's the candidate's per.
after several differences of opin-
sonal advance agent, the subject's
los Reddam said he had been
bound to come up.
over-ruled by party strategists.
Apparently the subject came
If Kennedy alights from his
up too much at the Bernard
Conver plane at International Air-
Voigt soirces. Maverick, who Die
port Monday for his two-hour, five
oted Reddam to the first party,
minute appearance in the Ala m 0
and Meskill, who brought him to
City armed with * machine-gun,
the second, took him back to his
It will probably be on Reddam's
hotel " won as the amenities as
advice.
owed.
Rough Encounters
Services Not Wanted
There's no question Reddam has
The major crisis at the dinner
had some rough encounters in the
party apparently developed over
short time he has been in San
the plaint of same of the liberal
Antonio doing the spade work for
Democrats that their services
Kennedy's stop.
weren't being unliked by the
The night before his experience
county party machinery. Reddam
with Mrs. Voigt be had been -
noted the county hadn's carried for
posed to another highly volatile
the Democrane nominee in 1952
Desar County woman Democrat,
and 1956, and the diners por the
Mrs. Mae Tuggle
duffinct impression their services
After his abruptly ended thret-
were not only not needed-Chay
Ing with the two women, Red-
weren't wanted
dem refully confided in Maury
Another Kennedy advance man,
Mave ck. who brought him to the
Bill Stinson is working complete-
First party at the home of Atty,
ly independent of Reddam Stin-
Herschel Bernard:
snn, working exit of the Auxtin
"I thought Mrs Tuggle was
headquarters, is a Johnson man
rough on me, but by comparison
who amaigamated when Kennedy
with Mrs. Voigt she's like my
won the nomination. It's no secret
nainted mother."
he still prefers Johnson.
Admittedly: Mrs. Tuggle was
Maverick. who has been squir-
easter on Redidam than was Mrs.
ing Reddam ABOVE town and down
Voigt. Where Mrs Tuggle re-
in the bonder denies the per-
strained her comments to the opin-
Matent report that Reddam. after
lon Reddam was doing Republican
the reception be received from
Presidential Nominee Richard
Materick's friends, begged im
Nixm more good than Kennedy,
not to introduce the to any of his
Mrs. Voigt termed him a "two-bit,
commies