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This file contains:
From Buchanan to RN RE: approach to John Lindsay. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/12/1971
From Buchanan to Haldeman RE: conservatives. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/11/1971
From Buchanan to Haldeman (cc: Colson) RE: Edith Efron. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/9/1971
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26144206
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WHSF: Contested, 1-7
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This file contains:
From Buchanan to RN RE: approach to John Lindsay. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/12/1971
From Buchanan to Haldeman RE: conservatives. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/11/1971
From Buchanan to Haldeman (cc: Colson) RE: Edith Efron. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/9/1971
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Contested Materials Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
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1
7
8/12/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Buchanan to RN RE: approach to John
Lindsay. 2 pgs.
1
7
8/11/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Buchanan to Haldeman RE:
conservatives. 1 pg.
1
7
8/9/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Buchanan to Haldeman (cc: Colson)
RE: Edith Efron. 1 pg.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Page 1 of 1
[ Item N-1]
August 12, 1971.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
PAT BUCHANAN
Clearly, the approach to John Lindsay, on the part of Republicans,
should be mockery and ridicule and humor in answer to his
candidacy or his attacks.
Here is an individual who has presided over the utter collapse of
America's greatest city :- now presuming to offer us the same for
the greatest nation in the world.
New York's problems should be tied to Lindsay in all "deep back-
grounders" by Presidential aides; we should laugh about the
ridiculousness of his position; we should portray him as the candi-
date of charisma and incompetence.
Lindsay is getting out of New York before it's taken into receiver-
ship. Rockefeller should use this line, Reagan, our people on the
Hill (like Buckley), and others, in interviews, to attempt to make
a laughing stock out of him. Paul Keys might well have some first-
rate joke ideas about the Lindsay candidacy -- connecting it always
with the horrible mess that exists in New York. As one writer put
it, in the pick-up softball games in Central Park, you can't get
anybody to play center field for fear of getting mugged.
He is the Candidate of Broadway taking the Lindsay Show on the
road; Mr. Swinger; we should portray him as the utter antithesis
of the Common Man. Hopefully, however, his candidacy will
polarize the Democrats and produce some drive for a Fourth Party.
Interesting to note, however, is that if Lindsay is a hardnosed realist
-- rather than a softhead -- he might well stay in his party and fight
for the Democratic candidate to assure his own station in the
Democratic party for a statewide run in 1974. At present he cannot,
in my view, conceivably win his party's nomination, but he may be
-2-
able to derail Muskie in the late primaries; he creates a real problem
for Edward M. Kennedy, who has now a credible challenger for the
leftwing banner in the Democratic party, and he offers some attractions
as a Vice Presidential candidate.
[ Item N-3]
August 11, 1971.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
PATRICK BUCHANAN
SUBJECT:
Conservatives
The President has already heard from me at length on the subject
of the conservatives; I am sure anything more brought to his
attention is redundant. However, as per your memo of yesterday,
the Kissinger meeting is on the track (see attached). Don't worry;
if it is about to abort, I will be in touch. Incidentally, the meeting
was set up in concert with both Senator Buckley and the Attorney
General.
In talking with Jim Buckley, he emphasized that the President
should not only have these private briefings to make contact with
conservative leaders andspokesmen, but that some signals have to
go out to the grass roots, the shock troops, where there is real
confusion and doubt. He emphasized that the rank-and-file --
as well as the leadership -- of the right needs assurance. Am
sure he wanted this passed along.
Note: Senator Murphy's man contacted me; the Senator wants to
help with the conservatives; I told them I would get together for
lunch next week but my view is that Murphy's offer can better
be taken up by the Congressional people, as I have good enough
lines to the organizational and intellectual right, but none to the
right on the Hill, where Murphy might be of assistance.
Note, also: Scoop Jackson has clearly seen the opening on the
President's right; thus he is running as a "law and order liberal"
and his differential from other Democrats won him the massive
publicity he got this morning. He is clearly going for the "Agnew
constituency" if you will -- and Meany's denunciation of RN's China
policy as (a) a stunt and (b) a kow-towing to the Communists is aimed
at any new friends the President may have won among Catholics,
hard-hats, anti-Communist Democrats.
-4-
The criticism of the President by the Texas Republican Party --
noted also this morning -- following Tower's attack is a serious
sign that, following the break of the so-called Manhattan Eleven,
Republicans on the right are beginning to think there is political
mileage in moving openly away from the President.
We are liable to begin to get here the kind of rolling up of the
President's right -- similar to what happened in October of 1969
when, two months after RN's high point, he had the entire left on
his neck. For what it is worth.
[ Item
August 9, 1971.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN (ec: C. Colson)
FROM:
PATRICK BUCHANAN
SUBJECT:
Edith Efron
Personally, Miss Efron's credentials are unimpeachable. Jewish,
a graduate of Barnard in 1942, and the Columbia Graduate School
of Journalism in 1944, she was on the staff of the New York Times
Magazine from 1944-46; from 1946 to 1952 she served as Life and
Time string er in Central America, writing articles for Life
operating out of Port Au Prince and in the Dominican Republic.
She has been married twice, once to a Haitian; she has a child with
Negro blood. From 1953 to 1955 she was managing editor of the
special editorial department of Look Magazine. In 1966 she was
Mike Wallace's partner in writing his syndicated column; then
worked with Wallace on his television program in 1958. From 1960
to today, she has been with TV Guide.
She was megistered as a Democrat at one time, then as a Republican --
but a few years ago she re-registered as a New York Conservative.
The foundation which funded her is an anti-Communist Foundation with
William F. Buckley the head figure, and others such as Neil Freeman
of King Features on the board with Lawrence Fertig, the Conservative
economist, and Ruth Matthews, the wife of J. B. Matthews. The
foundation is the New York Historical Research Foundation.
To break all connection with politics and the White House, PJB
endorsement of the book was taken off the cover -- there are no
links other than phone from PJB to Efron between us right now.
She told me that those phoning her have yet to go after the foundation
link; but they are likely to do so.
We agreed in conversation that the fewer links with the White House,
or politicians, the better for the book's credibility and its sales. She
told me the first copies should be off the presses by the end of this
month, for review; and she will send me one. She is most interested
in our interest.