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From Chapin for the Convention File RE: broadening the Republican Party. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/11/1972
Second page of a document RE: Democratic Convention. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], no date
Copy of a memo from Len Garment to Chapin RE: Democratic Convention. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], no date
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26144442
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WHSF: Contested, 2-60
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This file contains:
From Chapin for the Convention File RE: broadening the Republican Party. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/11/1972
Second page of a document RE: Democratic Convention. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], no date
Copy of a memo from Len Garment to Chapin RE: Democratic Convention. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], no date
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
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2
60
7/11/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Chapin for the Convention File RE:
broadening the Republican Party. 1 pg.
2
60
>
Campaign
Other Document
Second page of a document RE: Democratic
Convention. 1 pg.
2
60
>
Campaign
Memo
Copy of a memo from Len Garment to
Chapin RE: Democratic Convention. 1 pg.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Page 1 of 1
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 11, 1972
2:00 p.m.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
THE CONVENTION FILE
FROM:
DWIGHT L. CHAPIN
Cliff Miller phoned in the suggestion that we've got to pound
home hard on whatever reforms we have made. We've got
to keep in mind the tremendous impact the Democrats are
having with the idea and the selling of the fact that they've
reformed their convention. It's their overriding theme.
We should consider in our pre-convention activities ways
in which we can make the point as to the broad spectrum of
the Republican party. We should use our surrogates. We
should figure out how to use what blacks, women and youth
we have.
In all of our calculations we should never forget the "regulars".
We should show that we're faithful to those who have stood by
the party, although we have brought about change.
Miller also substantiates the views of most others that the podium
looked atrocious.
3
it with some fanfare and enthusiasm.
8.
You may have noticed, if you watched, the young people bring
in the flags at the start of the Democratic convention. We
have a very similar thing worked out with the young aides
from each of the delegations who will bring the flags in and
we should have just as good a youth look as did the Democrats.
9.
We have the question of what we put on the front of our podium.
We think we're going to go with the United States seal rather
than with the mod-looking Republican elephant.
10.
In Senator Lawton Chiles' opening remarks he made reference
to the fact that there was no prepared script for this convention,
nor were there any rigged demonstrations, no yes men, no
friends of politicians, etc. We must be careful not to overstage
our convention. What we do is going to look slicker and
more railroaded than the Democrats, just because of the kind
of convention we're going to lave. Our extra touches should be
applied carefully, not to exemplify our convention being only
a party, a multi-million dollar fiesta.
11.
If we're lucky they' keep letting Jerry Reuben and Hoffman
on the floor. Hoffman's calling the President a Nazi and that
we have to get/out of the White House does nothing but help us.
They undoubtedly will want to get on the floor of the Republican
convention and maybe we ought to let them on the floor, then the
delegates could boo them out and we could have them removed.
12.
The Democrats had about a 15-minute musical number after
Lawton Chiles spoke. The networks went completely off the
convention, did floor interviews and never really came back
until Larry O'Brien appeared which was thirty minutes to
forty-five minutes after Chiles' speech. We've got to keep
ours much tighter. However, 'we've got to program the time
for the commercial breaks and some floor time. When we go
to long delays, that's when we've got to arrange for something
to be happening either at a hotel, at an airport or somewhere.
13.
The look of their convention is standard very much like one
of the '68 conventions. The emphasis is on the party of the people.
The delegates for the most part look very neat, attractive, are
articulate and obviously intelligent. They are not necessarily the
bums that we thought would be there.
DRAFT
FOR DWIGHT CHAPIN
FROM: LEN GARMENT
4
I really have little to say about the highlights (?) of night 2.
Askew / Attractive man, a fledgling political version of Billy Graham.
Good, not outstanding keynote speech (I don't know what that would take
this year). Too oratorical, overlong. Good lines but.a platitudinous
quality, i.e. a sustained piece of better than average but fairly stock
stemwinding.
Wallace. The best point in the whole evening was the CBS interview
from his hotel suite. A very credible restrained, articulate performance
(certainly not a plus for the New Democratic. Party). Crippled, Wallace
no longer seems at all menacing. Can be a big force this fall, and will
be with us for years to come.
Platform, A blur and a bore - but from the Democrats standpoint happily
buried in the soggy proceedings A crisp prime-time convention would have
killed them.
Overall, off the Convention so far I can't dope out what the campaign will
be like or how they figure it will work. I remember thinking the same thoughts
in 1964 and then finding out that the Goldwater group didn't have any thoughts
either. The McGovern speech and the VP choice will furnish the first clues.