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This file contains:
From Mark Goode to Chapin and Bill Henkel RE: video tape machine for RN's Miami home. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 8/2/1972
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican National Convention planning. 10 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/18/1972
Planned keynote speeches for the 1972 Republican National Convention. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 7/16/1972
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican Convention. Handwritten notes added by unknown. Carbon copies to Dick Moore, Timmons, and Carruthers. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 6/20/1972
From Tex McCrary to Chapin and Moore RE: impact of the 1972 Republican National Convention. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], no date
From Bill Safire to Haldeman RE: television audience of the Republican National Convention in 1972. Carbon copy for Dick Moore. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/20/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 2-70
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WHSF: Contested, 2-70
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This file contains:
From Mark Goode to Chapin and Bill Henkel RE: video tape machine for RN's Miami home. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 8/2/1972
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican National Convention planning. 10 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/18/1972
Planned keynote speeches for the 1972 Republican National Convention. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 7/16/1972
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican Convention. Handwritten notes added by unknown. Carbon copies to Dick Moore, Timmons, and Carruthers. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 6/20/1972
From Tex McCrary to Chapin and Moore RE: impact of the 1972 Republican National Convention. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], no date
From Bill Safire to Haldeman RE: television audience of the Republican National Convention in 1972. Carbon copy for Dick Moore. Handwritten note added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/20/1972
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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
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
2
70
8/2/1972
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Mark Goode to Chapin and Bill
Henkel RE: video tape machine for RN's
Miami home. 1 pg.
2
70
7/18/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican
National Convention planning. 10 pgs.
2
70
7/16/1972
Campaign
Other Document
Planned keynote speeches for the 1972
Republican National Convention. 3 pgs.
2
70
6/20/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Chapin to Haldeman RE: Republican
Convention. Handwritten notes added by
unknown. Carbon copies to Dick Moore,
Timmons, and Carruthers. 4 pgs.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Page 1 of 2
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
2
70
Campaign
Memo
From Tex McCrary to Chapin and Moore
RE: impact of the 1972 Republican National
Convention. Handwritten notes added by
unknown. 4 pgs.
2
70
7/20/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Bill Safire to Haldeman RE: television
audience of the Republican National
Convention in 1972. Carbon copy for Dick
Moore. Handwritten note added by
unknown. 1 pg.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Page 2 of 2
Com-gen you
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 2, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
DWIGHT CHAPIN
BILL HENKEL
FROM:
MARK GOODE
M.D.
Regarding the offer of a Packard Bell Home Video Tape Cartridge
Machine for the President's use in Miami, I feel it should be
declined. Any manufacturer of such hardware would be more than
glad to set up such a deal. However, it hardly seems worth
risking even the slightest mention of such an arrangement, when
that piece of equipment can be easily rented at a reasonable rate.
MEMORANDUM
Convention Program
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 18, 1972
2:00 p.m.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
DWIGHT L. CHAPIN
The following is a status report on the planning for the
Republican National Convention. It has been run past
Bill Timmons. He is in agreement with the information contained
herein unless otherwise indicated.
In a memorandum which I received from Gordon Strachan on
June 28, he stated that you would like a report that incorporates
a review of where we stand on the celebrities, the selection of
nominators/keynoters, advertising materials at the Convention
Hall, design and layout of the Hall, as well as information on
the TV appearance of the Convention.
While we are a long way down the road in terms of preparing
for the Convention there is still quite a lot to be done and many
of our plans are tentative. We are concentrating on obtaining
celebrities, getting approval on speakers and buttoning up the
alternate activities to what will be taking place at the podium
during the actual Convention hours.
Attached to this memorandum you will find the following:
Tab A - Outline of Convention activity.
Tab B - Podium diagram and renderings.
Tab C - Floor plan, camera and Presidential box locations.
Tab D - Art work for the supporting pillars, showing the
support columns with a shield and American and
State flags drooped around them; Renderings for
the rear of the auditorium and also for the podium;
Rendering of the State stanchions.
Tab E - Rough outline for the Keynote Address.
Tab F - Celebrities/Overall Celebrity List
2
DECORATIONS IN THE HALL
As contrasted to the Democratic Convention, our podium will not
be blue, but rather an off-white. The off-white will be set off
against a blue carpet. You will recall that the Democrats had a
red carpet. Our chairs will be what is called a rust beige. It is
felt that this chair (we have to use these chairs) will look best
against the blue carpet. Changing the carpet to a blue will also
help give us an entirely different look from that which the Democrats
had.
Our decorations are all red, white and blue. We will have a very
patriotic look. As you can see from Tab D, we will be using
red, white and blue stripes and the patriotic shield. We will not be
using the half flag in any of our decorations. (The half flag will
appear on our program, on the identification badges and on the
Convention tickets.) We will take care in not overdecorating our
Hall so as to give too slick of an appearance. As plans presently
stand, our Convention should look much livelier than the Democrats,
much cleaner, and as stated should have a star spangled feel.
We have not decided on what, if anything, should be mounted on the
podium. As you will recall, the Democrats used the United States
seal with the words, "Democratic National Convention", around it.
Our plan had been to use the United States seal but in light of the
Democratic Convention, we have dropped the thought. We are having
suggestions drawn up for the podium and they are to be in by the
end of the week. Once they are in we will submit our recommendations
to you.
At Tab D you will find a drawing of the State stanchions. These
will be three-sided triangular looking stanchions on poles. One side
will. be red, the other white and the third blue. The printing will be
dark blue with a white outline around each letter to set it off.
PROGRAM - GENERAL
1.
We want to insure our program is well-timed and moves
smoothly. However, we have built in some musical interludes
and additional time in key sections, trying to anticipate commercial
breaks, to direct the attention of the networks from the Hall to
perhaps a hotel in order to witness an arrival or departure of
the First Family or a VIP.
3
2.
We want to insure that the delegates do not start complaining
because they feel they are only sitting in an audience and are not
active participants in a political convention. We also want to
stay clear of any criticism of this type from the networks. There
is a compromise to be made here and it must be made in
favor of television and we all realize this. However, we have
been cautioned not to make our operation too slick and so
television-oriented that it comes off as the Andy Williams
Show VS. having some look of a nominating convention.
3.
We have three films. The films on Nixon, the Man and the
Nixon Years will each run 14 minutes and 10 seconds. This
has been done so they can be used later during the campaign
in 15 minute segments. The film on Mrs. Nixon will run
9 minutes and 10 seconds.
4.
We want to try and determine some controversial things
which can take place on the floor in order to give our Convention
some look of legitimacy. It is my understanding that Timmons
has forwarded a memo to you on possible floor fights. It is
still too early to pinpoint opportunities here.
5.
It is our feeling that we should try as hard as possible to
keep our delegates looking like people and not clowns. We
realize a carnival atmosphere is probably ideal on the night
of nomination and that is the night that we will go all out with
our demonstrations and biggest show of enthusiasm. (Needless
to say, the President's appearance on Wednesday night will top
anything that we would build on Tuesday night.)
6.
Our alternates are younger than our delegates and, therefore,
we are going to try and seat some alternates in the delegate
section where there are empty delegate seats. This is going
to have to be worked out on a State by State basis, but we're
hopeful that we can get some young alternates placed in the
various delegations periodically. We will, also, put in our
fact sheets the details and statistics on the alternates as well
as the delegate This should help to lower our overall age
and help with the other statistics in addition.
7.
It has been decided that we should use balloons on one event
only, the occasion when the votes are cast which puts the
President over the top.
4
8.
The Invocation will always come after the National Anthem.
Carruthers, Goode and I had favored having the Invocation at
the start to get it out of the way so that the music would start
building and we would not have to drop down with a lull for the
Invocation. Bob Flanigan overrode us on this SO the Invocation
will come after the National Anthem. Timmons is in agreement
with Flanigan.
9.
The present plan is to have Governor Askew introduced by
Chairman Dole or by Co-Chairman Armstrong in order to
give a welcoming. He has agreed to submit a text for our
approval.
SPECIFIC PROGRAM (Tab A)
1.
MONDAY
a.
You will note the welcome by the Governor, the welcome
by the Mayor, the greetings from the Republican Party
of Florida, the address by Gurney and the address by
Dole all take place Monday morning. We evidently
cannot cut any of these people out of the program,
although we have been trying. We have moved many of
the people who would normally appear in evening sessions
to morning sessions, and we have cut the length of their
speeches to practically nothing. Our plan will be to go
ahead and do this protocol type stuff, but plan to program
the television for outside the Hall.
b.
We have a Salute to Dwight Eisenhower planned to take
place at the end of the first session. We hope that Mamie
will be present in order to receive a gift from the
Convention. (She would like a tree.) If Mamie cannot be
there to appear in person, then we hope to have her do a
video-tape which we can run on our multi-screen setup.
David and Julie will be present in the Presidential box.
We had wanted David to participate but that is impossible due
to Pentagon regulations. (We think it would be acceptable
for David to escort his grandmother to the podium).
We have talked about two people to speak about Eisenhower.
One is Lowell Thomas and the other is Bill Rogers who was
a member of Eisenhower's Cabinet. Our thought here is
5
consult with Mrs. Eisenhowe r through Julie and see
whether she prefers Mr. Thomas or Secretary Rogers.
Tex McCrary says Billy Graham was a great friend
of the Eisenhowers and he would be much better than
Rogers or Thomas. We could use Graham via the
Eisenhower hook.
We will also have Julie check to see whether or not
Mamie might reconsider and come to the Convention.
2.
MONDAY EVENING
a.
The main news event for Monday evening is a
combination Reagan/keynote. The present idea is to
have Reagan, as Temporary Chairman, make his speech.
Immediately afterwards there would be a musical interlude
so that the networks would have a chance to get in their
commercials. Reagan would then introduce the film on
the Nixon Years. Immediately after the film, Reagan
would introduce Brooke who would list our accomplishments
and then introduce Mayor Lugar who would launch an
attack against McGovern. This would be issue-oriented.
We would then have our last speaker, a 21-year old
woman legislator from South Carolina, introduced by
Reagan. (We are checking out her qualifications
for this role presently. If she will not work, we will have
to consider another woman.) The woman will offer an
invitation to Democrats and Independents to join the
Republican Party.
Ray Price's rough outline for the Keynote is attached
at Tab E. We should note at the present time that
ABC will be cutting in with their live programming
during the middle of the Keynote. There's just not
much we can do about this. Tex feels Mayor Lugar
would be a better prime Keynote figure than Reagan. He
worries about Reagan paying no taxes and his popularity
in California.
b.
We debated the idea of having a State delegation ask
for recognition from the floor and have them offer a
Resolution to the Convention inviting Democrats to join
the Republican Party. This should be a spontaneous thing
6
which the networks are not anticipating. The Resolution
could then be seconded by two or three States and then
passed by a voice roll call. This gives us a chance to
use some ethnic types in terms of issuing the invitation
to the Democrats. It could take place immediately ahead
of the Tribute to Mrs. Nixon or could be the next day.
C.
The Salute to the First Lady will be the color event
of the evening. Once the Keynote is finished and there
is a musical interlude, we will have Ronald Reagan intro-
ducing Jimmy Stewart who will proceed live from the
podium and then switch to film with the Tribute to the
First Lady.
At the conclusion of the film we ho pe that Mrs. Nixon
will come to the podium and we will have a demonstration
for her. Once the demonstration concludes, it is
anticipated that she may say a few words and then once
again we expect a small demonstration. It is suggested
Tricia and Julie join her toward the end of the last
demonstration for the Benediction.
3.
TUESDAY EVENING
a.
In the Convention Programming Committee there was
virtual agreement that we should let Tuesday night be
our New Year's Eve. Everyone knows what happens at
12:00 on New Year's Eve and there is no reason why there
should not be a celebration for the President when he is
nominated, including the use of balloons, noisemakers
and everything else. This is a great chance for us to show our
enthusiasm. It will be contrasted to the Democratic
Convention, but so what? The question becomes
when the main demonstration should take place. There are
three possible times to have it. The first would be
immediately after the President is nominated. The second
would be as soon as he goes over the top and gets the
necessary votes. The third would be at the end of the
balloting when the Chairman announces the talley. Timmons
favors doing the demonstration immediately after the
President's name is put in nomination by Rockefeller.
Several of us prefer to do it as soon as the President goes
over the top. One thing that we feel is important is to go
7
right off the drama of the nomination speech and
after having the chair gavel the Convention into order
so as to calm down any demonstrations, go to the seconding
speeches. These seconding speeches will take place
from the various State delegations around the Hall. It
should be most effective and should tie in dramatically
with the actual nominating speech. There will be many
demonstrations as each State which is selected gets a
chance to offer a seconding speech. We, therefore, contend
that it would be more dramatic to have the place break
into absolute bedlam during the roll call when they
reach the point that the President goes over the top. On
the attached program (Tab A) it would be item #113.
If the President plans to go to the Hall Tuesday evening,
then perhaps we should consider having the demonstration
take place immediately after the nominating speech sothat
we can control the length of it and have it out of the way
and run a tighter ship. The other alternative is to put
it at the very end so that the President could arrive during
the time that they are having the major demonstration.
In any case, this is an unresolved question.
4.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
a.
We have not gotten into detail on Wednesday evening.
One thought would be that perhaps we should have
Goldwater introduce the Vice President. Goldwater's
got to be used at some point in this Convention and
has not been so far.
b.
It was my understanding from you that you wanted us
to consider using the Vice President as the introducer
for the President. On the other hand, I hear rumors that
it is now supposed to be Reagan. In any case Bill and I
need to get this clarified. We realize it's a decision that
the President will want to make himself.
TELEVISION VIEWERS' IMPRESSION OF OUR CONVENTION
Our Convention will differ significantly from the Democrats since
basically we are putting on a show while they let television cameras
in to cover what they considered to be the democratic process in
operation within their Party.
8
We will have a smart, clean appeal to a traditional event
with our Convention.
Our posture from the podium should be to run a well-organized
Convention and to get our business done in the briefest amount
of time. We should concentrate on exploring the issues and
building the President.
Our danger will be to run a slick Convention and railroad it too
quickly. We cannot have it 100% Richard Nixon oriented. Our
goal must be to orient the Convention to the viewer, playing up
both the President and the issues. We must look as though we
are fully exploring all the issues. To the viewer, our speakers
will be attractive people. We need to realize that we do not have
the minority representation which the Democrats had and this will
probably be brought home loud and clear to the viewing audience
by the commentators. On the other hand we realize that our speakers
must project to the television audience a warmth, friendliness,
sense of humor and a dedication to the President, what he has
accomplished, the issues and lastly, to look to the future. For
the most part the people working on the program feel that the
Democrats were very persuasive with the spokesmen they used.
Our spokesmen are not going to be defensive. They will refrain
from being arrogant in the slightest and will show that the
President represents the thinking of the majority of this country.
Just precisely how we accomplish all of this is still being determined--
and scripted.
A problem that we should be alert to is that the viewer at home is
going to be affected by anchormen, floor commentators who will be
heated up basically because they will not have the opportunity for
exposure and comment which they were privileged to give during
the long, drawn-out Democratic Convention. This is a fact of
life and we must expect to get some heat from it.
To the TV audience we will be short one basic ingredient. That is
drama. Obviously, I do not know what the President has on his
mind, if anything, which can help us with this problem. However,
we will supply ideas and any unique twists which we can come up
with regarding the President's activities as linked to the Convention
and on the activities of the First Family. We must be careful of
the danger of having our traumatic events be staged and not legitimate.
To come up with a phony event may be the most dangerous step we
could make.
9
We still do not have the theme for our Convention. The closest
that we have come is to play off of the positive approach of this
Administration, offering an accounting to the people. Not only
would we offer an accounting, but we would also look to the future.
The Presidency is a stewardship and the President, using the
vehicle of the Party, is reporting on his stewardship, on the
trust that the American people have put in him. Realizing people
will say, "What have you done for me lately" or "What will you
do tomorrow", the President must speak to the future.
Therefore, our theme must tie to issues and to goals. We must
be careful never to subordinate the issues throughout our Convention.
Any time that we can hypo an important issue so that we register
it with the viewer at home, we should do SO.
In addition to the issues, our theme should set a tribute to the
President. Testimonials throughout the Convention geared to
build the President's credibility and the trust the public should
have in him are most important.
10
RNC CONVENTION FORMER SECRETARY JOHN CONNALLY
Connally's name keeps coming up as the discussion on the
RNC Convention continues. The following are some of the
suggestions which have been made for using Connally which you
may wish to consider or perhaps discuss with the President.
1.
Monday - August 21 -- If Connally is coming to the Convention
this would be a good date for him to arrive. If he arrived at
Miami Airport in the afternoon of the first day's proceedings,
we could get a good newsclip which could then be suitable for
the evening news. Right now we have no hard news except for
whatever statement Bob Dole makes that can play during the
evening news segments. It is very doubtful that the Tribute
to General Eisenhower would play heavily.
2.
Tuesday Evening -- After the film, Connally could ask for
permission to address the Republican National Convention as
a Democrat. He could bring with him two or three other
people representing labor, Mexican-Americans, etc., who are all
Democrats and who would also like to address the Republican
National Convention. As Democrats they address the
Convention and explain why they are for the President. Connally
would be charged with running this segment of the program.
After its conclusion we would then move into the nomination
of the President.
3.
Wednesday Night -- Immediately after the Vice President has
been nominated by the Convention but prior to his arriving
at the Hall, Connally could request permission to address the
Convention and use the same format that's mentioned above
in item #2.
4.
A very dramatic move might be to have Connally either
address or introduce the Vice President for his speech.
The Vice President could go on and introduce the President
after his own speech. The other obvious alternative would be
to have the Vice President give his acceptance speech and
then have Connally introduce the President.
I feel that items #2 and #3 may have the most legitimacy and pulling
power as far as our trying to reach Democrats. Obviously, the
people that Connally asks to appear with him will be very important
and they should be recognized Democrats with substantial constituencies.
PRICE
V July 16, 1972
Keynote Presentation: Outline
1. Moderator. There are discontents and dissatisfactions in the
land; Americans feel frustrated with the present, and often fed up
with government. We share these discontents and dissatisfactions,
and we too are fed up with what all too often have been the failures
of government. But we don't just complain. For three and a half
years we've been doing something about it; we've made progress;
the direction is set, the momentum is established, the players are
lined up, the openings have been made to Russia, China and others
abroad, and to new departures at home. Highlights of what we've
achieved. What we've accomplished is a beginning, and a credential;
now we're eager to get on with the job, and to finish what we've
begun. In the film you're about to see, you will see some of those
beginnings.
FILM: THE NIXON YEARS
2. Keynoter A: What we will do for you. Our plans, our goals, for
the future, as we look from now to 1976. A new prosperity without
war and without inflation; the beginnings of a full generation of peace;
a rebirth of pride in America; a fair shake for the farmer, security
for the elderly, progress on the environment, etc.
-2-
3. Keynoter B: What we will not do to you. (The attack speech.)
All the McGovern nasties -- we won't take money out of the workers'
pockets for a $1,000 dole, we won't bus your kids, we won't let
America become a second-rate power whose President has to beg,
we won't spawn a new permissiveness that collapses moral values;
we'll work with the young, but won't ignore the old; we'll turn
America around without turning it upside down. We'll respect the
student, the professor, the farmer -- and also the worker who
wears a hard hat. Note: the focus of this will be entirely on the
sins of the present Democratic nominee, not on the sins of past
Democratic administrations.
4. Keynoter C. From the party of the Open Door, an Invitation.
From the podium of this Republican convention, we address this
talk to the millions of loyal Democrats left homeless by Hurricane
McGovern. Speaking to them directly, we invite them to make
their home with us -- try it, you may like it. Think about why
you're a Democrat. Is it because the Democratic party is the party
of FDR, Truman and Kennedy? If so, then ask yourself whether
Roosevelt or Truman or Kennedy would advocate crippling our
defenses and abandoning our allies -- Roosevelt, who led the defense
-3-
of freedom in World War II; Truman, the architect of NATO and the
Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine, and patron at the founding
of Israel; Kennedy, who declared we would "bear any burden, " etc.
Is it because the Democratic party is the party of labor? -- through
a litany of why people in the past have been Democratic, and why
those same reasons should now lead them to cast their lot with us
in 1972. Its tone is one of respect for the Democratic Party as a
great national institution, and sympathy with those members who
have seen it seized by a self-appointed elite determined to convert
it into a narrow ideological faction -- of warm and open-hearted
welcome to those left on the outside at Miami a month ago, and of
common cause with them because we share their hopes, their dreams,
their concerns about America. In his acceptance speech, George
McGovern said, "Come home, America. " To millions of Demo-
crats whose ideas no longer have a hearing in the national Democratic
Party, I say tonight, "Come home, Americans -- come share our
home -- give us not only your votes, but your hands, we will give
you ours in welcome. 11 This is the real keynote -- and it should
be echoed throughout the rest of the convention proceedings.
#######
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 20, 1972
12:40 p.m.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
DWIGHT L. CHAPIN
SUBJECT:
Convention
Attached to this memorandum you will find two memos.
One is a critique of our present Convention program by
Tex McCrary. It is felt that Tex is overly critical of
the Convention plan and, in particular, overreacting to
Reagan and Anne Armstrong. It is attached just so you
will be aware of his thinking. Undoubtedly he is right in
terms of some of the feel of our present program since he
has no idea as to what alternate programming is planned.
Also attached is a copy of the memorandum which Safire
sent you today. It plays off the conversation he had with
Howard K. Smith. The main point here being that the
President's and Vice President's acceptance speeches
should be on different nights.
Dick Moore and I met with Garment, Scali and Safire this
morning in order to discuss Safire's recommendation that
the President and Vice President speak on separate nights.
After considerable discussion I think we are all in unanimous
consent that we should put the Vice President's nomination and
acceptance speech on the second evening.
We would recommend the following alterations in the program:
TUESDAY NIGHT
Main Elements:
1.
Opening of Convention.
2.
Possible series of Democratic speakers urging other
Democrats to support the President.
2
TUESDAY NIGHT (Cont'd):
3.
Nomination of the President by Rockefeller.
4.
Seconding Speeches.
why a
5.
Demonstration as the President goes over the topo
6.
Cutaway to President departing White House and brief
interview on the South Grounds as he boards helicopter.
He would state his pleasure at being renominated, state
that he is looking forward to addressing the Convention Bad
delegates the next evening.
7.
The Vice President's nomination.
8.
Acceptance speech by the Vice President.
Note:
This will make a long evening. If we roll along and cut
back our demonstration times we should be able to get
Too
the Vice President on the air at 11:00 or 11:15 p. m. EDT.
latt
The one element which has been moved out of the
evening activities is the film on Nixon, the Man which
meet
we will put the evening of the acceptance speech.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
be 1030 he on by
Main Elements:
1.
The Opening.
2.
Film Nixon, the Man.
Pretty
3.
Introduction of the President. (It has been suggested that
perhaps we use a nonpolitical figure. We're trying to
Thin
determine who that could be.)
4.
President's acceptance speech.
waing
Note:
We would hope that this session would not begin until
around 9:00 p.m. with the President's speech coming
around 9:45 p.m. Too early
Orerall a pretty bad execution idea
of a pretty good idea
3
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM MEETING WITH MOORE, SAFIRE
SCALI AND CHAPIN:
1.
Anne Armstrong would not be interpreted as a Texas fat cat.
It would be good having a woman open the Convention.
agree
more
2.
We should find/of our new and more upcoming types to work
on the Convention. We need to get a list of the comers.
Wedon't have any
3.
Reagan is still extremely popular even though he may be
weak in California. He has not appeared on national television
in a long time and can be very powerful at our Convention but
he should not be overused. If he's going to be the Temporary
Chairman, he should not be the Presidential introducer agree
4.
Scali informed us that he has intelligence from the network
people that he's talked to that they' re taking some of their
better reporters and putting them on the demonstration
activities for the Republican Convention. He says they expect
there will be more trouble and want to cover it with their
better people.
5.
We should have a Democrats for Nixon news conference,
maybe on two different days in Miami. Right.
6.
There is some concern over using the young girl from
South Carolina as one of the three main keynote speakers.
It is felt that we should do a survey of State Legislature
women around the country to find the most articulate
woman spokesmen we can find who is a Republican. Right
but
now we have a Governor, a Senator, a Mayor, and if we
can
get
a
State
Legislator
type
it
would
fit
perfectly.
heat.
7.
There is some concern over Sammy Davis, Jr. Garment
and Moore feel that he's wrong and does not represent our
constituency. It is felt that he would be misinterpreted by
some of our constituency. They feel he should not do the
National Anthem but that if he did one song like "This is
agree
My Country" or "My Country 'Tis of Thee" that it would be
fine. We may try to work him in the program Nevas! that way.
The other suggestion was to use him as a seconder.
Pearl Bailey Youngast mayor
4
8.
No one can be found that's for having Kate Smith in the
program. We have dropped that idea unless you want to
dictate that she should be in the program.
No
CC:
Dick Moore
Bill Timmons
Bill Carruthers
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
TO:
Dwight Chapin
Dick Moore
FROM:
Tex McCrary
SUBJECT:
Convention Impact
1. At the discussion of the convention program with both of you
during which I voiced the vehement objection to an opening impression
from which the President will have to struggle to escape, I have since
thoroughly reviewed every aspect and accent and focal point, every
headline, picture and caption that might come out of it, and this is my
summary judgement:
2. This is not Nixon's convention, it is Goldwater's. This is not the
Spirit of '76 or even '72 it is '64 and '48. It is the convention that
produced the LBJ landslide, and Truman's upset of Tom Dewey.
3. It makes the McGovern convention by comparison look like
Oklahoma and South Pacific and My Fair Lady and Funny Girl and
Fiddler on the Roof.
4. The McGovern convention made rising stars; the Nixon convention
uses faded stars.
5. You vote that you open with a woman Ann Armstrong is not a
woman, she is fat cat Texas king ranch. Wrong
6. The dominate name that hits the eye and ear first is Ronald Reagan,
who could not carry his own state even against Pat Brown this year. In
the year when George Wallace made tax reform an issue with as much
governor who paid no state taxes.
sex appeal as busing, Ronald Reagan True comes through still as the millionaire
7. Reagan will overshadow the only black face in the opening line-up,
Ed Brooke - who is scarcely a hero to blacks and has been often as
maverick as Javits.
so what
-2-
8. In the year where there is a chance that the President can crack
the critical Jewish vote in the key cities, the only Jew prominent in the
line-up of your convention is Sammy Davis, Jr. who will be remembered
throughout the South as a black who married a white girl and then dis-
carded her. And you have him singing the National Anthem! Why not
Sinatra, whom somebody wanted to take to Moscow.
agree
9. In a year when with the help of the Jewish vote and the split in
labor, you might crack Chicago and Los Angeles and Miami and New York
City, the only voice of the cities is lost behind Reagan and Brooke in the
key-note quartet Mayor Luger of Indianapolis. And labor is as
speechless here as in McGovern's show. good point
10. When Dwight said that "We have to work Goldwater in somewhere, 11
he needn't worry Barry is already everywhere, the spirit of '64.
11. It is true that you have a touch of class in Jimmy Stewart and
even Clint Eastwood and Johnny Cash; and nostalgia in John Wayne and
even Pat Boone; and both class and nostalgia in Mamie Eisenhower
but from the opening shot of this monumental bore, I keep expecting to
see Bob Doe or Ronald Reagan introduce Jimmy Hoffa and Harold Janine
and Carswell and Haynsworth and Martha Mitchell and Hedda Hopper and
all the other grinning ghosts working to help McGovern win in the closing
week of '72 as Humphrey was winning at the finish in '68.
12. The feel and smell of this Nixon convention of '72 is frighteningly
reminiscent of the euphoria that beat Tom Dewey I stayed for Dewey's
closing Madison Square Garden. rally in '48 and watched in horror an
audience walk out on his speech and next day on NBC I said, "Last night,
Tom Dewey lost the elction. 11
13. The insensitivity of this spectacle is frighteningly reminiscent
of the insolated arrogance of the Taft gang, which we attacked in the
Madison Square Garden rally for Eisenhower in the winter of '52. And
in Chicago, starting with the young Texans I brought to that rally, Taft
was routed the way the McGovern gang took Humphrey and Wallace and
Muskie and Jackson and Meany and Daley. The same tide is rising again.
But for the Demociats.
-3-
14. Now I know why that battle cry for the '72 campaign came from --
"Nixon now more than ever" is "in your heart you know he's right", plus
8 and spelled backwards, but not in Hebrew.
15. Johnny Unitas in this line-up has only three pass receivers
Mamie and Pat and the President and nothing but holes in his pockets
to give him protection until he can get rid of the ball.
16. The President acceptance speech better be better than Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address and it better be full of quotes that will finally get
him into Bartlett's and give him a headline for the campaign equal to
"I never shoot blá
agree
17. And you better figure out a way fast to get Kissinger and Connally
into the Convention line-up; and get Agnew into black-face to play Jimmy
Brown.
18. Also "the only man who can beat Nixon is Nixon" now he can
add the architects of this convention to that list of one.
19. After the Peking trip, I wrote across the bundle of headlines:
"Look Out for Loose Boards". In this convention structure, it is hard
to find anything but loose boards.
20. In introducing Agnew at the Heritage Dinner I tried to make two
points: "Not since Disraeli has any immigrant Jew been brought to such
biblical power by any great power as Richard Nixon has given to Dr.
Henry Kissinger. In America no political party can become, or deserves
to become a majority party, until minorities feel at home within it. 11 This
Nixon convention, as outlined, even to Archie Bunker is pure early
California WASP, Right parade.
21. In terms of show biz there isn't a belly laugh or a roar, not even
a chuckle or a knuckle in the whole lineup no sex, only X. In terms
of drama, no suspense, no gut emotion except Mamie, no encore! In
terms of news, no headlines. In terms of history, it is as sharply
focused and significant and electric as Dave Mahoney's plans for the
Bicentennial.
-4-
New Subject: Had a good meeting with three key guys on Agnew's staff - -
Summers, Damgaard and Goodearle. Based on working with them by
phone on the Zionist and Heritage Dinners, they seemed genuinely
hospitable, not at all resentful or suspicious at my office. To sit with
them from time to time for suggestions, review, and preview. They
accept even though Connally is my friend, I am not his man. As I
have suggested to Dick, perhaps the best way I can be helpful to all of
you from now on is to be helpful as I can to Agnew -- I think your boss
is going to need a very good fullback to score on the ground, the muddy
ground, until his instincts and scars tell him it is safe to put the ball in
the air.
New subject: Around John Price and Queens, which is Archie Bunker
country and the key to the New York State election, we will try to set up
a perfect prototype campaign for any strategic urban area. In that
territory Agnew will have more candle power than any movie star,
second only to the President, if the President comes into the climax.
My gut instinct and scars tell me that this weird campaign will be won
in Hanoi, Wall Street, and other chancey places like Queens not on
Pennsylvania Avenue.
####
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
July 20, 1972.
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
BILL SAFIRE
RE:
CONVENTION
I was talking to Howard K. Smith last night about what he expects for
television coverage, and he said that all the TV people expected a
pretty dull convention with the likelihood of violence in the strects.
That's not good will associate us with violence, inability to reduce
dissent, etc.
Howard wondered if we were planning the usual lineup -- President
and Vice President acceptance speeches on the same night. He
suggested that if, for the first time, they could be on different nights,
they would be separate news events, each a must for coverage in full.
Moreover, it occurs to me, a mass audience is loss likely to sit
through two long speeches practically back to back; in addition, if
the VP's speech is really good, it detracts from the President's,
and if it is no good, it loses the audience.
Therefore, why do we not do something radical in the way of political
conventions and nominate the Vice President on one night, have him
accept that night, and do the President the next night?
This would be met with a lot of cluck-clucking as anti-traditional,
but the real reason for putting them together in the past was to first
determine the Presidential nominee and have himselect the running
mate; with a sitting President who will make his choice known before
the Convention, that reason is obviated.
Thus, we could have two separate and distinct news stories, better
ratings, and a more solitaire setting for the President on his night.
Worth considering?
CC: Dick Moore
yes