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This file contains:
From Colson to Haldeman RE: information from Jay Lovestone on labor and Meany. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 5/28/1971
From Colson to Haldeman RE: Muskie's image in contrast to that of RN. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 5/26/1971
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WHSF: Contested, 3-4
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This file contains:
From Colson to Haldeman RE: information from Jay Lovestone on labor and Meany. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 5/28/1971
From Colson to Haldeman RE: Muskie's image in contrast to that of RN. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 5/26/1971
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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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Document Description
3
4
5/28/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Colson to Haldeman RE: information
from Jay Lovestone on labor and Meany. 2
pgs.
3
4
5/26/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Colson to Haldeman RE: Muskie's
image in contrast to that of RN. 2 pgs.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Page 1 of 1
May 28, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
Jay Lovestone - AFL/CIO
The latest intelligence from Jay Lovestone, which is generally
accurate although sometimes colored is:
1. Meany has really become very antagonistic toward Muskie
and is becoming increasingly outspoken for Scoop Jackson, In
a recent meeting at which Meany was in attendance, Lovestone
announced emphatically that he was a Jackson Democrat and that
if Jackson weren't nominated he (Lovestone) would vote for Richard
Nixon. It provoked a considerable discussion. Meany simply
smiled benignly.
2. Meany now really believes that Jackson is a viable candidate
and can be nominated; the Democratic Party would as a result be
disastrously split, there would obviously be a new left candidate,
the Democrats would be beaten, but would have purged themselves.
3. Meany would support however Ted Kennedy or Humphrey, but
is having growing doubts about whether he could or would personally
work for Muskie.
4. In one private conversation, Meany and Lovestone both agreed
that unless Jackson is nominated, that the labor machinery will be
relatively inactive. It may endorse Muskie or Kennedy or even
McGovern but there would be very little enthusiasm in the rank and
file and the organizers would not make an all out effort.
5. Lovestone's views have become so outspoken within the AFL/CIO
hierarchy with respect to his choice of Jackson first, Nixon second,
that he stands a very good chance of not having his contract renewed
next February. We might consider ways we can use Jay if this
happens. He said that Meany would try to protect him but doubted
that he would be able to.
2.
6. Meany refused to attend the Kennedy opening last night and
refused to attend Muskie's pre-gala dinner patty. Lovestone said
it was because Meany did not want his appearance to have any
political connotations. (Personally I suspect it is because Meany was
smart enough to avoid a very boring evening.)
7. Labor's current projection is that it will control 17 to 20 percent
of all of the delegates to the Democratic Convention next year. By
control they mean these will be card carrying AFL/CIO COPE members.
Obviously labor will influence a good many more delegates. According
to Jay the bloc will go thethe convention, solidly pledged to Jackson
and will work throughout the convention for Jackson as long as he has
any chance. Jay believes that this will be a very potent influence
because the rest of the convention may be split badly and a solid bloc
of well-disciplined union organizers can be very potent.
8. Muskie is having financial troubles, has been deserted by Fineberg
and other rich NY Jews, and is now letting 14 people go from his staff.
9. Jay is convinced we can't trust the Soviets, that SALT can't be
successful and anything negotiated can't be enforced. I tried hard but
he is too hard-line for reason.
May 26, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
Nixon-Muskie Contrast
In conversations I have had of late with pollsters (Harris and
Becker) and with friends whose political judgment I trust, I
frequently ask why it is that Muskie does so much better in the
public opinion polls than other Democrate, why it is that he has been
leading us in the trial heats even though he gets a lower public
confidence score on handling most of the major issues than we
do and generally what it is that makes Muskie a contender.
I have gotten many opinions. The one point which seems to
continually come through in almost every analysis is that Muskie
projects the cool, calm, confident image which is reasouring to
people. The more problems there are in society,the more violence
on television, the more doom and gloom talk which pervades the
country, the more people are drawn to someone who projects
quiet, calm confidence. Hence it is Muskie's blandness that, while
it may well prove to be his undoing. is nonetheless his greatest
strength.
The point is also made that we indirectly help him enhance that
image whenever the President gives the appearance of being very
strident. The tough-talking, vigorous armwaving speech puts the
Nixon-Muskie contrast in sharp focus and gives Muskie points up
if indeed people are looking for calm, quiet leaders.
I raise this point because I personally hold to the view (although I
publicly constantly say otherwise) that Muskie would be our most
formidable opponent and I think we need to be very careful not to
do anything which enhances his candiddey. We should avoid these
situations where the public contrast can be drawn between a strident
President and a cool, calm opponent.
2.
I also raise this point because of the President's statement
yesterday that he had "nothing but utter contempt for the double
hypocritical standards" on race relations in the North. This
is just the kind of statement that gives us the strident image that
Muskie's candidacy feeds on. This also raises the point that
Al Capp makes that in effect a President should not have contempt
for anyone whom he must govern. He can view with sadness,
with distress, with pity, his opponents but he should never view
them with anger or viciousness. Contempt is a very strong word
and to many Northern Negroes and Northern Republicans, particu-
larly the self-appointed liberals, this phrase could have a very
negative and counter productive reaction. The same thing could
be said in a very positive way that the time has passed when we
can have double hypocritical standards in America, that all
Americans should appreciate the progress made in the South, etc., etc.
The President, as President, should have contempt only for
criminals, revolutionaries, child molesters, bigamists, cop killers
and maybe one or two other reprehensible categories of citizenry.
I hope I am overreacting to this one comment. I happen to agree
with it completely and I am therefore not letting my personal views
get in the way. If I were on the other side politically, however,
I would try to play this up for all it's worth because it is an
indictment of millions of well-intentioned but misguided white
suburbanites (as well as many blacks) in the North and West and
it is a very strong phrase.
I make a particular point of this also because it illustrates the
dangers inherent in our appearing strident and thereby, by contrast,
enhancing Muskie's image and in turn Muskie's candidacy.