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From Colson to Higby RE: Colson's opinions on a letter by Frank Leonard an an unnamed book. 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 7/26/1971
From Colson to Higby RE: improving the titles of articles in "First Monday." 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/3/1971
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WHSF: Contested, 3-21
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26144525
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WHSF: Contested, 3-21
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This file contains:
From Colson to Higby RE: Colson's opinions on a letter by Frank Leonard an an unnamed book. 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 7/26/1971
From Colson to Higby RE: improving the titles of articles in "First Monday." 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/3/1971
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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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Document Description
3
21
7/26/1971
White House Staff
Memo
From Colson to Higby RE: Colson's opinions
on a letter by Frank Leonard an an unnamed
book. 1 pg.
3
21
8/3/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Colson to Higby RE: improving the
titles of articles in "First Monday." 2 pgs.
Monday, October 04, 2010
Page 1 of 1
July 26, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
LARRY HIGBY
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
Frank Leonard Letter
You've asked for my comments onthe attached. Fortunately my
attitude towards "PARTNERS" is somewhat jaundiced by the
unhappy experience with Frank Leonard using the picture he did
on the cover.
I was mad about that originally, I'm incensed by it now that he
has denied that he ever had instructions not to use it.
In any event, it is obviously a very slick production -- beautifully
done, technically speaking. I have, as I indicated to you, some
serious reservations about the political punch line. First, I do
not feel that anyone reading the book would come away highly
motivated about the President. They would get a good view of
certain aspects of the White House operation, but it is not really
a powerful politically motivating book. Secondly, I have always
had reservations about a political document that is "too slick".
Contributors tend to be bothered by the use of funds for something
that is BO obviously Madison Avenueish and obviously very expensive.
In short, I feel that the book is a good subtle attractive document
and if it falls into the hands of the general public will leave a very
favorable impression. As for communicating with partisans, I guess
I belong to the old school, that we should charge them up by showing
the terrible evils of our opponents and the great virtues of our man.
This book is just altogether too subtle for that.
As to the suggestion which Frank makes with regard to TV specials,
we are pursuing this independently and I will see that Frank's sug-
gestions get cranked in.
August 3, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
LARRY HIGBY
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
First Monday
First Monday has gone from mediocre to bad. I've just
reviewed the page proofs for the August 2 edition. I am
struck by such headlines as, "President's Most Agonizing
Problem, Vietnam, Substantially Disposed of". It's hard
for me to imagine a more negative way to say that. In-
stead of, "Mixon Achieves Great Triumph in Ending Vietnam
Honorably", or "President Wins the Peace", "President's
Journey for Peace Ending Vietnam"; it would be so easy to
make this upbeat. And then there is the startling headline
that, "Unilateral Disarmament 'Foolhardy' Packard Tells
Senate Subcommittee", that's a really hot headline. We then
have the Turkish announcement which is all right, but on the
next page is a fabulous quote from Newsday which belonged
right up at the head of the story. On Page 9, you will see
something really exciting, "Action to Breathe New life in
Red-Tape-Choked Volunteer Work", and then on Page 10,
"Business-Oriented Postal Service Places Premium on
Efficiency". How about something like "Nixon Reform
Brings Better Postal Service"?
Interestingly in that article on Page 10 which I'm sure was written
by the Postal Service, nowhere does the name Nixon appear.
Then on Page 12, we have a marvelous headline, "Conference on
Aging Keyed to Realistic National Policy", I can't imagine that
grabbing a single vote for anybody.
I'm afraid I am just wearing out my vocal chords grumbling
about this. Obviously Nofziger isn't listening to me and until
we have a meeting to begin to get people understanding what we
2.
really are after we are going to continue to waste vast amounts of
money in crummy publications and in mailing costs. Frankly I
just don't get it. The layout is poor, there is much too much type,
no one is going to read this and if they do they will find that it is
all old news; there are a couple of sexy attacks on the Democrate,
but they are only in there because we wrote them here. Please
help. This thing has got to get under control. We can do so
much better with our resources than this.