Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
This file contains:
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
From Dent to Haldeman RE: Governor Shafer. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/13/1970
Copy of a memo from RN to Haldeman RE: potential meeting with Reagan. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/2/1970
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
26144931
label
WHSF: Contested, 6-36
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
26144931
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
WHSF: Contested, 6-36
description
This file contains:
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
From Dent to Haldeman RE: Governor Shafer. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/13/1970
Copy of a memo from RN to Haldeman RE: potential meeting with Reagan. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 1 pg. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/2/1970
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs. [Subject: Domestic Policy] [Memo], 3/12/1970
citationUrl
collections
Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Contested Materials Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
26144931
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
e57a9fff700859ee
ocrText
Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
6
36
3/12/1970
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a
recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs.
6
36
3/13/1970
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Dent to Haldeman RE: Governor
Shafer. Handwritten notes added by
unknown. 1 pg.
6
36
3/2/1970
Domestic Policy
Memo
Copy of a memo from RN to Haldeman RE:
potential meeting with Reagan. Handwritten
notes added by unknown. 1 pg.
6
36
3/12/1970
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a
recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Page 1 of 2
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
6
36
3/12/1970
Domestic Policy
Memo
From Haldeman to Dent RE: thoughts on a
recent GOP dinner. 2 pgs.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Page 2 of 2
DETERMINED TO BE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
E.O. 12086, Section 6-102
By one NARE, Date 11-24-80
CONFIDENTIAL
March 12, 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR: MR. DENT
Some quick thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind regarding
the GOP Dinner last night.
It was my very strong feeling, and I find, in doing considerable
checking about, that it's shared by everyone who was there with
whom I've been in contact, that overall the program was an
absolute disaster except for the President, who managed to salvage
it to a fairly substantial degree.
All of the remarks delivered by each of the preliminary speakers were
badly written. Not one of them did an adequate job of building any
kind of enthusiasm. They all devoted their efforts to kicking the
Democrate while they were down, instead of taking a positive and
enthusiastic approach to the President and the present Administration.
No one had the perspicacity, consideration or politeness to build up
the great accomplishment of Pat Nixon on her recent national tour;
they simply said and, of course, you all know the First Lady.'
These people have got to be made someday, somehow to realize that
they are missing the opportunity to build our pluses, and that running
around kicking the Democrats is the last way we are going to
accomplish anything. The strong, positive points to make about the
Administration were, to a minor degree, covered by Hugh Scott and
Jerry Ford and the Vice President. As I recall, they were totally
overlooked by Tower and Wilson, and no one in the whole group, in-
cluding Rog Morton, really generated any enthusiasm or uplift for the
people that had been there.
Another consideration.
a great number of the people in the audience
were Democrats; and yet, we spent our time kicking Democrats in a
very ungracious, undignified, and unbecoming manner. This is hardly
-2-
going to endear us to a member of the Democratic Party who paid
$1,000 into the Republican coffers, thinking he was doing it to
provide a better government for America.
The totally graceless and highly embarrassing fiasco of Bob Wilson's
presentation of the Footdragger Award reached an all-time low for
this type of thing.
One very highly placed and perceptive observer commented that,
"You'd think we were the defeated Party," after the dinner.
In a meeting today with the President, several Republican Governors
made the point that he alone had saved the day last night and that by
talking in a positive way to all of the people. not to the 24 per cent
who think they are Republicans
and they urged him to continue
always to speak to all the people, and not as a Republican. This is
excellent advice for the President, and our Republican leaders have
got to realize that it is. Also, it would be excellent advice for them
as National leaders. If they expect to become Majority leaders and
Speakers, etc., they have got to start acting like them.
All of the above probably serves no useful purpose. Let me say, how-
ever, that last night was the last occasion of that sort--political or
otherwise--that's going to be attended by the President and left to its own
devices. From now on, It has got to be clearly understood, before the
thresident is committed to such an appearance, that we have total
control over the form and content of the entire program of the evening.
The President was degraded by this operation last night, and we, as
his staff, have the obligation to see that this never happens again.
The way to do it is to say that the President will not attend such a
function unless and until the entire program, the contents of all of
the speakers' speeches, etc., have been submitted to us for review.
We have got to start looking at ways to pump enthusiasm, excitement,
interest, and all of the ingredients of a good political rally into dinners
of this sort, or else we should just quit having them, which is probably
the best idea of all. Believe me, all of this is not simply my view;
you will find, with a little checking, that it is very widely shared.
H. R. HALDEMAN
cc: Mr. Chapin
Mr. Chotiner
MEMORANDUM
Po
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
March 13, 1970
TO:
Bob Haldeman
FROM:
Harry Dent ASD
Governor Shafer is to report back on some political contacts
he will make. He should be told to let Dent know, but I
have put the Vice President's name instead. I don't want
him to bother the President.
be and
this He L Harry fee. is to inpect it directly E
mov yovernor
the
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Dat
March 2, 1970
Chop
Netadidea
MEMORANDUM FOR
Bob Haldeman
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It occurred to me that someone might give
Reagan a call and tell him that he could use the Western White
House for a meeting when he found it desirable.
Dent
be sure some weapn
-
play
DETERMINED TO BE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE MARKING
E.O. 12065, Section 6-102
By
Emp NAKE, Date. 11-24-80
CONFIDENTIAL
March 12, 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR: MR. DENT
Some quick thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind regarding
the GOP Dinner last night.
It was my very strong feeling, and I find, in doing considerable
checking about, that it's shared by everyone who was there with
whom I've been in contact, that overall the program was an
absolute disaster except for the President, who managed to salvage
it to a fairly substantial degree.
All of the remarks delivered by each of the preliminary speakers were
badly written. Not one of them did an adequate job of building any
kind of enthusiasm. They all devoted their efforts to kicking the
Democrats while they were down, instead of taking a positive and
enthusiastic approach to the President and the present Administration.
No one had the perspicacity, consideration or politeness to build up
the great accomplishment of Pat Nixon on her recent national tour;
they simply said and, of course, you all know the First Lady.
"
These people have got to be made someday, somehow to realize that
they are missing the opportunity to build our pluses, and that running
around kicking the Democrats is the last way we are going to
accomplish anything. The strong, positive points to make about the
Administration were, to a minor degree, covered by Hugh Scott and
Jerry Ford and the Vice President. As I recall, they were totally
overlooked by Tower and Wilson, and no one in the whole group, in-
cluding Rog Morton, really generated any enthusiasm or uplift for the
people that had been there.
Another consideration.
a great number of the people in the audience
were Democrats; and yet, we spent our time kicking Democrats in a
very ungracious, undignified, and unbecoming manner. This is hardly
-2-
going to endear us to a member of the Democratic Party who paid
$1, 000 into the Republican coffers, thinking he was doing it to
provide a better government for America.
The totally graceless and highly embarrassing fiasco of Bob Wilson's
presentation of the Footdragger Award reached an all-time low for
this type of thing.
One very highly placed and perceptive observer commented that,
"You'd think we were the defeated Party," after the dinner.
In a meeting today with the President, several Republican Governors
made the point that he alone had saved the day last night and that by
talking in a positive way to all of the people. not to the 24 per cent
who think they are Republicans and they urged him to continue
always to speak to all the people, and not as a Republican. This is
excellent advice for the President, and our Republican leaders have
got to realize that it is. Also, it would be excellent advice for them
as National leaders. If they expect to become Majority leaders and
Speakers, etc., they have got to start acting like them.
All of the above probably serves no useful purpose. Let me say, how-
ever, that last night was the last occasion of that sort--political or
otherwise--that's going to be attended by the President and left to its own
devices. From now on, it has got to be clearly understood, before the
thresident is committed to such an appearance, that we have total
control over the form and content of the entire program of the evening.
The President was degraded by this operation last night, and we, as
his staff, have the obligation to see that this never happens again.
The way to do it is to say that the President will not attend such a
function unless and until the entire program, the contents of all of
the speakers' speeches, etc., have been submitted to us for review.
We have got to start looking at ways to pump enthusiasm, excitement,
interest, and all of the ingredients of a good political rally into dinners
of this sort, or else we should just quit having them, which is probably
the best idea of all. Believe me, all of this is not simply my view;
you will find, with a little checking, that it is very widely shared.
H. R. HALDEMAN
cc: Mr. Chapin
Mr. Chotiner
CONFIDENTIAL
March 12, 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR: MR. DENT
Some quick thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind regarding
the GOP Dinner last night.
It was my very strong feeling, and I find, in doing considerable
checking about, that it's shared by everyone who was there with
whom I've been in contact, that overall the program was an
absolute disaster except for the President, who managed to salvage
it to a fairly substantial degree.
All of the remarks delivered by each of the preliminary speakers were
badly written. Not one of them did an adequate job of building any
kind of enthusiasm. They all devoted their efforts to kicking the
Democrats while they were down, instead of taking a positive and
enthusiastic approach to the President and the present Administration.
No one had the perspicacity, consideration or politeness to build up
the great accomplishment of Pat Nixon on her recent national tour;
they simply said and, of course, you all know the First Lady.'
These people have got to be made someday, somehow to realize that
they are missing the opportunity to build our pluses, and that running
around kicking the Democrats is the last way we are going to
accomplish anything. The strong, positive points to make about the
Administration were, to a minor degree, covered by Hugh Scott and
Jerry Ford and the Vice President. As I recall, they were totally
overlooked by Tower and Wilson, and no one in the whole group, in-
cluding Rog Morton, really generated any enthusiasm or uplift for the
people that had been there.
Another consideration.
a great number of the people in the audience
were Democrats; and yet, we spent our time kicking Democrate in a
very ungracious, undignified, and unbecoming manner. This is hardly
-2-
going to endear us to a member of the Democratic Party who paid
$1,000 into the Republican coffers, thinking he was doing it to
provide a better government for America.
The totally graceless and highly embarrassing fiasco of Bob Wilson's
presentation of the Footdragger Award reached an all-time low for
this type of thing.
One very highly placed and perceptive observer commented that,
"You'd think we were the defeated Party," after the dinner.
In a meeting today with the President, several Republican Governors
made the point that he alone had saved the day last night and that by
talking in a positive way to all of the people not to the 24 per cent
who think they are Republicans and they urged him to continue
always to speak to all the people, and not as a Republican. This is
excellent advice for the President, and our Republican leaders have
got to realize that it is. Also, it would be excellent advice for them
as National leaders. If they expect to become Majority leaders and
Speakers, etc., they have got to start acting like them.
All of the above probably serves no useful purpose. Let me say, how-
ever, that last night was the last occasion of that sort--political or
otherwise--that's going to be attended by the President and left to its own
devices. From now on, it has got to be clearly understood, before the
thresident is committed to such an appearance, that we have total
control over the form and content of the entire program of the evening.
The President was degraded by this operation last night, and we, as
his staff, have the obligation to see that this never happens again.
The way to do it is to say that the President will not attend such a
function unless and until the entire program, the contents of all of
the speakers' speeches, etc., have been submitted to us for review.
We have got to start looking at ways to pump enthusiasm, excitement,
interest, and all of the ingredients of a good political rally into dinners
of this sort, or else we should just quit having them, which is probably
the best idea of all. Believe me, all of this is not simply my view;
you will find, with a little checking, that it is very widely shared.
H. R. HALDEMAN
cc: Mr. Chapin
Mr. Chotiner