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From Colson to Haldeman RE: comments by Lou Harris. Handwritten notes added by unknown. Comments by Harris attached. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 4/26/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 7-40
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WHSF: Contested, 7-40
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This file contains:
From Colson to Haldeman RE: comments by Lou Harris. Handwritten notes added by unknown. Comments by Harris attached. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 4/26/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
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7
40
4/26/1972
Campaign
Memo
From Colson to Haldeman RE: comments by
Lou Harris. Handwritten notes added by
unknown. Comments by Harris attached. 3
pgs.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Page 1 of 1
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
EYES ONLY
April 26, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
Attached Lou Harris Comments
Attached is a transcript of my conversation with Lou Harris today.
I have already mentioned this to you, but I send it along for two
reasons. First, it would be unfortunate if the President got the
impression from Ehrlichman that busing is not a cutting issue
and if the President thought that Harris held that point of view,
since from time to time the President seems to think Harris'
opinions are good, If John has told the President the same thing
John announced at the 8:15 meeting this morning, you and the
President should be aware that it is a phony.
Secondly, I am getting on beautifully with John. He is very easy
to work with and program. It is occasionally frustrating because
the facts move around like shifting sands, but nonetheless we are
getting things done for a change. I don't think the problem is
John on the substantive issues so much as it is the Harper-Morey-
Michel cabal John's systems analysis group which I have now
concluded is ideologically very much out of tune with the President.
It is evident from the attached that Morey called Harris to get
Harris to tell Morey things that would confirm Morey's own
feelings. Note particularly the second paragraph underlined.
Conversation with Lou Harris, April 26, 1972
C: Lou, at the 8:15 meeting this morning we were talking about busing,
that's our regular staff meeting, and John Ehrlichman said that he had
information from Lou Harris to the effect that busing was not a good
national issue and was not helping the President. I thought, "Jesus,
that doesn't sound correct to me. In my conversations with Harris he has
"
H: No, this guy Morey called me yesterday and said to me, "Gee, something
the Republican national Committee put out that said you thought busing was
a major issue along with Vietnam and the economy. 11 and that was that last
column I had. And I said, no, it was one of the issues being discussed and
they were looking at the implications of it. I didn't put a priority on it.
He said, "Good, because I've been saying the busing issue is not that
dominant" and I just had the feeling, frankly, the guy is sort of an academic
type character. Morey is. He may have passed something on to Ehrlichman.
C: Well, as you indication to me on the phone, you thought it was strengthening
the President's support.
H: There's no question that busing has firmed up the President's position
absolutely down the middle and I think it's defused the issue to a large degree
but at the same time it's helped the President in the border states and I think.
put it this way, it hasn't disenchanted the Northern suburban, college-educated
people.
C: No and it hasn't hurt us with the Negroes.
H: It's gained votes there.
C: The significant thing is that it is an issue that we can exploit and use to our
advantage while on the Democ ratic side it cuts them up the middle.
H: Absolutely destroys the Democrats. It helps Wallace, but that's nothing.
Wallace is ahead in the Deep South now, but God if you wanted to trade off,
I would rather keep the suburbs of all the big states in the North and if you've
got to lose Alabama and Mississippi I mean Jesus, if there's anything
expendable in the 1972 election, it's Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
I think Georgia
my guess is you've got Georgia. But, those threee I'd
never base anything on at all.
C: Well, you and Idiscussed about half of the Democratic supporters are
pro-busing and about half are anti-busing. To the extend that we are able
to continue to develop the issue it is to the President's advantage. We make
it
we put the Democrats over the rack in terms of where they come out.
2.
H: Absolutely. I'll give you some results on Friday which are fascinating
on busing where I think it's whose position do you agree with most? I
think it's Nixon 30, Wallace 22 and HHH 14. We tested every Democrat
on that and you see the Democrats with no more than 14% with a view on
busing.
C: Which means that we have a two to one margin on that issue.
H: Wallace is up stronger on it.
C: Well, you have to analyse it on the basis that it has them over a barrel
and it has thus far only served to solidify our support because our supporters
are probably 100% anti-busing. I don't think there are any pro-busing
people who are supporting Nixon. Isn't that the way your last analysis
shows ? Well, okay. I wanted to button downthat one point, because I
thought I was hearing things.
H: No. No. I get quoted in vain, I'm afraid, a lot.
C: We all do. I'm very familiar with the feeling.
H: You know, the publishers yesterday.
I told them they were part of
the establishment
C: I saw that. You got a hell of a good ride.
H: God they loved it. Senator Bill Knowland came up to me after it and
said I want a copy of that speech. It's very impressive.
C: A hell of a good speech. I'd like to have a copy. See you Friday.