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From RN to Haldeman RE: initiatives to gain youth support in the 1972 campaign. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/23/1972
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WHSF: Contested, 7-80
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This file contains:
From RN to Haldeman RE: initiatives to gain youth support in the 1972 campaign. Handwritten notes added by unknown. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 7/23/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
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7
80
7/23/1972
Campaign
Memo
From RN to Haldeman RE: initiatives to gain
youth support in the 1972 campaign.
Handwritten notes added by unknown. 2 pgs.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Page 1 of 1
reversting Memo to Mac Thrego
Cc. Reity
THE WHITE HOUSE
Malik
WASHINGTON
Colson.
Sunday - July 23, 1972
Camp David
MEMORANDUM FOR BOB HALDEMAN
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Pm
In studying the New York Times release of the Gallup Poll
on youth one lesson comes through loud and clear -- it is
imperative that we limit our registration efforts wherever
possible, without announcing that that is our tactic, to the
non-college youth. Of course, some registration of college
youth on a very selective basis should be undertaken, but
generally speaking we have to realize that there is about a
two to one chance that college youth will vote for McGovern.
There is about an even chance that the non-college youth
will vote for us.
If a youth registration drive begins, pushed by the McGovern
forces, every effort should be made to get them to direct
that drive to non-college as well as to college youth. I
know that our plan is to register youth selectively by
finding out in advance which side they are on and then going
forward in the registration. Here it is very important that
the question asked not be on partisan terms. Over half of
all youth list themselves as Independents rather than
Republicans or Democrats. Consequently, it should simply
be a question of asking whether they are for McGovern or
Nixon and then registering those that are for Nixon.
Of course, it could be argued that the registration drive
among youth, even non-college youth, is not one that we
should undertake at all, since at the very best they would
split 50-50. This is much poorer than the national average
and much poorer than what we would do among older voters.
However, to avoid the effect on older voters of our conceding
the youth vote to McGovern, we need to make some effort in
this area. Let us limit it to the target states, particularly
- 2 -
the big city areas and the down-state areas where we might
pick up support and except for a token effort let us concen-
trate on non-college, blue collar youth, among ethnics and,
of course, among those few that might lean to our side
because of their background in a Republican family.
I emphasize again that the whole youth effort should be one
that gets across the idea that youth will not overwhelmingly
be in McGovern's pocket, that we have in the nation very
substantial support among younger voters and that we are going
to get more as they learn what the issues are. In fact,
something can be gained by pointing out that we are concen-
trating on registering all youth and that the McGovern
people are limiting themselves to the elite youth who have
gone to college or are in colleges and universities.