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From Colson to Haldeman RE: the results of a recent Harris Poll and the purpose of this particular survey. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 9/24/1971
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WHSF: Contested, 46-46
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WHSF: Contested, 46-46
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This file contains:
From Colson to Haldeman RE: the results of a recent Harris Poll and the purpose of this particular survey. 2 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 9/24/1971
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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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46
46
9/24/1971
Campaign
Memo
From Colson to Haldeman RE: the results of
a recent Harris Poll and the purpose of this
particular survey. 2 pgs.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Page 1 of 1
THE WHITE HOUSE
File m
WASHINGTON
September 24, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
CHARLES COLSON
SUBJECT:
Attached Harris Poll
Anticipating your questions on the upcoming Thursday Harris Poll,
it is not written the way I would like to see it written. The first
paragraph is more negative in tone than I had expected. Probably
this is the result of it having been written by one of Harris' writers
since Harris has been in the Soviet Union for the past two weeks
and I know that this poll was not written before he left. He 1S
getting back later today and I will find out for sure how this happened.
You should know that Harris had agreed earlier that he would not
use the 48.50 positive/negative rating because 'both of us felt that
it would not be helpful; Harris, as you know, had expected that the
President would go well above 50 percent in his positive rating after
the China and economic announcements. I assume that the positive/
negative rating was used because Gallup already published the fact
that the President did not rise in public approval following China and
the economic initiative. The damage was, therefore. done.
This particular poll was planned. however, to make certain points
which Harris and I discussed before: (1) to establish the fact that the
President does not need a 50 percent positive rating to be reelected
and to further establish that there was not necessarily a correlation
between the positive/negative and the trial heats. If this point can be
established then any subsequent polls would show us below 50 percent
will have less political significance; (2) to establish that it is really
the nature of the times and public mood that prevents us from having
a large majority of public approval. that this is a phenomenon of
public attitudes today and isn't related to the President or his perfor-
mance. On these two scores the poll does the job beautifully and makes
the point in the second paragraph that an incumbent can run for re-
election and win even when a majority is not with him. Harris also
makes the point that our problems are that government 1S poorly
regarded and that fact places an enormous burden on any President.
2.
In one of our last conversations before Lou left for Russia he told me
that he wanted to establish the point that a President does not need
majority support to be reelected and that Nixon's difficulties are
the result of just being President of the United States in this period
of time. As I say, unfortunately that came through very strong in
the body of the release and in the last paragraph while the lead is
more negative than I think Lou would have written it if he were here.