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To: Lyn Nofzinger and John Lofton. From: Pat Buchanan. RE: RNC. 1pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/19/1971
Draft article. RE: The Lindsay shift. 4pgs.Other Document Draft article. RE: The Lindsay shift. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 8/18/1971
Draft article. RE: Lindsay Shift. 5 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 8/18/1971
Article notes. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], no date
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WHSF: Contested, 47-26
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This file contains:
To: Lyn Nofzinger and John Lofton. From: Pat Buchanan. RE: RNC. 1pg. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 8/19/1971
Draft article. RE: The Lindsay shift. 4pgs.Other Document Draft article. RE: The Lindsay shift. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 8/18/1971
Draft article. RE: Lindsay Shift. 5 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 8/18/1971
Article notes. 3 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], no date
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
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47
26
8/19/1971
Campaign
Memo
To: Lyn Nofzinger and John Lofton. From:
Pat Buchanan. RE: RNC. 1pg.
47
26
8/18/1971
Campaign
Other Document
Draft article. RE: The Lindsay shift. 4pgs.
47
26
8/18/1971
Campaign
Other Document
Draft article. RE: Lindsay Shift. 5pgs.
47
26
Campaign
Other Document
Article notes. 3pgs.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Page 1 of 1
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
August 19, 1971
MEMORANDUM TO:
Lyn Nofzinger
John Lofton
FROM:
Pat Buchanan
The attached I would think should get some coverage, because
of a) it represents the first RNC-MONDAY response to the
departure of John Lindsay b) it makes a somewhat dramatic
assertion about Kennedy which is not altogether implausible,
and c) it puts the RNC on record that McGovern is a dead
man.
All of these are fairly good wire stories. In addition, the
piece has within it some good lines I think, on Lindsay, Kennedy,
McGovern and O'Brien, which tend to drive home points which
we have made before, lines which are not unlikely to get picked
up and repeated.
Suggestion is that if we go with this, we send it out with a cover
memo before this weekend, indicating that we are breaking
silence on why John Lindsay's departed, and giving Monday's
interpretation of the conundrum this has created for the
Democratic Party. If we make it sound a little "official league",
some of these lines might be repeated.
Regards.
Patrick J. Buchanan
draft - Khachigian
8/18/71
THE LINDSAY SHIFT
John Lindsay's abrupt political about-face -- a sure declaration
for the presidency -- was the death-dealing blow to George McGovern
who is currently wet-nursing the Democratic Presidential nomination
for Teddy Kennedy. The TKO of McGovern does nothing to bolster
the stock of Edward M. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc. which is sure to go
on the skids.
The set-back for McGovern and Kennedy, combined with the
chaos created in the ranks of the Democratic party, makes apparent
the coolness that Larry O'Brien showed when apprised of Lindsay's
switch. O'Brien's actions to date - - chronicled in detail by MONDAY -
have indicated a sweetheart relationship with Ed Muskie, and the
entrance of John Lindsay will turn O'Brien's job into a nightmare.
The threat to the Kennedy faction has been thoroughly documented
in the past few days.
Item: Lindsay rivals the style of Camelot. Syndicated columnist
Marianne Means declared: "In the sense that Lindsay provides the
Democrats with a new and glamorous celebrity over which to get
excited, he may hurt the Presidential prospects of Kennedy."
Kennedy, whose forte is style and charisma, will no longer be able
to depend on the holding action of his front man, the politically
inept George McGovern.
Page 2
Item: Kennedy fears Lindsay. Savvy Massachusetts political
reporter, Martin Nolan, points out that Kennedy has long regarded
John Lindsay "ruefully. " Lindsay qualifies as "Kennedy's least
favorite Democrat, and the Massachusetts Senator
would
probably
endorse Muskie rather than see Lindsay somehow run
off with the nomination. 11 Obviously, it is to Teddy's benefit that
Muskie and Lindsay fight one another to set the stage for Teddy to
pick up all the marbles in a brokered convention at Miami.
Item: Kennedy is nervous about Lindsay's cozy relationship
with New York Democratic boss, John Burns. Burns, Bobby Kennedy's
New York mentor, helped the late Senator build a Kennedy machine in
New York, and Teddy can't help but be skeptical about Burns' ecstatic
reception of Lindsay. (Note: Burns and Ed Muskie's chief political
operator, Jack English, are "old and dear" friends according to
Maine political analyst Donald Larrabee. English has kept the lines
open with Lindsay's people and was advised of the Lindsay turnaround
in advance. Look for continued evidence of Muskie's teaming up
with Lindsay in the days ahead - - with a desperate Muskie eventually
offering the Vice-Presidential bid to Lindsay to protect his left
flank and fight off the Kennedy juggernaut.)
As of today, the McGovern candidacy is dead, and the
incipient Kennedy boom is limping. McGovern's bitterness was
detected when he whimpered that Lindsay was a "Midnight convert"
and told reporters that he did "not welcome further competition for the
nomination. 11 Columnist Harriet Van Horne chided McGovern for his
Page 3
petulance and observed: "Interestingly, the qualities McGovern
lacks are the qualities Lindsay has in super-endowment
Lindsay's
charisma runneth over. "
McGovern still won't count himself out and already has young
lawyers doing negative research on the Lindsay Administration --
a not too difficult assignment, but one which will further sunder
the Democrat ranks. Matters aren't helped by style comparisons which
rankle McGovern, such as the observation by Ernest Ferguson of the
Baltimore Sun that Lindsay replaces "the patient and decent but
less telegenic McGovern,
11
All this adds up to some very real concern by Larry O'Brien
and the Eastern Democratic establishment that Chicago of 1968
will be matched by Miami of 1972. O'Brien, whose unity meetings
have only helped frontrunner, Ed Muskie, cannot be happy with
Lindsay's entrance into his party's ranks -- a point which was
manifested by O'Brien's terse one-sentence welcoming statement
when Lindsay took the plunge. Moreover, the warm welcome
given Lindsay by New York leader Burns and Massachusetts
state chairman, Robert Crane, is not likely to endear these men
to O'Brien. The New York Times, which has already punched
holes in the Kennedy campaign, further indicated its desire for a
passive Democratic convention when it warned that Lindsay's
candidacy would only "further divide the ranks of liberal Democrats
already fragmented around a half-dozen aspirants. "
Page 4
But his inability to maintain party loyalties will not bind
John Lindsay to the Democrats any more than it did with the
Republicans. He will depend on his uppity Manhattan chic to ferry
his political fashion show around the country -- giving little concern to
pols and more concern to the polls. This effort will be aided by the
national media and by what the New York Times called Lindsay's
"public relations apparatus" which has tripled in cost since Lindsay
took office as Mayor. Certainly, it was the Mayor's public relations
flaks who advised Lindsay to move his announcement date up one
day in order to blast McGovern and Fred Harris off the front pages
of New York's papers - - McGovern and Harris having previously
scheduled press appearances in New York on the day Lindsay
finally decided to declare his conversion.
As of now, John Lindsay must yet prove himself to clubhouse
Democrats. His Administration has made New York - - once a great
city - the dirtiest and most violent-prone metropolis in the Nation --
burdened by enormous budgets and absurdly large welfare rolls.
All of this has caused Robert Wagner, former Democratic mayor
of New York, to observe: "I begin to wonder if he should run for
President until he can demonstrate some administrative ability
here in New York City. "
MONDAY tends to agree with the crusty observation of union
chief, George Meany: "It's a good break for the Republican party,
and it's a bad break for the Democratic party. Who needs him?"
draft Khachigian
draft - Khachigian
8/18/71
THE LINDSAY SHIFT
John Lindsay's abrupt political about-face -- a sure
declaration for the presidency --- was the death-dealing blow
to George McGovern who is currently wet-nursing the Demo-
cratic Presidential nomination for Teddy Kennedy. The TKO
of McGovern does nothing to bolster the stock of Edward
M. Kennedy Enterprises, INce which is sure to go on the skids.
COPY
The set-back for McGovern and Kennedy, combined with
PRESERVATION
the
chaos created in the ranks of the Democratic party,
makes apparent the coolness that Larry O'Brien showed when
apprised of Lindsay's switch. O'Brien's actions to date ---
indicated
chronicled in detail by MONDAY -- have leaned towards
a sweetheart relationship with Ed Muskie, and the entrance
of John Lindsay will male O'Brien's job finte no better than
turn
a nightmare.
The threat to the Kennedy faction
documented
enke has been thoroughly in the past few days.
(Lindsay rivals the style of Camelot
Item: Syndicated columnist Marianne Means declared:
"In the
sense that Lindsay provides the Democrats with
a new and glamorous celebrity over
which to get
excited, he may hurt the Presidential prospects of Keanedy." "
Kennedy, whose forte is style and charisma, will
no
longer be able to
depend on the holding action of his
front man, the politically inept George McGovern.
page 2
(Kennedy fears Lindsay.)
Item: Savvy Massachusetts political reporter,
Martin Nolan points out that Kennedy has long regarded
John Lindsay
"ruefully." Lindsay qualifies as
"Kennddy's least favorfee Democrat, and the Massachusetts
Senator.
would probably.
endorse Muskie rather than
see Lindsay somehow run off with the nomination " Obdiously,
it is to Teddy's benefit that Muskie and Lindsay fight one
another to set the stage for Teddy to pick up all the marbles
brokered convention at
in Miami.
Item: Kennedy is nervous about Lindsay's cozy relationship
with New York Democratic boss, John Burns. Burns, Bobby
Kennedy'
New York
mentor, helped the late
a Kennedy machine /
Senator build pup the Democratic party in New York, and Teddy
can't help but be skeptical about
Burns' ecsta ic
reception of Lindsay. (Note: Burns and Jack English,
Ed Muskie's chief politcal operator, are "old and dear" friends
analyst
according to Maine political
Donald
Larrabee.
English has kept the lines open with Lindsay's
people and was advised of the Lindsay turnaround in advance.
Look for continued evidence of Muskies teaming up with Lindsay
desperated
in the days ahead -- with Muskie eventually offering the
bid
Vice-Presidential
to Lindsay to protect his
left flank and fight off the Kennedy juggernaut.)
page 3
As of today, the McGovern candiday is dead, and the
limping.
incipient Kennedy boom is
McGovern's bitterness
was detected
be
When he whimpered that Lindsay was
a "midnight convert" and told reporters that he
did "not
11
welcome further competiton for the nomination. Columnist
Harriet Van Horne chided McGovern for his petulance and
observed: "Interestingly, the qualities McGovern lacks
are the qualities Lindsay has in super-endowment
Lindsay's
charisma
runneth over. "
McGovern still won't count himself out and already
has young lawyers doing negative research on the Lindsay
Administration -- a not too difficult assignment, but one
"
which will further sunder the Democrat
ranks.
Matters
aren't helped by style comparisons which rankle McGovern,
observation
such as
the
by Ernest Ferguson of the
Baltimore Sun that Lindsay replaces "the patient and
decent but less telegenic McGovern,,.."
All this adds up to some very real concern by
Larry O'Brien and the Eastern Democratic establishment
that Chicago of 1968 will be matched by Miami of 1972.
O'Brien, whose unity meetings have only help frontrunner,
Ed Muskie, cannot be happy with Lindsay's entaance into
his party's ranks -- a point which was manifested by O'Brien's
welcoming
terse
one-sentence statement
when
page 4
Moreover,
Lindsay took the plunge.
The warm welcome given Lindsay
by New York leader Burns and Massachusetts state chairman
Robert Crane,
is not likely to endear these men to
O'Brien. The New York Times, which has already punched
holes in
Kennedy campaign, further indicate
its
desire for a passive Democratic convention when it warns
that Lindsay's candidacy would only "further divide the
ranks of liberal Democrats already
fragmented
around a half-dozen aspirants."
But
inability to maintain party loyalties will
not
bind John Lindsay to the Democrats any more than it did
with the Republicans. He will depend on his
uppoity
Manhattan chic to
his politic al fashion show around
the country -- giving little concern to pols and more concern
to the polls. This effort will be aided by the national
media and by
what the New York Times called
Lindsay's "public relations apparatus" which has tripled in
cost since Lindsay took office as Mayor, Certainly it
was the Mayor's public relations flaks who advised Lindsay
to move his announcement date up one
day in order to
blast McGovern and Fred Harris off
the front pages of
New York's papers McGovern and Harris having previously
scheduled press appearances in New York on the day
Lindsay finally decided to declare his conversion.
page 5
as
yet
to chubhouse
Democrats.
now, John Lindsay must prove himself
His
Adminsatration has made New York -- once a great
city
the
dirtiest and most violent -prone metropolis in
the Nation -- burdened by enormous budgets and absurdly large
welfare
rolls. All of this has caused Robert
Wagner, former Democratic mayor of New York, to observe: "I
begin to wonder if he should run for President until he
can demonstrate some administrative ability here in New
York City."
MONDAY tends to agree with the crusty observation of
union
chief, George Meany: "It's a good break for
the Republican party, and it's a bad break for the
Democratic party. Who needs him?"
-- Robert Wagner: "I begin to wonder if he should run for
President until he can demonstrate some administrative
ability here in New York City. II
-- Marianne Means: "In the sense that Lindsay provides the Dem-
ocrats with a new and glamorous celebrity over which to
get excited, he may hurt the Presidential prospects of Kennedy."
-- ** Stanley J. Hinden, Newsday, "The most unhappy Democrat,
although his staff tried hard to hide it, was Sen. George
McGovern (D-S.D.), whose libersal positions on the Vietnam
war, the problems with the cities and minority groups are
paralleled almost exactly by Lindsay."
-- Harriet Van Horne: "Interestingly, the qualities McGovern
lacks are the qualities Lindsay has in super-endowment
Lindsay's charisma runneth over."
-- McGovern: "I certainly do not welcome further compe-
tition for the nomination." Called Lindsay a"midnight convert. "
-- Larry O'Brien issued a terse one-line statement.
-- Ernest Ferguson (Sun) :
=
he becomes the heaviest
contender on the left-liberal side of the Democratic spectrum,
replacing the pateent and decent but less telegenic McGovern
"
-- Richard Reeves (N.Y. Times) -
"
McGovern already has
young lawyers doing negative research on the Lindsay Administration"
"The Mayor is the very model of a new politician in the same
XMHXH sense that Robert F. Kennedy was. "
page 2
-- Muskie should be happy. -- takes the left heat off of
him. -- but could cause problems by driving him to the left.
-- Martin F. Nolan (Boston Globe) : "Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy
has long regarded the prospect of John Lindsay's
conversion XR ruefully. Lindsay qualifies as Kennedy's least
favorfee Democrat, and the Massachusetts Senator
would
probably
endorse Muskie rather than see Lindsay somehow
off
run ww/with the nomination."
Portland (mail) Pres- Heald
-- Donald R. Larrabee: "Jack English, the Muskie political
director,
has kept the lines open with Lindsay's people
for some time and was advised of the decision in advance."
"English
thinks Lindsay could cancel out Sen. kG George
McGovern and several other potential candidates £ if he
stat decided to go the primary route. (Tennst 'old", English Dear fields are (nebory)
-- William S. White: "It is bad news particularly to such
far-out senators as George MCGovern. *. "
-- Richard Scone (Wall St. Journal) : Mankiewiez says
holds EXE view that "Lindsay would drain both votes and,
perhaps even more importantly, financial contributions from
the S Senator." (former Kennedy flak, Frank Mankiewicz)
New York Times editorial: Cautioned that JVL's entry
"would be to further divide the ranks of liberal Democrats,
already fragmented around a half-dozen aspirants."
page 3
-- Very warm reception given Lindsay by John Burns
and Robert Crane (state chairman of Mass.) both Kennedy
men.
-- Victor Riesel: Lindsay had actually planned to
announce his candidacy on Thurdday, but chose Wed., Aug. 11th,
in order to upstage George McGovern and Fred Harris --- both
who were in New York and had scheduled press conferences for
Wednesday.
-- EXMMS George Meany: "It's a good break for the
Republican party, and it's a bad break for the Democratic
party. Who needs him?"
-- Martin Tolchin: May "The Lindsay Administration's
public-relations apparatus has trebled in cost since Mr. Lindsay
toob office as Mayor
"