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RE: Senator Muskie in Wisconsin. 2pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 9/24/1971
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26146575
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WHSF: Contested, 48-51
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WHSF: Contested, 48-51
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RE: Senator Muskie in Wisconsin. 2pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Other Document], 9/24/1971
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
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48
51
9/24/1971
Campaign
Other Document
RE: Senator Muskie in Wisconsin. 2pgs.
Wednesday, June 03, 2015
Page 1 of 1
9/24/71
SENATOR MUSKIE IN WISCONSIN
Before Senator Muskie leaves Wisconsin, he should be asked
to answer four important questions upon which his current positions
are at best confusing.
(1) Why did the Senator summarily insult Black Americans by
automatically rejecting the possibility of a Black citizen being his
e-presidential running mate? The Senator's position, a gratuitous
slap at all minorities is characteristic of his no-holds-barred rush to the
presidency - - evidencing no concern for the unity of the Nation or for the
individuals he must hurt in order to reach his goal.
(2) Why does Senator Muskie attempt to undercut our country's
economic gains by his partisan attacks on President Nixon's comprehensive
measures to return greatness to the American economy? While millions
of Americans have united behind the President's economic measures
Mr. Muskie's political ambition leads him to tear America down.
His hand-wringing over the economy is calculated to do one thing:
divide Americans against each other when progress requires anything
but disunity.
(3) Mr. Muskie should explain how he made the transition from a
superhawk when his party held national office to a superdove now that
a Republican President holds office. There are in the Democratic party
sincere anti-war candidates whose opinions may be wrong but who have
held those opinons consistently over the years. But Senator Muskie
was one of Lyndon Johnson's sirongest supporters when Vietnam
Page 2
policy was being made. And now that President Nixon is getting
us out of Vietnam honorably, the best Mr. Muskie can do is complain,
criticize and harm the delicate negotiations which are taking place
in Paris. The Muskie switch on Vietnam smacks of the lowest political
expediency.
Let us recall that when Senator Muskie sought the Nation's
vice-presidency in 1968 there were 540, 000 troops in Vietnam. Now
that he seeks the presidency, there are less than 215, 000 men there --
with casualties more than 90% below what they were when Mr. Nixon
took office.
(4) Finally, I hope the Senator will explain why he maintains
support of forced busing to achieve racial balance. Though Mr. Muskie
says he doesn't like busing, he has given it his full support as a"tool"
to achieve integration. If Mr. Muskie doesn't like busing, he shouldn't
support it, and his continued support of forced busing makes him out to
be truly one of the most hypocritical public servants of our day.
Until Mr. Muskie can come to terms with these important
questions, his candidacy will remain a political joke. Muskie, the
political lightweight, who is indecisive and untrustworthy on the
major issues, must do better than he has if he wants to hold the
Nation's highest office.