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From Harry Dent to the President. RE: Political Notes. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 4/28/1970
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From Harry Dent to the President. RE: Political Notes. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 4/28/1970
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
49
40
4/28/1970
Campaign
Memo
From Harry Dent to the President. RE:
Political Notes. 4pgs.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
NI
MEMO
from Ehrlichman to RN
4/3/70
C C(NIXON,
[67]
Re: Friedman's concern
N2
from RN to Ehrlichman
4/21/70
C(XIXON,
MEMO
[68]
Re: Domostic affairs
N3
MEMO
from Dent to RN
4/28/70
C(NIXOR
[69]
69
Re: Political notes
N4
memo
home Edelichman torn
V4
MEMO
from Ehnlichman to the President
4/29/70
[70]
Rx. Dam Freject
W/D Restricted fabler
filed with M.B's
FILE GROUP TITLE POF
BOX NUMBER
6
FOLDER TITLE
President's Handwriting Caprie 1970
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection:
President's Office Files
Box Number:
6
Folder:
President's Handwriting April 1970
Document
Disposition
67
Retain Open
68
Retain
Close
Invasion of Privacy
69
Return
Private/Political
70
Retain Close Invasion of Privacy
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
April 28, 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: Political Notes
MARYLAND:
Stan Blair and I have been talking with Chairman Morton
about the Maryland political situation. Morton continues
to give a negative response to the suggestion that he join
with Blair on a GOP ticket in Maryland. However, he has
taken on some increased interest in the Maryland situation
after Colson gave him some information on the vulnerability
of the Senator. This could tip him.
NEW JERSEY:
Nelson Gross is now officially the nominee for the U.S.
Senate. The filing deadline passed last week and the one
person who had entered against him withdrew. This has been
discussed with the Attorney General, and it has been agreed
that he is to be treated as any other Senate candidate with
the exception that neither the President nor the Attorney
General will be committed to anything personally until we
see how the campaign proceeds. Gross wants to see the
President personally, but I am discouraging this. Governor
Cahill feels the questions surrounding Gross have been
largely clarified and that most of the newspapers in New
Jersey have been on Gross' side. Both Gross and Cahill
believe the information leaked on him was generated by Case.
None of the leaked items seem to be indictable, but could
put him on the defensive when raised by the incumbent,
although the incumbent himself has many more such problems.
- 2 -
NEVADA:
Governor Laxalt has been spending considerable time trying
to get a Senate candidate in Nevada. He wants to handle
this alone until he gets a set of conditions laid down for
him by one of his two leading prospects, Lt. Governor Fike,
and one of the best state prosecutors in the country, Bill
Raggio of Reno. A very recent poll showed that Cannon is
vulnerable and rated no higher than 57% against any of the
prospective candidates. What Laxalt has to do is convince
Raggio to run for the Senate. Both want to run for Governor
right now. The Governor has been told to get Raggio to give
a commitment for the Senate and we can get him to visit with
the President and get a special blessing if he is willing to
say yes on the spot. It was explained that we could not have
another turndown, particularly from Nevada. It was suggested
he do this by the time of the Republican Governors meeting
in New Mexico.
ARKANSAS:
It now appears that Governor Winthrop Rockefeller will run
for re-election in Arkansas. He is getting some state legis-
lators to switch over.
VERMONT:
Colson has just finished a trip to Vermont and is convinced
we can win with Senator Prouty. He is developing some infor-
mation on the opposition and is now convinced Prouty must be
the candidate. The Senator has asked whether the President
wants him to run, thinking that he might prefer to retire.
Governor Davis wants a visit and help against the Lt. Governor,
who is running close for the September primary.
NEW MEXICO:
Cargo is ahead in a close contest. The special arrangement
won't come now until after the June 2 primary. Still on track,
but both key men want to hold off for various reasons. Cargo
wants to go now, and I'm pushing him to push them.
- 3 -
INDIANA:
Hartke's assistant privately admits they'd rather have
Snyder than Roudebush. Chotiner is working on this through
Pulliam.
WISCONSIN:
Knowles is working on Lovell, the astronaut. Lovell in/a
news account is reluctant, but doesn't rule it out.
He
OHIO:
Primary May 5 with no runoff. Taft-Rhodes battle is very
close. Rhodes is looking better in the TV debates and news-
paper endorsements. Probably Rhodes. Metzenbaum could upset
Glenn. In the Governor's race, State Auditor Cloud is shown
ahead with Lukens third. Gilligan will be the Democrat
nominee.
ALABAMA:
Primary May 5 and runoff June 2. Question seems to be whether
Wallace gets in a runoff. All polls have shown Brewer leading
with Wallace closing in. A third man, disfigured veteran,
could force a runoff by attracting 100,000 votes. Or, a
Negro group could do it by voting for one of the 5 lesser
candidates to get a bargain with Brewer in the runoff. Wal-
lace's hope is to show where the black and GOP votes went in
the first race. The Postmaster General is very upset over the
Finch and Allen statements indicating the President's state-
ment on schools doesn't change anything. He thinks this is
hurting. Attached is a Stewart Alsop column which shows the
groups backing Brewer.
TEXAS:
Primary May 5. Bentsen is really pouring it on Yarborough,
especially on the Supreme Court. It could be close, but at
least sets Yarborough up for Bush and splits the Democrats
again.
Preservation Copy
- 4 -
GOP GOVERNORS CONFERENCE:
Chotiner and I are getting gubernatorial nominees who are
not incumbents to come to New Mexico and participate in the
political session on May 9. This is their chance to see
the President. Examples: Olson, Broderick, Watson.
RNC SALARIES:
Chairman Morton has been asked at least several times, judi-
ciously and emphatically, for the salary and other informa-
tion on the RNC. He is evidently stalling for the purpose
of eliminating more staff members before submitting his
report. He told me the other day that he had eliminated 28
in recent weeks. I am still pushing, but if this moves him
to make more cutbacks, then perhaps we should let him con-
tinue under this pressure. He also has some ideas about
changing the RNC, even the question of whether we should
have two national committee members and a state chairman
representing each state on the RNC. He wants to change the
entire structure and is willing to cut back the staff even
more. He says Elly Peterson will be leaving after November.
In the meantime, she will be traveling back and forth to
Michigan considerably. The Chairman wants to have a special
session with the President before too long to discuss his
ideas on the RNC and to get any further suggestions the
President may have. The big contributors know the cutbacks
are taking place at the RNC and are aware that the move has
been generated from the White House.
SPECIAL SITUATION:
Reports are good. State Chairman is confident. Key people
being prepared to endorse. Will be a national TV appearance
soon. Also a four-week hospital stay for an operation not to
affect health so as to become an issue. Shaping up as good
campaigner. Will keep fully posted.
Harry S. Dent
BY STEWART ALSOP
WALLACE AND THE SHAPE OF POLITICS
WARRIOR, ALA.-The magnificent loon-
Not being George Wallace is, among
thousand votes from George Wallace,
iness of American politics is nicely illus-
important groups here, a great political
but the minor candidates hurt Brewer
trated here in Alabama. For an earless
asset. Not being Wallace has helped to
markedly more than Wallace.
millionaire who is a minor candidate for
attract to Brewer the support of the
Until recently, the polls showed
governor here could quite conceivably
following:
Brewer ten points or more ahead of
change the whole course of American
1. The Republicans. Wallace main-
Wallace in a two-man race, but Wal-
political history.
tains that the state is being flooded
lace has been steadily closing the gap.
The earless millionaire is Charles
with Nixon money, channeled in
Here in Alabama, he is given little
Woods of Dothan, Ala., whose ears and
through Postmaster General Winton M.
chance of winning the required major-
much of whose face were shot away in
Blount, a longtime Wallace adversary.
ity on May 5. But he is given a very
the second world war. He has since
2. The "loyalist" Democrats-those
good chance of forcing a runoff, with an
made a lot of money, and is now spend-
who stay with the national party in
assist from the earless millionaire.
ing a good deal of it in a hopeless tele-
Presidential elections.
Then Brewer may be in trouble. For
vision campaign for governor. Woods is
3. The Brewer precinct-level organi-
time-time and George Wallace-are
a supernumerary, a minor actor in the
zation. Brewer, a methodical fellow,
working for Wallace. There is not much
drama. But he could determine the
has built a much stronger organization
doubt about the main thrust of his cam-
fates of the major actors in the drama-
than Wallace, who depended on charis-
paign in a runoff. He will charge that
former Gov. George Wallace and the
ma, ever had.
Brewer is the candidate of the blacks,
incumbent governor, Albert Brewer-
4. The young, who in all straw votes
and he will no doubt be able to use
and thus change the shape of American
oppose Wallace overwhelmingly. There
precinct returns in the May 5 primary
politics.
is, in fact, something very old-fashioned
to prove it. Indeed, this campaign line
Brewer is given a serious chance of
about Wallace, and the generation gap
has already surfaced.
defeating George Wallace. If that hap-
clearly exists in Alabama, too.
pens, a great, grateful sigh of relief will
5. The Establishment. Every leading
DARK SUSPICIONS
go up from the White House, and
newspaper in the state opposes Wal-
BLACKS BACK BREWER AGAINST WAL-
President Nixon will predictably shift
lace. So do the utilities and the banks,
LACE, read the headline of a Wallace
his political course several degrees to
both of which Wallace attacks head-on
ad in the Alabama papers on April 21.
the liberal-left.
in virtually every speech.
The same day, to Wallace's evident de-
For the threat of a second Wallace
6. The new respectables. This is an
light, some Negro youths in Brewer
Presidential candidacy is, of course, the
amorphous category, but it may be the
sweatshirts, heckled Wallace. The
central threat to all the President's fond
Jargest of all. Alabama has been shift-
Brewer people had dark suspicions
hopes for making the Republican Party
ing even more rapidly than the rest of
about the source of the sweatshirts.
again the national majority party and,
the country from the rural and small-
This sort of thing is effective in Ala-
not incidentally, for re-electing Richard
town society George Corley Wallace
bama-even among the new respecta-
M. Nixon by a handsome majority. If
grew up in to an urban and suburban
bles. But more effective still is George
Wallace runs again, a good guess is that
society, with a growing middle class
Wallace's quite genuine star quality as
eight out of ten of his votes-and he
which highly values security and re-
a campaigner. Here in rural Warrior, for
got about 10 million last time-will
spectability. These people much dislike
example, you could feel the electric
come right out of Mr. Nixon's hide.
the reputation for sweaty, cigar-chew-
current generated by a great dema-
COMPULSIVE CANDIDATE
ing, red-neck politics that George Wal-
gogue pass through the crowd as Wal-
lace brings to Alabama. It is these peo-
lace denounced the banks and utilities,
If Wallace is defeated by Brewer,
ple Governor Brewer is addressing
and the rich on Wall Street who don't
either in next week's primary or in a
when he says, as he does all the time,
pay their taxes, and his enemies who
June 3 runoff, he will be politically
that "I'll never embarrass you or do
"drink tea at the country club with
dead-and to judge from the tone of his
anything to make you ashamed."
their little finger stubbed straight up,
voice when asked what he will do if he
7. The blacks, or most of them. The
and never do a thing for the people."
is beaten, he knows it. He will no doubt
black vote is put at between 15 per
Wallace is not only a brilliant cam-
run for President anyway-like Estes
cent and 20 per cent.
paigner. He is also a populist, an anti-
Kefauver or Harold Stassen, he has be-
This is a formidable list. But this is
Establishmentarian, and his attacks on
come a compulsive Presidential candi-
where the earless millionaire enters the
the big newspapers, the banks, and the
date. But he will be a mere fringe politi-
scenario. No one supposes that Charles
utilities account for that electric cur-
cian, lacking a political base, a curiosity
Woods has a chance. But his television
rent in his shirt-sleeved crowds at least
relegated to the "Where Are They
campaign, in which he presents himself
as much as the race issue. His opposi-
Now?" section.
as a sort of anti-politician, has been ef-
tion has never been more formidable.
Brewer, as Wallace's longtime proté-
fective, and some good guessers put his
But little George Wallace, all the same,
gé and political creation, is Goneril to
vote next week at 100,000 or even
may get his chance to "keep my foot in
Wallace's Lear ("How sharper than a
more. Most of those votes would be
Mr. Nixon's back" so that Mr. Nixon
serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless
Brewer votes in a two-man battle. So
will "keep his promise to give your
child") and he has no real differences
would most of the votes of ex-Gov.
schools and your children back to you."
with Wallace on racial or other issues.
James Folsom (Kissin' Jim), another
The people of Warrior need no code
But he has been a competent governor,
compulsive candidate, and a racial lib-
book to understand what Wallace
his manner is soothing, and above all,
eral by Alabama standards. Asa Carter,
means. No code book is needed in the
he is not George Wallace.
an arch-segregationist, may take a few
White House, either.
100
Newsweek, May 4, 1970