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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Ronald Reagan Gubernatorial Campaign: Files,
1966
Folder Title: RR Speeches and Statements Book II
(4 of 6)
Box: C30
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digitized-textual-material
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/white-house-inventories
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/research-
support/citation-guide
National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
PAGES 358 - 369
ARE MISSING
THE ORIGINAL COPY WAS TO FAINT TO DUPLICATE
SUBJECT:
"RR ON THE ISSUES"
ADDRESS TO:
DATE:
NOT FOR RELEASE UNTIL: SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1936 - 1:30PM
ISSUES AND ANSWERS
Sunday, May 29, 1966
Ronald Reagan and George Christopher
ANNCR: Mr. Ronald Reagan, St leading contender for the Republican nomina-
tion for Governor of California, popular movie and television star, political
conservative, running on the slogan: "Vote for Reagan for commonsense answers
to California problems."
From Los Angeles, California, the American Broadcasting Company brings
you ISSUES AND ANSWERS.
The program will be equally divided into two segments, one with Mr. Ronald
Reagan, one with Mr. George Christopher. The first half will be Mr. Reagan, who
will be interviewed by ABC West Coast Correspondent Piers Anderton and ABC News
Political Editor Bill Lawrence.
MR. LAWRENCE: Mr. Reagan, former Vice-President Nixon said the other day
that he thought things were going so badly that the Republicans could elect
any ticket they nominated in 1968. Do you share in the optimism?
MR. REAGAN: Well, very frankly, he's a little ahead of me. I haven't been
looking as far ahead as 1968. I have been looking at 1966. I do feel that
there is a wave throughout the country - now, he's traveled more throughout
the country in recent weeks than I have, I have been pretty busy in California -
but I think there is a wave, a kind of ground swell, among the people with
regard to some of the things that now are taking place that would lead me to be
optimistic.
MR. LAWRENCE: Well, former Governor Rockefeller just the other day was
talking about a ticket in 1968. His ticket would be Governor Romney of Michigan
and Senator Javits of New York. As a strong Goldwater sponsor in 1964, what is
your reaction to this suggestion?
MR. REAGAN: Well, I think there's going to be, as always, a multiple choice
in the Republican Party come convention time. I actually haven't made up my
mind, because, as I say, I have been too busy to look that far ahead. I don't
think this is the time to pick the ticket for 168, although some people will be
laying plans now, but, as always, I will probably have a choice when the time
comes; but I will also abide by the decision of the party and support the ticket.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Reagan, recently the Un-American Activities Subcommittee
criticized the University of California at Berkeley. You supported part of the
Subcommittee report, for instance the charge that a dance there was an orgy. Do
you have any independent facts to back up that charge?
MR. REAGAN: Well, yes, I only know about the reports what I read in the
papers, as everyone else does, but what I have stated is that I had, previous
to that report coming out -- as a matter of fact, I didn't know such a report
was coming out -- I had had evidence and reports, eyewitness reports of that
particular effair, as well as one or two others on the campus, and had been
throughout the state criticizing this complete departure, on a campus, from what
I consider just normal, ethical, and moral behavior, and it does confirm or
affirm some of the things that I have read in the paper or in the Burns
Committee Report.
MR. ANDERTON: Well, I was at that dance, and I must have missed the orgy
part of it, because I saw nothing of that kind.
2
372
MR. REAGAN: Well, the report I have is from certainly a well-qualified
observer, who was evidently there for the purpose of recording this, but if
what you say is true with regard to yourself, then this again lends weight to
my recommendation. It is high time that we have an open public inquiry to
establish the facts, and if the facts are as indicated in the report, then
certainly to establish responsibility.
MR. LAWRENCE: Well, Mayor Yorty, and you to some extent I think, have
placed some of the blame for this on Governor Brown. How do you make this
charge? How do you justify this complaint?
MR. REAGAN: Well, he is president of the Board of Regents of the University.
Now, let me make one thing plain. I have no desire to ever see political inter-
ference with academic freedom or academic policy. As a matter of fact, I have
made that pretty plain for a number of years, that this is one of my complaints
over much of federal aid to education, that it is bringing about political
control of education, which should not be; but when we get into an incident
that indicates actual immorality and, as I say, a departure from a pretty
normal ethical code, now, certainly if this evidence was available to me, it
must have been available to the Governor, and I believe that the Governor was
showing a lack of leadership in not getting into this particular matter. And
I think it's another indication of a tendency that I feel he has to, in an
election year, not rock the boat.
MR. LAWRENCE: Well, is this a major complaint against Governor Brown, this
lack of leadership? Does it just apply to the University of California, or is
this a broad, broad assault on many fronts?
MR. REAGAN: No, I think this lack of leadership has been evident in &
3
333
number of ways. It probably reflects his belief that when his position with
regard to matters in California crosses policy with federal decisions, he will
go along with the federal Government. Now, I could go far afield from the
University and give an example four years ago, when the Governor promised the
California farmers an adequate labor force, including braceros; but when the
federal Government made a decision that their policy was counter to this and
they were going to cancel out supplemental labor, the Governor never raised his
voice in protest, even though he has occasionally admitted that he thinks maybe
they are wrong. I think it was a lack of leadership. I think the Governor had
a moral responsibility to stand up and protest to the federal Government that
what they were doing was detrimental to the Governor of this state and the
California citizens.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Reagan, the McCone Commission, which invostigated the
Negro riots in Los Angeles, laid part of the blame for the Watts situation on
the demoralizing effects of welfare payments. I know that you have said that
we are making welfare a way of life for some people. Would you explain your
position on that?
MR. REAGAN: Well, yes, I think in this welfare program -- and let me make
one thing plain, you always have to do this, and I am happy to do it, that
there is a segment of welfare that, if I have any complaint, it is that we are
not doing enough. Now, this is the part of welfare of those people who,
through disability or old age, must depend on the rest of us. I feel that we
should do everything we can, and perhaps aren't doing enough because we are
spread so thin in the many welfare programs that have sprung up, actually, since
the Depression days with regard to able-bodied people, and they were programs
4
374
originally intended to put those people back out into productivity, and I think
we have strayed away from that goal. We have in California a number of cases,
any number, that are people in their third generation of their families who are
living on welfare, which would indicate that instead of welfare being used to
fit people for a productive life, we have perpetuated their poverty; and I have,
yes, a great complaint against this.
I think that welfare spending, as far as possible, should be replaced with
welfare investing, and by that I mean trying to head off these cases before
they become dependent and trying to rehabilitate those, salvage those, and put
them out into that productive life. And I don't think we are doing enough of
this. The whole philosophy of this administration is characterized in a book
put out by the State Department of Welfare, and it says that public dependency
is our social right, and that the aim of welfare is the redistribution of
income. Well, I think most people have a concept that it is still based on the
Biblical definition of charity and the idea of helping those who are either
temporarily or permanently in need of help; and, of course, in the ancient
Hebrew philosopher's words that the highest form of help to the needy is to
help them to help themselves.
MR. ANDERTON: Well, I think the Negro community here feels that not
enough Government money is being spent, say, in Watts. Would you agree that
more should be spent there?
MR. REAGAN: No, I think probably what their complaint is about is the
cancellation, for example, of the one program that caused the great frustration
prior to the August riots last summer, and here we have the situation of the
new poverty program, which all seems to be on paper and in the pipeline except
5
375
where the administrators are concerned. Now, it's been very successful in
building a great bureaucracy and hierarchy of paid administrators, but very
little seems to be coming out of the pipe and meeting the needs of the people.
Now, I don't happen to be in sympathy with the poverty program. I think to a
large extent it's a pretty good pork barrel, but once it is started and the
promises are coming, and the promises aren't kept, as last August there was
supposed to be a youth program put into effect in Watts, and as the summer
went on and the arguments went on between politicians as to who was going to
have the biggest say in the control of the program, the summer went by and the
program just didn't happen, and the youth who had been led to believe the
flowery promises were pretty frustrated.
MR. LAWRENCE: As a conservative, while we are talking about welfare, did
you share Senator Goldwater's view that Social Security ought to be voluntary?
MR. REAGAN: Well, now, I don't think Senator Goldwater had completely
that view. Now, you realize we are not talking about a state issue, but now
we are talking about a federal issue. I have made statements that there are
certain features of Social Security which could be made voluntary, and I have
also made the statement, and I will stick by this, that Social Security, like
so many programs of the Government, has been operated in such a fiscally
irresponsible manner that it is in deep trouble financially, and we will run
the risk of winding up where some other countries have already wound up, dis-
covering that when the day comes one day to depend on Social Security, there
might be a generation of Americans who will find the cupboard is bare, and I
have repcatedly urged, and did two years ago in the campaign, that before such
a crisis arrives we turn the genious and ability of this country toward that
6
376
program to see that it is on a sound basis. I have no complaint about Social
Security in principle. I believe it is a fact of life, here to stay, and a
good fact. I think it not only benefits the individuals who receive it, but I
think it serves a purpose in maintaining a purchasing power and minimizes some
of our economic ups and downs with regard to recessions and prosperity.
MR. LAWRENCE: Well, as a Californian, did you favor the House action in
extending minimum wage coverage to the workers on these big agricultural
corporations?
MR. REAGAN: Well, as long as this is uniform nation-wide, I have no
complaints. Secretary of Labor Wirtz, in establishing minimums last year in
the great harvest crisis, which he himself and the Government brought on, I
thought revealed some strange thinking when he set different minimum standards
throughout the country, for example, $1.15 an hour minimum in the citrus
groves of Florida, but $1.40 minimum in California. But as- long as you are
going to have a minimum wage and have it uniform throughout the country, I have
no complaint.
MR. LAWRENCE: Briefly, how do you feel this campaign is going? Are you
going to win this primary?
MR. RE/GAN: Yes.
MR. LAWRENCE: And how do you feel about November?
MR. REAGAN: Well, I not only - I have to place my confidence in the
polls. I have lived too much of my life under the gun of the Nielsen rating
not to heed the ratings, and the polls have indicated that not only do I have
a substantial lead in the primary, but that I also can win in November, and I
believe that in my own evidence that I have acquired going around the state and
7
377
meeting the people, yes, I think I can win in November.
MR. LAWRENCE: I am sorry, Mr. Reagan, our time is up. In just a moment
we'll be back with more ISSUES AND ANSWERS from Mr. Christopher.
ANNCR: Mr. George Christopher, the other leading contender for the
Republican gubernatorial nomination in California, long-time Mayor of San
Francisco, political moderate, whose slogan is "The Qualified Candidate."
MR. LAWRENCE: Mr. Christopher, former Vice-President Nixon said the other
day that things were going so badly that he thought the Republicans could elect
any ticket they nominate in 1968. As a leading California Republican, do you
share his optimism?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: I am sorry to say I do not. I believe that kind of
complacence could well destroy the Republican Party. I believe that we should
work at all times to do the right thing and be sure we have the right answers
to the various issues. That's the only way we shall ever win.
MR. LAWRENCE: Well, Governor Rockefeller suggested in New York just
recently that the ticket in 1968 might well be Governor Romney of Michigan
for President and Senator Javits of New York for Vice-President. As a
Rockefeller supporter in 1964, what is your reaction to that?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Well, I have a high personal regard for Mr. Romney, and
I think he would make a very strong candidate. Insofar as Mr. Javits is
concerned, I know him personally, and I think perhaps it's about time we also
considered a man of his faith for the national ticket. I think it would be
wholesome and good, and I believe it could be a winning ticket. I am not
advocating this ticket at the present time, because I don't know who else might
core up, but right offhand I would say that could be a strong Republican ticket.
8
378
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Christopher, there have been a rash of reports, led
largely by columnist Drew Pedrson, about your violation of the agricultural
laws in 1940. Do you think these reports have hurt your campaign?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Well, I think Mr. Pearson is well known in California.
He's been out here before. First he did a hatchet job on Mr. Nixon four
years ago. He came out again for Mr. Brown, and the people are wondering
why Mr. Pearson takes this great interest in defeating Republican candidates.
I can tell you why. Mr. Pearson came out because every poll showed that I
was the candidate who could defeat Mr. Brown by as high as 20 per cent. Mr.
Brown had a conference in Sacramento some time ago, at which time they decided
that they wanted to defeat me and nominate my opposition, because they feel that
my opposition would be so much easier to defeat in the finals. And so my
question is this: Will the Republicans permit Mr. Pearson and Mr. Brown to
choose the Republican Party nominee? I, for one, am tired of just winning
primaries, and I hope my fellow Republicans are also tired of just winning
primaries. We have got to realize, at long last, that the only election that
counts is in November, and I am the only Republican who can defeat Mr. Brown.
MR. LAWRENCE: What are the merits of these charges that Mr. Pearson
leveled? They purport to be based on court records.
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Well, I would say that 27 years ago we were fighting the
constitutionality of the milk laws. These laws are still dubious, still
uncertain, and we found that the lew at that time was unconstitutional; and
/
when it was so declared unconstitutional, every dairyman in the state, practically,
sold milk at whatever price they could get for it; and later on, the law was
reversed and found to be constitutional, as a matter of fact, and then we all
9
paid fines of $500, because these were misdemeanors,
Now, then, this is a well-known factor. It is in my own book written
about me, the biography by George Dorsey Christopher, of San Francisco. There
was nothing secret about it, it is open, everybody there can see it, I have
talked about it many, many times, and I am surprised that Mr. Pearson would go
back 27 years when he knew about it himself when he at one time, when I wasn't
running for Governor, espoused my candidacy. I think all of this is just a
part of the Brown-Pearson partnership to deprive me of the nomination, because
they know full well that if I am nominated, the Republicans at long last have
a winner.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Christopher, the latest charges bring the situation up
to as recent a year as 1964 when your milk farm was accused of violating the
milk laws.
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Well, no, these are technical aspects that are
consistently involved and do involve alldairies at this particular time that
you speak of in '64 -- I wasn't manager of the dairy then - but some 30 or 40
dairy companies in the state had nolo contendere pleas on some technical
violations which don't involve quality, don't involve anything except painting
signs or issuing dispensers for milk. These are technical violations which
have existed for 27 years, and I may say that almost every day there are such
violations involving big companies and small companies, and no one has ever
thought that they were serious violations until this election, as a matter of
fact.
MR. ANDERTON: Do you expect further charges of this kind to be brought
up against you?
10
380
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Well, I wouldn't know. If Mr. Brown and others feel I
still am their opponent, if they don't have any charges, they will trunp up
charges, because Mr. Brown is in a very desperate situation here, and Mr. Brown
is going to do all he can to nominate my opponent. He feels he can defeat my
opponent quite easily, and most people agree with him. So he is going to do
all he possibly can to defeat me in the primaries.
MR. LAWRENCE: Have these charges ever been raised in previous political
campaigns like your race for Mayor in San Francisco, and did they help you or
hurt you or --
MR. CHRISTOPHER: The charges were referred to on occasion, but they
were never raised, and they were known by all the newspapers. There was nothing
secret about then, as I said before, they were even reported in my own book,
so I don't know what's new about it, frankly.
MR. LAWRENCE: But I wondered what the political impact had been in the
past, if any.
MR. CHRISTOPHER: All I can tell you is I won my races by the biggest
margins in the history of San Francisco, despite the fact that my opponents
endeavored to use these matters on occasion. But they never took hold, and
the only reason they are being made an issue at this time is because Mr. Brown
has read the polls, and he believes in these polls, as I do.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Christopher, you say that Governor Brown is behind this
Drew Pearson canpaign. Do you think that Ronald Reagan had anything to do with
it?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: Not that I know of. All I do know is that Mr. Reagan's
people in his various headquarters did take the reprints of Mr. Pearson's
11
articles and disseminate them amongst the general public. But that's as far as
I know that Mr. Reagan participated in this matter.
MR. LAWRENCE: Has there been pretty good compliance, strangely enough,
with the so-called eleventh commandment that "Thou shalt not speak ill of
other Republicans"?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: That's a matter of personal judgment. I know I have
tried to adhere to it. I certainly have not used any personalities. I haven't
gone back to any man's record of 27 years, I haven't talked about anything of a
personal nature with regard to any candidate, and I don't intend to. I don't
need the office that bad. I want to be Governor, but at the same time I am
not going to compromise my own conscience. But whother others have done so,
I will leave that to the discretion of the people who hear and see the incidents.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Christopher, recently the Un-American Activities Sub-
Conmittee attacked the University of California at Berkeley, saying that it was
deluged with filth and controlled by Communists. I understand that that report
was issued without ever holding a hearing. Was that your understanding, and
what do you think of the report in general?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: I understand also that the report was issued without
holding a hearing. I disagree with my opponent that we should conduct a
legislative inquiry into this catter. I know that there are some profanities
and vulgarities on the campus of the University, but at the same time, I don't
want to see a legislative inquiry, because this will embarrass the 99-3/4
per cent of the fine students who are going to the University, and I believe
that we should dispense with talk about legislative inquiries and, rather, tell
the Governor of the State of California to abstain from injecting himself
12
382
politically into the regents' business and let the regents formulate their
rules, let the regents issue these rules, and assure everybody that there will
be discipline, and I believe the catter could be ended, because, as matters
stand at the present time, I believe that the great University of California,
which is world renowned, is suffering from political naneuvers which certainly
can be harmful to a great institution.
MR, LAWRENCE: What about the Watts riots last year? There seems to be a
great deal of tenseness there now. Is this a legitimate political issue?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: I tried not to make it SO. I tried to abstain from
making Watts a partison issue, because I believe that Republicans and
Democrats alike should sit down and become a part of the solution, rather than
make each other a part of the problem. Now, I have been in Watts several
times, many times, and the thing that I found wrong there, without pointing a
finger at anybody, is that there are various funds being expended, foundation
funds, Ford Foundation funds, for instance, and then we have federal funds, we
have city funds, and we have state funds, and we have ever so many activities,
but there is not one single coordinated effort to bring all of these efforts
under one umbrella and thus enbark upon a training program that would be of
some benefit to the people of Watts. We have a 30 per cent unemployment ratio
in that area today, and I think the only way we 11 correct this is to put all
of the activities under one roof.
MR. LAWRENCE: Do you blane Governor Brown or Mayor Yorty?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: I an not blaming Mayor Yorty, because I think Mayor
Yorty is - while technically responsible, still he doesn't have the full
responsibility. I certainly do blare Governor Brown, because he has come down
13
there again and again and has made promises of actions that would be taken in
the future, but no action has been taken. He is going to wait until another
incident takes place, and I will make this prediction: When these funds are
exhausted - I am talking about the various foundation funds which will be
exhausted with no coordination -- I an afraid that somebody is going to be
disillusioned, and then with disillusionments we could have more difficulties.
MR. ANDERTON: Do you foresee difficulties this year, this summer?
MR. CHRISTOPHER: I an not trying to predict difficulties; I hope nothing
takes place. I simply say that now that we have forewarning, shouldn't we be
getting some activity under a coordinated effort? If we do that, I believe
we can forestall difficulties if these difficulties are going to persist. In
the moantime, however, I don't want to be misunderstood. I believe that those
people who are violating the law in Watts or any place else should be appre-
hended and should be punished, because we cannot condone violations under the
pretext of underprivilege or any other reason,
MR. LAWRENCE: I an sorry, our time is up. Thank you, Mr. Christopher,
for being our guest on ISSUES AND ANSWERS. In just a moment we'll be back with
an announcement of next week's guest.
ANNCR: Our guests were Mr. Ronald Reagan and Mr. George Christopher. They
were interviewed by ABC News Correspondents Bill Lawrence and Piers Anderton.
Next week at this same tire ISSUES AND ANSWERS will bring you Governor William
Scranton, Republican of Pennsylvania, just back from Vietnam. We hope you will
/
be with us.
ISSUES AND ANSWERS is originated in the studios of AEC TV in Los Angeles.
14
PAGES 384 - 388
ARE MISSING
THE ORIGINAL COPY WAS TO FAINT TO DUPLICATE
SUBJECT: "RR ON THE ISSUES"
ADDRESS TO:
DATE:
389
RONALD REAGAN
PACIFIC PALISADES
September 16, 1966
Dr. Max Rafferty
Superintendent of Public Instruction
721 Capitol Mall
Sacramento 95814
Dear Dr. Rafferty:
Thank you for your letter of September 2. My answers to your questions follow.
QUESTION #1: If elected Governor in November, will you give leadership and
support to legislation designed to increase the percentage of state money. allo-
cated to local school districts, while at the same time giving relief to the
local real property taxpayer?
ANSWER #1: Yes. The small property owner in California is being pushed to the
wall by the burden thrown on him as a result of the gradual withdrawal of the
state from a fifty-fifty fiscal partnership with local school districts.
QUESTION #2: If elected Governor in November, will you give leadership and
support to legislation designed to amend A.B. 145 (Unruh) in such a way as to:
(a) Give more power to local county redistricting committees to decide matters
of district unification, and less power to the State Board of Education?
(b) Eliminate the requirement to unify along existing high school boundary
lines?
(c) Eliminate the compulsory and expensive two-year voting requirement?
ANSWER #2: Yes. As in the case of many omnibus bills, elapsed time points "up
certain weaknesses in 145 which need to be corrected. [ stand for local
control of education under constructive and dynamic state leadership. I do not
stand for educational statism.
QUESTION 3: If elected Governor in November, will you appoint future members
of the State Board of Education either from the ranks of distinguished present
or past members of local school boards, or from those of our citizens who have
had a long and noteworthy acquaintance with the problems of education prior to
their appointment to the State Board of Education?
ANSWER #3: The members of the Board of Education should be outstanding citizens
distinguished in the State and should be selected with a heavy preference for
those with a long and noteworthy experience in the field of education including
those who lare now or who have served as members of local school boards. If
elected, I would appoint such citizens to the Board.
390
D-. Max Rafferty
Page No. 2
September 16, 1966
QUESTION # 4: If elected Governor in November, will you require from your
appointees to the State Board of Education a pledge that they will abstain
completely during their term of office from engaging in such political activities
as using their nonpartisan positions as springboards to run for political office
or to act as campaign managers and directors for other political candidates?
ANSWER #4: No. I don't believe a Governor should attach any strings of this
sort to his appointees. However, I strongly agree that appointed members of
statewide educational policy-making bodies should abstain from any political
adventures during the time they serve on such bodies, and I will impress my
opinion upon each appointee. If a man wants to engage in partisan politica,
he should not take advantage of his position on a statewide educational board
to launch his own political candidacy or to mastermind another's.
QUESTION #5: If elected Governor in November, will you meet with the University
of California Regents and exert the leadership necessary to persuade them to
adopt regulations which will prevent treasonable and immoral conditions from
existing within the University?
ANSWER #5: Leadership would be directed toward restoring control of the University
to the Regents as prescribed by the California Constitution. As President of the
Regents, the Governor must lead in fact as well as in theory, not merely show up
as a figurehead to preside over meetings once or twice a year. However, the
Regents themselves must solve the University's present problems and plan for a
finer future with politics playing no part in the University nor the University
taking any part in politics. University Rule #5 should be the definition of
academic freedom and Article 9 of the State Constitution should be upheld.
QUESTION #6: If elected Governor in November, will you lead a statewide attempt,
using every legal means at your disposal, to stem the rising tide of obscenity
in California, as evidenced by the growing number of filthy books, pornographic
motion pictures, and indecent stage presentations to which the state's children
are being exposed?
ANSWER #6: Yes. The present Governor has done nothing to show that he even
knows this great and grave problem exists. I propose not only to recognize it,
but to do active battle with it. Specifically, I plan to confer with California's
fine school people and librarians, and to get their ideas as the first step in
bringing this increasing threat to our children under control.
I hope these answers to your questions will clarify my position in regard to some
of the major issues facing California schools, and will put your colleagues in
education on notice that I intend after my election to use their brains, their
idealism, and their dedication to promote better education in our state.
Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan
RR:kd
p391-402
Citizens Committee To Elect
RONALD REAGAN GOVERNOR
NEWS RELEASE.
Contact: Lyn Nofziger
Release: 4:00 pm, 9.9.66
TRANSCRIPT OF REAGAN CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF TELECAST, SEPTEMBER 9, 1966
"It isn't exactly an accident that we chose this day to launch our campaign.
On this day 116 years ago, California became a state. Now I'm not unaware that
this launching is in a sense ceremonial. You'd have to be living in a cave some-
where not to know that the campaigning hasn't really stopped since the primary.
"In his book, Roughing It, Mark Twain wrote: 'California has a splendid
population, for all of the slow, sluggish-brained stayed at home.' You never
find that sort of people among pioneers. It was that population that gave to
California a name for getting up astounding enterprises and rushing them through
with magnificent dash and daring. and when she projects a new surprise, the
grave world smiles as usual and says, 'Well, that's California all over,'
"But now the state is getting crowded with a new kind of migrant Washington
visitors who've been invited here to help the Governor. Some days ago we were
treated to the shocking spectacle of two United States Senators insulting the
Mayor of Los Angeles, and indeed all Californians, in an arrogant display of
bad manners. One of those Senators has been invited to come out here to campaign
in the Governor's behalf. I hope he comes. It would be interesting to have this
citizen of Massachusetts, who serves as the Senator from New York, explain why
he's qualified to tell us how to run the State of California. As a matter of
fact, it would be pretty interesting to hear the Governor discuss the problems
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HEADQUARTERS: 46 KEARNY ST., SUITE 600, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94108 PHONE (415) 392-8305
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HEADQUARTERS: 3257 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90005 PHONE (213) 381-5771
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of California.
"So far the only issue he's discussed is me, and he's gone to great lengths
to characterize me in a manner he knows is false. The question that remains un-
answered is: WHY? Could it be that he doesn't dare run on the record of his ad-
ministration? Is he perhaps hoping to divert our attention from the real but un-
solved problems he promised to solve four years ago? Or does he think that by
raising a false cry of extremism no one will notice that he and his administra-
tion, as well as the entire party machinery, have been taken over by militant
left-wing radicals, and he is, in truth, a captive of the California Democratic
Council whose philosophy is hardly typical of millions of rank and file Democrats?
"Well, the times are too serious for mud-slinging and personal vilification,
You are entitled to know where I, as a candidate, stand on the issues of interest
to you, and whether I offer constructive proposals.
"In contrast to what the Governor and his political cronies would have you
believe, it is my conviction that our political and free enterprise system have
made us prosperous enough that we are able to--and must--care for the less for-
tunate members of our society. I strongly support our system of unemployment
insurance for those who are unemployed through no fault of their own, and I be-
lieve that such protection could be extended to full-time, permanent farm employees.
But, under this administration, the soundness of the program has been seriously
weakened, endangering the security of working men and women and unfairly penal-
izing industry, and this must be remedied. Workmen's compensation is in need
of improvement to bring it into line with true living costs.
"I believe that, just as our giant industries have learned they must decen-
tralize in the interest of efficiency, so must government; and state government
must return more autonomy to the counties and local communities. We have the
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biggest and costliest state government in proportion to population, and it keeps on
growing. If you are the average family of four, your share of the cost of state and
local government is $400 a year higher than the national average. I believe the cost
of government can be cut by a Governor who truly believes in economy. The people have
been squeezed beyond the breaking point with regard to taxes. Property taxes are
increasing twice as fast as personal income and are a factor in the slump that has hit
our building industry five times harder in California than in the rest of the nation.
Building permits are down 49% from last year, mortgage foreclosures are up 38%, and
property tax delinquencies are the highest since the depression bottom of 1930.
"Every working man knows that unless something is done to reverse the upward
spiral, that after he reaches his non-earning years and retires on pension or social
security, he won't be able to live out his life in his own home. Already this tragedy
has caught up with our senior citizens. In 1949 Social Security paid a couple $68.40.
Now the payments are $152.50, but this $152.50 actually buys $1.32 less than the
$68.40 bought seventeen years ago. The $5.00 you and I put away twenty years ago will
only buy $1.85 worth of groceries today. Is it any wonder we read of an 80-year old
man who confessed he couldn't afford to live much longer? He said he'd saved his money
of
and thought he had enough, but now as prices go up, he knows he'll run out money soon,
and that worries him more than dying.
"Social Security is a vital program to protect our senior citizens. It is a
federal program but as Governor I would urge the federal government to strengthen it
in two ways--by ending the limitation on earnings for those who want to work and
augment their pension and by extending coverage to all our citizens over 65. If the
government persists in its policy of deliberate, planned inflation, then Social
Security should provide compensating cost of living increases.
"There are ways the State can help, pending action at the federal level. Some
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senior citizens in California not covered by Social Security, or not receiving enough
Social Security for minimum needs, are helped by State Old Age Assistance. Unfortun-
ately, this program is considered welfare and doesn't afford the dignity of Social
Security; recipients are subjected to frequent and humiliating investigations which
should be eliminated.
"Our free-spending State Government picks strange places to practice economies.
Not long ago in an effort to compensate for the increased cost of living, Social
Security added a few dollars to each check. California Old Age Assistance cut its
payments by the same amount, cancelling out the raise for our senior citizens A
delegation of senior citizens made the long journey to Sacramento hoping to discuss
their problems with the Governor, but he stalked angrily out of his office and refused
to see them.
"Throughout our history, Californians have taken pride in their ability to care
for their own with a humanitarianism unequaled anywhere, even in this great and gen-
erous nation. Now we see this humanitarianism exploited by those who preach the gospel
of envy and the creed of failure. Legitimate working men and women are taxed and bled
to provide for those who refuse to provide for themselves. Welfare recipients increase
in number almost three times as fast as our increase in population and the cost doubles
in just five years. California industry goes begging for skilled craftsmen and those
who can be trained in job skills. Yet unemployment remains 28% higher here than the
national average, evidence that our population growth is not caused entirely by those
seeking better opportunity, but at least in part because someone put a chalk mark on
our door informing the initiated that here in California is an easy access to a variety
of welfare programs.
"The time has come to put a new sign on the door. Let its meaning be unmistakably
clear. We 11 continue to help those in true need and even try to improve our care for
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those who, through no fault of their own, must depend on their fellow man. But these
whose only disability is unwillingness to work will discover we don't consider that
an incurable ailment. From now on the able-bodied will work for their keep or take
training to fit themselves for jobs, and there'll be no pay for play.
"Now while I'm on the subject of work, let me say a few words about labor--
organized labor. It almost seems silly that I should have to explain myself and my
position after half a lifetime spent in the ranks and as an officer and six times
president of a union. Still, the hierarchy of labor, the professionals who manage
union affairs (usually without consulting the rank and file membership) have come forth
in this campaign with slick paper brochures and daily releases to all the union papers
attacking me as anti-labor, one who would plot and scheme to put right-to-work legis-
lation over on unsuspecting Californians.
"These self-annointed sultans of labor can't help but know that I represented my
union in helping to defeat the right-to-work law in 1958. They know that is still my
position--that I oppose right-to-work laws as too big a gun for the problems we seek
to solve.
"These men have been in my house and I have met with them over the years in the
highest echelons of labor. They know my philosophy and my thinking, yet today they
resort to deliberate falsehood, probably because they know how much I'm aware of their
own cynical lack of faith in their members' ability to run their own affairs.
"It was Mr. Pitts, recently elected to high office in the AFL-CIO, who said, 'Any
union member who doesn't vote as the leadership tells him to is as guilty of an anti-
labor act as if he went through a picket line.' That's an insult to every union mem-
ber and shows a great lack of understanding as to what this country is all about.
That's why my own idea of needed labor legislation is a measure to guarantee every
union member the right in his union to a secret ballot on all matters affecting
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the policy of that union. I will also seek machinery to insure fair bargaining
for both management and labor with protection for the public in those areas not
now covered by federal legislation. Such machinery is nonexistent in California.
"Labor is not a small clique of self-perpetuating professionals. Labor is
millions of hard-working, fair-minded, patriotic Americans, and I have faith in
their ability to vote their conscience and run their own lives. I believe in
their right to organize and bargain collectively. I must! I led my own union
in the only strike in its history, and we achieved an employer-paid pension and
welfare plan.
"There are other issues in this campaign. Few if any of our city streets
are safe for a woman after dark. Narcotics traffic has mushroomed like a rush
hour jam on the freeway, and directly in its path--as its prime target--is our
youth, our sons and daughters. Pornography has become a national scandal and
California is its fountainhead. Crime has sky-rocketed until we have double
our proportionate share, but the record will show that bill after bill, intro-
duced by concerned legislators in Sacramento, has been opposed by the administra-
tion and either dies in committee, or, if passed, is vetoed by the Governor.
"Willful murder is up 14.4% in one year; robbery, 9%; forcible rape, 5.3%;
arrests of juveniles for narcotics violations, a shocking 34.9%.
"Let me make a prediction. Very shortly the Governor will issue a bewilder-
ing maze of statistics to refute everything I've just said. We'll be told there
was a 35% decrease in juvenile narcotics arrests. There will be similar contra-
dictions regarding crimes of violence. I have no way of knowing how he will
arrive at his figures unless he resorts to the new arithmetic. The source for
my figures was this official report from the Governor's own Attorney General,
Crime and Delinquency in California, 1965, compiled in the Bureau of Criminal
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Statistics.
"I've made a number of specific proposals aimed at curbing this run-away
crime. Local communities should be given the right they once had to adopt
ordinances for the protection of their citizens. We should start a drive to
raise, by citizen contributions, a fund for the widows and children of police and
firemen killed in line of duty. This would serve to ease recruitment problems
in both these services. The phone company says a simple three digit number is
possible on a statewide basis so that in emergencies citizens could dial even
from pay phones without a coin and be instantly connected with the proper agency.
We should begin immediate planning for a central crime laboratory and for a
police academy to offer uniform training for those communities unable to afford
such training.
"With that last suggestion, I'm kind of hard put to understand just what
is the Governor's position. When I first proposed an academy he attacked it
as an unnecessary extravagance, but here is a piece of his campaign literature,
and he promises if he is re-elected, he'll give us that same 'unnecessary'
extravagance. It's possible his busy left hand doesn't know what his right
is doing--or promising.
"In 1748, a philosopher wrote: 'When a government last a long while, it
deteriorates by insensible degrees.' Another one of my proposals (not dealing
with crime, let me hasten to say) is a two-term limit on the Governorship. If
you can't do the job in eight years, you shouldn't try for twelve.
"Californians for many years have had a fierce and well-deserved pride in
our educational system and our great University. Now they feel great concern
as they see that University threatened by the irresponsible and destructive
conduct of a small radical minority. This is no false issue concocted by candi-
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dates for political advantage. This is a question (so far unanswered) in the
minds of millions of citizens, and it won't go away by pretending it doesn't
exist. The time has come to deal with it and put it in its proper perspective
without hysteria, recognizing the vast majority of faculty and students are no
part of that loud vulgar minority, but are seriously interested in educational
ideals and the University's primary purpose. The approach must be constructive
and must make sure the University will be allowed to function without, repeat,
without political interference.
"I charge there has been political interference which has resulted in
the appeasement of campus malcontents and filthy-speech advocates under the
pretense of preserving academic freedom. Actually this policy of appeasement
has been dictated by political expediency in this election year in the hope of
sweeping the problem under the rug. This will, of course, be denied. The
Governor, aided by his well-oiled and heavily financed machine, will charge
instead that I would impose political control on the University. He remains
deafeningly silent about how the problem should be solved.
"Well, let me tell you my belief and you be the judge of whether it
threatens academic freedom.
"The function of the University is to seek and to transmit knowledge and
to train students in the processes whereby truth is to be made known. To con-
vert or to make converts, is alien and hostile to this dispassionate duty.
Where it becomes necessary, in performing this function of the University, to
consider political, social or sectarian movements, they are dissected and
examined--not taught--and the conclusions left, with no tipping of the scales
to the logic of the facts. Its obligation is to see that the conditions under
which questions are examined are those which give play to intellect rather. than
399
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passion. (The sit-in at Sproul Hall the attack on the forces of law and order-
-the continued violation of moral and ethical standards hardly fits this concept.)
"Essentially, the freedom of a University is the freedom of competent per-
sons in the classroom. In order to protect this freedom, the University assumes
the right to prevent exploitation of its prestige by unqualified persons or by
those who would use it as a platform for propaganda.
"The University expects the state, in return, and to its own great gain, to
protect this indispensable freedom, a freedom, like the freedom of the press, that
is the heritage and the right of a free people.
"Now let me tell you--this is not only my belief, but it also is a Univer-
sity regulation.
"This is University Regulation No. 5, the University's own definition of
academic freedom, subscribed to by faculty and administration since 1934. This
rule helped guide the University to greatness and should be restored as the
accepted definition of the University's purpose. But to say it is the measuring
stick for what has been taking place in the past year would be the mis-statement
of all time. The so-called 'New Left' has used the University, even in the class-
rooms, as a political propaganda base with no pretense of allowing balanced dis-
cussion and divergent points of view.
"Article 9, Section 9, of California's Constitution says: 'The University
shall be entirely independent of all political or sectarian influence and kept
free therefrom in the appointment of its Regents and in the administration of
its affairs.' With this pledge to keep the University free from political influ-
ence goes the obligation on the part of the Regents and the University not to get
involved in partisan politics. This obligation also has been violated by the
government machine, with one Regent serving as the Governor's campaign manager,
400
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and another organizing University professors to help school the Governor on the
issues.
"The Constitutional independence of our University from political control
must be restored. If that independence was necessary when the Constitution was
written almost a hundred years ago, can anyone who loves the University doubt
its indispensability today when the political forces which besiege the University
are not our traditional Democrats or Republicans, but are members of the 'New
Left" which brought it to a grinding halt almost two years ago?
"The people are concerned, and justifiably so. There has been a 20% drop
in undergraduate applications. This will be denied, but only because the
University has changed the cut-off date and allowed previously unqualified
students to fill the vacancies. There has been a drop in qualified graduate
students. Professors are leaving the University at a rate of three times as
great as the normal turnover. There are reports, too, from recent graduates
that employers are leary about hiring them because of the University's new
reputation for radicalism. These are legitimate causes for concern and the peo-
ple will not be satisfied with a 'self-investigation.'
"We must have a fair and open inquiry and we must maintain academic freedom
for the University and keep it isolated from political influence. As Governor,
I will ask the most qualified man in California and the nation-John McCone--to
conduct such an inquiry. John McCone's credentials for this job are impeccable.
No responsible person has been able to fault the inquiry he led into the Watts
riots or its findings or its recommendations,
"Mr. McCone will be given a completely free hand to pick a non-partisan
panel of California's leading citizens as members of a blue ribbon commission
to investigate all aspects of the situation at the University. This commission
401
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would choose its own investigating staff, would be financed by the state, and
would report to the Board of Regents, who, in keeping with the Constitution,
will be guaranteed the right to run the University without political interfer-
ence. At the same time, the people will be fully and accurately informed as to
what has been taking place on the campus.
"Such a plan is within the framework of the 'Creative Society'. It turns
to the people themselves, calling on their abilities and their common sense.
This is the 'Creative Society' and I know of no state with a greater potential
for making it work.
"We've attracted the young, the talented, the adventurous from all the
50 states and most of the nations of the world. They've come, attracted as
were those earlier migrants, by the legend of beauty and opportunity and unlimited
variety as a way of life. Among us are counted the highest numbers with pro-
fessional training and technical skill.
"There isn't anything we can't do, and that includes solving the one over-
riding issue of this campaign
the issue besetting not only California, but
also the nation
the issue that over-shadows and colors all others. It is the
issue of simple morality. Who among us doesn't feel concern for the deteriora-
tion of old standards, the abandonment of principles time-tested and proven in
our climb from the swamp to the stars? Today voices are raised urging change
for change's sake. Individuals have privilege, but no responsibility. While
some young Americans fight and die for their country, others send blood and
money to the enemy, and what is, in truth, treason, is called their right to
freedom of expression.
"Cheating and stealing isn't cheating and stealing if it takes place in
the halls of government--then, it's just politics, a game played with someone
402
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else's money.
"And God is dead. Well, He isn't--we just can't talk to him in a school
room.
"Is this the way we want it to be? We can change it. We can start a
prairie fire that will sweep the nation and prove we are number one in more than
size and crime and taxes. If this is a dream, it's a good dream, as big and
golden as California itself.
"It's a dream that knows no partisanship. Millions of patriotic Democrats
will join us bringing that dream to fulfillment because they, too, believe in a
'Creative Society' mobilizing the full resources of our people, bringing the
common sense of the people to bear on all the problems, restoring pride in our-
selves, our government and our state and nation.
"We can 'get up astounding enterprises and rush them through with magnifi-
cent dash and daring.'
"William Penn said: 'If men be good, government cannot be bad.'
"Our people are good. Our government can be."
9.8.66
us$ Auswers
DROWN-REAGAN INTERVIEW
403
INOUNCER:
Governor Edmund G. Brown of California and Republican
challenger for the governorship, Mr. Ronald Reagan. Here are
the issues:
Which of you will win in November? What issues will
decide the election? What is the national significance of the
California race?
From Los Angeles, California, the American Broadcasting
Company brings you Issues and Answers. Here is ABC Whitehouse
Correspondent Frank Reynolds.
MR. REYNOLDS:
One of the hottest political contests in this off-year
election is the race for Governor of California between Demo-
cratic Governor Edmund G. Brown and Republican Ronald Reagan.
I will join my ABC news colleague, Piers Anderton, to interview
Governor Brown and Mr. Reagan in just a moment, after this
message.
The rather unhappy events in San Francisco this week have
focused new attention on civil rights issues and problems. How
strong is the backlash here in California?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Well, I don't think that the backlash is too severe. The
people are very deeply concerned over the racial difficulties
we have but I think people are primarily concerned with law
enforcement. I think this is the thing that has now become
(continued)
Page 2
404
Brown-Reagan continued
the overriding issue. People want the rule of law to be
observed in this state. As Governor, I try my best to see it is.
MR. REYNOLDS:
I have heard it said that these riots and disturbances not
only in California but elsewhere benefit your opponent. Do you
think that's true?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Well, I don't know. I think we have to look at it as a
National picture. We have riots and disturbances in Cincinnati,
Cleveland, Chicago, Michigan -- Governor Ronney -- New York,
Pennsylvania. I think people understand that there is a
revolution going on by a very small minority of the Negroes in
this country -- referring to those who violate the law. I think
here in California, with the excelaent police we have, and the
cooperation between the State and local authorities that we have
done a good job. I certainly hope that it will not be a political
issue, because it is the toughest domestic issue that we have had
probably in the last 25 years.
MR. ANDERTON:
The fact you called in the National Guard so quickly during
the San Francisco riot, was that brought about by political
considerations?
(continued)
Page 3
Brown-Reagan continued
GOVERNOR BROWN:
No. is Governor of this state I have to act according
to the dictates of my conscience and the prime job that I have
as Governor is to see that the lives of people are protected
and their property's protected, too, and I think that if we
look over my entire record as District Attorney of San Francisco,
as Attorney General, and as Governor, I have never failed in
that category and in this particular situation we were deeply
concerned and when Mayor Shelley and Chief of Police Cahill
asked for my cooperation they got it.
MR. REYNOLDS:
How united is your party now in support of your candidacy?
Have you heard from Mayor Yorty lately?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
No, I haven't heard from Mayor Yorty, but we have, I
think, 24 Denocratic Congressmen, every single, solitary oñe
is working for ne as hard as they can, every Democtratic
Assemblyman, every Senator -- Howard Burns, the president pro
ten of the Senate -- and Jesse Unruh, with whom I have had
some difficulty, and every Denocratic Chairman in the state
is supporting my candidacy, so I would say the Democratic party
is as united as it can be. There are some people on the left-
wing side that have stated they will not vote for me and I can
(continued)
Page 4
yob
Brown-Reagan continued
understand that.
MR. ANDERTON:
A nonth age today you came to Los Angeles and you, in your
own words, wooed Mayor Yorty like a beautiful woman. Do you
expect the Mayor to throw his support to you? He does, supposed-
ly, command a million. votes he got in the primary.
GOVERNOR BROWN:
I don't think I said I wooed hin like I wooed a beatiful
woman. I said he's being wooed like a beautiful woman. Maybe
that's the same thing. I think Mayor Yorty expressed hinself by
saying that the people that voted for him were Democrats and
that they would vote for the Democratic candidate rather than
ny opponent, who has been on the extreme right of the
Republican party. If Mr. Reagan were a moderate I think I'd
have more difficulty getting some of the Democrats to support
me, but he made the statement the Democrats that voted for hin
will vote for ne. I don't know what he will do but I still
want his support if I can get it.
MR. REYNOLDS:
How important out here is the popularity of President
Johnson?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Well, President Johnson's popularity is just about the
same today as President Kennedy's at the time of President
(Continued)
Page 5
407
Brown-Reaghn continued
Kennedy's assassination, We have to make tough, hard decisions,
whether it's as Governor or President. You are going to find
out your popularity just will not be as high as it is at the
beginning, because nobody agrees with everything that yardo
and the President's had to make some awfully tough, hard
decisions. I think the President, if the election were November
8th of this year would be reelected against any Republican
candidate that they night put up, and I think that's the real
test.
MR. REYNOLDS:
Well, we have heard -- we know there have been several
opportunities for the President to come out here to California
and to campaign openly for you. We have also heard that some
of your people have had misgivings about the President coming
in, Have you invited him, is he going to come out here?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
I don't know from whom you have heard in my campaign but
I can tell you I have talked to hin on the telephone on two
occasions during the past three weeks, on both occasions he stated
that he would come to California if I wanted him, and I do want
him, and I will tell you why. A Governor must win these
campaigns on his own, must win then on his own record.
Neventheless, California is now the No. 1 state in this Union,
There are great international issues, great Federal-State
(Continued)
Page 6
403
Brown-Reagen continued
relationships. I think the people of California are entitled
to see the President. With the largest state population, we
lead in every category, SO I do hope he comes out here, but I
repeat, I an going to have to win this one on my own record of
accomplishment and the record I expect to accomplish during the
next four years.
MR. ANDERTON:
I have heard several Democratic voters in this state
express resentment or even ridicule at Vice-President Humphrey's
the Kennedy brothers' visits here. Besides raising money, do
those visits really help you?
GOVERNOR BROWN: Well, I can't tell you -- I will tell you on
November 9th, but Vice-President Humphrey came out here, he
visited the College of Oceanography down at San Diego. He
participated in a meeting at the Lockheed plant and he is the
Chairman of the Space Age Commission of the Federal Government.
I am not ashamed to have the Democratic leaders of my country
come to California. I can understand why Mr. Reagan would not
want Mr. Nixon or Mr. Goldwater to come in here, but I can only
repeat I will win this one on my own, but these people will
help the dialogue here in California.
MR. REYNOLDS:
In National terms, what would a victory for Mr. Reagan
mean to the country?
(Continued)
Page 7
409
Brown-Reagan continued
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Well, I think that you know that in' the Republican party
we have what you might call the Kinkle-Javitz wing, the Goodwin
Knight, the Earl Warren -- of course, he is out of politics now --
versus the Goldwater extremist group in this country, and Mr.
Reagan has been aligned with these people all the days -- well,
ever since he changed from the Democratic Party to the Republican
Party. This woud really give a big impetus to the extreme right,
in my opinion.
MR. REYNOLDS:
Do you feel you are fighting to stem a revival of the right?
GOVERNOR BROWN: I think that's certainly one phase of it, and
that's why I feel SO deeply concerned about this campaign in
California. I, of course, would, anyway. I have a deep personal
interest in it, but I also feel that they are wrong, that their
political position, their position in government is -- they are
just on the wrong track, just as much as I feel that those on the
extreme left are wrong. Politics is the art and the science of
accomplishing a concensus and the people on the right and the
people on the left just dn't understand that.
MR. ANDERTON:
Governor, you yourself have said that you have made = great
many enemies during your years in office. What can be done about
this problem in American politics where a government leader makes
(Continued)
Page 8
Drown-Reagan continued
enemies and people get tired of him just because he has been
in office for so long?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Well, Earl Warren was elected Governor of this state on
three separate occasions, Mr. Williams, Soapy Williams, in
Michigan, was elected seven or eight times. O'Shea was elected
five or six. I think the people will make a good choice. I
don't want to do anything about it except let the people make
the decision, I think I have been a good Governor. I think
the economic position of our state, number one, the lowest
uneoployment in the -- since I became Governor in 1959 -- you
take a look at everything in this State, if the people -- if I
could only get that message across there can be no question about
the results in November.
MR. ANDERTON:
Aren't you a little ashamed of this campaign in the number
one state with these big problems we have in a campaign that's
been conducted about who signed a real-estate covenant in 1941?
GOVERNOR BROWN:
Those are collateral issues. I have made ten specches.
The first speech I made at the Democratic State Convention,
where I outline our program of the working society and we went
into detail. Since that time I have amplified it by speeches on
every phase of governmental activity, from getting the people
(Continued)
Page 9
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Brown-Reagan continued
that are out of work trained, put them to work, people who are
on welfare. Our tax program, to remove -- to relieve the property
tax burden in the State of California. Our crime program that
we are moving into to use scientific methods to achieve better
crime control. I have outlined these things specifically, but,
unfortunately, the reporters here in California are more concerned
with some little issue that they felt was important. On the
covenant, that was not important in '39 or '40. A lot of people
signed them. It was the question of the credibility of Mr. Reagan.
He stated that he was always against them. We proved he was not
always against them. But I do agree with you that it is too bad
that these speeches are not too interesting when you are talking
specifics about your recreational program and your program on
taxation. There is not much sex in these things. I suppose the
quarrels between the two candidates is far more interesting, but
I wish in the last six weeks that the fundamental differences
that exist between me and Mr. Reagan will be brought out. They
are fundamental, believe me.
MR. REYNOLDS:
There are people, too, who maintain -- reverting now to the
Civil Rights question, that you have bowed to the potential
backlash in California by softening your position with respect
to fair housing. Are you still wholehcartedly in favor of open.
occupancy?
Page 10
s/h
Brown-Reagen continued
GOVERNOR BROWN:
I can only tell you that the legislature, both Republicans
and Democrats, voted for an open housing provision which is a
very limited one, as = matter of fact. It only applies to
houses of -- to abodes of more than four. I was corrected
afterwards because it does apply to Federally-financed housing,
but if you repeal the Runford Housing Act in California. it would
still be in because by Executive Order you cannot discriminate
in housing if there is any Federal money in it at all. I do
believe that rather than to get into a great big argument with
me defending open housing against some other form of it, that
the best thing to do is to try to get the real-estate people
to sit down, let's see what happened in Chicago where we had
marches and riots. Let's find out whether we can make the
Rumford Act a better bill, should it be elected, should it be
extended; Republicans, Democrats, Reagan supporters, Brown
supporters, rather than getting into making this the Holy
Grail that we are defending, I don't think that would be = good
thing.
MR. REYNOLDS: Thank you very much, Governor Brown. We will be
back with Mr. Reagan and the second half.
(Continued)
Page 11
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Brown-Reagan continued
MR. REYNOLDS: Mr. Reagan, I know you enjoyed the first half of
today's program. Let's see how you do on the second, I'd like
to address basically the same question to you as we began with
Governor Brown on the backlash and the most recent events in
San Francisco. Are these riots helping or hurting you?
MR. REAGAN:
Well, I don't know whether there is any specific answer to
that as to the difference between us as individuals. I would be
inclined to believe that any time there is disturbance or dis-
ruption of the norm, that this must be more of a problem for those
in power and must perhaps result in some dissatisfaction on the
part of the people. It certainly would -- and has never been my
intention, however, to attempt to capitalize on such a tragedy
for political purposes.
MR. ANDERTON: You have stated that racial discrimination should
be ended not by laws but by individuals of good will getting
together and cooperating and yet you have criticized the Governor
for not forestalling these riots. Would you recommend the riots
be forestalled by getting individuals of good will together or
by laws?
MR. REAGAN:
Let me attack first the premise of your question. I have
said that I wild favor and do favor any legislation that anyone can-
show will close some of these loopholes. I have also expressed.
the idea that there is a limit to what law can accomplish and
Page 12
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Brown-Reagen continued
that certainly we must stop short regardless of how noble the
purpose, stop short of penalizing one individual or other
individuals in an effort to try and find the solution to someone
else's problem. I have also said and do believe that at most
levels of our government there has been a lack in using the
prestige of office without legislation to simply move in with
people and appeal to the right-thinking people to organize, to get
the leaders of the community organized to voluntarily move in and
help. Now, we have some wonderful examples here in the Watta
area of Los Angeles of what can be done by the people in
cooperation with government programs. No one is ruling out the
necessity for that cooperátion, but I am speaking of the work
of the industrialists, led by Jed MacClellan, who had the
original idea and who went into the Watts area and to date they
have provided thousands of jobs in private industry. They
moved in voluntarily because there was a problem there and the
one way in which they could help as industrialists was to provide
jobs. Now there are other areas where we can in regard to
housing, to get state-wide the finest people, the people
recognized as leaders in every professional branch and get
together in a room and recognize and try to find all those areas
where we can be of help in this very heart-bresking problem.
MR. REYNOLDS:
Do you believe this is not now being done by the present
state administration?
(Continued)
Page 13
415
Brown-Reagan continued
MR. REAGAN:
No, I don't believe that with all the turning of
legislation that there has been recognition of the great power
that can come from just this kind of use of, as I say, the
prestige of the office.
:MR. REYNOLDS:
I know you- have been through this before, but it seems that
now just about everybody has repudiated the Birch Society
except you. Senator Goldwater has repudiated it. What's holding
you up?
MR. REAGAN:
Now, Senator Goldwater is speaking about a specific problem.
He has continued to speak on that in his state. I don't know
his situation in his state but I have confidence what he said
must be true of that situation. I have never believed he shoots
from the hip. So I an not going to comment on the situation in
Arizona. The only thing that I have ever done is repeated over
and over again and I cannot believe that anyone, including my
opponent, really seriously thinks that the issue of this
organization is the most serious issue in the State of California.
Now, I am not a member, I have no intention of becoming a member,
I have never been a member, I have no intention of soliciting
their support. What we are talking about is the attempt on the
part of my opponent. to make ne on his accusation blanket indict
a group of people I don't even know because of what he says is
4/6
Page 14
Brown-Reagan continued
true of their organization. Now, if you want to ask no on the
specifics of issues, things that they support and where I stand
on those, I will be very happy to answer, and I think anyone
will find I am not an extremist but I sometimes wonder if what
the Governor really means is that if I do all the things he says
will he then vote for me.
MR. ANDERTON: Mr. Reagan, to go to another issue in the compaign,
the student disturbances at the University of California, in
your autobiography you described how you were on a strike
committee on the college you attended in which you shut down
the college, you had the Board of Trustees meeting, you demended
the president resign. Isn't this all part of the same youthful
searching, high spirits?
MR. REAGAN:
No, I think there is a considerable difference, and I was
a freshman at the time. I was chosen to be the freshman
representative of the student committee. In the dark days of
the depression in this little college we, like a number of
schools, the endowment was virtually wiped out by the crash,
poverty had hit all of the schools, we had one man, a president
of the university, whose solution was going to be to change
the curriculum so drastically, discharge professors and so
forth that students who invested as much as three and were in
their fourth year of their college careers, some of then taking
(Continued)
Page 15
Brown-Reagen continued
preparatory courses for medicine, law, and SO forth, that they
would have lost all of that because they would be unable to
complete their majors, the courses would have been so changed.
And in this particular instance the faculty solidly, a hundred
per cent, the rest of the administration of the university and
the students opposed this and we must have been right. What you
call a strike is the students just simply stayed home from
classes, but I could contrast that with a beatnik picketing and
the demonstrations and the unlawful conduct of these present
demonstrations over outside issues not really dealing with the
university to a responsible group that every day met and studied
and kept up on their school work. This lasted for = week or SO,
And then the president of the university resigned. Now, the
nerit of our particular inssue night be proven by the fact that
the college is still in business today, is bigger and better than
it ever was, has a very high scholastic rating and that the
professors showed their faith in those dark depression days;they
worked for many, many months without salary to keep that school
open and I have no regrets or apologies. This is like comparing
Castro's take-over of Cuba with the American Revolution, and I
never quite made that comparison.
MR. REYNOLDS:
What about their right to express dissent?
MR. REAGAN:
Oh, there is a right to express dissent, but certain bench
(Continued)
Page 16
418
Brown-Reagan continued
rules must be observed with the right of free speech, also
the right of privacy. Someone doesn't have to listen. You have
no right sitting in a public place if the man at the next table
is using foul mouth and obscene language. My family is with me.
I have no right to tell him he can't use that language. I do
have a right to tell him that he can lower his voice because
cy family shouldn't have to listen to it.
MR. REYNOLDS:
In the first part of this program the word "extremist" was
used quite frequently. You came to great fame in this country
politically after your fame in novies with that speech you made
in 1964 for Senator Goldwater. Is there anything you would now
change in that speech?
MR. REAGAN:
No, and I have always been a little interested that everyone
thinks I was created out of cosnic dust just in time to make that
speech. They night be interested to know that I went back in my
own files and there are some paragraphs in that speech that I
took virtually verbatin out of the speech that I made a few
years before in behalf of Richard Nixon, because I thought
they still applied, and were still true, and I did the same
thing for Richard Nixon that I did in this last compaign. The
only difference was that at that time having been a former
Democrat maybe the Republicens didn't have the confidence to
put ne on nationally. The only put no on statewide.
(Continued)
Page 17
Brown-Reagen continued
MR. REYNOLDS:
Are you still what would be called a Goldwater Republican?
MR. REAGAN:
I an a Republican and I believe that our party has been
divided by labels long enough, and I think I have proven that
I am a Republican in. the tradition of the party. It is very
hard for me to believe, as was pointed out here in the earlier
part of the program, that I an representative of some limited
faction when I received almost 70% of the Republican vote in
the primary. Now, if -- I don't know what the new arithmetic
teaches, but it seems to ne 70-30, if it is in by favor, puts
me in the mainstream, and I would point out also that on my
executive comnittee statewide in helping ne with my campaign
there are presently of the ten members of that connittee seven
who were chairmen and working hard in behalf of other candidates
in the primary and have since the primary come over to join in my
campaign.
MR. REYNOLDS:
Speaking of votes, you had quite = substantial lead in
the poles some time ago. Now I understand that lead has declined
squewhat. What are you doing that's wrong?
MR. REAGAN:
I don't think I an doing anything that's wrong. This is
all based on one poll which I never did believe right after
(Continued)
420
Page 18
Brown-Reagan continued
the primary, but if you will check the same can's polls you will
find that going clear back to March the fluctuation has been SO
slight that it can be accounted for by just the margin of in-
accuracy in polling. I have stayed in this position with regard
to the Governor from three to five per cent since March with the
exception of that one outlandish poll right after the primary,
and there are some other polls that are going to be spoken of
in the inmediate future and I think they are going to have an
even more optimistic view.
MR. REYNOLDS:
Thank you very nuch, Mr. Reagan, for being with us on
Issues and Answers. We will be back in just a moment with news
of next weeks guest right after this message.
-KABC-TV-
421
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION QUESTIONS
Marketing Orders:
Is there o need to revise the California Marketing Act? Should
marketing quotas and/or acreage limitations be made available
to growers through the Marketing Act Should processors be able
to use the Act to set quality standards, prices, whatever, with-
out including growers in such an order?
Labor:
Should the state of California pass legislation providing collective
bargaining for farm workers?
Should Unemployment Insurance be extended to all farm workers?
Should the Department of Employment have broader responsibilities
in recruiting farm workers, setting wages and working and housing
conditions?
MARKETING ORDERS: As to the need of revising the California Marketing Act, I
believe a more efficient utilization of our resources would occur if we would adhere
more closely to the original intent of the Act. As I understand the Act, it was de-
signed to aid the agri cultural community, and the people of the state, in stabilizing the
various agriculture markets. To work effectively it requires a high degree of cooperation
among growers. It was not intended as a tool by which the state could control production.
In recent years we have departed from the original intent of this law, and have reached a
point where it may be necessary for the Legislature to examine this Act in order to insure
that the state does not obstruct our access to an open market.
In reference to marketing quotas and/or acreage limitations and their inclusion in the
California Marketing Act, I could not express my disapproval more. An open market
California Farm Bureau Federation Questions, p. 2.
depends on management decisions by producers based on market conditions with minimum
interference from government. Every farmer in California knows that those crop areas which
have had the most difficulty are those which have had the closest governmental control.
There is no reason why processors should be able to use the Act to set standards and prices
without consultation with all interested sectors of the industry. The original intent of the
Act requires cooperation among all sectors, and if one sector becomes dominant, substan-
tial freedom of action is denied the others. Joint-orders drawn after all sectors have been
heard is the most equitable approach, and provided all sectors are able to make their opinions
known to the Director of Agriculture, I see no reason why this Act could not become stronger
and more elpful to both the agricultural community and the people of the state.
LABOR: Collective bargaining for farm workers must be modified in such a way as to protect
the perishability of crops. When one side has the power to destroy the other side, no col-
lective bargaining can take place. Instead, we in California need a mechanism such as
the State Labor-Management Relations Act which I have proposed in order to assure both
sides in disputes a freedom of action under mediation facilities of the state government.
This plan would also allow the workers to select their own representatives, as well as
meeting the needs of the farmer-employer.
With regard to unemployment insurance for farm workers, I see no reason why these benefits
should not be extended to all permanent farm workers. I would support a detailed examina-
tion of the seasonal workers stand in this area of unemployment insurance, but as the program
California Farm Bureau Federation Questions, P. 3.
all ways in which we can help these seasonal workers.
In responding to a question about increasing the responsibility and authority of the Department
of Employment, I must say tha i between the State and National departments there appears
adequate authority for them to recruit workers. During short supply periods it may appear
that increased authority is warranted, however, adequate administration regarding the
projection of needs should allow them to meet labor demands.
While the governor has little influence on the national minimum wage, it is my firm belief
that an open market makes a better determination than an arbitrary level. California has
proved this point by ordinarily remaining well above the national minimum wage. Furthermore,
the use of these established wages can, at times, place California at a competitive disadvantage
as compared to other parts of the country.
We are presently going through the formulation and application of new rules about farm
labor housing under the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs. Positive steps are being
taken and until we can establish some evaluation of their effectiveness I see little reason
to propose alternative measures to cope with thes problems.
Spark
RR on SFO rioting
In response to a question, Rodger Young Auditorium, 9.28.66, Executive Board
Meeting, Los Angeles County Federation of Republican Women
any kind of rioting is 2 shame "and the leaders of the negro community
who have urged civil disobedience have forfeited their right to leadership.
"Beyond this, it is obvious that the Governor has not profited at all
from the experience of Watts and has done nothing to forestall future distur-
ha
bances in other possible trouble spots. He has made it obvious that new
leadership is needed."
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