Fear and Loathing in Nixonland (Gameplay Thread)

[DKrol]

Senator Kennedy Sit Down Interview on Chappaquiddick from the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
With Mike Wallace, for 60 Minutes
Senator Kennedy is joined on his sofa by Mrs. Joan Kennedy

Wallace: Senator, you’ve always professed your innocence with respect to the death of Mary Jo Kopechne in 1969. Earlier this month there was a shocking report in the Manchester Union Leader disputing your version of the story. How do you respond to that report?

Kennedy: Mike, thank you for the opportunity to address this head on. I have been very clear - I said it in 1969 and I said it earlier this year on another network - that night was a horrible tragedy. I acted recklessly and, overcome with grief and horror, made choices I now regret. I did, repeatedly, try to save Mary Jo. I dove into the water and tried to rescue her. I couldn’t get her out - it was late and dark and I was exhausted. Maybe if the accident had happened at 1:00 PM in broad daylight and I was in better physical shape I could have - maybe things could have been different. But that’s not what happened and I am still terribly upset about it.

Wallace: The post mortem report alleges that Mary Jo Kopechne was alive for several hours in the car and suffocated to death after you abandoned her.

Kennedy: I don’t know, exactly, the minute by minute account of her death - no one ever will. There have been numerous official inquiries into the tragedy and none have been able to exactly determine the timeline of her passing. Maybe she was alive when the car went in the water, I don’t know. I simply don’t know. What I do know is I made every effort I could to save her

Wallace: How?

Kennedy: Immediately after the crash, once I got out of the car, I swam to the shore and called for her. I thought, well, if I got out maybe she did too. Once it was clear to me that she hadn’t, I dove in. Six, seven, eight times. I dove into the water, tried to pull the door, break the window, all of it. I couldn’t get it open. At that point I was afraid if I kept trying I was going to drown, so I laid on the beach for a few minutes to gain my strength.

I had to make a decision: do I keep trying to get her out myself or do I go get help. I went to get help. I walked back to the house we were renting and, not wanting to scare the other girls, pulled my cousin Joseph Gargan and his friend Paul Markham into a side room and gave them the most information I could. We then got into one of their cars and drove out - I think I passed out from the shock in the back seat. When we got back to the crash site, I came too and the three of us immediately tried diving in again.

Wallace: And none of you could get her out?

Kennedy: None of us. We were three fairly healthy men, but it was very late and very dark. I was in a state of shock. And the pressure of the water, I think, maybe, was holding the doors shut. I don’t know how I got out, but I thank God that I did. Once it became clear we weren’t going to get her out of the car, I went back to my hotel room on the island and passed out. I don’t think I slept - I think I simply passed out.

The next morning, Joseph, Paul, and myself went to the police station in Edgartown to report the accident. I guess they had found the car and, and Mary Jo, by then. We each gave a statement to the officer there. I immediately declared that I was the driver of the car and I identified my passenger as Mary Jo Kopechne. I owned up to leaving the scene of the accident and failing to report it immediately. I should have called the police as soon as it happened, rather than trying to get her out myself to the point of exhaustion. Maybe we could have saved her if we had called the police immediately. I don’t know.

Wallace: Mary Jo was extricated from the car in the morning, though. Why were they able to do it in the morning while you seemingly couldn’t the night before?

Kennedy: They had a tow truck and a scuba tank and broad daylight, Mike. I had just gotten in a car accident, flown off a bridge, and fought for my own life to get to the surface. I’m sure if I had a scuba tank and a good night’s sleep I could have saved her. But those simply weren’t the facts of the moment.

Wallace: How do you respond to Mr. and Mrs. Kopechne’s criticism that you haven’t shown appropriate remorse for their daughter’s death?

Kennedy: Well, Mike, let’s be honest with the American people, first of all. That was a campaign ad for the Yorty Campaign, ok? It is disgusting that my opponent, fighting for relevance in this election, is disturbing a grieving family for campaign fodder. And, if Senator Muskie was involved with this alleged post mortem report, well, it is a sad day for the United States Senate.

I also know, Mike, that the other campaigns have been turning over every rock on the island trying to find something, anything, to attack me and make that horrible night out to be even worse than it was. I immediately call on these campaigns to leave Chappaquiddick alone. If you want to talk about that night, come to me, talk to me, ask me questions. I’ll answer any question anyone has. But let Chappaquiddick live in peace. They do not deserve to have their lives forever tainted by my horrible accident.

I feel deeply for Mr. and Mrs. Kopechne, on a personal level. As a family who has known more than our fair share of loss, I understand how raw those wounds still are - even after all these years. Their daughter was a delightful girl with a bright future. Maybe she would have become Massachusetts’ first female Senator - she had the drive in her. A horrible, horrible tragedy occurred that night. And I made mistakes. I openly and freely admit that, and I've served a suspended sentence and had my driving privileges revoked for those mistakes. As the shock wore off and I came to my senses, I took action to rectify those mistakes as best I could. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring her back, I couldn’t save her. And I am sorry for that. I am sorry that I caused such pain and suffering for this family.

If the Kopechnes would like to meet with me and talk in person, I’d be happy to have them here in Hyannis, or where ever they’d like. I’ve tried to give them the privacy they deserve.

Wallace: How do you plan to continue your campaign in light of these allegations?

Kennedy: I made a promise to the American people when I launched my campaign in Boston. I have a positive vision for a better America, for our children and our children’s children. An America where our sons aren’t dying in vain in foreign fields. An America where success is not pre-determined by the color of your skin or the zip code in which you were born. An America where people are not dying for lack of a doctor. I believe in that message so deeply, I couldn’t abandon the millions of Americans who have pledged themselves to this campaign. I am not hiding from Chappaquiddick, I addressed it in my first interview after launching my campaign. The American people know who Ted Kennedy is, and what Ted Kennedy stands for. I owe it to them to continue this fight. And, as we saw in Iowa and Arizona, I received the most delegates of any candidate - the American people support my platform for a better America, and it’s my duty to follow through.

Wallace: Thank you, Senator.

Kennedy: Thank you, Mike, and thank you to the American people.

[Kuumo]

Statement from the McGovern Campaign

Campaign manager Gary Hart announced that the McGovern campaign will be filing for the Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts primaries and the Mississippi Loyalist caucus.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Statement from the Muskie Campaign

Senator Muskie asserts to the people and voters that he is not responsible for planting the story. He vehemently rejects the Manchester Union article, denouncing it as dishonorable and dishonest. Our campaign categorically denies any involvement in the creation of the fabricated story.

We have uncovered evidence suggesting that we are not the architects of this smear campaign article. Instead, it appears that the Manchester Union newspaper may have been tipped off by USSR spies and compromised. This poses a current national security threat, and we insist on a thorough investigation into this matter.

In order to safeguard democracy, it is imperative that we file a complaint and bring this case to the Supreme Court. We extend an invitation to the Kennedy campaign to join us in this legal action. This is not solely about Senator Kennedy; it is about the security of our nation, which is currently in jeopardy.

At the end of the day, we Democrats are united in our quest to defeat President Nixon. While we may engage in criticism during the primaries, I want to reiterate that I would never stoop to such lows. Regardless of which candidate ultimately prevails, a victory is jeopardized if our campaigns adopt such tactics. It's crucial that we refrain from descending to these levels.

We can highlight our differences, even in matters of ethics, but ultimately, our common goal is to defeat President Nixon. Failure to do so could perpetuate the homelessness crisis, worsen the economic downturn, and prolong the war in Vietnam indefinitely.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Statement by the Muskie Campaign

Senator Muskie announces that he'll contest in the Wisconsin primaries and appear on the ballot.

Decision over the Mississippi Caucus

Senator Muskie announces he won't directly participate in the Mississippi caucus. He'll instead create and back a general pro-civil rights slate of delegates and encourages many other candidates in the race to back an unpledged slate of delegates that would distribute their delegates to candidates that support the consensus on civil rights and are supportive on it.

Senator Muskie also announces that similar initiatives will happen for the Georgia and South Carolina caucuses, which also will take place soon. The senator also states that he won't appear on the ballot here, and endorse the pro-civil rights slate of delegates here.

[DKrol]

Remark Made by Senator Kennedy
Made in the hallways of the US Capitol

If Senator Muskie wants to support civil rights delegates in Mississippi, he should tell his supporters to caucus for me. Instead, he wants to create more discord within the party - more than he’s already created thanks to his hatchet job on me in New Hampshire - with his splinter slate of uncommitted delegates. That does seem, unfortunately, to fit the tenor of his campaign.

[GoTfan]

Statement from Senator Hart, from TV in New Hampshire

Stop This Madness

The events of the previous week hang over this party like a cloud. The scorched-earth tactics utilised by several candidates in this campaign have proven nothing but one singular goal that has infested politics: the desire to win at all costs, and damn the consequences. My fellow Democrats would rather tear each other to shreds for a few delegates than work together on anything.

This is what I warned about when I wrote The American Conscience. We have become more concerned with winning at all costs. It would seem that this election will be less about policy and more about clawing your opponents' eyes out and hoping you don't get tagged for it.

It's a horrific way to conduct politics. We need to lift the tone of debate, and not just in our party. The people at home have watched as this horror show has played out in front of their eyes, and they are disgusted by it. They are horrified by the 'Win at all costs' mentality that has taken over the Democratic Party and politics in this country in general.

I can only reiterate my promise to the American people. I will never tell a lie to you. If I have anything negative to say about my opponents, I will say it myself. I will never equivocate on my opinions; even if you disagree with me, you will know where I stand on the issues.

I call on my fellow candidates: Stop this madness.  Stop this madness before the American people lose all faith in their leaders. Stop this madness before the forces you have unleashed drown this nation. Stop this madness before it's too late.

I have been searching for quotes to try and describe how I-and how I suspect many Americans-are feeling right now. The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 10, Verse 9 states 'Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths shall be found out'.

I urge my fellow candidates to keep this in mind.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Remark made by Senator Muskie

Senator Kennedy doesn't want the Democratic Party to unite, to cooperate and to work together, if it isn't directly to his benefit. He claims that other competing candidates are creating discord and disarray in the party, yet he's the only one responsible for the current discord in the party, unable to realize that for the party's best chances to november to win, he should drop out because of him being tainted by the Chappaquiddick scandal. If senator Kennedy really cares about civil rights and Vietnam and progressive leadership, he should drop out and endorse someone else in the party. It doesn't have to be me, we have plenty of other great candidates in the Democratic Party that aren't tainted to the extent he is. But my biggest priority is ensuring that we as a party do win in november, and senator Kennedy is not the guy who will lead us to victory. He's also not a team player and by this point has angered the entire Democratic Party.

Q: Would you support senator Kennedy if he ended up being the nominee?
I don't think I would, to be frank. He has no shot of winning. I frankly believe that the Democratic Party should run someone who could win, and we have more chance with an independent candidate that is aligned as Democratic than with someone like Kennedy who might literally be under investigation of murder.

I mean... Does America want a murderer for president? If you do, than go ahead and vote for senator Ted. But I don't support murderers. Murderers belong in prison. Mary Jo deserves justice and America needs to know the truth.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Clarificiation for Georgia and South Carolina caucuses

For Georgia and South Carolina, i will clarify that the pro-civil rights delegates will be awarded to the one who ends up with the most delegates once the DNC rolls around.

I want candidates to clarify whether they want to support and be part of those slates in Georgia and South Carolina.

Unlike some others, i am a team player. The one who ends up with the most delegates once the DNC rolls around will be awarded with those delegates.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Interview with Chicago Tribune:

Q: Do you think you're the best candidate to win the primary in Illinois
Well given i'm about the only candidate running in Illinois, i think it's clear to say that the other candidates are afraid of losing here and are afraid of facing the voters of Illinois. It's a bit cowardly of other Democratic presidential candidates to not even test the waters in what is the critical swing state of Illinois. If you can't win here, how can you defeat president Nixon here in november. This is a critical swing state. Without winning Illinois, you can't win the presidency. So yes, obviously, i'm the best candidate here. I know that, that's why i'm running here. I'm the only high-profile candidate who have consistently condemned the Vietnam war, and i have made a pledge that we leave Vietnam day one when i'm elected in office. I care about the civil rights cause, being highly supportive of the record of Democratic Party in the previous decade. I care about agrarian efforts to develop the farms in Illinois to the next level. You know Illinois is just more than Chicago alone. And Chicago is a highly diverse city, one of the largest cities in this beautiful countries and so many Democrats aren't even showing their face here in this city. For what? They're afraid of the voters, they're afraid to face the voters, they're afraid of the truth. They know they can't win here and that's why they already conceded their loss here.

Q: Amidst polls that show that you are falling in the polls, when will you consider the race to be over?
I think given my experience among the Democratic establishment and as a high profile senator as well as being the vice presidential candidate on the 1968 ticket with senator Humphrey, combined with my pledge to end the Vietnam war as soon as possible and my belief that we need change, proposals i stated repeatedly during my campaign, i think i would be the perfect candidate to unite both the establishment and the more radical left of the Democratic Party. Unlike some others, i do really listen to the voters and students, and if you want your voice to be heard. You have to turn out. That's the only way of ensuring America listens to you. It's what people cherish about America. We are a democracy, our votes are important here.

I'm not one to chase a lost cause. It's not that far. I definitely believe I can win this race, but yes, i have a goal in mind and for me it's important that I either win Illinois or Wisconsin to carry on this campaign. If i can't win one of those two, it's over. But the primaries still have to take place, and I still firmly believe I can win those. If i can win one of those two races, i'll carry on my campaign. If not, i'll drop out.

I've been in touch with the Lindsay, Hart, McGovern and McCarthy campaigns, i'll work effortlessly that regardless of what the results may be, that we end up victorious in november. That's my prime goal. Humphrey has had his chance in 1968, he blew it. Kennedy might be under investigation of murder during the race in the autumn, that would ensure and certify a loss. We cannot head to the november race with a murderer on the top of the ticket. This would ensure division and disarray in our campaign and cause many Democrats downballot to lose, ensuring the complete and total collapse of the parties and the wipe-out of all of our dear and hardworking senators. and elected congresspeople.

To answer the question again, i need to win either Illinois or Wisconsin. If i fail to do that, i drop out.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Statement from the Wallace campaign.

The Governor will be contesting the Mississippi Regulars caucus. We look forward to the good people of the Magnolia State rallying behind the Governor's crusade to reform Washington and restore America. To that end, the Governor will be attending campaign events in Mississippi, where he will warn voters of the lurking dangers represented by the so-called "Freedom" Democratic Party and it's adherents, who support, amongst other things, imposing school busing from the federal level on the south, turning our schools into racial jungles.

[Kuumo]

Remarks by Senator McGovern in Response to Questions from a Reporter on Capitol Hill

Senator, do you have anything to say on the spat between your colleagues Ted Kennedy and Ed Muskie?

I don't really know what to say at this point, to be quite honest. I guess I'll say that I find it odd that Muskie is championing an unpledged elector slate in the Deep South states in the name of civil rights, which, while admirable at first glance, makes little sense. What could be more in spirit with MLK's dream than allowing the black population of Mississippi their choice of candidates on the ballot in the Loyalist caucus after having been excluded from the political process for generations? He would seemingly prefer more delegates controlled by political bosses under the thin guise of 'civil rights'. Do we really need a redux of the 1968 debacle? This is what's at stake in this election: Do we want the people to decide ... or the party?


Do you think Ted Kennedy is a 'murderer', as Senator Muskie said?

What? No, that's a ridiculous question. Whatever my personal disagreements and reservations about Ted Kennedy's judgment, a fellow Senator calling him a murderer after some inane quibble is yet other symptom that politics as usual has become toxic and broken.


Will you support the Democratic nominee in November?

As much as I wish I could answer with a simple 'yes', I can't in good conscience do so. As well as the cutthroat combat and increasingly unhinged invective up here, the success of a certain Southern governor, no less than the face of segregation in the last election, has dismayed me the last few weeks. I won't endorse a man who actively stood against the civil rights movement, even if he's trying to moderate some of his positions now. I'll support a Democratic nominee who embodies the values of peace, liberty, and equality; that's all I'll say.

[KaiserDave]

Hubert Humphrey Addresses Labor: Speech to South-Central Wisconsin AFL-CIO (Madison)

Hello friends, today is a real privilege, I get to speak to the labor crowd. Nothing better then going out to a labor hall, in the Iron Range, or in the Twin Cities, or here in Wisconsin, and it gets me all pumped up again, and lets me forget anything that may have gone wrong the day before. So that's why I'm here today. Nothing better than speaking to and with the heroes of the labor movement.

The first thing I want to say to you as individuals and as a movement, to do what we do we have to be proud. Proud of yourselves, proud of the heritage of this historic movement, just like ethnicity or religion or whatever it may be. I've always been affiliated with the labor movement, always. You know when President Johnson was interviewing me to be his Vice Presidential candidate in '64, I told him, that if there was one issue I was totally prejudiced on, it was the issue of the labor movement. I told him I never would have been a United States senator without the labor movement, and I asked him to never, never ask me to do anything that would in any way injure, or cripple, or weaken that movement. I told him I have loyalty, loyalty to this great movement. And I'll tell you why, not because this movement is perfect, not because there hasn't been a scoundrel or two, none of us have never made mistakes, God knows some of us have made many. But we have to judge a movement like this by its overall record. And we judge the labor movement thusly, what it has done to lift the standard of living for millions and millions of plain American citizens, who today have their own home, who today have better working conditions, who today can send their children to school, who today can pursue their creative dreams, that's because of this movement, be proud of it my friends, be proud of it.

Remember this, the history of the labor movement ought to be taught in every school in this great land. We have to remember our roots, who we are, how we got here, where we come from. This nation wasn't built because someone sat behind a table and finagled and even financed, important as finance is, and it is important, important as planning is, and it is important, important as design is, and it is important, ultimately it was the worker. It was the worker who built the railroads, dug the tunnels, that dredged the rivers, that built the ports and the huge skyscrapers, put in the highways, and built the homes. America is a living testimonial to what free men and women, organized in free democratic trade unions, can do to make a better life, and we ought to be proud of it! Just remember that!

(Applause)

And remember this, the first thing that any authoritarian or two-bit dictator does when they take power is abolish free labor. Long before they got to expropriation of land, or even put into jail so called "political prisoners" they abolish the free labor movement. And in America, thank God, we're not going to abolish free labor we're gonna strengthen it. And workers today that aren't organized, many in the Deep South, many who do not have the conditions they ought to have, are gonna have a better chance to get organized, to vote, and if they win the vote in their plant fairly and squarely as they surely must, they get recognized, and they won't have to deal with this nonsense of delay and litigation and obstruction such that has prevented the legitimate growth of the labor movement of the United States. That's exactly what will happen when I take office in January 1973 and we repeal the Taft-Hartley law, that never should have been passed to begin with, and if we had a few more Democrats we could have upheld President Truman's veto, I was there, I was part of that fight, and I have not given up!

(Applause)

You know anytime somebody gets a little bit better wages because of the labor movement, I hear from the other side, "inflation", when interest rates go up though, then I hear "sound monetary policy."  Oh what has collective bargaining meant, meant for working conditions, for our families, for grievance procedures, for job security. What is has meant for recreation so families can travel across this great country, what it has meant for pensions, what it has meant for healthcare. How many millions of families today have health insurance because union representatives have sat down in negotiations with employers, and fought for and worked out deals so that families could have healthcare. Not because the government has fought for it, because we've been too chicken to do it! But because of collective bargaining. Unions mean average folks can have the best healthcare, the best pensions, the best doctors and hospitals, isn't that a marvelous thing? Who does that hurt? The Doctors get their money, the hospital get their money, the community is better off, the family survives. It is abundantly, abundantly clear, the overwhelming positive effect of the labor movement on this country and its people. And I stand by this movement entirely, always have, always will.

(Applause)

Now, as we go forward. We need several new policies, of course we need a new labor relations act and a higher minimum wage, but also we need the government of the United States, to make, by official declaration, our official policy the policy of full employment and economic growth, to provide credit to private enterprise to do so, and the creation of public works to that end. We need a comprehensive educational training program, more aide to cities, more for the youth employment program. We've got a persistent problem of unemployment in this country, and I tell you unless we push for full employment, unless you solve this joblessness issue, you will never cut the crime rate, or drug addiction, or solve any of the social and economic questions of the day. I tell you today, I promise that I will make as much of these jobs as possible to be union jobs, and be part of this great, historic movement. Together, I believe we will get this done.

Thank you! Thank you. And I hope to see you all at the polls come primary day!

(Applause)

Hubert Humphrey To Mediate Mississippi Schism

In keeping with his stated role as a "harmonizer", Senator Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) has met with Governor Bill Waller of Mississippi to discuss how Senator Humphrey can assist the Governor's good work in bridging the divide between factions of the Democratic Party in the state of Mississippi. Senator Humphrey has offered himself as a mediator between disparate groups in his capacity as a statesman and leader of the Democratic Party, Senator Humphrey is hopeful that an agreement can be reached in the best interests and for the benefit of all.

[Continential]

Various State And Local Chapters of the CNC Endorse Representative Ashbrook
February 16th, 1971 - NYT

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - On the eve of the President's visit to Red China, various chapters of the Conservative National Committee, including the New Hampshire and Florida chapters of the committee has announced that their local committees would endorse Representative John M. Ashbrook of Ohio.

[Devout Centrist]

Remarks on Departure From the White House for a State Visit to the People's Republic of China

Courtesy of Wikimedia and the Federal Government. This image is in the public domain

February 17, 1972

(Washington)--Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Congress, and members of the Cabinet:

I want to express my very deep appreciation to all of you who have come here to send us off on this historic mission, and I particularly want to express appreciation to the bipartisan leadership of the House and Senate who are here.

Their presence and the messages that have poured in from all over the country to the White House over the past few days, wishing us well on this trip, I think, underline the statement that I made on July 15, last year, when I announced the visit.

That statement was, as you will recall, that this would be a journey for peace. We, of course, are under no illusions that 20 years of hostility between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America are going to be swept away by one week of talks that we will have there.

But as Premier Chou En-lai said in a toast that he proposed to Dr. Kissinger and the members of the advance group in October, the American people are a great people. The Chinese people are a great people. The fact that they are separated by a vast ocean and great differences in philosophy should not prevent them from finding common ground.

As we look to the future, we must recognize that the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United States have had great differences. We will have differences in the future. But what we must do is to find a way to see that we can have differences without being enemies in war. If we can make progress toward that goal on this trip, the world will be a much safer world and the chance particularly for all of those young children over there to grow up in a world of peace will be infinitely greater.

I would simply say in conclusion that if there is a postscript that I hope might be written with regard to this trip, it would be the words on the plaque which was left on the moon by our first astronauts when they landed there: "We came in peace for all mankind."

Thank you and goodbye.

[Devout Centrist]

Nixon. Now More Than Ever. Spot #1

Ad Runtime and Location: 65 seconds; will run in New Hampshire media markets from February 20 to March 7.

Ad Description: A deep voice echoes through the microphone. The man on the other side describes the President's evening following a Presidential Address to the Nation on the War in Vietnam.

Courtesy of the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

7:20 PM -- The President holds a telephone conversation with his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger regarding the war in Vietnam. The two men discuss the necessity of Vietnamization and bringing back every last American prisoner of war unjustly held by Hanoi.

Courtesy of the University of Montana - Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library

8:05 PM -- The President speaks with a high ranking Senator. The President and the Senator hold a cordial conversation regarding good paying American jobs and supporting American industry.

Courtesy of the Harry Ransom Center

9:10 PM -- The President reviews a memorandum regarding a recent judicial decision on massive, race-based busing. He telephones a Democratic Congressman to discuss much  needed legislation to secure and protect local education from forced busing mandates.

Courtesy of the History Channel

10:30 PM -- The President fields a late night call from the mayor of a major American city regarding the violent takeover of a college campus in his city. The President promises the mayor every available law enforcement tool to arrest and prosecute disruptive, campus radicals.

Courtesy of the Digital Public Library of America, via Wikimedia Commons

3:00 AM -- The President is awakened by an urgent call from the Soviet Embassy. He grabs the red telephone from his desk in the Oval Office and alerts his staff to be ready for the sudden message. The Soviet Ambassador pauses for a moment before he begins to speak. The President is ready.

Nixon. Now more than ever.

The preceding was a recorded announcement paid for by the Committee to Re-Elect the President

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Speak Out, Richard J. Daley

This is a request from Senator Edmund Muskie to speak out against Ted Kennedy's involvement in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.

Make no mistake, people of Chicago. mayor Daley is a Kennedy surrogate. I remember him as a good man, but he should speak out; he carries a lot of influence. I'm sure he doesn't want a murderer to be the Democratic nominee. I believe he'll realize that he has a better chance of getting elected with a capable nominee. I am confident that Richard J. Daley is not a misogynist or a hater of women, black people, and minorities. My request to you, Mayor Daley, is to speak out! Your refusal to speak out frankly is worrying! Mary Jo deserves justice and using your influence will matter in whether Mary Jo and her relatives get justice.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Petition to Pledge a Commitment to Justice for Mary Jo

The Muskie Campaign proposes that every Democratic candidate in the primaries signs a pledge before entering the next debate, committing not to obstruct the judicial process targeting Senator Kennedy. Mary Jo deserves justice. It is crucial that Democrats do not impede this process, and all Democratic nominees and potential future presidents sign this pledge. We do not want a president who might pardon Senator Kennedy if he is convicted. The people of America have the right to know whether the future president will pardon Senator Kennedy or not, in case of conviction. The Muskie campaign has been clear from the beginning that we won't pardon Senator Kennedy if he's convicted. Mary Jo deserves justice. Women in the country deserve to be treated properly, with respect and dignity. No justice for Mary Jo would signify that women's rights are still a major issue in the country, and as the Democratic Party, we must embrace women's rights. I know I do, but do you?

[Carolyn]

HARTKE
FOR
PRESIDENT

A tireless worker for his nation, Senator Vance Hartke represents the best form of pragmatic progressivism. His platform is undeniably an American one. He advocates peace abroad and strength at home. Beholden to no interest but the people, Hartke is running as the standard-bearer for a bold democratic legacy that stretches back to the time of Thomas Jefferson.

Vance Hartke stands for:

• Pursuing an immediate cessation of bombing efforts north of the 17th parallel and followed by a fixed date for the withdrawal of American and allied troops from Indochina by 1973.
• Negotiating on the first point  in Paris to secure the mutual transfer of all prisoners and an orderly end to the war.
• Working toward national reconciliation in America to heal the deep societal scars caused by the bloodshed.  
• Intensifying efforts to move away from global confrontation through the principles of establishing nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear arms reduction, and the right to use nuclear energy peacefully.
• Protecting good American jobs by limiting imports and checking the activities of multinational corporations that export labor to cheaper markets.
• Stimulating the economy by reinstating tax credits for companies that expand or modernize facilities inside America.
• Strengthening law enforcement through increased funding and training to reflect the communities they protect.
• Fighting corruption in politics regardless of source or party.
• Expanding the promise and opportunity for equality through the breakdown of racial and gender discrimination.
• Opposing the temporary and disruptive use of busing for more long-term and sustainable solutions to quality education, including the reduction of residential segregation, support for education from tax sources other than homeowners, the right to equal educational opportunity in public schools, and a ban on the discriminatory allocation of financial resources by education officials.
• Promoting universal health cover through the Kennedy–Griffiths bill.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Why Humphrey Is Running to Become the Next Vice-President

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

Exempt from speech

(...)

As we all know, Senator Humphrey ran in 1968, but he lost. It seems he's afraid of facing another loss, as he refuses to address crucial issues such as Vietnam and Chappaquidick. Although he speaks extensively, he has yet to take a clear stance on these matters, seemingly fearful of upsetting crowds and reluctant to reveal his positions. Apart from expressing general support for measures that align with mainstream Democratic and even Republican views, he avoids discussions on Vietnam.

Similar to Nixon, he advocates for "Peace with Honour" and supports economic measures and the status quo on civil rights. One might wonder if Humphrey is running to become the Democratic nominee or if he is positioning himself to be America's next vice-president under Nixon.

He is undoubtedly a well-known figure, but I implore each of you to ponder the following question: Can you name one particular issue that Senator Humphrey is passionately advocating for, an issue that distinguishes him and would make you say, "I would vote for this man because he supports this specific issue"?

(a moment of silence)

It appears he is not championing any particular issue, unwilling to take a stand and seemingly afraid of displeasing the establishment or voters. He stands for nothing, projecting an image of a lame duck. A vote for Senator Humphrey may result in four years of inaction, much like Nixon, who talked extensively about Vietnam but failed to bring about any real change. We are still entangled in Vietnam.

Just as "Peace with Honour" translates to no peace at all, we observe a similar narrative with Humphrey. He shows no intention of withdrawing from Vietnam, having not spoken out or expressed any position on the matter.

If you desire the return of thousands of American heroes to our homes, back on American soil and in good health, you need to support me. Humphrey seems willing to let them perish in the Vietnamese jungle, fraught with mines and threatened by numerous napalm bombs every day. We want our soldiers back. Humphrey appears indifferent to the plight of American soldiers, prioritizing his delusional vision of securing a place in the White House, even if it means betraying the Democrats.

(end of speech, the Muskie campaign distributes free Nixon/Humphrey - Peace with Honour banner logos and stickers)

[DKrol]

Statement by the Kennedy Campaign

Today, Campaign Manager Sargent Shriver released the following statement.

“Senator Kennedy is not under investigation for murder, or for any other crimes. Judicial inquests have been held in the matter of Ms. Kopechne’s untimely death and Senator Kennedy’s car accident. No grand jury has found any evidence to be credible to lead to charges or a prosecution of Senator Kennedy. Senator Kennedy plead no contest to leaving the scene of an accident and not reporting it and served a suspended sentence for that error in judgement. It is unbecoming of the United States Senate for Senator Muskie to slander Senator Kennedy is such a way, and a misrepresentation of the judicial process.”

[KaiserDave]

Per Daniel Hackel, Press Secretary for the Humphrey Campaign

Senator Humphrey's position on continued American military involvement in Indochina has been totally clear since day one of this campaign, he is totally opposed to it.

On Peace: Our military involvement in Southeast Asia should be terminated at once. It's time for total military withdrawal and to obtain a peace agreement to bring POWs and MIAs home. We also must reduce sharply our American military installations overseas. I further propose expanding the G.I. Bill for Vietnam veterans.

Regarding other statements from Senator Muskie, they do not merit a serious a response, and therefore will not receive one.

Senator Humphrey can be found today at the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, in Tallahassee, Florida, where he will be discussing civil rights and equality. He will return to Washington tomorrow for work in the Senate, and will certainly be available then.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Response from the Muskie Campaign:

Well, Senator Humphrey's position might have been totally clear, he did not choose to be vocal on it at all, except for a brief mention in the platform, there has been no focus at all on the issue, including no comments since the recent announcements of the administration, which make me doubt how serious Mr. Humphrey is about this position. He chose to otherwise completely ignore the issue, despite it being a major topic so far in the campaign, despite it being a major issue in the country and despite virtually every other candidate spending much attention on the issue.

More importantly, he might have been clear since day one of this campaign, we must not forget he has a campaign before in 1968 and as both senator and LBJ's vice president, he did approve of their actions in Vietnam, being in fact the co-architect of the Vietnam operation.

How credible is a candidate who claims he want to stop the war who was the vice president under the man who escalated the war? I'll tell you, he has zero credibility.

Muskie speaking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Exempt from speech

(...)

In fact, the foreign policy record of senator Humphrey is at best very questionable. In particular, how liberal he truly is can be questioned. The man has been favourable of concentration camps.

If elected, the man would be a threat in office. In the past, back when he was a senator, prior to being LBJ's vice-president, he supported and co-sponsored a bill where he proposed putting disloyal and dangerous individuals in confinement immediately. I mean, these are practices we see in dictatorships, in Japan, in Hitler's Nazi-Germany, in Mussolini's Italy and in the Sovjet Union. Do you trust a government in determining who is dangerous or disloyal. Aren't we all disloyal at some point. If you fall out of favour with the establishment, does that warrant you being locked up immediately. It could be any of you: black, white, poor,  students like you and name it. If the government thinks you're a threat, they'll lock you up. And Humphrey is in favour of that. He supported a bill where you would be locked up immediately if he thinks you are disloyal. I mean, he could even choose to lock up all of our supporters because i'm being critical of him. Every single one of you could be locked up if this man becomes president.

This is how the man solves problems. He is very good in operating under the shadows, but give him real power and he could be a real menace. I'll tell you, he's not a real human right advocate. He's not a real democrat. He's not a real liberal. I don't know what he is, a talented shapeshifter perhaps, a man that stands for nothing perhaps but not a liberal advocate.

[Senator Spiral]

Statement by the Yorty Campaign

But let me be very clear - there have been inquests and grand juries that have looked into Chappaquiddick and my actions and no criminal wrongdoing has ever been credibly alleged in the accident or her death.

I have been very clear - I said it in 1969 and I said it earlier this year on another network - that night was a horrible tragedy. I acted recklessly and, overcome with grief and horror, made choices I now regret.

Mayor Yorty believes speaking truth to power is paramount for a healthy democracy. In light of recent public statements from Senator Kennedy and his campaign on the Senator's awareness of conduct, as well as legal liability, surrounding Chappaquiddick, our campaign shall quote verbatim from District Court Judge James Boyle and the official inquest report:

-"A speed of twenty miles per hour as Kennedy testified to, operating the car as large as his Oldsmobile, would at least be negligent and, possibly, reckless. If Kennedy knew of this hazard, his operation of the vehicle constituted criminal conduct."

-"I believe it probable that Kennedy knew of the hazard that lay ahead of him on Dyke Road, but that, for some reason not apparent from the testimony, he failed to exercise due care as he approached the bridge."

-"I, therefor [sic], find there is probable cause to believe that Edward M. Kennedy operated his motor vehicle negligently ... and that such operation appears to have contributed to the death of Mary Jo Kopechne."

Under Massachusetts law, Judge Boyle possessed the power to issue an arrest warrant from these findings but elected not to. The American public is owed a full accounting of the severity of the Senator's conduct and judgment beyond the legal plea agreement touted for much lesser offenses.

[Senator Spiral]

TV/Radio Ad: In His Own Words

In Senator Kennedy's own words:

"I acted recklessly and, overcome with grief and horror, made choices I now regret."

"What I do know is I made every effort I could to save her."

Wallace: "How?"

"Once it became clear we weren’t going to get her out of the car, I went back to my hotel room on the island and passed out. I don’t think I slept - I think I simply passed out."

"The next morning, Joseph, Paul, and myself went to the police station in Edgartown to report the accident. I guess they had found the car and, and Mary Jo, by then."

"Maybe we could have saved her if we had called the police immediately. I don’t know."

"I’m sure if I had a scuba tank and a good night’s sleep I could have saved her."

"If you want to talk about that night, come to me, talk to me, ask me questions. I’ll answer any question anyone has."

"I don’t know, exactly, the minute by minute account of her death - no one ever will. There have been numerous official inquiries into the tragedy and none have been able to exactly determine the timeline of her passing. Maybe she was alive when the car went in the water, I don’t know. I simply don’t know."

"What I do know is I made every effort I could to save her."

Wallace: "How?"

To be broadcasted across New Hampshire.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

“We all know he did it” George Wallace tells reporters while barnstorming in SC.