Fear and Loathing in Nixonland (Gameplay Thread)

[Devout Centrist]

Nixon Campaign Heads to Florida!

(Sarasota) — Key surrogates for the Nixon Presidential Campaign held a series of events across the state of Florida today, including barnstorming events in South Florida and in the Florida Panhandle. Guests included Bebe Rebozo, a close friend of President Nixon, and Vice President Agnew. Members of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CRP) reported that they had reached out to local Republican officials to bolster the campaign and had invested significant resources into attracting Dixiecrats disaffected over Governor Reuben Askew’s vacillation on the busing question. A source close to the local CRP chairman reported that the Nixon campaign also planned to leverage its interests in the Cuban community by placing ads on Spanish radio and by working with President Nixon’s close contacts with Cuban emigres on a personal level. Additionally, sources indicate that several prominent businessmen, most notably Robert Vesco, have put financial backing behind the CRP’s efforts in the State.

While busing is an issue that divides the Democratic field, most Republican operatives are concerned about the ‘race to the right’ on the issue; CRP staff stated that President Nixon supports a NO vote on Question 1 of the Florida busing referendum and plans to unveil significant anti-busing legislation in the coming days. As for the President’s recent China visit, CRP surrogates have downplayed its importance in favor of busing, bringing back POWs from Vietnam, and so-called ‘kitchen table’ issues. It remains to be seen how effective this position will be in the Florida primary.

[Prez_zf]

The Byrd Campaign has released the following announcement:

Today, more than at any time in recent memory, the American people are looking for strong, competent, and decisive Presidential leadership. There is an uneasy feeling that successive administrations in Washington have developed a habit of substituting public relations for the truth and merely the appearance of activity for performance in office.

 

The American people are searching for a leader who can restore America's greatness. Robert C. Byrd, U. S. Senator from West Virginia and highly respected Senate Majority Whip, can do the job. Tough but compassionate, candid and competent, Robert C. Byrd is an uncommon leader with a common sense approach to issues and problems.

[Prez_zf]

The Byrd campaign is registering for the Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Georgia primaries. We will forgo a campaign in Massachusetts.

[Kuumo]

McGovern Speech in Jacksonville, Florida

Thank you, Jacksonville!

I have spoken much about the travesty of the continued carnage in Vietnam and the millions of working families struggling for survival in Nixon's America.

But today, I'm here to talk about a different issue. There's been a lot of sound and fury about this the last few weeks. Some of the louder voices want to amend the Constitution over this. And with Governor Askew, I proudly stand in support of the practice of busing.

We cannot have true equality without doing our part in levelling the playing field. Many politicians have run away from the busing issue in fear of backlash. But the hardest problems don't have easy solutions. Would we even be here today, talking about this issue, thinking on who to back for the next leader of the free world, if not for the work of generations of freedom fighters who stood up in the face of injustice and intimidation, who could not know whether their struggle for equality would bear fruit?

The courts have made clear that the end of codified racial segregation alone will not remedy the decades of oppression of black Americans. We cannot truly have a society of equal opportunity if children from impoverished neighborhoods remain trapped in chronically underfunded school districts. It is the least we can do to allow these students the chance to succeed through education.

This attempted amendment to prohibit busing is mere deflection by those who would retain their grip over society by keeping the wealth and power in their own hands. They have left behind the neighborhoods of those not like them, including the communities where the vast majority of black Americans live. They wish for a world where the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor, where the neighborhood you're born in and the color of your skin determines your destiny in life.

But we can do better. As President, I would seek to alleviate the plight of these underprivileged neighborhoods through increasing federal grants for upgrading facilities and improved teaching standards. Beyond the high school level, I would also increase federal support for vocational training and affordability of college to properly transition high school graduates into the workforce.

So I hope you will join Governor Askew and I in actively ending the scar of segregation through opposing the anti-busing amendment measure and sending the message that children regardless of race, creed, or neighborhood should be afforded equal access to public education.

[Carolyn]

The Hartke campaign supports the anti-Vietnam, pro-civil rights slate in the Georgia Caucus.

[Devout Centrist]

Betrayal

Ad Runtime and Location: 90 seconds; will run in Florida and Massachusetts media markets in March.

Ad Description: We see 3 separate shots of an adult white man, an adult white woman, and a teenager sitting down behind a kitchen table.

The following message is paid for by the League of Concerned Parents.

MICHAEL: I voted for Ted Kennedy.

THERESA: I voted for Ted Kennedy.

JOE: I planned to vote for Ted Kennedy.

MICHAEL: But ever since he backed this, what’d ya call it, forced busing stuff, I’ve had second thoughts. Look, we can all agree that what happened in certain parts of the country was wrong but, my god, to force that on a whole community? I’ve got two daughters in middle school. How am I supposed to feel about this?

THERESA: I’ve been a teacher for 20 years, part of a union too. And it completely blindsided me. How can you trust someone who doesn’t even talk to his constituents before coming out in favor of something so drastic?

JOE: I’m politically engaged. I think we need integration. But busing, busing is like lighting the fuse to a bomb in places like South Boston. I’m as bleeding heart as they come, but mass busing is going to let loose chaos in this city.

MICHAEL: I fought in Korea. I fought side by side with black soldiers. I’m not prejudiced. But we can’t force kids to go to schools miles away from their home just because some high minded judge thinks it’s a good idea. And if that’s what Ted supports, then I can’t support him.

THERESA: Half of my colleagues are thinking of quitting next school year. It’s gotten that bad. I’m not voting for him again.

JOE: He needs to think about the consequences. Forcing this through by judicial fiat would kill any hope of realizing Martin Luther King’s dream.

Ted Kennedy. Wrong on Busing. Wrong on Education. Wrong for America.

[Kuumo]

Statement from the McGovern Campaign

The McGovern campaign endorses the anti-war, pro-civil rights unpledged delegate slate in the Georgia caucus and Senator Eugene McCarthy in the Illinois primary.

[Devout Centrist]

Leadership

Ad Runtime and Location: 30 seconds; will run in the Florida, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts media markets in March.

Ad Description: We see a black screen and hear a solemn, serious voice

Voice: "What is leadership?  Is it merely a name?"

We see a clip of Jack Kennedy saying "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner!"

Voice: "Or is leadership something more than that?"

We see a clip of Bobby Kennedy saying "Some men see the world as it is and say why.  I dream of things that never were and ask why not."

The Voice: "Does this look like leadership to you?"

We see a clip of Ted Kennedy saying “I’m sure if I had a scuba diving suit I could’ve saved her,” and "I am not a drunken murderer!"

The Voice: "You decide!"

Paid for by Citizens for Transparency and Truth in Politics.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Excerpt from a John Lindsay Town Hall in a Tampa Civic Center:

Questioner: “Why should we let the government bus our kids to poorer schools in bad neighborhoods?”

Mayor Lindsay: “Busing is one of the most difficult issues facing our nation because everyone involved wants the best for their children.  As parents, the idea of sending our children to school somewhere unfamiliar can be a frightening one.  Are you a father, Sir?”

Questioner: “I am.”  

Mayor Lindsay: “So am I.  Now in my experience, most parents - black or white - want the same things for their children.  We want our children to be safe and to do well in school so they can have lives better than our own.  I worry about my children just like you do.  I worry about whether my son will apply himself and keep out of trouble.  I worry about whether my daughters will make responsible choices even if they see their friends behaving recklessly.  As a parent, you want to trust that your children will do the right thing, but you always worry about them all the same.  However, one thing I have never worried about is my children being exposed to other cultures or going to school with people who don’t look or sound exactly like them.  It is only by meeting and interacting with people different from themselves, people who come from all walks of life, that our children will learn that we are all in this together.  

Now, as to the matter of busing, I wish I could say some magic words that would make this idea seem less frighting to parents such as yourself, but how could I?  There are no words that can assuage a parent’s concern for their child’s well-being.  Anyone who says there are is being naive at best and dishonest at worst.  I believe busing will have a positive impact and that is why I would encourage a no vote on issue one.  But I will never lie to you nor will I soft-pedal my views, even if being upfront about my position on busing costs me your vote.  You asked me a question and you deserve an honest answer, not some mealy-mouthed, poll-tested pivot.  The American people deserve a President who says what he actually believes instead of changing his position to whatever he thinks his current audience wants to hear the way Senator Humphrey has on this issue.  

At the same time, there are those pernicious politicians who have sought to divide us for their own gain by attempting to turn busing into a racial issue.  This is a deeply cynical distraction.  Education is not a black issue or a white issue, it’s an American issue.  And the day we lose sight of that fact is the day that we ensure that whichever side prevails on the busing question, our children will lose.  Every child that gets access to a decent education today makes it that much more likely that all of our children will live in a better society tomorrow.  And that is why I would encourage a yes vote on issue two."

Questioner: “Mr. Mayor, that’s all well and good to say when it doesn’t effect your kids.  If this diversity business is such a hot idea, how come all you people from up north send your kids to private schools and then come down here to tell us our kids belong in the poorest public schools?  I heard that Senator Kennedy’s kids go to a private school for rich white kids.  Your kids deserve only the best, but ours are expendable guinea pigs, that the idea?”

Mayor Lindsay: “No!  No, it is not.  Unlike Senator Kennedy, I didn’t send my children to an elite, white-as-snow private school in the wealthy suburbs and then come down here to tell you why there should be a different set of rules for your children.  I sent my children to public school in New York City and you won’t find a more diverse school system than that anywhere in America,.  That is why I can look you in the eye right now and promise you that while we may not always agree, I will never ask you to do anything with your children that I wouldn’t do with my own.”

Questioner: “If I vote for you, I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

Mayor Lindsay: “And I’m going to keep it!”

[PPT Spiral]

Mayor Yorty response to Democratic rivals:

Funny how the woodworks come out for me after giving them a hell of a ride in New Hampshire! As it pertains to their screeds, it is very evident where Governor Wallace and I have differed. I've integrated Los Angeles as Mayor and once represented the Congressional district around Watts with one of the highest black populations. We have led the way in minority outreach for economic opportunity through our various initiatives.

I have also been just as clear: I oppose schemes like forced busing that are opposed across races, especially when hypocrites like Senator Kennedy continue to have one standard for us and another for himself. I will also not bow down to their whims of tearing apart this Democratic Party, with these endless demands of denouncement, when the common enemy of the radicals is incing closer to our face and these jokers continue to do nothing about it! Whether it be Governor Wallace, Mayor Daley, or President Johnson, I will stand for uniting around common ideals in the law, in fiscal sanity, and in the defeat of communism. We owe it to Americans to not play these games when so much is at stake.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Note: I had to remove one word to fix a grammatical typo, but that is the only post-deadline change.

The Campaign Trail: Wisconsin: Part 1:




"Dashing the hopes of those eager to write off his stunning victory in New Hampshire as a fluke, Mayor Lindsay has surged into a close third in the polls almost overnight, nipping at the heels of Senators Kennedy and Humphrey.  If New Hampshire introduced Mayor Lindsay to America, then it seems many in Wisconsin are certainly interested in what he has to say.  Already gaining ground seemingly by the hour, much to the bewilderment of many and horror of some in the Democratic establishment, Mayor Lindsay’s momentum has only increased in recent days.  

Mayor Lindsay struggled to win over union voters in New Hampshire despite promoting an unapologetically pro-labor brand of economic populism.  Indeed, many initially argued that pursuing the union vote so aggressively with Senator Humphrey already in the race was a fool’s errand at best.  However, all signs suggest that Mayor Lindsay’s play for the union vote has finally started paying off in the big way in Wisconsin where working class voters seem increasingly receptive to his message.  

That itself would be news, but a political earthquake hit Wisconsin when Mayor Lindsay received the endorsements of both SEIU Local 152 and AFSCME Council 32, easily two of the most politically active and influential unions in the state.  While none of Mayor Lindsay’s rivals can be pleased to see him snag two of the most coveted endorsements in the state right on the heels of his victory in New Hampshire, the news comes as an especially devastating blow to Senator Humphrey as Mayor Lindsay has already managed to establish himself as the clear choice of organized labor in the state of Wisconsin.  Indeed, some commentators have begun to wonder if this is a sign that the former Vice President is paying a price for taking the union vote for granted.  Whatever the reason, this would seem to be a clear rejection of Senator Humphrey by those who, in theory, should know him best.  This begs the question: ‘If not even organized labor supports Senator Humphrey these days, who in Wisconsin does?’”

_________________________________________________________________
The Campaign Trail: Florida

While there will be a series of town-halls held in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Gainesville, and finally Jacksonville en route to Atlanta the day before the primary, but that aside, Lindsay himself will not campaign further in Florida.  While the Mayor has astutely navigated the pitfalls of the busing issue by speaking with compassion and empathy to concerned parents instead of simply dismissing them as a basket of deplorables without wavering from his own views on the issue, his campaign continues skillfully manage media expectations in the state.  Indeed, even a failure to crack the delegate threshold would not be regarded as an underperformance at this point and as such, should do little to disrupt his considerable momentum coming off of New Hampshire.  

That said, a surprise over-performance would still be welcome and to that end Congressman and Florida Campaign Chairman Claude Pepper will harness his own south Florida campaign machine, especially in Florida’s African-American, Cuban-American, and Jewish communities.  Mayor Lindsay has unique appeal to the latter two groups as both the only candidate who has consistently made a point of calling for America to take a tougher stance against the Castro regime and by being easily the strongest supporter of Israel in the race.

__________________________________________________
The Campaign Trail: Georgia

While resources should remain primarily focused on Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the Lindsay campaign in Georgia will still do its part to boost the joint anti-Vietnam unpledged delegate slate with the Mayor himself making a campaign appearance in Atlanta on his way  back to Madison from Florida.  The targeted areas will be Atlanta (especially the Jewish, African-American, anti-War, and youth vote), African-Americans in the rural Black Belt, the state's colleges and universities, and African-American voters in the cities of Macon, Columbus, Albany, Savannah, Augusta, and the notoriously liberal white voters of Athens.
_______________________________________________________
The Campaign Trail: Wisconsin: Part 2

Having already built a first-class campaign machine throughout the state from the precinct level up, Mayor Lindsay will crisscross every corner of the state with rallies in Eau Claire, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, Green Bay, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Kenosha, Racine, Appleton, Superior, north and south Milwaukee, and union halls and college campuses alike throughout Wisconsin.  Additionally, the Lindsay campaign will heavily target the notoriously dovish German-American, working-class and pro-labor Polish, African-American, anti-war, and youth vote.  The bulk of the campaign’s time and resources will be spent here during this period.  

Mayor Lindsay will continue to display his uncanny talent for fusing his unapologetically anti-Vietnam social liberalism with a strongly pro-union economic populism and a concern for how America treats its veterans that sets him apart from many anti-Vietnam candidates.  Mayor Lindsay will continue to emphasize his support for full and immediate withdrawal from Vietnam, a significantly greater minimum wage, civil rights, an Equal Rights Amendment, repealing Taft-Hartley, and increased funding for better quality veteran’s healthcare.  At the same time, the Mayor will also to champion stronger environmental legislation just as he did in New Hampshire.  

At the same time, the Lindsay campaign will finally go on air in Wisconsin media markets hammering away at Humphrey and Kennedy on Vietnam with both radio and TV ads.  Harold Hughes should continue to be deployed as often as possible delivering a positive, up-lifting message, especially in the so-called Driftless Area, where his campaign style fits like a glove.  Congressman Reuss - the unchallenged undisputed boss of the North Milwaukee Democratic political machine - shall continue to act as the Lindsay campaign’s chief attack dog in the state, focusing his efforts at the moment in rough and tumble Milwaukee County where his broadsides against Kennedy and Humphrey on Vietnam and Yorty on his disastrous and cowardly handling of Watts (in sharp contrast to there not being a single race-riot in New York City on Mayor Lindsay’s watch) are unlikely to upset voters inclined to consider negative campaigning as natural as breathing.  Meanwhile, both the major union locals that endorsed Lindsay will come out in full force in support of his campaign and to lock down the support of their members for the anti-Vietnam, pro-union populist.
__________________________________________________
The Campaign Trail: Pennsylvania

Organize, organize, organize, organize.  The was the watchword before and it remains the watchword today.  This turn in PA is about continuing to build a strong statewide machine in PA before other campaigns have started seriously paying attention to the state.  Congressman Green - my PA campaign chairman - should continue to crisscross the state in general and Philadelphia in particular and fight tooth-and-nail for union voters.  Emphasize my strongly pro-union left-populist economic platform and record of preventing race riots when speaking to working class, union, and white ethnic voters and my strong support for civil rights and fiery opposition to the Vietnam War to African-Americans, young people, affluent white liberals, and the anti-Vietnam left.

Congressman Green should continue to campaign heavily in Philadelphia's African-American community and Jewish communities as well, emphasizing Mayor Lindsay's strong support for civil rights and fierce support for Israel respectively to these groups.  
__________________________________________
The Campaign Trail: Fundraising

Paul Newman and his Hollywood fundraising network have already left the Lindsay campaign's coffers overflowing with cash and show no signs of slowing down.  However, the Mayor's campaign has also taken full advantage of the momentum and greater recognition from his stunning victory in New Hampshire.  Fundraising efforts have been cranked up significantly in order to strike while the iron is hot as the campaign continues to stockpile massive amounts of cash - indeed, victory in New Hampshire came without the Lindsay campaign spending a single cent on any form of advertising; a truly staggering achievement that speaks volumes about the strength of the Mayor's message - in order to build enough of an advertising budget to go head to head with the candidates of the party establishment in the more expensive, delegate-rich states yet to come.


Fun Fact: These are by far the shortest orders I've ever sent.  Just ask Lumine (sorry again, old friend )!

[PPT Spiral]

Sam Yorty Campaign Strategy: Turn 4

After momentum from New Hampshire, Mayor Yorty would almost fully set his sights next on a grand surprise, perhaps even a victory, in the delegate-rich Illinois. With the local race upended by the exit of Muskie, far less polarizing there than NH, Yorty would immediately stake claim on the archetypal "Muskie Democrat" making the heart of his original, wide-reaching moderate coalition. Petrified of McCarthy in striking distance of victory, messaging and advertisements would point sympathetic Democrats to "defend sanity" with a Yorty vote. In contrast to the Daley uncommitted slate hovering just around 30% for many months, the Yorty campaign hypes the upward trajectory that their candidate has in comparison, especially in light of new media attention after the first primary.

One hallmark of the IL strategy is to make Yorty the king of the rurals. Yorty would spend ample time turbocharging the counties outside Chicagoland with his most familiar emotive themes on crime, race, terrorism, and the rest. Yorty, unlike the others, could speak from the heart on his plains upbringing and all it entails with the small community experience. With McCarthy and Daley mostly relying on Chicago and Cook County alike, Yorty dominating everywhere else statewide and absolutely swamping his foes in expected turnout would allow him to run up the middle to a plausible victory. Suburban areas in Springfield, Peoria, and outside Chicago would also be intensely targeted: on areas of workers rights, fiscal responsibility, the pragmatic hamstrings of Democratic ideals that many are bound to, all starkly contrasted with what another radical victory statewide could do to the entire party.

Mayor Yorty would always stress the synergy he has as an ally of Mayor Daley on the ballot, but also alludes to himself being the 'practical' choice to defeat the insurgent left in light of surefire jockeying over the placement of actual candidates. In this regard, Yorty would concentrate on areas of strength to possibly crack the Daley machine for extra votes in the final days: Irish, Jews, and other ethnic whites; Latinos; and conservative-leaning blacks possibly alienated by the white liberal elements rising. Flush with cash, Yorty uses this to his advantage to hammer the state on his terms, particularly raising the new threat of McCarthy. As Yorty put it to voters: "If you believe a Lindsay victory was bad enough, imagine a McCarthy victory on top of it!"

Yorty would pull out the significant assets invested in Florida, recognizing the state as a lost cause (and possibly returning favors to certain rivals), using the most expensive to aid in Illinois as well as Wisconsin. The Mayor would pick up his campaigning in Wisconsin over time, fully seizing the bitter suburban white voter who sees the moves of liberals and leftists in disgust for what it means in their lives. Another significant part of the Florida assets would also go to boosting the Yorty operation in the Georgia caucus. The entry of Senator Byrd was seen as both an opportunity and a threat. Yorty would begin shifting tones of his campaign to be more "insurgent" in contrast to the definitionally institutional Byrd, while still claiming the more moderate conservative views that act as a sweet spot for many Democrats. The main strategy in Georgia is to usurp Byrd and blunt any opening momentum he may have with a rough start to this madness called the primaries.

[Lumine]

The Dick Cavett Show, ABC Late Night - Interview with Vance Hartke

MAR. 1972

1.- Hi, I’m here with Senator Vance Hartke, in case anyone just joined us… and doesn’t know who either of us is. (Audience Laughter) I’m told a number of voters can’t quite make out whether you’re a square or a… and you’ll have to forgive me, uh, a peacenik or a hippie, but a clean-cut one. Which is it?

You know, Mr. Cavett, I reject the entire premise of this game of labels. I am here to work for the interests of the American people as a whole, regardless of background, style, or politics. While I consider Vietnam only one facet of my campaign, the central issue there is this: if we are struggling so hard to make ends meet in the face of domestic strife, why are we engaged in a seemingly endless war on behalf of a dictatorship thousands of miles away? A dictatorship that has debased every democratic value we hold dear as evidenced by the coronation—I refuse to use the word "election"—of the current dictator, Thieu, last year. You don't have to be a square or a peacenik or a hippie to see that our material and moral interests are not being served there. On behalf of every American, I want to end the national nightmare. Certainly my constituents in Indiana have seen fit to re-elect me on this point.

2.- For another question… and well, let me put it this way: there’s plenty of star power around in these Democratic Primaries. Why enter them at all?

Why enter? It is very simple. I know I can beat President Nixon better than my fellow Democrats. I don't need an ad man to sell my policies to the average Joe and Jane on the street. I tell them how we can have peace abroad and strength at home; I tell them we don't have to shed blood or ship our jobs overseas as Mr. Nixon would have us do. If you look at the polls, the people are starting to listen. Let others rattle on about star power while I earn the power of the people.

3.- I have to tell you this: many were impressed with you in New Hampshire, but uh, is fourth place really a convincing argument for folks that you can be a winner?

If I may brandy about quotes, my place in New Hampshire is important because "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Mr. Cavett, when I announced my candidacy, did you think about inviting me on your show? Of course not. A lot of people dismissed my campaign as a nothing burger. However, despite lacking the time and money of other campaigns, I was able to amass delegates in a field of formidable candidates. My team has the momentum going into Wisconsin. We will make our impact felt there and continue on until the nomination is ours.

4.- We’ve seen Mayor Lindsay being quite critical of President Johnson, very forceful in taking him to task over Vietnam. I’m told you yourself had a problem with LBJ, how do you feel about him?

I have my disagreements with President Johnson. At times, especially when I came out against Vietnam, our relations were troubled to say the least. However, I retain the utmost respect for him personally because of the cavalcade of important policies we achieved together. Medicare and Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act, veterans' benefits, and the Head Start Program to name a few.

5.- Say, should Muskie – Senator Muskie – be censured in the Senate for what he said about Kennedy? What do you make of it?

Mr. Cavett, politics is the worst and ugliest profession when it becomes personal. I have worked often with Senator Muskie, I trusted the leadership he previously provided in the Senate, and it is for that exact reason which I find his present rhetoric so disappointing. He had the opportunity to differentiate himself with Senator Kennedy in a manner that acknowledged their shared humanity. He failed to do so and broke the very rules of the institution he so proudly represented before. I will motion to censure him as a result.

6.- If I have my facts right, you won re-election last time, but it was very, very close. How do you feel about that? Were you depressed by it?

When I was running for reelection, I was not just running against the Republican candidate, Mr. Roudebush. President Nixon made it a priority to defeat me. He and his administration visited Indiana so often at the time that I said he should pay our state taxes! (Audience chuckles) In that kind of environment, in a state that gave Mr. Nixon the largest percentage margin of victory in 1968, he lost to me. So I wasn't depressed. In fact, I was elated. I beat him then and I can beat him now. (Timid applause)

7.- Many candidates this time around are Senators of course, and your colleagues. Who do you get along with best? And who can’t you stand?

Senators are, if you can believe it, just like everyone else. I get along fine with them when they agree with me, and I can't stand them when they don't!

GRADING: In coming to Dick Cavett, Senator Hartke went about to try and maximize his visibility whilst trying to appeal to people who are not obsessed about politics, what we'd call normal Americans. He also opened up himself to awkward questions, while having to contend with a formal which, while deep enough - Cavett outclasses almost everybody on TV these days - still relies on some sense of humor to work along. So what exactly did Vance Hartke accomplish?

For once, increasing numbers of people are going "oh yeah, that guy". Not enough for now, but far more than a late entry would be entitled to, and another sign of a candidate punching above his weight. Hartke proves to be thoughtful, firm, able to take firm stances - LBJ, Muskie, Vietnam - without coming off as a radical, and that does raise his ceiling to an interesting degree. Whether he can reach that ceiling amidst such fierce competition is another thing, and he makes the mistake of not being "fun" enough to truly catch his audience. But he doesn't come off as unlikable, and that's certainly enough.

There will be no editorials written about this Cavett interview, but newspapers will write that Hartke, whether the bigger candidates like it or not, must be taken seriously enough. And if he surprises in Wisconsin... he may just become a serious contender.

[Lumine]

Florida and Illinois Primaries, and Georgia Caucus

Georgia Caucus

Candidate		Votes (%)		Delegates
George Wallace		38%		21
Ted Kennedy		19%		10
Uncommitted (Anti-War)		17%		9
Hubert Humphrey		13%		-
Robert Byrd		8%		-
Sam Yorty		5%		-

Florida Primary

Candidate		Votes (%)		Delegates
George Wallace		37%		38
Hubert Humphrey		25%		18
Ted Kennedy		18%		15
John Lindsay		10%		-
George McGovern		8%		-
Sam Yorty		1%		-
Shirley Chisholm		1%		-
Philip Hart		0%		-

Florida Primary (GOP)

Candidate		Votes (%)		Delegates
Richard Nixon		77%		34
John Ashbrook		23%		6

Illinois Primary

Candidate		Votes (%)		Delegates
Eugene McCarthy		43%		71
Sam Yorty		30%		50
Uncommitted (Daley)		24%		39
Shirley Chisholm		2%		-
Ed Muskie		1%		-

Illinois Primary (GOP)

Candidate		Votes (%)		Delegates
Richard Nixon		89%		56
John Ashbrook		11%		2

Democratic Delegate Count

George Wallace - 78
Eugene McCarthy - 71
Sam Yorty - 67
Ted Kennedy - 60
Uncommitted (Daley) - 39
Hubert Humphrey - 32
Uncommitted (Anti-War) - 30
John Lindsay - 18
Ed Muskie - 10
George McGovern - 4
Vance Hartke - 3
Philip Hart - 0
Shirley Chisholm - 0

The Road to the White House

MAR. 1972

Having been battered and perhaps even humiliated at the hands of Mayor Lindsay's insurgent campaign in New Hampshire, the Democratic establishment already had ample reasons to panic over the prospect of a hostile takeover of the party. After the mid-march contests, this would turn into utter and unmitigated panic: as DNC Chairman Larry O'Brien allegedly said: "The loons are taking over the asylum." For President Nixon, it was to be something of a comeback after a debilitating performance in New Hampshire, but by now means an end to the so-called "Conservative revolt." And, above all, two men with ample reason to resent the Democratic establishment saw some of the biggest triumphs of their careers.

THE DUST SETTLES

Shortly after the seismic results of the New Hampshire Primary, two of the left-wing campaigns came to a sudden end. Dismayed by a disastrous collapse in NH, Senator Muskie bowed out swiftly, choosing not to turn Illinois into a last stand of sorts. He was soon followed by Senator Hart, who gained quite a few plaudits in the left over his decision not to split the anti-war vote in future contests. With both men fully intending to still contest their respective home states, many suspect they may yet play a role in the eventual Convention in Miami, though it remains unclear how significant it may be. For the rest, there was a new entry to be found in West Virginia Senator Byrd, whose entry meant trouble for Governor Wallace and Mayor Yorty when it came to appealing to moderate and soft conservative Democrats in Appalachia and across parts of the South.

Thus, the candidates scrambled around to wield their newfound momentum or to weigh their options. The anti-war candidates wisely joined forces in the upcoming Georgia caucus by fielding another joint slate, several campaigns went straight for Wisconsin - which is increasingly resembling "ground zero" for Democratic politics - and others geared for their respective showdowns: Kennedy, Humphrey and Wallace, all of which required a strong showing in Florida; and Senator McCarthy, whose decision to focus in Illinois was starting to appear a strategic masterstroke and not the mistake many commentators in the media had supposed. For the rest, it was a matter of whether they could make waves after all... or risk being drowned by louder voices.

BUSING TAKES OVER

Already an issue that had proved quite controversial, the only thing seemingly stopping busing from dominating the primary discourse had been its relative lack of prominence in New Hampshire. But in Florida, now turned into the state where the issue burned the hottest and drew the most passion, its sheer dominance became inevitable. Anti-war candidates issued their own strong defenses of busing while closing ranks with Governor Askew, resulting in memorable - though with varying effects - endorsements for the controversial policy. In the end, Askew chose Kennedy, delivering an endorsement which, at least on the surface, should have started the process of a comeback for the embattled Senator, who'd left New Hampshire in dire need of a strong victory to turn things around.

Most controversial of all proved Vice President Humphrey, who, in perhaps stark contrast with his reputation - but not necessarily with his record - chose to pivot around. Having been once closely identified with the Civil Rights movement, HHH moderated his stance while hoping to maintain strong ground in other minority issues, a strategic goal that aimed to defuse the growing Wallace juggernaut while at the same time keeping together a wide coalition. It was a bold gambit, and one to which White audiences seem to actually respond to. Alas, the former Vice President had sorely underestimated the depth of the reaction from the other side, which rival campaigns were swift to exploit. For many Black activists, Humphrey's new stance was nothing short of betrayal, and they made it clear.

Key among them was the newly formed "Black Americans for Justice in Education", a political committee based in Florida which immediately sprung into action to aggressively challenge the Vice President over his stance. Already subject to harassment by anti-war activists, Humphrey rallies now became swamped with Black activists, many of them angrily shouting insults at HHH or championing other candidates. This, in turn, had an unexpected effect in the Georgia caucuses, with the state's large African American minority becoming mobilized over the issue. As activist Samuel Leroy Jackson - arrested after disrupting a Humphrey event in Georgia - was to say to the press: "Hubert Judas Humphrey has betrayed black America”.

When the dust settled, Governor Wallace had won a clear cut victory in Georgia, with Vice President Humphrey sinking down to fourth place as Black voters bolted to the Kennedy or Anti-War slates. In what was also to be a worrying sign for the Yorty campaign, a late entry did not prevent Senator Byrd from garnering 8% of the vote, suggesting a clear opening for a non-Dixiecrat Southerner and a continued lack of appeal for the Mayor south of the Mason-Dixon line.

THE POLITICS OF GRIEVANCES

Thus, the race for Florida entered its final days. Candidates who had backed busing found themselves under vicious and relentless assault - particularly Ted Kennedy -, all while Florida experienced a degree of racial and political polarization that reminded observers of the worst days of the 1960's. Scores of activists took to the streets to demand integration - with Kennedy, McGovern, and particularly Lindsay championed as their best advocates -, all while counter demonstrations by opponents of busing grew in size and attendance every day. For all purposes, the primary had turned into a referendum on busing, and it was one George Corley Wallace who was saying exactly what voters seem to want.

Distrusting the polls that were placing Humphrey and Wallace in close competition, the young (21) prodigy and consultant Pat Caddell warned: "Voters may not want to admit it, but they're buying what Wallace is selling." This would translate to a landslide victory for the anti-busing initiative - only tempered by a lesser victory for the Governor's proposal - and, more importantly, a Wallace surge that took him almost to 40%. It was another political earthquake for the Democratic establishment. Vice President Humphrey, while embarrassed by the stinging rebuke of minority groups, nonetheless ably weathered the Wallace landslide, securing a strong second and showing an ability to appeal to White voters. For Senator Kennedy, it was another difficult result. Just as scores of minorities continued to flock to his campaign - which could prove decisive in specific contests -, many White voters seemingly deserted him over busing, raising serious questions about the viability of his campaign.

Neither Lindsay nor McGovern seemed to be particularly hurt by the results, but many noted the Senator's ability to close the gap with the Mayor, as well as a last minute media offensive against Lindsay - which anti-war activists have denounced as being ordered by Kennedy or Humphrey - that did much to harm the Mayor amongst NYC transplants.

In the Republican side of affairs, President Nixon dispatched Congressman Ashbrook with relative easy in Illinois, but matters would not be so easily in Florida. Relying on the demographic make-up of the state, the Congressman - unofficial leader of the "Conservative revolt" - cleverly targeted his message to groups disaffected with the President's record, all while leveraging the anti-Communist angle as hard as possible. The Nixon campaign, however, countered effectively by also making full use of busing as the issue of the day, with its firm opposition to the issue - while a source of dismay for Liberal Republicans and minorities - bringing a strong response even from some traditional Democratic voters.

Making matters worse for Ashbrook was the eruption of a major fight with the Conservative National Committee (CNC), after the Tampa Bay Times published a petition signed by hundreds of CNC volunteers that called for Senator James Buckley to be VP if Ashbrook wins the nomination; coupled with a report allegedly written by the Ashbrook campaign that states that the Congressman's primary challenge to the President is intended to be a "surrogate operation", in order to have Senator Buckley to become VP after Nixon drops Vice President Agnew. The Congressman angrily denounced the report as a lousy forgery, but his tone has earned him widespread mockery. The CNC has denounced it too, but the existence of the signatures has raised questions in the media as to what Senator Buckley's ultimate ambitions are.

LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Having played such a crucial role in the 1968 psychodrama, many had written Gene McCarthy off and out for good. Even the success in mobilizing the anti-war activist network was hardly noted by insiders, many of which expected McCarthy to flame out or be punished by his initially puzzling decision to only contest Illinois. And yet, a combination of luck and skill had seemingly created a perfect storm. Successfully mobilizing minorities, college students, and a wide coalition that had grown to resent and oppose the previously all-powerful Mayor Daley, McCarthy had also tapped on pent up rage among the voters, if under different terms than Wallace had done. There was a feeling of anger and revenge in the air, and this time, it was not the hippies' turn to get stomped in the streets of Chicago.

The collapse of the Chisholm campaign and the departure of Muskie suddenly removed all left wing competition, giving McCarthy unique momentum with only Daley and Yorty to try and stop him. And, in a development that came as an utter shock to Democratic power brokers, Daley's spell was quite suddenly and quite forcefully broken. Amidst signs of imminent disaster, many moderate Democrats swiftly bolted to Mayor Yorty's insurgent campaign, with the Californian running amuck across the rural parts of the state whilst McCarthy and Daley battled it out in the Windy City. And when the votes were counted, Eugene McCarthy had had his revenge. With 43% of the vote, he'd stomped Daley hard, humiliating the Mayor's slate into a dismal third place. Yorty had also shocked observers, reaching 30% and winning a large amount of delegates that breathed much needed oxygen into his bid.

Two times in a row, the Democratic establish had been beaten by insurgents from the left and the right. Now it was truly time to panic.

WE'RE OFF ON THE ROAD TO MILWAUKEE

Thus, the stage was set for the seemingly decisive showdown at Wisconsin in two weeks' time, a state that every candidate - minus Wallace - has filed in to compete. This, in turn, enormously raises the stakes, with a badly divided field facing the pressure of consolidation right before the primaries finally start to broaden, with seven April contests for those who survive Wisconsin. With multiple campaigns having targeted the state almost from the start, and polling ranges remaining worryingly close - the state allegedly being a close Humphrey-Lindsay tie with most other candidates in ranging distance still -, the WI showdown may just set the stage for the next phase of the campaign... or result in the equivalent of trench warfare should the victor prevail by too small a margin. With all registered candidates also invited to a Wisconsin debate in light of the public interest generated by the New Hampshire equivalent, blood in guaranteed to be spilled.

Can Lindsay prevail over Hartke and McGovern to take command of the anti-war vote? Will McCarthy wrest the title after a resounding triumph in Illinois?

Can Kennedy salvage his campaign with a strong comeback, and/or Vice President Humphrey finally become undisputed frontrunner?

And can Yorty contain Byrd before the conservative vote is further split?

Only time will tell.

Stories from the Campaign Trail

Chisholm out: Congresswoman to run for re-election

"Amidst a general lack of fundraising and institutional support, and a lack of meaningful results in the first few contests, Congressman Shirley Chisholm (D-NY) was forced to suspend her campaign last night at a media appearance in Chicago. Whilst expressing her disappointment at the sexism - worse than the racism, she states - she has encountered in the campaign trail, the Congresswoman expressed hope after the victory of anti-war candidates in Iowa, New Hampshire and Illinois, and offered warm words - if no endorsement - of Senator McCarthy and Mayor Lindsay as a result. She also took the time to draw fire on Vice President Humphrey, stating that she was "disgusted" over his equivocation on the issue of busing..."

"Well, I came here to escape him"

"It is the end of a bizarre campaign season here in Florida, and one with no shortage of odd moments. And just as the protest buses all but chasing candidates all over the state depart, the voters also express a general sense of relief. This sense was particularly felt in Miami proper, with more than one interviewee expressing his disgust at the tone of the primary:

VOTER: "I'm just sick it of it all. He's a murderer, he's a racist, he doesn't bus his kids, what does it matter? I came from New York City because I just had had enough of this s... this stuff."

REPORTER: "So, how was it to see Mayor Lindsay again? A sense of nostalgia?"

VOTER: "Well, I came here to escape him, really."

In other unexpected news, Rolling Stone Magazine was forced to offer an apology to the Humphrey campaign after one of their reporters, Hunter S. Thompson, had his press credentials stolen by a protestor, who went onto - while heavily intoxicated - disrupt a Humphrey rally and stage a fight with campaign staff in full view of several terrorized volunteers...

We Want Spiro

"Despite persistent reports that President Nixon intends to drop Vice President Spiro Agnew from the Republican ticket in the upcoming RNC, and perhaps replace him with a loyalist like Treasury Secretary Connally or Ambassador Bush, many observers have noted Agnew's increasingly high profile role within the Nixon Administration as of late. The Vice President has been hitting the campaign trail hard in Florida, with his strident denunciations of busing being credited as highly popular with conservatives and one of the reasons for Ashbrook being unable to fully breakthrough in the state. This, in turn, has raised the question of whether President Nixon can even afford to dispense with Agnew before November..."

[DKrol]

Statement from Senator Ted Kennedy

Effective immediately, I am ceasing my campaign for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. It is clear to me know that by remaining in the race any longer I will only increase the likelihood that Governor Wallace or Mayor Yorty arrive at the Convention with a sizeable number of delegates. I will not be making an endorsement at this time but encourage all voters to support a non-Wallace and non-Yorty candidate.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

"Well, we not only won big in Florida, but more importantly, we knocked Senator Kennedy out of the race. We the people sent a strong rebuke of busing in a resounding way, and I am humbled that the good folk of Florida put their trust in me. So our crusade moves on, and we're going to Ohio, we're going to Pennsylvania and we'll win there too, because the people of this country are mighty pissed off and ready for change!"

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Out of character: We should probably wait until the new turn to post stuff

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Muskie congratulates McCarthy with Illinois victory

After carefully watching the results in Illinois, withdrawn presidential candidate, former vice-presidential candidate and incumbent senator for Maine Edmund Muskie has come out with a statement congratulating Eugene McCarthy with his surprise victory in Illinois and called the primary a statement from the democratic voter base in Illinois. It shows that people care about Vietnam, and that people want us to leave Vietnam and our soldiers to return to home to their families. The senator said he believes McCarthy is fit for the task and believes he has an excellent shot of defeating president Nixon in november.

[Lumine]

Stage Five

Mojo Madness in Milwaukee

Mid March to Early April 1972

GALLUP POLL: President Nixon's Approval Rating

Approve: 53%
Disapprove: 35%
Undecided: 12%

POLLING RANGE: Democratic Nomination

Hubert Humphrey: 25-30%
John Lindsay: 20-25%
George Wallace: 13-17%
Eugene McCarthy: 13-17%
Sam Yorty: 11-13%
George McGovern: 7-8%
Vance Hartke: 7-8%
Robert Byrd: 4-5%

POLLING RANGE: Wisconsin Primary

Hubert Humphrey: 23-27%
John Lindsay: 19-23%
Eugene McCarthy: 16-20%
Sam Yorty: 13-17%
George McGovern: 8-13%
Vance Hartke: 8-12%
Robert Byrd: 3-5%
Undecided: 10-15%

POLLING RANGE: Pennsylvania Primary

Hubert Humphrey: 27-32%
George Wallace: 15-18%
John Lindsay: 15-18%
Vance Hartke: 9-13%
Robert Byrd: 8-11%
Sam Yorty: 6-9%
George McGovern: 5-7%
Undecided: 15-20%

POLLING RANGE: Massachusetts Primary

Hubert Humphrey: 23-28%
Eugene McCarthy: 21-25%
Sam Yorty: 16-21%
John Lindsay: 13-18%
George McGovern: 11-16%
Undecided: 15-20%

In the News

Democrats in disarray

Shock victories propel Wallace, Lindsay, McCarthy to polling surges,
String of withdrawals leaves many voters undecided on the eve of key primaries,
DNC loses control, Humphrey mooted as "establishment savior", and what about Byrd?

Full speed ahead for liberal values?

Conservatives angry after Supreme Court ruling and Shafer Commission report,
Eisenstadt v. Baird bolsters pre-marital sex, unmarried people to access contraceptives,
In shock report, Shafer Commission recommends the decriminalization of marijuana

ERA to face its ultimate test

Senate approves Equal Rights Amendment and sends it to the states,
STOP ERA organizer Phyllis Schlafly vows to take fight to state legislatures,
With several states about to debate the amendment, will it be ratified by the necessary 38?

Heath fights back

British PM pulls the plug on Northern Irish devolved government,
Stormont abolished, William Whitelaw to be Northern Irish Secretary,
Sectarian violence continues to spiral out of control as death toll rises

[KaiserDave]

Humphrey Redoubles Legislative Efforts in Washington on universal healthcare, housing

Washington D.C. - Senator Humphrey, after a second place performance in the Florida Democratic primary, has made noticeably more appearances in the United States Senate, speaking on the floor, in press conferences in the halls of the capitol, and meeting with various advocacy organizations. Running for President, Humphrey says, is no excuse to slack off on his day job of representing 3.8 million Minnesotans.

"While I seek the high office of the Presidency so that we may address the great many issues facing this country, there is still a great many things we can do right now, here in Congress," says the now three-time presidential candidate. Humphrey's efforts have gone into to initiatives primarily, pushing for the Kennedy-Griffiths Bill for universal healthcare, which remains mired in committee, and Humphrey's new initiative to expand the funding and scope of FHEO, the federal body responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws in housing.

"Every American should be entitled to medical care as a right of citizenship. The idea that any American, a citizen of this Republic, should suffer or even die for lack of medical care is appalling, it should horrify all of us. I believe the Kennedy-Griffiths bill is a great plan to rectify this great injustice." Regarding housing, the Senator said after meeting with advocates on the issue, "every hard-working American, regardless of race, is entitled to a roof over their head, and this should not be negated based on racial discrimination. We have more to do." Senator Humphrey has also noticeably raised the issue of healthcare on the campaign trail, speaking to an audience in Madison exclusively on the subject.

Despite Senator Humphrey's efforts, proposals with his support remain mired in committee, in a chamber where Republicans and conservative Democrats remain very strong.

[Lumine]

Turn Overview

For the purposes of this turn, which is meant to cover a nebulous period between late March and early April 1972, which will cover the Wisconsin Primary and the South Carolina Caucus. Filing for the WI, PA and MA primaries was closed last turn.

This turn and the next, you will get to be able to file in for the big one, a major set of early May primaries that constitutes the closest thing to a current-day Super Tuesday: Alabama, Indiana, Ohio, Washington DC, Tennessee, North Carolina, Nebraska, and West Virginia.

You will also have a debate for the WI candidates (all players minus Wallace).

This is expected to run for seven days, until next Monday at midnight.

Special Endorser: Senator Gaylord Nelson

Gaylord Nelson, the leading Democrat in Wisconsin by virtue of his combined service as Governor (1959-1963) and Senator (1963-Present), is finally up for an endorsement after the field has been finally reduced. He will endorse endorse whoever can issue the best and/or more forceful excerpt in support of environmental policies, a pet issue of his that is, nonetheless, still not much of a priority for many Americans. The winner of Nelson's endorsement will get a boost for the Wisconsin Primary right before its held, but it will also hurt the winner in the first "Rust Belt" (it isn't called that yet, I know) primary that he chooses to contest: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio or West Virginia.

Player Dilemmas

George Wallace

You've done it, Governor! You've given the peaceniks something to cry about after seizing Florida and riding the busing issue to a thumping victory. This all but guarantees that you'll have a strong bloc of delegates from the South to back you, but the question of whether you can make it north of the Mason-Dixon is as strong as ever. Not only is Yorty still going strong, the entry of Senator Byrd could pose some trouble in Southern states as well. Having decided not to contest the overcrowded Wisconsin, what will be your next step?

Hubert Humphrey

Against the odds, the establishment lane has all but cleared itself for you with the transformation and collapse of Muskie and the death by a thousand cuts of Kennedy. It is a prime opportunity to seize the nomination for the second time in a row... but you're not there yet. For one, the growing consolidation of the anti-war field creates the risk of having to face a strong challenger soon enough, and for another, it is undeniable that Wallace bested you despite a clever strategy in Florida. And solid as labor may look - limited gains for Lindsay notwithstanding -, African Americans are now distinctly shaky after the busing pivot, with many looking at McCarthy and Lindsay with quite a bit of interest...

Sam Yorty

Plainly, you've tapped into a sentiment of outrage felt by many conservative democrats, but also by many otherwise moderate voters who experience fear or disgust at the thought of a peacenik takeover of the Democratic Party. It is a solid constituency to secure you delegates, though a clear-cut victory still awaits you. Alas, the campaign faces a though strategic dilemma now. With the centrist and/or establishment lane cleared and the conservative one now a bit more crowded due to Byrd's entrance, there's a question to be asked: are you better off taking on Byrd and Wallace for the conservative vote, or should you risk it and go for a moderate profile?

John Lindsay

You've made it this far Mayor, and you've taken a long shot bid into a credible shot at taking over the party should things go well. But even if the anti-war field has shown remarkable discipline and an ability to pool votes, it is also still excessively divided for what amounts to only a plurality of the party, and McCarthy's utter Illinois triumph threatens to steal your hard-won thunder even if the polling, for now, appears to hold. Thus, like many other campaigns, a strategic dilemma is on the making. For most of your staff, holding the course in leading the radical charge is the only alternative, but there are those who wistfully look at Ted Kennedy's widowed voters and wonder whether the campaign should not chase a different kind of voter now...

Eugene McCarthy

At long last, payback. Mayor Daley, the invincible ogre who had your student volunteers kicked and beaten to the ground in the streets of Chicago now sits alone, humiliated, shown to be far weaker than anyone expected him to be. It is your moment of vengeance and reckoning, and perhaps, a far more realistic shot at the nomination than at any moment in 68'. But even as you surge in the polls, it is Lindsay who continues to lead the pack, and men like Hartke and McGovern also help split the dissident vote. And with Illinois gone, it's clear that choices need to be made if you want to ensure the momentum keeps going and doesn't become a brief mirage. What next Senator? Should you go all-in in Wisconsin despite the risks?

George McGovern

Again and again, you read profiles that speak of your personal decency and honor, but it is undeniable that compliments do not necessarily translate into votes. The McGovern operation has shown that it is more than capable to punch above its weight, but three months in, it's still others who lead the pack. Thus your advisors wonder where and how should the long-awaited breakthrough be achieved. Should the campaign fight to the bitter end in Wisconsin, hoping for the polls to be mistaken and not account on all the hard work going on behind the scenes? Do you dare go scorched earth on Lindsay and McCarthy, or is it still the conservatives who are the true enemy?

Vance Hartke

You feel a surge of confidence as you speak to another voter in the streets of Milwaukee, and that once gain, you have a shot at defying all the pollsters and pundits yet again. To do so, whether by winning or coming close to winning, would give you credibility once and for all. And yet repeating the miracle of New Hampshire looks like an enormous challenge when facing almost the entire field, particularly with another heated debate on the way. Even now there's the odd advisor wanting to ditch the upcoming carnage for greener pastures in Pennsylvania, though, as a fellow colleague in the Senate said to you with a mischievous look: "faint heart never won fair lady..."

Robert Byrd

Despite the dangers associated with a late bid for the Presidency, it's been an auspicious start after a respectable showing in Georgia and polls suggesting that, while not yet a major contender, you can be very much a threat to other candidates. So now it is time to make it clear to the voters where you stand on the issues, and perhaps even more important, what lane will you seek to occupy. Is it to be a less strident appeal to conservative Democrats, taking the battle to Yorty in the North and Wallace in the South? A dash for the moderates, seeking battle with Hubert Humphrey himself? Some semblance of populism, perhaps in the Hartke manner? It's up to you.

Henry Kissinger

Thus far you've done well for the President. China has been appeased and separated from the Soviets, and the administration seems to be having a less chaotic time over foreign affairs than it did earlier in the year. And yet... you sense trouble in the horizon. Le Duc Tho keeps stalling and refuses to return to the negotiation table after departing it a month ago. And across South Vietnam, General Abrams and MACV are taken over with rampant paranoia about a supposed North Vietnamese offensive in the making. Already early in the year they embarrassed you and the President by predicting an offensive that did not materialize, and the CIA keeps ruling one out. But if no blow is coming, why is Tho refusing to talk at all? The President needs advice on the next step on Vietnam, Doctor. What will you advise him to do?

James Buckley

The Conservative peasant's revolt is still in full swing, having taken a blow in Florida but remaining a thorn on Nixon's side that's not likely to go away just yet. But you've also encountered the first signs of serious opposition. This damaging "leak" about your supposed vice presidential ambitions has driven a clear wedge with the Ashbrook campaign, which now views you with suspicion. Other conservatives, led by Reagan himself, resent the attacks on Agnew, and remain committed to the Vice President remaining on the ballot. To put it plainly, you've managed to turn yourself into a serious foe for President Nixon, but the time approaches to decide what you want to get out of 1972. Is it to force Nixon to lose, so 1976 can be the year of Conservatism? To extract concessions from the White House? Or to take this challenge all the way to the RNC, hoping to plant a flag for next time?

H. R. Haldeman

RMN allows himself a brief smile after the Florida returns, and you breathe a sigh of relief.
Plainly, busing is a vote winner, even if makes the liberal Republicans distinctly queasy and perhaps increasingly unreliable should the Democratic nominee be a moderate. And when Kennedy drops out, Nixon takes it as far as dancing with Pat in the Oval Office, beaming like only you and few others know him capable of. For now, you've steered the President away from becoming another Lyndon Johnson, but the job is not done yet. Ashbrook keeps at it, Americans are increasingly aware of Buckley's existence, and with the unlikely revival of Hubert Humphrey, the Democrats may yet put somebody who could put the boss through another close election. Your move Bob.

[KaiserDave]

Statement from the Humphrey Campaign

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) will be filing for the Indiana, Washington D.C., Ohio, Nebraska, and West Virginia primaries, in addition to future contests yet to be announced. Senator Humphrey performances will prove he is the best candidate for uniting the Democratic Party and win the presidency.

Senator Humphrey thanks Senator Kennedy for his participation in the primary and his past, present, and future contributions to the Democratic Party and the United States.

[Kuumo]

Statement from Senator George McGovern

Today, I have made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for President of the United States. The stakes of this election are simply too high to risk nominating a candidate uncommitted to peace abroad and prosperity at home.

I will remain on the ballot in the South Dakota primary and will not make an endorsement at this time but encourage my supporters to back Mayor Lindsay, Senator McCarthy, or Senator Hartke in the Wisconsin primary.

[GoTfan]

Janey Hart takes up fight for ERA

"I helped start this fight when we founded the National Organization for Women, and I intend to make sure the ERA is ratified by enough states.

Over the next few months, I will be working to see that this becomes the next Amendment to our Constitution. I will fly to as many states and meet with as many legislators as I have to in order to get this ratified, and I hope to have the support of every person currently running for President!

I recall that spirit that led me and thirteen others to qualify for NASA's space program. We passed the same physical tests as men did to be astronauts. We proved we are just as capable as men are of reaching the stars, yet millions of women across this country are denied opportunities like I had. Do women not deserve equal pay for equal work? Do women not deserve to be treated fairly when it comes to hiring?

I draw your attention to Section 1 of the Amendment: Equality of Rights shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.

My friends, what could be objectionable about this?

These next few months will be critical. Call your legislator, call your Governor, and let them know you stand for the Equal Rights Amendment!"

Senator Hart proposes Soup Kitchen Act

The Soup Kitchen Act, named so for one of the purposes of it, is the first major bill Senator Hart is proposing for this term. The bill is a fairly simple one; it provides federal funding to open soup kitchens and food banks across the country, particularly in poorer areas. The idea behind the bill is simply to provide low-cost food and water to areas where such things are difficult to come by.

"We're the most prosperous country in the world," Hart said, "No one should be going hungry in the United States."

Hart has highlighted that the bill also provides grants for private organisations-such as churches and community groups-to establish their own kitchens and food banks and provide some financial support for existing ones. In this way, the bill is meant to combine public and private initiatives to fight the issue of hunger among the poorest in the United States.

Formation of People's Coalition

A joint initiative of Senator philip Hart, his wife Janey, and several of their supporters, the People's Coalition has been formed to bridge the gaps between Democratic constituencies and present a proper challenge to not just President Nixon, but the status quo in American politics.

The Coalition will be turning the Hart Campaign's infrastructure over to voter registration efforts in key states, particularly among young people and African-Americans, and will be holding polls and meetings between traditionally opposed Democratic constituencies to build cooperation on issues.

Students, African-Americans, women, workers and others must all come together to challenge the President and stand up for the values of the New Deal.

[KaiserDave]

Humphrey Campaign Event: Philadelphia

At Overbrook High School in West Philadelphia, Senator Humphrey has organized an intimate campaign event with Martin Luther King Sr. and A. Phillip Randolph.

One of the most arduous aspects of the campaign trail is the repetition of certain events, it definitely has the capacity to take the enthusiasm out of the campaign cycle, so I thought it was a good idea to re-center today, and that's what I want to do by bringing us together today in a smaller space, so we can more easily talk to one another, and I want to sincerely thank Reverend King and Mr. Randolph for joining me today, as well as for this support in this primary.

Today I want to discuss a major battle in the civil rights movement which has unfortunately lost attention in the political media of today. That is the Freedom Budget for All Americans, which was conceived in part by Mr. Randolph, Mr. Bayard Rustin, and also by the late Dr. King. If we go back further in our history it was remembering that before the Great Society of President Johnson, the poor in our society did not identify themselves as poor, as a group united by deprivation. As a result, society did not see them, government was insufficient in addressing their concerns. While we had great visionaries such as Franklin Roosevelt and Jack Kennedy who identified how the American Dream was not afforded to this class, it was not until the Great Society that "poor people's issues" entered our national language, that the concerns of the poor were directly addressed.

It was at this time that the Freedom Budget was put together. It proposed, essentially, that President Johnson's Great Society be fully implemented. That demanded that the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt, be fully implemented. That Harry Truman's Fair Deal be fully implemented. That being, the abolition of poverty, guaranteed full employment, fair prices for farmers, fair wages for workers, housing and healthcare for all, the establishment of progressive tax, and fiscal policies that respected the needs of working Americans. Unfortunately, due to the victories of the Republican Party in 1966 and 1968, the Freedom Budget has not been implemented.

But I think we still need the Freedom Budget today. We still have failing schools, we still have social discontent, we have joblessness, we have lawlessness that is terrible for communities here in West Philadelphia. Since 1968 we seemed trapped in a spiral towards stagnation, and I do not believe that President Nixon is willing to undertake the serious reforms needed. So that's why I'm running, I'm running to resurrect the Freedom Budget. We will not have peace and safety on our streets until we have full employment, until we have conquered poverty. I am resolved, as strongly as ever, to conquer poverty, and to make history what President Johnson called the “inherited gateless poverty" of the Black American people. I'm asking you to join me and Reverend King, and Mr. Randolph to get this done. I believe we stand at a historic turning point, where so much can be achieved. So I'm asking you to join me in the conquest of poverty, so that every American may live in dignity, freedom, and decency.

Thank you.


Senator Humphrey was asked outside, after the event, by a reporter what he made of other candidate's comments on President Johnson, among other things.

Senator Humphrey, you mentioned President Johnson much in your speech today, what do you make of comments by Mayor Lindsay that any Democratic candidate reject the endorsement of President Johnson?

I thought they were very unserious. People do all kinds of things to get attention in a campaign, but I thought this was too much. I think we as Democrats cannot be afraid to campaign on our accomplishments, President Johnson has done more for the American people than any other President this century save for President Roosevelt. Thanks in large part to the leadership of President Johnson we have the Civil and Voting Rights Act, we have Medicare, we have the Head Start program. I brought up President Johnson today because I know what his leadership has meant for this country, especially for Black people. If I am elected President, I'll try and finish the job of creating a truly decent society for all people.

Senator Humphrey, do you think President Johnson made mistakes?

Of course! There's not a leader in our history who hasn't made a mistake, and this is no less true with President Johnson. But I'm very proud of the work I did with him as Vice President.

And the war?

Well, I just ought to remind people that it was President Johnson who was negotiating an end to the war in 1968, now it's 1972 and the war goes on. We ought to end this war, but some of my fellow Democrats seemed more concerned with rallying a storm over the past then what is the present, that President Nixon has expanded the war, and it has no end in sight. The negotiations that President Johnson was close to to concluding successfully have gone on for years with the new administration.

Senator Humphrey, do you support Senator Hart's newly proposed Soup Kitchen Act?

Emphatically. And I'm looking forward to working with Senator Hart to make this a global program at some point in the future, I want to make America a leader in abolishing global hunger.