Fear and Loathing in Nixonland (Gameplay Thread)

[Lumine]

The Road to the White House

DEC. 1971 - JAN. 1972

Larry O'Brien, long time political operator, champion of the establishment, and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was said to have planned to hold a fundraising dinner around the middle of January. Hoping to take advantage of the wide cast of announced Democratic candidates, O'Brien allegedly intended to present a common front against President Nixon, only to be utterly dismayed by the tone adopted right at the start by several leading candidates. Without a single vote being cast in the primary, candidates had already viciously torn each other apart before O'Brien could even intervene, and matters only grew worse from there. Such were the reports obtained by the DNC out of Florida, Illinois and New Hampshire that O'Brien had to cancel the fundraiser entirely, allegedly - as mocked by a gleeful Vice President Agnew - "in the hopes of avoiding a fistfight".

Strictly speaking, it should have been all about Kennedy, the "Golden Boy" and projected savior of the Democratic Party. Kennedy, to his credit, stuck the landing, offering a rationale for his candidacy that was not entirely tied to the Camelot legacy - including surprisingly kind words about LBJ -, surviving an interview with John Chancellor, and making waves with innovative policy stances on primaries. He even had something of a global impact, amidst great cheering in Ireland for his stance on the Northern Ireland Troubles and consternation - even a protest - from the Heath government in Westminster. And, perhaps knowing Chappaquiddick would inevitably be raised by the press, Kennedy made his most forceful stance yet, denying criminal wrongdoing and any notion of an affair. Bold words that staved off an early wound, but that could come back to haunt the Senator if ever disproven.

As stories coming out of New Hampshire show - see later -, some of his rivals were not inclined to believe him, but also not willing to court risk by taking on the issue in public. They didn't count on Edmund Muskie. After months of speculation about Muskie being the inevitable establishment choice, the Maine Senator stunned Washington D.C. by shedding that approach and passionately courting the left of the party. Ditching any sense of caution, Muskie stormed into New Hampshire by embracing withdrawal from Vietnam, promising change, and taking a flamethrower to any rival. He drew first blood on the Golden Boy by bringing up Chappaquiddick and a lack of "moral leadership"; threw HHH under the bus by bringing up his Vietnam record; smacked Lindsay around by citing the crime wave affecting New York City; and derided Wallace for promising victory in Vietnam.

There was, no doubt, a new man, one going as far to call on a primary challenge to a Senator who dared endorse the Golden Boy in the name of the anti-war cause. Like few others, Muskie transformed the Democratic race during the first early weeks, with wildly different effects. By and large, his polling numbers crashed as his unstable moderate coalition fell apart in fright, leaving behind a smaller but far more consistent core of followers. Although, in the short term, many have predicted disaster for the Senator, others have certainly liked what they've seen, with Muskie supporters suggesting that, with a more devoted - and more left-wing - base, the Senator can better stand the rigors of the long primary schedule. Thus, most talk has been directed at Muskie and Kennedy, both of which are now inevitably locked in a death race for the New Hampshire Primary.

That Muskie's shift was so dramatic for insiders was to be to the detriment of one John Lindsay, the Mayor of New York City, who arguably raised his public profile the most. Having been expected to be a left-wing alternative to the frontrunners, Lindsay took it farther still, going scorched earth on his Senate rivals by bringing up the Vietnam War, thrashing Lyndon Johnson around and going after Mayor Daley ("boss Daley") in such a way as to draw the ire of Democratic moderates and conservatives. Anything he may have lost, however, was certainly won over as Lindsay's radicalism endeared him up to a point to the anti-war, radical, disaffected crowd. Although much work seemingly remains to provide Lindsay with long-term credibility - Rolling Stone's Hunter S. Thompson called him a "transparent careerist hack", the Mayor HAS made waves, making himself look like a potential darkhorse in the coming contests.

Perhaps unfairly, at least four other candidates who have placed themselves on the left have found themselves rather overshadowed by Muskie and Lindsay, giving them limited space to grow even if their credibility among the radical base is substantially higher. And yet, all of them show signs for growth. Although his national standing has diminished, Eugene McCarthy's single-minded targeting of Illinois could well be proven to be a brilliant move if successful; Shirley Chisholm has made an impact in college campuses and among activists despite a lack of money and institutional support; George McGovern was left unscathed by the mudslinging in New Hampshire; and Philip Hart has made a name for himself in terms of personal integrity, gaining him the attention of magazines like Rolling Stone.

Which, in turn, left the center of the party and the right. The refusal of Scoop Jackson to enter the national campaign just yet - remaining, instead, a Western favorite son for now - and Muskie's race to the left ensured that Hubert Humphrey stood virtually alone as a voice of unity and moderation. Despite being ceaselessly attacked by other rivals, Humphrey's refusal to contest New Hampshire has made much of that local criticism pointless, enabling the Happy Warrior to quietly gather strength in Florida. A Lindsay attempt to break through Humphrey's strong labor support proved overconfident, with a number of labor leaders citing their decades-long relation to former Vice President as a reason to support him. A prominent union leader, speaking in the condition of anonimity, rhetorically asked: "Who the hell is John Lindsay to tell us whom to support?"

The conservative wing, in turn, also had its champions, and a far less crowded lane. George Wallace made headlines by giving up on the AIP and returning to the fold of the Democratic Party by entering the primary - to the joint panic and relief of Larry O'Brien -, swiftly moving to secure his ties with the Dixiecrat machinery and adopting a number of popular stances. The Governor, however, attracted strong criticism from the left with his anti-withdrawal rhetoric on Vietnam, leading observers to wonder how Wallace intends to bridge the gap, if at all. Mayor Yorty, finally, made a name for himself among northern conservative democrats though a series of media apperances, a laser focus on issues avoided by other candidates, and the avoidance of the New Hampshire sniping slugfest.

Stories from the Campaign Trail

What about amnesty Hubert?

"Although substantially more unscathed that the rest of the leading contenders for the nomination, it has not been all sunshine and rainbows for the Vice President, who endured ceaseless heckling from anti-war activists on his first campaign event in Florida. The protesters held signs calling HHH a "murderer", and repeatedly challenged the Vice President to state whether he supported amnesty for Vietnam draft dodgers or not. Local labor leaders were quick to condemn the "radical left", pointing fingers at Mayor Lindsay and Senator Muskie for their "irresponsible rhetoric" and, going as far as to accuse them of organizing the demostration..."

Civil War in New Hampshire

"The state Democratic Party remains shocked by the decision of State Insurance Commissioner John A. Durkin to challenge powerful two-term Senator Thomas J. McIntyre. In the surface, Durkin's challenge is said to be based on McIntyre having become "complacent" and "out of touch" with the party, with Durkin promising a more populist economic approach and firm opposition to the Vietnam War, an issue in which McIntyre was once closely aligned with the Johnson Administration. However, many observers blame the challenge on Senator Muskie, associating it with McIntyre's endorsement of Ted Kennedy for the Presidential primary. Although the Senate primary will not take place into September, it has rapidly divided the state party, forcing officeholders to pick sides between Kennedy/McIntyre and the "establishment" or Muskie/Durkin and the "insurgent" wing."

Justice for Mary Jo!

"Rumor has it that Kennedy campaign volunteers have been given pre-prepared talking points to approach voters in New Hampshire, a move that the Senator is likely to be relieved about due to its prescience. Barely any Kennedy campaign event has gone by without a group of hecklers - moving by van all across New Hampshire - disrupting the Senator's speeches by chanting ""Justice for Mary Jo, Kennedy's got to go!", and distributing highly inflammatory pamphlets portraying Senator Kennedy as little better than a drunken, womanizing murderer..."

Who does he think he is?

"Several cabinet members of former President Lyndon Johnson published an open letter today in the New York Times, criticizing Mayor John Lindsay for his invitation to the eventual Democratic nominee to "reject" any endorsement from the former President. Lindsay, who has based his campaign around a strong rebuke of LBJ's Vietnam policies - which the Mayor has also then tied to Senators Kennedy, Muskie and Humphrey - drew acclaim from anti-war groups, but has also found significant internal pushback from Johnson loyalists who feel the former President is being unfairly demonized..."

The old master at work

"President Nixon was in full command yesterday when outlining to the American people the current situation of peace talks on Vietnam, a subject in which the Administration had been notoriously secretive until recently. Stating the terms of his current offer - which move in a far more dovish direction than in previous months - and issuing a call for unity, the President seized the initiative and obtained decent grades for his performance, drawing favorable comments from Republican and moderate Democrat members of Congress. As Washington D.C. awaits a response from Hanoi - expected to be an immediate refusal of the offer - and amidst speculation of turmoil in Saigon, Mrs. Sybil Stockdale, national coordinator of the National League of POW/MIA Families and wife of POW James Stockdale, dared the Democratic candidates to be more specific in their proposals for Vietnam: “The president has done everything he can do. We’d like to know what the Democratic candidates' solution is if the Communists will simply hold on to the prisoners..."

Nixon to suffer primary challenge

"Although the White House will breathe a sigh of relief in not facing - at least not thus far - a primary challenge from a major figure within the Republican Party, it is a reality that President Nixon will face a twin challenge from two members of the House of Representatives: John Ashbrook of Ohio, and Pete McCloskey of California. Ashbrook, a hardline conservative, has come out swinging against the President's detente policies regarding China and the USSR, as well as against the Administrations "liberal policies" on race issues, the environment, and price controls. McCloskey, one of the most liberal Republicans in Congress, has made opposition to the Vietnam War his chief issue, daring the President to withdraw from South Vietnam at the earliest possible moment and standing on a pro-peace platform. Both men are now headed to New Hampshire, to take on President Nixon in the upcoming primary..."

[Lumine]

Stage Two

Raisin' Hell

January - February 1972

GALLUP POLL: President Nixon's Approval Rating

Approve: 53%
Disapprove: 37%
Undecided: 10%

POLLING RANGE: Democratic Nomination

Ted Kennedy: 23-26%
Hubert Humphrey: 21-24%
Ed Muskie: 18-22%
George Wallace: 12-13%
John Lindsay: 9-10%
George McGovern: 4-6%
Sam Yorty: 4-6%
Eugene McCarthy: 3-5%
Philip Hart: 2-3%
Shirley Chisholm: 2-3%
Other: 2-4%

POLLING RANGE: New Hampshire Primary

Ted Kennedy: 30-33%
Ed Muskie: 25-28%
George McGovern: 9-12%
John Lindsay: 9-12%
Sam Yorty: 6-9%
Philip Hart: 5-8%
Undecided: 16-20%

POLLING RANGE: Florida Primary

George Wallace: 23-28%
Ted Kennedy: 18-23%
Hubert Humphrey: 16-20%
John Lindsay: 9-12%
George McGovern: 4-6%
Shirley Chisholm: 2-3%
Sam Yorty: 1-3%
Philip Hart: 1-2%
Undecided: 25-30%

POLLING RANGE: Illinois Primary

Uncommitted: 32-35%
Ed Muskie: 21-25%
Eugene McCarthy: 19-23%
Sam Yorty: 5-7%
Shirley Chisholm: 3-6%
Undecided: 20-25%

In the News

Kurt Waldheim elected UN General Secretary

U Thant, public critic of US policy in Vietnam, retires after two terms,
Failure from Beijing and Washington to coordinate vetos leads to surprise result,
Austrian diplomat to lead the UN amidst widespread conflict in Asia

Space Shuttle "next phase" of space program

President Nixon confirms future development of the "Space Shuttle",
Expected to cost $5.5 billion dollars for the first spacecraft,
Move popular in Florida, but is the space program getting too expensive?

Domestic terrorism on the rise!

Black Liberation Army, a split of the Black Panthers, launches attacks,
Two policemen brutally gunned down in NYC by BLA members,
Shootout in Baton Rouge leaves two deputy sheriffs, two BLA militants dead,
Two college students arrested in Chicago, tried to poison water supply

Bloodshed in Northern Ireland!

Catholic protest in Derry results in shoot-out with Armed personnel,
Parachute Regiment troops fire into crowd, kill 13 and wound 14,
Dublin declares day of mourning, demands UN Peacekeeping force in NI,
Heath government blames protestors, Bernadette Devlin MP assaults Home Sec

And, in other headlines

UK government struggles against major nationwide strike by miners,
Controversy over supposed Howard Hughes autobiography, is it a hoax?
Carl Hayden, Arizona political legend, dead at age 94, days before AZ caucus,
EEC to be drastically expanded; UK, Ireland, Denmark and Norway to join,
OPEC raises the price of oil by almost 9%, up to $2,49 per barrel

[Lumine]

Turn Overview

For the purposes of this turn, which is meant to cover a nebulous period between late January and mid February 1972, we will cover the first half of the campaign for the three early primaries. At the end of the turn - don't mind the flexible chronology - we will also hold the Iowa and Arizona caucuses. Unlike primaries, all candidates are assumed to be participating, so if a campaign wants to sit out a contest it needs to state that intention. If you haven't filed in for the NH, FL or IL primaries, this is the last turn to do so.

Also remember that, for Iowa, the Lindsay/McGovern/McCarthy campaigns will not be running, instead supporting an anti-war slate of unpledged delegates.

You will also get a special interactive event for some candidates, plus a special endorsement being open. No personal player crisis, there's enough material already for you to consider.

Special Event: The Rad/Lib Caucus

A major group of anti-war and left-wing Democratic activists - many of them McCarthy 68' veterans - have decided to unify their efforts to prevent excessive vote splitting among the left. Seeking to prevent a victory from moderate candidates in the New Hampshire (March) and Massachusetts (April) primaries, they have decided to hold the "Rad/Lib" caucus, an event in which all anti-war candidates of the left will be invited to speak - if they wish - and make the case as to why they should get the caucus endorsement. Winning the Rad/Lib Caucus will bring a major polling boost in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The candidate who participates and places last - signifying a lack of appeal to these activist types - will get a penalty.

Special Endorser: Manchester Union Leader

William Loeb, publisher of the deeply conservative Manchester Union Leader, wields a lot of influence in the state, and has taken a liking to endorsing candidates for the presidential primary. This year is no exception. Loeb, terrified - or disgusted - at the thought of a left-wing triumph, is open to hearing from moderate or conservative candidates to get his endorsement to stop the Democratic left. The winner of the endorsement (that is to say, the best pitch) will get a polling boost in New Hampshire, AND will be able to direct the Manchester Union Leader to attack one candidate and cause him to lose support statewide.

Endorsers for Turn 1

Ted Kennedy: Sargent Shriver, Thomas J. McIntyre
Hubert Humphrey: Walter Mondale, Kevin White
Ed Muskie: Adlai Stevenson III, William Proxmire
George Wallace: John Rarick, Lester Maddox
John Lindsay: Harold Hughes, Paul Newman
George McGovern: -
Sam Yorty: John W. King, Ernest McFarland
Eugene McCarthy: Wayne Morse, William Singer
Philip Hart: Martha Griffiths
Shirley Chisholm: Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan

[Lumine]

Turn open until Thursday night!

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Muskie in Illinois

I'm here in Chicago today, to announce that i've gotten the endorsement of the great senator Adlai Stevenson III. I'll be touring around the state to rally support for my presidential campaign and to give people in Illinois a vote or the campaign they deserve. Many candidates aren't contesting the state because they're frankly afraid to lose They know they'll lose badly. And for that reason they maybe shouldn't be competing at all in the presidential race, because they know already they will lose, which is why their names won't appear on your ballots. It's a sign of a weakness, and already can tell you they'll be ill-prepared when facing president Nixon in a general election. If you don't dare to stand in the critical swing state of Illinois in a primary, than you're not up for the challenge at all.

Q: Why did you decide to compete in Illinois despite Daley's wish for candidates to support the uncommitted slate of delegates?
Let's rephrase that again... .The issue isn't Richard J. Daley, he's a good mayor. The thing is, an uncommited slate of delegates is well you know uncommitted. Mayor Daley hasn't said who he'll support, and citizens in Illinois and Chicago don't even know at all who they are supporting since mayor Daley hasn't expressed his support to a candidate. If you vote for the uncommitted slate of delegates, do you know who you are voting for? You might even be voting for George Wallace. It's important that people in Illinois can speak out and express who they like to see to be their next nominee. There are other ways where mayor Daley can use his influence such as using an endorsement or stating his opinion on television. But voting for an uncommitted slate of delegates is indirectly voting for Wallace and i'm not sure that's what citizens of Chicago really want to do. Right now there's only one real Democrat on the ballot, and that's me. And if you vote for me, you sure as hell aren't voting for Wallace.

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Muskie in Illinois II

Excerpts from town hall in Springfield, Illinois

Q: Earlier this week, you called yourself the only Democrat in the Illinois primary? Don't you consider McCarthy a Democrat, one who has been consistently against the Vietnam war from the beginning.
Well, the only reason he has been against the war, is because he's a communist sympathizer from the start. He has met Che Guevara in New York City a few years ago, because he wanted us to recognise the communist regime there. He's soft on communism. He has suggested Robert F. Kennedy caused his death himself. Former senator McCarthy clearly doesn't love America. I doubt someone who cannot love our country, can ever genuinely love our citizens, and be a good president for them. I'm against the Vietnam war because I want no more American citizens to be killed. In McCarthy's case, it's because he doesn't want more communists to be killed. That's the difference.

Muskie speaks at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, before dozens of students
There has been some unrest lately in the country, but I want to re-iterate that I do believe in the right to protest. As long it is being done respectfully, peacefully and in a civil way, it is your constitutional right to do so. The first amendment protects that. Some students unfortunately died in their noble cause to fight for peace. President Nixon had no business sending the national guard to several colleges and universities nationwide, and violated the first amendment in doing so. American students shouldn't have been killed, they are our own citizens. I mourn their losses, and their losses should not be in vain. We must defeat president Nixon and you as students can have a vital role in doing so. It is one thing to make sure and get out to vote, it is another thing to actively campaign and go around the state to gather support for our cause, which in a critical state such as Illinois will matter.

[Left Wing]

The McCarthy campaign announced its "5 Point Plan", an easily digestible platform which campaigners would begin mass printing and sharing across the state of Illinois in English and in Spanish in Chicago's Lower West Side neighborhood

The McCarthy Five-Point Plan for Restoring American Democracy:

1. Restoring Dignity to Foreign Policy:

The time to end the war in Vietnam is long past due. Under a McCarthy administration, the United States will perform an immediate withdrawal from the region, including any other military activities in Indochina. Similarly, we will put an end to American support for undemocratic coup d'etats worldwide. We cannot credibly present ourselves to the global community as a defender of self-determination while we perform these immoral actions. While remaining vigilant against international threats, we will gravitate to a policy of diplomacy. We will call a special session of the United Nations and pursue an international nuclear arms control agreement. We must also be wary of expanding our nation's role in international trade due to the downturn we have begun to see in many of our manufacturing communities.

2. Making Politics Ethical Again

Anyone can see plainly how a culture of deception and self-interest has descended over Washington. This problem goes all the way to the very top and the loss of trust the American people have had with the Executive Department. It's time to restore that trust. Under a McCarthy administration, all relevant documents surrounding President Nixon's abuses of power and deception with regard to Vietnam will be declassified and made available to the public. A McCarthy administration will also enact new ethics rules limiting the ability of members of Congress or the Executive Branch from abusing their positions for political or financial gain. We must also reform our electoral system to ensure the popular will of the people is the most paramount political object of desire. To do this we will make a renewed effort in passing the proposed Bayh-Celler constitutional amendment, making the presidency decided by a national popular vote. We will also reform our primary system to uphold this same concept and prevent the division and bloodshed of four years ago.

3. An End to American Poverty:

We must have a federally subsidized insurance program to assure that no citizen will be deprived of health care for lack of funds. Most states require automobile liability insurance. There is no reason why the same concept cannot apply to the vital area of health care. We also must introduce a monthly "minimum income" for all Americans to ensure all peoples are able to access the basic essentials of life. The rate at which this income grows would be tied directly to inflation and annually adjusted through analysis by a congressionally appointed review panel. In addition, a McCarthy administration will seek a full employment economy, accompanied by strong labor protections through a repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act. A McCarthy administration will also work tirelessly to ensure a home for every American through a massive   building project, funded by the federal government, similar to the efforts that brought about the Interstate Highway Program.

4. Education for all Americans

Every American deserves access to good education that meets their needs. We must first continue the progress of the Civil Rights Movement both with more integration in our schools as well as more funding for underserved institutions. We must also expand the Headstart program so that our nation's youngster begin on a path of education. We must also acknowledge that the Government's responsibility in education does not end once a citizen reaches the age of majority. I propose a mass program to upgrade the education of our adults who are trapped in poverty. This can be accomplished through federally subsidized on-the-job training, through special vocational schools and through adult literacy courses.

5. Justice in our Justice System

The corruption and brutality present in our law enforcement nationwide has grown at an unacceptable rate in the last four years. A McCarthy administration would put an end to this by using the power of the Justice Department to investigate Police Departments suspected of violating citizen's constitutional and civil rights. Additionally, a McCarthy administration will amend the Law Enforcement Assistance Act to prevent use of military weaponry on American citizens. A McCarthy Administration will also work to create more equitable outcomes in our legal system, chiefly by abolishing the death penalty due to its racially unbalanced application.

[Lumine]

Muskie in Illinois II

Excerpts from town hall in Springfield, Illinois

Q: Earlier this week, you called yourself the only Democrat in the Illinois primary? Don't you consider McCarthy a Democrat, one who has been consistently against the Vietnam war from the beginning.
Well, the only reason he has been against the war, is because he's a communist sympathizer from the start. He has met Che Guevara in New York City a few years ago, because he wanted us to recognise the communist regime there. He's soft on communism. He has suggested Robert F. Kennedy caused his death himself. Former senator McCarthy clearly doesn't love America. I doubt someone who cannot love our country, can ever genuinely love our citizens, and be a good president for them. I'm against the Vietnam war because I want no more American citizens to be killed. In McCarthy's case, it's because he doesn't want more communists to be killed. That's the difference.

Overruled. This wasn't public knowledge until about 15 years ago.

(no harm done though, the post is just judged as not having taken place).

[LAKISYLVANIA]

Des Moines, IA
During a stop in Iowa where the upcoming caucus will be held, Edmund Muskie engaged in several town halls, and replied to some questions.

Q: Given the joint-effort of the Lindsay, McGovern and McCarthy campaigns to support an anti-war slate of delegates, what can you say about that?
Well in case I lose the nomination, the delegates i would've won over the entire primary season would throw their support to an anti-war candidate anyways, so I see no real reason to support the slate right now. Besides, i have good reason to believe i could win the Iowa caucus, in which obviously a lot of delegates would be assigned to the anti-war cause. If you are in favour of withdrawal, the best thing to do is to simply not vote for the ones who have been ambiguous on the issue, such as Humphrey, and refuse to take a stance that isn't in favor of the anti-war cause, because he knows very well that his record on it does contradict what he says, and I do believe that what he believes in contradicts what he is telling people on the campaign trail. Senator Kennedy also stated he's in favour of phasing out, but it's what we've been doing for years, one could possibly phase out for the next twenty years and still be in Vietnam. We're already fighting the war over a decade, and we aren't winning. Those candidates aren't really anti-war candidates, but more like pro-status quo candidates.

Q: What would you do for Iowans in case you are elected president?
Well, rural development is important for America. We have a lot of rural areas, Iowa being one of the states that is very rural. Farmers have an increasingly harder time to make a decent living, because Washington's economy is more attuned to urban areas. It's why rural areas compared to before have been decaying. We need to ensure that when the nation moves forward, everyone moves forward and benefits, not just the cities. Food is one of the basic goods in the country, but one of the most important ones. Without thriving farms, there would be no America at all, as when the first building block - the foundation - collapses, all collapse. That would be a terrible mistake. That's why I believe we need to increase rural development grants and increase farm subsidies to smaller and starting farms. Farming needs to be an attractive job again.

I grew up in Maine, but my parents were immigrants. My dad was Polish. When i was young, i saw how my Dad's nation got utterly destroyed by both the nazis and communists. It's one of the reasons why i've been so vehemently anti-war. But when I grew up, i didn't grow up as part of a wealthy family, i had to climb my way up from the bottom, just like many of us do. America is a nation built on that of immigrants. It's what makes America great.

Q: What do you have to say about the contested field?
Well, there's a lot of anger towards the Nixon presidency, it's why so many people run. They see people's responses, they understand that people have been dissatisfied with the presidency. And we need someone who can defeat Nixon. I don't think there are many who can do so. Senator Humphrey already tried to do that four years ago, he lost. I don't know what has changed since than, but if he couldn't win from the president back than, why would he now? I do believe i'm the best candidate when it comes to electability, while still being in touch with the electorate unlike some other candidates.

Next: senator Muskie will be moving to the state of Wisconsin in the upcoming days to make an announcement in Milwaukee.

[KaiserDave]

Humphrey Speech to the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party Dinner

My fellow Democrats, it is a pleasure and a privilege to among you this evening. I want to thank you for allowing me to speak to you, and enjoy your company. I also want to congratulate the Florida Democratic Party for their incredible victories in the midterm elections here in Florida. Thanks to the work you put in, we elected a new Democratic Governor, Governor Askew (Applause) and a new Democratic United States Senator, Senator Chiles (Applause). I think you fine folks showed the nation, and President Nixon, and Vice President Agnew, that the Florida Democratic Party is as strong as ever. (Applause, cheers) My hope is that in 1972, we will show them all that the national Democratic Party is as strong as ever.

That is why I am running for President. I said last year that I sought to be a "harmonizer" for all groups within the Democratic tent. As a candidate for President, I still consider myself a "harmonizer." That's why I'm committing to lifting all Democrats up, not putting them down, and I am committed to upholding party unity. We cannot beat Nixon and Agnew without unity. That's why I intend to contest primaries in every region of the country, that's why I've put together a platform that I believe appeals to all of our good Democrats across this country. My campaign for President is a national, harmonizing, and unifying one. That's why I believe I'm best positioned to take on Nixon and Agnew, and deliver victories across the country like the Florida Democratic Party delivered in 1970. It's true, 1968 was a bitter pill to swallow for all of us, but we came oh so close, and I'm convinced with one more heave we will get it done, especially as the public recognizes so many of the President's campaign promises to be exactly that.

Now please, do not mistake my call for party unity and harmony to be the sign of a vapid campaign. I firmly believe I have the strongest and most credible record on policy of any candidate seeking the Presidency. On Medicare, on labor, on human rights, on education, I stand by my record. You have known me as the Happy Warrior because I recognize that making change requires enthusiasm, courage, and joy, and I'm pleased to tell you I stand before you as happy and as ready for the next fight as ever. (Applause)

My campaign's program for this country is badly needed. After almost four years, thankfully soon to be over, of President Nixon, we have higher crime, higher inflation, higher unemployment, poorer schools, and the war in Indochina drags on. I propose we put an end to the war and address badly needed tasks at home. We need a program to create millions of quality union jobs across this country, including here in Florida, including Miami. We need to increase social security benefits, and tie it to inflation as well. I'm watching with horror as inflation eats into the livelihoods of America's aging population, it's unconscionable and I'll put a stop to it. We need a national health insurance program to put an end to the humanitarian crisis of un-insurance. We need more federal funds for education, and we need a new labor relations law, some reprieve for the union men and women who've taken a real beating these days. We need federal funds for childcare, and we need ethics reform in government.  We need more money for police and fire departments, and we also need to address the root causes of crime, which comes in the form of integration and my full employment program.

I can see a lot of eager faces around the room. This is because this is an agenda that unites us as Democrats. It is not an extreme or divisive agenda, it is a common-sense agenda that unites Democrats everywhere. But we can only achieve it even we elect Democrats up and down the ballot in 1972, and I think I am prepared to do the best job of leading us.

Even then the fight will not be easy, but I've taken up hard fights before. Let nobody forget I took up the task of human rights in 1948, and the task of Medicare in 1949, I took up the fight for the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty a decade before it was passed, I took up the fight for youth job training 7 years before it was passed. I hate to be the man that toots his own horn, but there's a lot of noise on the campaign trail today and I think it's fair to say, that amongst all the candidates for President, I have the most credibility, and the strongest record, fighting joyfully for our common goals as Democrats.

We have accomplished much, and I'm very proud of all we've accomplished, with President Kennedy and Johnson, but there is certainly more to do to address the tasks of 1972, and I humbly ask for your support so that together we may get it done. Thank you very much.

(Applause)

Florida Campaign Advertisement: "Together"

Hubert Humphrey faces the camera in front of a blue background and speaks

Hello. I'm Senator Hubert Humphrey and I'm running for President to solve problems.

To address crime, I propose more funding for law enforcement, and more federal funding for youth employment and our public schools.

To address the effects of inflation, I propose increasing Social Security benefits, and a new price control system that actually prosecutes violators.

For peace in the world, I propose an immediate withdrawal from Vietnam and a new arms control treaty with the Soviet Union, as well as support for our democratic allies, especially Israel.

I believe this is a platform that can unite people from across our country and this state, together, I believe we can get it done and achieve peace and prosperity in our country.

Campaign Logo Appears on Screen, Narrator Speaks

Hubert Humphrey, The People's Democrat, for President.
 

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

I'm a little sick right now but Governor Terry Sanford will contest all states. Glad to be on board!

[Left Wing]

The McCarthy Strategy

Eugene McCarthy knew one of his strongest sells is "consistency". Nearly every other candidate in the race has had it both ways on one issue or another, especially the war in Vietnam. His history and name recognition as the face of intra-Democratic Party opposition to the war were unparalleled. While touring the state of Illinois his stump speech would always serve to remind voters of what he had achieved four years ago in taking down an incumbent President.

The omnipresent force stacked against him in the City of Chicago was Mayor Daley's vicious machine. McCarthy and his supporters had felt first-hand, four years ago at the convention the lengths at which he was willing to go to achieve his political aims. McCarthy was well aware that Daley would employ all resources at his disposal to push his Uncommitted Slate of electors. To counteract this, McCarthy would begin to consolidate the support of what anti-Daley forces existed in Chicago, starting with anti-Daley political upstart Alderman William Singer. In the early days of January, Singer would accompany McCarthy on his canvasing of Chicago's neighborhoods and hitting back on Mayor Daley's subversion of the Democratic process.

Because of Chicago's multicultural status, McCarthy knew he had to refine his pitch to appeal to the cities many ethnic groups. His biggest target were the cities Black voters, who had grown increasingly tired of Daley and his apathy towards suffering in their communities. McCarthy would emphasize his unwavering support for school integration and his plans to crack down on urban poverty and food insecurity. McCarthy also sought to tap into the potentially powerful voting bloc of the growing Mexican-American and Puerto Rican communities in Chicago. The campaign would seek to employ as many bilingual volunteers as possible in the city and prepare campaign material in Spanish.

The other demographic appeal McCarthy would undertake would be that of the Chicago area's large Irish Catholic community. Though Daley was, to some, a hero in Chicago's Irish community, it was not lost on McCarthy that he too was an Irish Catholic of which he would emphasize frequently. While on the trail full-time in Chicago, he would make a point of attending various Mass services in the area, hoping to both soften his image and create word of mouth among voters in communities like Bridgeport and Cicero.

As well to unite the party's left and present himself as the standard bearer for the anti-war wing ahead of his appeal to the Rad/Lib caucus McCarthy would issue endorsements for the Senate campaigns of John Durkin and Wayne Morse. In return Morse would write national op-ed praising his record and contrasting McCarthy with the rest of the field

Wayne Morse: Democrats should choose consistency

Excerpt from op-ed:

For seven years our government has pursued a policy of warfare in Vietnam without any official declaration of war. This unconstitutional action was undertaken at the behest of an administration which sought to intimidate Congress by invoking some sort of obligation to "stand by the President", as if consensus was what determined the moral justification of a certain policy. Under this new administration we are now under, we have seen again how the politics of consensus without reason detriment our nation. The "consensus" President Nixon has reached with congress on Vietnam, the economy or fulfilling our commitments to civil rights have all come up woefully short in producing any positive outcomes.

To stand up to this President, the Democratic Party needs to present a new vision for this country and frankly, nobody's buying the about-face half of the major Democratic candidates have made on the conflict. Those who ignored the will of the American people four years ago cannot be trusted to uphold it in the future. The party must choose a candidate who respects the will of their supporters and I believe that candidate to be Eugene McCarthy.

He boldly resisted the will of the administration four years ago, achieving the David-and-Goliath-esque success of toppling an incumbent President. We must again put our faith in a man of intelligence, consistency and grit if we are to retake the Presidency in 1972.

[DKrol]

Wikimedia Commons

Senator Ted Kennedy Delivers a Speech on Race, Education, and Opportunity
Delivered in Goffstown, New Hampshire at Saint Anselm College

Thank you for being here today.

The student body, speaking across the nation, is more reflective of the American people than any college class before. Record numbers of women, Black and Brown people, and working class families are enrolling and attending our colleges and universities. This is something that we should celebrate and strengthen.

Yet there are some people running for President - as Democrats, none the less - who want to roll this progress back. When Vivian Malone and James Hood attempted to walk into the University of Alabama and register for their courses, one of my opponents physically stood between them and their right to an education. Not because they hadn't earned it, not because they couldn't afford it, not because there weren't seats in the lecture hall for them. Because of the color of their skin. It took President Kennedy, the Justice Department, and federalized National Guardsmen to move Governor Wallace from that doorframe.

I hope and pray that people remember those awful scenes, in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and across the nation, of armed soldiers protecting little girls and boys walking into public school rooms, that we remember the pain and agony we felt. We must also remember the shame, as the world watched on, and we were forced to grapple with our past. I hope and pray, truly, that the people of New Hampshire, Florida, and of every state in the Union remember Governor Wallace banging his fist and shouting "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever". Any person who spouted such vitriolic, hate speech must never be allowed to stand as the nominee of the Democratic Party for the Presidency of the United States.

While there are some who want to take us back, I want to move America forward. We have seen, without a doubt, that access to education is critical to eliminating barriers to success later in life. Head Start has been a tremendously successful program. As President, I will commit to fully funding Head Start each year and creating a grant program to reward young teachers who choose to work in a Head Start program for the early years of their careers. I will also create an Early Head Start program, beginning shortly after birth and continuing until they can enter traditional Head Start. The first years of a child's life as the most critical in putting them on a path to success and we cannot afford to allow a single child to fall through the gaps due to their family's lack of economic means.

A zip code should not determine whether or not a child has opportunities in life. We must work to end geography-based discrimination. A child in Berlin, New Hampshire, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Los Angeles, California all have the same right to work towards the American Dream. Yet, more often than not, the child in Los Angeles will have a leg up, while the child in Berlin and Biloxi will face barriers and challenges every step of the way. That is why I will create a rural teacher incentive program, whereby the federal government will fully pay for a masters degree and local housing for any teacher who enrolls in the program and signs up to spend the next five years in a rotation across low-income and rural school districts across the nation. If we bring quality teachers to these school districts, we can not only help our students learn, we can also entice them to join the program themselves and open doors to a high-paying, well-respected job.

We've got a plan for early childhood education, grammar school, and secondary school. But what about higher education? Not every American needs to go to college - I know many, many people who fill critical roles in our economy who have never stepped foot on a college campus. They are honorable people. But for those who choose to continue their education, we should - no, we must - ensure that the system is equitable and fair. The color of a person's skin or the gender on their driver's license must not be a barrier to their advancement. A Kennedy Education Department will strongly enforce Brown and we will hold state's accountable if their schools fail to properly desegregate. I will withhold federal funding from states whose schools continue to practice de facto or de jure segregation. Equality of opportunity and access does not apply to race alone. We must also take proactive steps to provide seats at the table for women.

I know it is not just the Deep South where segregation still holds firm. Sadly, the great city of Boston is still dealing with its own racial integration struggles. We find ourselves in a situation where the local school districts are built homogeneously around racial lines - the result of decades and generations of race-based policies. In order to over come that fact, and it is a fact that there remain white neighborhoods and Black neighborhoods, I will support a federal busing policy, in line with the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education decision. If our children go to school with each other, regardless of the color of their skin, they will see each other increasingly as simply "classmate" and "friend", rather than "other". Only then can we further our efforts to end the separate White America and Black America.

Education and access to opportunity are the great levelers in society. We have made great strides in this area in the last ten years. But there is work yet to do. And I am committed to getting that work done.

I'm Ted Kennedy, I'm running for President, and I'd like your vote.

Thank you all very much.

[DKrol]

Statement from the Kennedy Campaign

Today, Campaign Manager Sargent Shriver announced two new endorsements. House Majority Whip Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill (D-MA-8) and Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) have endorsed Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) for President. Mr. Shriver said "These endorsements show the breadth of Senator Kennedy's appeal and the national coalition he is building".

Whip O'Neill has been named National Fundraising Chairman and will additionally serve as a senior surrogate for the Kennedy Campaign and make appearances on behalf of Senator Kennedy in New Hampshire. Senator Bentsen will serve as a surrogate for Senator Kennedy in the upcoming Florida Primary.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

So after discussing this privately, I'm confirming that Terry Sanford will not presently be entering any of the contests. I may or may not re-declare until the North Carolina primary or convention. But I'm not sure I have the time for this now.

I'll keep checking in to see how things are going!

[Carolyn]

WASHINGTON - Still another Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Vance Hartke (D-Ind.), is on the brink of announcing his candidacy for his party's 1972 nomination.

Formation of a Committee to Elect Vance Hartke President is to be announced today in press conferences in Washington and in Los Angeles, where a California Hartke group will be identified.

Hartke said Monday that "it can't be very long"  before he announces a decision because if he runs he will enter the New Hampshire primary, which has a Jan. 6 filing deadline.

“I'm not going to duck the hard ones if I go,” Hartke said. "New Hampshire is looked upon as a major testing ground. If you're going to go, you might as well go there. They all say it's Kennedy country. Well, we may see."

Hartke's candidacy in the state presumably would pose a threat chiefly to McGovern, who, like Hartke, is a liberal and longtime critic of the Vietnam war. New Hampshire already has been scouted for Hartke by Charles Roche, a former Democratic national committee official and a White House aide in the Kennedy administration. Roche, according to Indiana sources, will be Hartke's campaign manager.

Hartke was reelected to his third Senate term in 1970 by 4,300 votes. The bid of his Republican opponent, former Rep. Richard L. Roudebush, for a recount is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

California Chairman of the national Hartke committee will be Ralph Lindop, president of Underwriters National Assurance Co. of Indianapolis and an old Hartke backer. Lindop said Monday he understood Hartke would announce soon and enter the March 7 primary in New Hampshire.

Chairman of the Hartke committee in California will be Gerald Hill, past president of the California Democratic Council and 1968 California cochairman for Eugene J. McCarthy’s presidential campaign.

Hill, a San Francisco lawyer, said Monday he talked at length with Hartke by phone last week when the senator was in Los Angeles. "Up to four days ago I wasn't sure he would run," Hill said, "But his tone and attitude now indicate he's in a mind that he should go."

Entry into the New Hampshire primary, Hill said, could bring Hartke the kind of national publicity his campaign would need. Hartke has enough money to launch a campaign, Hill said, but will have to "live off the land."

A month ago, the Indiana Democratic Committee voted 17 to 2 to extend "moral support" to a Hartke candidacy if he should enter the New Hampshire primary. But the committee declined to back him as a favorite-son candidate in the May 2 Indiana primary.

[Carolyn]

US Sen. Vance Hartke predicted last May that President Nixon would not seek re-election. The Indiana Democrat wants to prove now that he, Hartke, is a better politician than prognosticator.

Hartke entered the New Hampshire primary Monday. Claiming that the campaigns of his more highly publicized Democratic rivals have not caught on, he said matter-of-factly during an interview at The Globe yesterday: "I'm going to win." The ingredients in Hartke's candidacy appear to include a strong dose of frontal attack, a measure of Kennedyana, and a pinch of populism.

The frontal attack applies both to Mr. Nixon and to Democratic candidates. Hartke said that the rhetoric so far from his Democratic peers have “disgusted” him with a “protrusion of gutter politics that would make a Republican blush.”

Mr. Nixon, he said, has been a miserable leader and administrator. According to Hartke, the President has not done things he promised to do such as bringing' enactment of revenue sharing and welfare reform and has done things he promised not to such as imposing economic controls. "Nixon's almost a complete failure," he said.

Hartke seems to be rather consciously giving his campaign a Kennedy flavor. He announced his candidacy in the Carpenter Hotel in Manchester, N.H., just as John Kennedy did in 1960. He noted that his campaign manager, Charles D. Roche, was an aide to the late President.

Hartke's populism is a special variety. He said: "People want a candidate they can participate with. I'll be the people's candidate."

He said he obtained 3197 signatures on his nomination petitions, more than the organizations of either the President or Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota collected, in less than four days.

Hartke opposed proposals for a major redistribution of wealth. "A fairer society would mean bringing the disadvantaged up to the level of the successful," he said, "and not tearing them down. That’s not the American way and it’s not about to happen here."

An early dove on the Vietnam war issue, and a proponent of tax cuts and guaranteed government jobs to cut unemployment, Hartke said he will draw support in New Hampshire from all age groups and political elements. His signatures were collected by 45 students brought by bus from Indiana.

Hartke said he is committed only to the New Hampshire primary. A good showing would certainly propel him into the May 2 primary in his own state, he said. He would not reveal his major sources of campaign funds but indicated he will not be able to afford much television time.

He was annoyed at the suggestion he is really running for vice president. He said he considered his Senate seat more valuable than the second spot on the national ticket.

Hartke emphasized that he did not think his Democratic competition is very tough. Sen. Hubert Humphrey and Muskie "have been running for four years," he said. "That kind of recognition and they still are not able to show they can beat a man who's performed as miserably as Nixon."

Who knows Senator Hartke in New Hampshire? No one.
What has he done in the campaign so far? Nothing.
What does he want? To be president.

New Hampshire is the race that will make or break Vance. He has to prove that he can take on the big boys. That means putting in the work to build a machine that can increase voter knowledge, enthusiasm and turnout in urban and rural counties. His core staff will be headed by Charles D. Roche and will consist of veterans of his 1970 re-election campaign. They are a strong bunch of characters able to withstand the crucible of that brutal race. They would grow over time as Vance runs a face-to-face operation on the local Democratic circuit, networking with powerful stakeholders and eager activists alike. Scheduled to run the gauntlet of chicken parties, shopping malls, and college forums, he will work there to develop the themes of his campaign.

Who is Senator Harke? The man who fought not only for an early withdrawal from Vietnam, but also for the continued welfare of veterans and their families through improvements in housing benefits, pensions, and health care. The man who is pushing the Burke-Hartke bill in Congress to curb imports and corporate investment abroad in an effort to protect American workers from predatory foreign markets and their cheap labor. The man who has made education and health care accessible to working class communities through student loan programs and measures to make kidney dialysis more widely available.

What does Senator Harke stand for? He is a liberal who is able to bridge a principled stand against the Vietnam War with a record of working for common-sense solutions to domestic problems left festering by the Nixon administration. He eschews unproven radical rhetoric to ensure that everyday Americans can see the promise of liberalism. He has a history of winning his races compared to other candidates, having embarrassed Nixon's efforts to kick him out of the Senate.

His limited budget on advertisements will be spent strategically to augment a word-of-mouth campaign. Plenty of research should go into adopting the line that fits best with voters in New Hampshire.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

George Wallace

Monday, January 31st, 1972.

Tallahassee, FL.

Friends, let me tell you something straight, the fact is that Senators McGovern, Bayh, Hartke, Humphrey, McCarthy, Kennedy, and company...these folks been up in Washington for far too long. They're too disconnected from Main Street and plugged into K Street. They've been eating at the trough of the money-changers for far too long. But let me tell you this, folks, George Corley Wallace 'aint for sale!

Just look at who is buying and paying for them. The lobbyists. The bankers. The insurance industry. The military-industrial complex. You get the drift.

Well who is paying me, maybe some of you are wondering? I'll tell you exactly who - you! For every dollar, for every cent that is donated to this campaign by you, the good people of Florida, you are taking a dollar away from the special interests, lobbyists, and fatcats who have been pulling the strings in Washington for far too long.

The politocrats are threatened by me, there's no doubt. They don't want the printing press to cease, even if inflation eats away at your savings. They don't want the United States government to pay off the national debt, from which they profit. They don't want a safety net for our elderly folk to retire on, they don't want unions for our workers, they want more for themselves and less for everybody else!

I say it's high time that the Democrats of this country unite around a leader who can challenge these big monied special interests with some good old fashioned common sense. We're going to start by taking a clean account of the federal budget; we're going to pass a balanced budget, start cracking down on the national debt and bring it down from it stands now at over $400 billion, so that our children and our children's children will not have to pay for the lavishness of our national budget and our bloated, redundant federal bureaucracy. I promise the discontinuance of foreign aid programs except those determined to be in our national interest. No more foreign aid to communist countries or those countries who aid communists. Not on my watch. You're money is going to spent prudently, and it is going to be spent at home.

I believe our older citizens are entitled to a better standard of living and to increased Social Security benefits. I also believe that persons on Social Security should be able to earn at least $3,000 a year without jeopardizing their benefits. If you paid in, you rest assured, George Wallace is going to make sure you get every penny of back.

I will fight for a fair tax system that levies taxes on the multi-million and multi-billion dollar foundations which are now virtually tax exempt, whose purposes are other than strictly charitable. The levying of taxes upon the estimated 150 billion dollars' worth of church commercial property now in competition with businesses and industries in our free enterprise system.

And I won't just close the loopholes and tricks the politocrats use to steal away with the public's money. I will also go about reducing taxes for the individual and for small, mom-and-pop businesses. We can afford this tax holiday if we force the rich and powerful few to pay their fair share. I know I could sure use a few extra hundred bucks a year in my wallet, and I'm sure most of you could too. The money you'd save from your tax cut would go a long way, especially in these times of high inflation.

My tax plan will put Americans back to work; my plan will put people back to work because the demand for consumer goods by individuals will stimulate production activity. This should be of the highest priority: getting people back to work.

I don't promise you a New Deal, or a Square Deal, or a Fair Deal, or a Great Society or New Frontier or none of that. What I promise you is a government that is as good as it's people. And what I promise you is a return of power to the people. Friends, be sure to cast your votes for me in the upcoming primary. Tell your friends, and tell them to tell their friends, that a vote for Wallace is a vote to reclaim America! Thank you!"

[DKrol]

Remark Made by Senator Kennedy
Made outside a fundraiser in Jacksonville, Florida

George Wallace can sing whatever tune he wants to sing this year to try to twist his record. Americans, and Democrats, know who George Wallace is. He's the man who stood in the doorway of the school house to stop Black students from enrolling. He's the man who preached "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever". He's the man who couldn't support our Democratic nominee in 1968 and revived the Storm Thurmond brand. He's not the candidate for Democrats in 1972 - his politics are straight out of 1872.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Remarks made by Governor Wallace.
Made at a rally in Vero Beach, FL.

Senator Kennedy is right about one thing. I couldn't support Senator Humphrey back in '68, and I won't support Senator Kennedy in '72 either. Those two have been at the trough so long that they couldn't smell a pig at this point.

If Senator Kennedy feels so keen on bringing up the past, I'd be happy to take him on a trip down memory lane.

[Senator Spiral]

After a meeting with a local trade union in Manchester, NH, Mayor Yorty spoke to reporters and offered comments on the recent Kennedy-Wallace spat:

Senator Kennedy should really know better than to pontificate on his rivals in such a revealing way. His attacks on Governor Wallace beg a question: Why does the Senator beat his chest on the virtues of busing and lump opponents of this forced scheme in derogatory terms when the Senator refuses to integrate within his own personal affairs? Senator Kennedy to this day grants his kin the most privileged, shielded education in the wealthy white enclaves of Boston.

Every family is granted their rights to a personal, private upbringing, and I do not begrudge Ted for wanting the best for his family. What this blatant hypocrisy shows, though, is his repeated lack of judgment and lack of transparency. This has been a pattern, and the American people are owed real answers to all of the questions on their minds. This is not the Senate floor where you can always get away from accountability; this is a matter of who sits on that big chair as President and makes life-or-death decisions for all of us.

[DKrol]

Remark Made by Senator Kennedy
Made during a Question & Answer Event with Voters in Sarasota, Florida

Q: Why do you send your children to private schools, while saying you're a champion for public schools?

A: Well I do have the most comprehensive education policy in the race. Early education, primary school, rural districts, college access; I'm happy to talk about it because I am a champion for public schools. But let me get to your question.

My family worked very hard and, I'll be honest, got some lucky breaks to get us to a place where I can afford the privilege of choosing certain schools for my children. But not everyone in American can make those choices. And we should not create a system where to receive a good education requires attending a private school. We need to build a system in this country where every child, whether they're a Kennedy from Boston or a Smith from Sarasota, can receive a high quality public education. And if the family has the means and wants to, they should have the choice to attend a different school. But those private schools shouldn't receive government funds, and families should not receive financial resources to take their child out of public schools, and under a Kennedy Administration they would not.

[DKrol]

Kennedy Campaign Ad
Airing in New Hampshire, Florida, and Wisconsin

Scene opens with a still shot of President John F. Kennedy speaking in front of the Brandenburg gate. Audio of President Kennedy speaking plays.

Kennedy: 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!

Scene fades to a still shot of Senator Robert F. Kennedy speaking in Indianapolis, Indiana. Audio of Senator Kennedy speaking plays.

Kennedy: Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.

Scene fades to active shots of Senator Edward M. Kennedy meeting voters, speaking in the Senate chamber, sitting at a desk. Audio of Senator Kennedy speaking plays.

Kennedy: If our children go to school with each other, regardless of the color of their skin, they will see each other increasingly as simply "classmate" and "friend", rather than "other". Only then can we further our efforts to end the separate White America and Black America.

Scene fades to black. The following words appear on the screen as a narrator reads them.

When America needs a leader, we know who to turn to. Kennedy.

[KaiserDave]

Senator Chiles endorses Humphrey for President

--Jacksonville, Florida

Today at a press conference in Jacksonville Florida, Senator Hubert Humphrey was joined by Senator Lawton Chiles, for an official endorsement of Humphrey's campaign for President. "Walkin' Lawton" declared that "Hubert Humphrey understands the problems of this state, he understands the problems of this country. He's a strong, decent, straight-shootin' Democrat with a good heart. He's a good man and I'm supporting him. I think everybody in Florida ought to do the same."

Hubert Humphrey spoke briefly, saying that "this campaign is centered on what we need in this country. Just like in 1932, when we needed public power, social insurance, and jobs for the unemployed, today we need national health insurance, increased social security payments, and a robust commitment to employing every American." Humphrey emphasized his focus on the "inherent dignity of every individual" and the "compassionate values of the Democratic Party."

Chiles complimented Senator Humphrey, saying that "he is the only man running who is sincerely focused on our nation's problems. He's got no ego on this, for Hubert it's all about the people. You don't see him running his mouth, he's talking about schools, he's talking about social security, he's talking about jobs, and he's been doing it for decades. Don't get confused by all that damn noise on the television, there's only one fella running who is about the little people and not himself, he's standing next to me."

After the press conference, Humphrey and Chiles held events at several locations in Jacksonville, including an old folks home, a majority Black church, an IBEW hall, and a local high school gymnasium.

Frank Sinatra endorses Humphrey for the Democratic nomination

--Los Angeles, California

Singer, entertainer, actor, and personality Frank Sinatra, the "Chairman of the Board" has endorsed Senator Hubert Humphrey for the Democratic nomination for President. The singer politely noted that while he was withholding comment on the general election, given his friendship with President Nixon, he called Senator Humphrey a "great American" who deserved the support of every Democrat for the nomination for President, and said he'd make a "fine President."

The singer, a noted Humphrey '68 backer, will be headlining a major fundraiser for Senator Humphrey tonight in Los Angeles with some of his biggest hits, expected to be attended by much of the biggest names in Hollywood. The Senator is expected to speak, reportedly on the subject of civil rights, the past struggle and continuing challenges. The Senator, like most politicians, reportedly despises fundraising, but such is necessary for a long campaign.

[Left Wing]

Letter to the Rad/Lib Caucus

My esteemed friends,

I first would like to say that it warms my heart to see you all, many veterans of my previous campaign, uniting to find common ground and ensure the Democratic Party stays true to its values. Our movement to will only be successful if the people that drive it remain united. What is the movement that we stand for? It is one for a world without war, a nation without poverty and a democracy without corruption. Those are the values I have stood against my entire career and I believe my record of service is best positioned to carry on this mantle heading into this next electoral contest.

While I am not pursuing the contest in New Hampshire this cycle, I ask you to remember what we accomplished in the Granite State four years ago. In the tradition of my late former colleague Estes Kefauver, we again toppled an incumbent President, forcing him to step down. It was one of the most powerful displays of democracy I have ever seen and to all those who helped me along the way, I will be eternally grateful. I ask you to consider this record, consider what we accomplished together when making your decision as to who to support in the upcoming primary contests.

The standard-bearer of American liberalism has to be someone who knows how to deal with overwhelming opposition and win. From challenging Joe McCarthy's witch hunts on national television to standing up to Richard Daley's thuggish political maneuvering, I have never shied away from a challenge. This campaign is the only one which both has the experience to navigate a national primary and deliver on the policies and change we all wish to see in this country. I promise you that on day one of a McCarthy administration, all American military force will be withdrawn from Vietnam and an immediate. pardon for all who evaded the draft in this conflict will be issued. Though I will not be contesting the state of New Hampshire, I humbly request your support, both in the state of Massachusetts and nationally, to show the strength of our combined movement. In the state of New Hampshire, I again urge your support of Mayor John Lindsay, a man I know is also dedicated to these same principles.

Thank you for your consideration,

Jesse Jackson and Curtis Mayfield announce their endorsement of Eugene McCarthy

At a campaign event at the headquarters of Operation PUSH on the South Side of Chicago, the organization's leader and veteran SCLC organizer Rev. Jesse Jackson announced his and his organization's support of Eugene McCarthy. Also in attendance was Alderman William Singer and singer-songwriter and former Impressions member Curtis Mayfield. Jackson denounced the policies of Mayor Daley stating "The disregard the current political leadership in Chicago has for our community is apparent in practically every policy decision we have seen from this mayor's administration. This kind of leadership is unfortunately all too often part and parcel with how the Democratic Party operates. There's only one candidate in this race who I believe has the ability and the will to help all Americans, white, black, brown, red, or yellow. That man is Senator Eugene McCarthy and we're going to do everything we can to see that he is successful here in the state of Illinois."

Mayfield also spoke, announcing the release of a new single "Democracy for the People", titled after McCarthy's campaign slogan, of which will be used to promote the campaign similarly to the Peter, Paul and Mary single "If You Love Your Country" from McCarthy's previous campaign. Records will also be available for purchase at campaign events. Finally McCarthy received questions from reporters, in which he took a shot at Ted Kennedy:

Reporter: What do you have to say to the candidates that have stayed out of the race in Illinois?

I find it very queer that my opponents have chosen not to take part in the primary here in Illinois. After traveling across this great state in the last several weeks, I have seen the great diversity in its people and in my supporters and I think that reflects very well the broad coalition the Democratic Party must unite going into the general election. I especially find it disturbing that some candidates have thrown their support behind Mayor Daley's "uncommitted" delegate slate. In so doing, they have essentially said that they are uninterested in pursuing the state's voters but also wish to leave the possibility open to receive their delegate support. I specifically call on Senator Kennedy to answer why he has chosen to support this kind of anti-democratic politics. To move forward from the bloodshed of four years ago, we must expunge demagogues like Mayor Daley's influence from the Democratic Party, not enhance it. I invite Senator Kennedy to come here to the South Side of Chicago and ask its voters what they think Richard Daley has done for them.