Nixon’s Worth Debated

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29324, 1 October 1960, Page 13

Nixon’s Worth Debated

PRAISE BY PRESIDENT

CHICAGO, September 30

President Eisenhower said in a political speech last night that he knew of no-one better prepared for the presidency that Vice-Presi-dent Richard Nixon.

In a major campaign speech, Mr Eisenhower told a party rally that advice given to him by Mr Nixon, the Republican Presidential candidate, “has been invaluable to me.” Mr Eisenhower said he wanted to “set the record straight” as to allegations he had heard “that the Vice-President has contributed little to the affairs of Government over these last seven and a half successful years.” Some of these allegations used against Mr Nixon on the campaign circuits, stemmed from an off-the-cuff reply Mr Eisenhower gave several weeks ago to a reporter’s request that he name a specific major decision to which Mr Nixon had contributed. '

Mr Eisenhower suggested the questioner give him a week to think.

American Associated Press said that Mr Eisenhower last night was obviously out to counter any impression that he was down-grad-ing Nixon’s participation in his Administration.

He heaped praise on the VicePresident as “dedicated, persistent in pursuing new ways for improving government, and a man possessed of the character, patience, and sound judgment so essential for effective leadership in the troubled world of tomorrow.”

Mr Eisenhower spoke at a “go for *6O” Republican dinner organised to whip up enthusiasm—and raise funds—-for the party’s campaign.

the Senator said. "But our responsibility, whether he grins or growls, is to pay more attention to our objectives and those of other free nations. “While we talk to the underdeveloped countries about the evils of communism, the Soviets talk to them about the evils of hunger and poverty and disease. I think we can do better,” he said.

Just standing up to Mr Khrushchev was not enough. Senator Kennedy said. “What we must do is stand up to summon the strength of this nation and the free world to advance the cause of peace.”

Senator Kennedy talked about recent "crises” in Cuba, Ghana. Japan, Poland and India. He noted that each of these areas had been visited by Vice-President Richard Nixon, his Republican opponent. "In each case, early action by this nation or the West—before the Communist threat reached its present stage—might well have gone a long way towards strengthening the cause of freedom within that country," he said.