Republican Administration NIXON REPORTED TO WANT DEMOCRATS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31831, 8 November 1968, Page 11

Republican Administration NIXON REPORTED TO WANT DEMOCRATS

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyriuht)

WASHINGTON, November 7.

The President-elect, Mr Richard Nixon, was today reported anxious to atract one or more “big name” Democrats to join his Republican Administration, due to take office two months and a half from now.

Mr Nixon’s interest in bipartisan support, often emphasised during a hard-fought election campaign, assumes greater importance because of the Republican Party s failure to win control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Republican leader will be the first chief executive to take office in modern times without having his own party in charge on Capitol Hill. Other Presidents have faced the same problem but not at the outset of their administrations.

Mr Nixon, because of his narrow victory over VicePresident Hubert Humphrey starts off without the “clear mandate” he demanded during his campaign. This makes it vital for him to work in harness with the Democrats, and may force him to move cautiously. Fresh from his triumph yesterday he promised an “open Administration open to new ideas,” said he wanted a warm and close relationship with the outgoing President, Mr Johnson, and hinted he j would offer Government posts to non-Republicans, so that the views of all segments of American society could be heard. This was in line with earlier statements he made, emphasising the need for bipartisanship. “I don’t want a government of yes-men, he said during the campaign. He has said he would search for the “12 best men in the country” to fill his Cabinet posts—"an Administration made up of Republicans, Democrats and independents, and drawn from politics, from career Government service, from universities, from business, from the professions.” Although he has threatened to axe some of President Johnson’s top personal appointees in the State and Defence Departments, Nixon aides said he would welcome a sprinkling of top echelon Democrats for policy-making posts in the White House inner circle. The only prominent Demo-

crat mentioned so far as a Nixon Cabinet member is the former United Nations Ambassador (Mr Arthur Goldberg), tipped by some insiders as a possible Secretary of State.

Others think ex-Governor William Scranton, of Pennsylvania, s Republican, would be a more likely choice. Mr Scranton, a former State Department official, was sent to Europe by Mr Nixon on a private fact-finding tour in September. The new President-elect has said he intends to delegate authority on a big scale, but that he will keep foreign policy as his private preserve.

“The President’s mind and attention must be left clear to deal with those problems where only he can provide the leadership—that is first in the field of foreign policy, where only he in some instances can make the great decisions,” Mr Nixon said recently. He also said he would assume “personal responsibility” over “restoration of respect for law and order,” a key issue in the election, because of the growing militancy of the Negro slumdwellers. Many Weeks Mr Nixon’s choice of Cabinet members is likely to take many weeks, and some appointments may be delayed until soon before inauguration day on January 20. Speculation centred also on the following prominent Republicans: Governor Nelson Rockefeller, of New York, for Secretary of State of Defence; the president of the Chase Manhattan Bank, Mr David Rockefeller, the governor’s brother, for Secretary of the Treasury; alternatively, the former budget director, Mr Maurice Stans, Mr Nixon’s chief fundraiser.

A banker, Mr Douglas Dillon, a Cabinet member under both presidents Eisenhower

and Kennedy, has been tipped as a possible Treasury Chief or Secretary of State. The Mayor of New York, Mr John Lindsay, to take charge of a key domestic Welfare Department, such as health, education and welfare, or housing and urban development

Governor George Romney, of Michigan, and Governor John Volpe, of Massachusetts, for posts in domestic departments.

Mr Nixon arrived at Key Biscayne, Florida, last night to begin staff meetings which aides said would cover the course his Republican Administration would take over the next four years. “We’ll be thinking about the direction of the Administration,” said Mr Ron Ziegler, chief press aide for Mr Nixon. Smiling and relaxed after his razor-thin victory over Vice-President Humphrey, the 55-year-old Presidential campaign winner landed at Miami International Airport, about seven miles north of this plush resort. A friendly singing crowd of about 300 greeted the nation’s next President, who shook hands with several spectators over the airport's fence. Heavy Security Heavy security was provided at the airport by Secret Service agents, city of Miami police and Flordia state troopers as Mr Nixon left his windowless Air Force military transport along with his wife and two daughters. Among those greeting Mr Nixon in the warm Florida might air was the state’s colourful Republican Governor, Mr Claude Kirk. The President-elect went to Key Biscayne by motorcade and a spokesman said Mr Nixon would either stay at a resort hotel or at the home of Mr C. G. Rebozo, a Miami banker and friend of many years to Mr Nixon. The California Lieutenant-

Governor, Mr Roberjwpch, for years a close adviser to Mr Nixon and a top Nixon campaign strategist, said: “There will be a series of staff meetings,” that will probably last through Saturday “to discuss the problems of the transition.” The Associated Press said that as the tide of more than 70 million votes continued to flow in from outlying precints, mainly in the west, Mr Nixon actually trailed by 29,726,409 to 29,730,272 votes behind Mr Humphrey in the popular vote. But his electoral vote total, securely past the needed total of 270 after cliff-hanger victories in Illinois, Ohio and California, appeared headed for 302 when late returns gave him the lead in Missouri, where more than 100,000 absentee ballots will be decisive. Absentee votes were also expected where Mr Humphrey was leading. President Johnson returned to the capital from Texas for the 75-day home stretch of his Presidency, pledging to Mr Nixon "everything in my power to make your burdens lighter” during the transition period and seeking to make as much progress as possible toward Vietnam peace. Earlier in San Antonio, the “Texas White House” said that, at Mr Nixon’s request, a Government aircraft had been made available to him. He already has Secret Service protection, as a result of legislation passed last spring to protect all candidates, but his agents strengthened security once his victory became clear at mid-morning. Office Space

Mr Johnson also offered Nixon Government office space in Washington, but the winner said he would continue to work out of his New York offices in the weeks ahead.

Office space and a $750,000 Federal expense account were provided by Congress in 1964 for future transitionary Government.

In Washington, the Senate Democratic leader. Senator Mike Mansfield, suggested that Mr Nixon name “a shadow Cabinet to work with the present Cabinet to smooth the transition.” And the Montana Democrat, who will preside over a reduced majority numbering 58 of the 100 senators, said he would support Mr Nixon “when he is right,” adding “when we disagree, we’ll oppose not just for the sake of opposition but will try to offer constructive alternatives.” Five Senators

One Senate race remained undecided, the Oregon contest In which a Republican, Mr Robert Packwood, was leading the veteran senator, Mr Wayne Morse. If Mr Packwood's lead holds up. Republicans will have made a net gain of five senators from their total in the outgoing ninetieth Congress. In the House, the Republican gain was even smaller, a net of four in an election in which only nine incumbents were defeated, four in reapportioned districts where they were thrown in with other incumbents. The new House will have 243 Democrats and 192 Republicans. But conservative southern Democrats could team with Republicans on many issues in both Houses to give Mr Nixon the equivalent of a slim working majority.