U.S. campaigns take shape

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 13

U.S. campaigns take shape

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

CUSTER (South Dakota), July 24.

The Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator George McGovern, in three days of strategy talks at his Black Hills’ retreat in South Dakota, has settled on a high command to help direct his drive for the White House.

Details of the men chosen and Senator McGovern’s campaign plans were almost certain to be disclosed at a joint Press conference to be given today by the Democratic Party’s national chairman, Mr Jean Westwood, and the vice-chairman, Mr Basil Paterson. The McGovern planning discussion — to be wound up during the day with a final session for which the VicePresidential candidate, Senator Thomas Eagleton, is flying to Caster—comes amid shaping by President Nixon of his re-election campaign. Mr Nixon over the week-

end put his own strategy into focus by refusing to drop Vice-President Spiro Agnew and by rejecting a bid by Senator McGovern for na-tion-wide television debates between them. In 1960 Mr Nixon had three television debates with Mr John Kennedy and his showing in those was seen as a significant factor in his eventual defeat in the Presidential election.

Now, 12 years after, Mr Nixon apparently feels he has the edge as an incumbent President trying for reelection and has little to gain and everything to lose by entering into any public debates with Mr McGovern. His strategy includes conceding the votes of the poor, the blacks, the young, and other disaffected Americans to the senator from South Dakota while concentrating on the silent majority. His selection of Mr Agnew — a favourite of the country’s Right wing — flew in the face of moderate and liberal Republicans who had hoped that Mr Nixon would instead choose Senator Edward Brooke, of Massachusetts, the only black in the Upper House, or the liberal Illinois senator, Mr Charles Percy.

Senator McGovern said that he would call on the two living former Democratic Presidents — Mr Harry Truman and Mr Lyndon Johnson to seek their support. “I want the support of people whether they agree with me on every issue or not," Mr McGovern said. "It doesn’t mean that I have to change my position to take the support of a political leader who happens to disagree with me on one or more points.

“Obviously, we are not going to get unanimous agreement on everything I stand for. But we are certainly going to be reaching out for the support of men of the stature of President Johnson and President Truman.”