Conversation 018-019

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Thank you.

Immediately, of course, he reacted to your space shuttle announcement by saying it was a boondoggle.

And, of course, then went to Florida, where it's one of the most popular things in the Cape Kennedy area.

What do they think down there?

Oh, the press have just raised hell with them over there.

What press?

You mean the Florida press?

Yes, sir.

The Florida press have just raised hell.

Of course, it's Florida and California.

This is a big deal.

That's right.

It'll save the aerospace industry, you know.

The Democrats are in a hell of a spot.

It's a little bit like the SST.

Well, there you are with this base thing.

I don't think the country really is for it.

You know what I mean?

And I don't think the country is for the SST.

They didn't understand.

But on the other hand, the country isn't going to vote against a candidate for being for him, and yet individual areas damn well will.

That's right.

According to one TV report last night, Muskie may have blown his chances in Florida completely because, of course, that's a very...

you take that whole Orlando complex and then Cape Kennedy.

And that was really a very dumb thing, because I think he could have ducked that one.

He didn't have to walk into it.

I noticed that McGovern is, there's others, who is it, Mondale is going to have hearings.

As a matter of fact, we may not get it, you know, which of course is...

which is one of those things is that not too much spending this year anyway, but the point is that we've made our effort on it, and that's it.

Well, it's symbolic, and I'm delighted we did it because it is a hell of a big thing in California.

It's a damn big thing in New York.

Connecticut.

Connecticut, that's right.

A number of key states.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, one thing I was thinking about the, you know, the card business.

I'm wondering if that's totally secure.

It can be done in such a way that it is.

From whom?

Who would be doing it?

The Humphrey people?

No, I would think their own friends of Kennedy.

But on the other hand, I would assume, though, that then he would immediately repudiate it, wouldn't he?

Yep.

But at that point, the damage is... Would have to be done awfully late, I would think.

I would think probably about, let's see if the balloting is on the 7th, I would like to see them arrive up there on the 5th.

Well, these people that are interested in it, of course, we have nothing to do with it.

We couldn't stop it if we wanted to, but I just think those things sometimes, our Democratic friends really play their games rough, don't they?

They sure do.

They sure do, Mr. President.

Well, I'll tell you one thing.

It was quite a battle, but it's really worth getting rid of that tax credit, isn't it?

The checkoff?

Oh, my God.

You know, when you stop to think what that would have done for these clowns.

That's right.

Just build them out completely.

You know, that kind of money after the primaries would have...

would have solidified the party.

One of the reasons that they're going to have the same kind of problems they had in 1968 is that whoever gets the nomination likely is going to have to start from zero on money.

And he's got a big job to come out of Miami and raise the dough needed.

But that would have just ended it to him right on the silver platter.

And it's amazing how well we came out of that one, Mr. President.

Everybody gave us a great victory on it.

I was amazed that we didn't get more of the kind of snide tarping from the liberals that were keeping the poor old deprived Democrats from getting their funds.

We came out of it, I think, damned well, extremely well.

Pastore is trying now to bring up a new legislation to repeal Section 315.

And, of course, that's worth several million bucks to them.

He failed as part of the campaign reform bill to get it.

And we're going to have another tussle in the Congress next year on the question of whether they repeal it or suspend it.

And if they do, even, of course, obviously you wouldn't debate, but what they would do is make free television time available to the candidates.

If they repeal it, yeah.

If they repeal it.

Which would be for us and for them, but it would help them a lot more.

A hell of a lot more.

We'll see you then.

Well, I hope you have a good birthday today, Mr. President.

I sure will.

Thank you, sir.