Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Nixon th By HARRIET VAN HORNE Columnist Perhaps because he gave something less than an Academy Award performance last time out, some of President Nixon's ad visers are urging him to win in '72 with a controlled, low-key "silent campaign." Rather than tAke to the hustings in the rocking-socking style that lost his party so many votes in 1970 and which steadily diminished his lead over Humphrey in '68, the President may woo voters with taped telephone calls and com puterized "personal" letters. This strategy, described in a copyrighted article in the December Harper's, would project the image of a President so dedicated to the high duties of his office that a personal campaign is simply out of the question. In 1972, as Richard Reeves describes it, we shall have no more of that eyeball-to-eyeball stuff, no more whistle-stopping at every town big enough to boast an airport and no more "pressing of the flesh," to fall back on Lyndon Johnson's elegant euphemism for handshaking. The invisible campaign might work this way: An astonished. voter--say the suburban father of teen-agers--would pick up his phone to hear a voice say: "Would you hold for a moment . . . the President is calling." Before he can ask: "President of what?" the recorded voice of Richard Nixon is on the line. After a friendly word or two, the voice expresses grave concern for the problems facing the decent, tax paying, hard-working citizens of this great country. "Now, what Lettei Atheist's reply wasn't answer, was excuse MR. FARRELL: Where in the world did you get that letter from the atheist "an swering" the believers? There were no answers---just excuses! I may have a "13th Century soul," but at least I'm not doomed to go to Hell. Yes, I said Hell. The farce about "sinking into oblivion" is unbelievable. The author of the article men tions giving up Santa Claus at the age of twelve. I believe that most kids know about St. Nick at least by age seven. Although I knew about Santa earlier than seven I kept it going at my .house until I was about eight. It was then my parents started wondering about me. If I had kept on "believing" In him until twelve I would have been put away somewhere. I dare not mention the Easter Bunny for fear of upsetting our friend, the atheist. My point here is simply to show what judgement a person must have If he believes In until he is twelve. The author compares himself with Dorothy's dog in the 'Wizard of Oz.' I really think that this is a goed comparison. Like the dog the author "pulled away the veil and found a man at the controls." My e super-p] issues ate bothering you, sir? As I name sonie of our problems areas, will you dial 1 to indicate which issues worry you the most?" If the suburban father indicates an anxiety over the drug problem, he may find a letter in his mail a week later from a local or nearby doctor (a Republican doctor, we may assume) suggesting com munity action to keep drugs out of the schools. The letter would, of course, mention that the President is working hard to establish a national drug control program. The letter would actually come, not from the local doctor, but from a bank of computerized electric typewriters. A computerized pen would sign the name of the loyal pro-Nixon doctor. The White House strategists favoring the "in visible" soft-sell technique boast that they could run the entire campaign "from under a mountain in Utah." Now and then, like Peron or Papa Doc, the President would be obliged to exhibit himself to the citizenry. But not, mind you, in a manner which would suggest an appeal for votes. No, the image would be that of Mr. Super President, "traveling the world in search of peace, occasionally stealing a little time from his long, lonely days in the Oval Room to dedicate a dam in Colorado and chat with the folks about football before hurrying back to the Hot Line and other awesome burdens." To shine up the presidential image with more fiol-ksy showmanship, voters would be saturated with television com mercials patterned after the CBS News feature, "On the Road." Homey vignettes of America-on -s to the e farther and see what is behind the man. Where did the man come from and so forth. Our friend later wants to know what is so special about the soul. The soul is the main thing that distinguishes man from other animals. This is one thing that makes man superior to other animals. The soul is the "im material essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life." Is the author saying that he has no principles or causes? What would the world be like if no one had a soul? Simple logic would tell me that even if I were the least bit dubious about God that it would be better to believe in Him and die to find out that He does not exist than not to believe in anything and die to find out that He is there. For personal reasons I call upon my right to have my name withheld if this article is published. Thank you. NAME WITHHELD 'jy REQUEST Welcome Back G Every Day can be At Breakfast Served 7-10:30 a.m. Waires Srvce (WINNEl RESTAUR Thank You For Your Fine Pati Hell Jin 1111 Green St. (SBetweel resident the road, down on the farm, along the waterfront-all testifying to the sterling qualities of our great leader. Reporter Reeve's witty account of this upcoming Republican strategy suggests a -dandy TV rebuttal for the Democrats. Naturally, there will be millions of troubled citizens who do not receive concerned, computerized phone calls from the President. Very well, why not. invite them each week to take part in a live television program in which they call the President? Let a legitimate call be placed to the White House at the start of the TV session. Then let each citizen tell what he proposes to ask Mr. Nixon and how his life has prospered since 1968. Maybe somebody on the presidential staff might deign to accept a live, uncontrolled phone call-but it's doubtful. This dream-program would conclude with the Democratic aspirant (or his running mate) appearing live (from wherever he might be) and offering his solutions to the questions that had been directed at the invisible, unhearing Mr. Nixon. One of Hubert Humphrey's grandest moments in '68 (he had so few!) was answering telephone calls on the air as they came. No pre-screening or pre-taping, no "control." Mr. Nixon, surrounded by his Madison Avenue hucksters, was shielded from all dissent. As the Nixon Administration moves us ever closer to what some fear is a totalitarian police state, the need to defeat him becomes -a moral imperative. Copyright 1971 Los Angeles Times 1dito r Audience at 'Suzanne's Lament' presents 'comedy' MR. FARRELL: "Suzanne's Lament" is a beautiful composition concerning man's attitude toward his en vironment. This musical-pictorial essay was presented to a standing room-only crowd in the Physical Sciences Center Thursday night. Exploitation. Pollution. Death. Doom. And despair. Ecology. Hip. Cigarettes and cigars were smoked. Burnt matches and buts were discarded on the floor. Sodas and snacks were consumed and their containers and wrappers also disposed of via the floor. Many of the show's programs evolved into airplanes and the floor became their final hangar. The necessity of printing programs is questionable and certainly not very con servation-minded. Ah, yes, the human comedy. NAME WITHHELD BY E REQUEST amecocks! Thanksgiving Complete Menu Under $2.00 ANT onage. Stop In Anytime and Say my and Toula Leventis m Main aiU Assembly) JIM FARRELL EDITOR LUCRETIA JONES DAVn LUNDGREN MANAGING ED AD. MNGR. EDITORIALS Coachless The Thanksgiving celebration has come and gone. And so has the lighting of the Governor's Christmas tree to start a brand new season. Along with this great time of the season comes another great happening, the Carolina-Clemson football game. Or should that be farce? The fact that the Gamecocks lost is not that significant as a single event. The fact that we went against a team of ball players that are not the most sought after in the land, are not the most impressive in the south or not the richest school athletically in this state is. Hootie Ingram can take a group with this behind him and make them into a team with the capability of beating a team that has living quarters the likes of a posh hotel, a brand new seating arrangement in the stadium, a beautiful rug for a playing field and a winning (?) season. Why does this school insist on keeping a smiling public relations man who can get the money for this place, but cannot handle the job of coaching what could be a great football team if the players had the chance? Carolina take a look around you. 'xk BE A 0/T MORE 7HANKFUL IF WE HADP MVCAR' Wi/R0% W*Xb,AN79 MART/N/4 97%TEiW 60CK AND R(XLAPB' ALL YOU CAN EAT MON. SPAGHETTI & Meat Sauce .9 TUES. Buttermilk Pancakes .75 WED. CHOW MEIN, Fried Rice .99 THURS. SPAGHETTI & Meat Sauce -99 FRI. French Toast, choice of s syrup flavors. .85 ~INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 1031 Ae-mb eSt