If you are unable to view html within your email program please use the following link to view Chuck Muth's latest News and Views: http://chuckmuth.com/newsandviews/nv.cfm To unsubscribe please visit: http://www.chuckmuth.com/remove X-ListMember: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
**************************************** AND NOW YOU KNOW...THE REST OF THE STORY There has been tremendous interest in that little-known debate featuring Bobby Kennedy and Ronald Reagan in 1967. So much interest, in fact, that the Kennedy library website which had featured the transcript of the debate suddenly went down on Friday after we published the link in News & Views. Fortunately, and thanks to the fine folks over at Free Republic, we located another copy of the transcript and published it in its entirety on Father's Day. But there's more to the story... Our friend and former Reagan press secretary Lyn Nofziger posted a behind-the-scenes peek at that 1967 face-off...and the circumstances that led up to it...in his "Musings" blog today. Considering the overwhelming interest in this entire episode, I thought I'd send Lyn's account out in its entirety for your enjoyment. Bon apetit. Chuck Muth News & Views _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ MUSINGS June 22, 2004 There is, running around the internet, a transcript of the famed l967 transcontinental debate between California Gov. Ronald Reagan and New York Sen. Robert Kennedy. By unanimous agreement Reagan won the debate. And a furious Bobby Kennedy, on leaving the television studio, instructed his staff, and I paraphrase, �Don�t ever let that s.o.b. near me again.� But there is a story behind the debate, and a reason why Reagan won it. The story begins earlier in the year when Washington Gridiron Club president Walter Trohan of the Chicago Tribune invited Reagan to be the Republican speaker at the annual Gridiron dinner. Bobby Kennedy was to be the Democratic speaker. And say what you wish about the Kennedy�s, for events such as the Gridiron dinner they are always superbly prepared. Gridiron speeches are short, are supposed to witty, with a bite. The good ones poke fun at the speaker and also at his (these days sometimes �her�) political foes. Vulgarity is frowned on. Kennedy, a veteran of Washington and of Gridiron dinners, was superb. Reagan, was okay, but surprisingly and for the only time I can remember, was nervous. Furthermore, his humor lacked bite and had too much California in it and not enough Washington. Dinner guests were unanimous: Reagan had not flunked the test, but Kennedy had won it hands down. A few weeks later the invitation came to Reagan to meet up with Kennedy again. Reagan, having lost once to Kennedy, leaped at the chance. And Kennedy, unaware of Reagan�s fighting spirit and determination to make up for his Gridiron appearance, also agreed. Reagan was to speak from Sacramento and Kennedy from the east coast; I have forgotten where. Memory says Boston but logic says Washington or New York were more likely. The two men were to make opening remarks and then answer questions from a group of American students studying in Europe. Among them was a man who later played professional basketball with the New York Knickerbockers and still later served as a United States senator, Bill Bradley. This one was right up Reagan�s alley and from the beginning of the questioning it was clear that he was on top of his game. It wasn�t that Kennedy did badly, it was that Reagan did much better. For one reason. Kennedy�s answers played to the students, all or most of whom were liberals. Reagan, for his part made no effort to please the students; instead he talked to the American people, many of whom even in those days were conservative. When the program was over, Reagan and those with him were elated. They knew he had won. And, as I said earlier, so did Kennedy. Reagan had evened the score. The two never met again. Fast forward l7 years. President Reagan is running for re-election against former Vice President Walter Mondale. He agrees to debate. And he loses badly, looking old, tired and ill-prepared, and he knows it. At this point Mondale should have recalled the Reagan/Kennedy meetings and cancelled the second debate, saying he didn�t wish to take advantage of a tired, old man. But he didn�t know his man and so he didn�t cancel the debate. And Reagan clobbered him. And the rest is history. - Lyn Nofziger (www.lynnofziger.com)
