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Show Existential Funk . McGovernites for Nixon by DOPI GSITGtt Entertainment Editor in Vietnam?" "Lyndon Johnson." "Right. And who was going to escalate the war?" "Goldwater." "Who was elected?" "Johnson." "And what happened?" "I think I'm beginning to catch on." "Our presidents always carry out the programs of their defeated opponents. Take 1968, for example. Humphrey looked favorably on talking to China, price and wage controls, and John Connally. We didn't elect him so those are exactly what we got. Nixon, on the other hand, -had a Secret Plan to end the war. It's too bad that Humphrey didn't get elected so that we could find out what it was." "Why do you think that always happens?" asked. "Well, my own theory is this. The only one who pays any attention to a politician's speeches is his opponent, op-ponent, and after a while W message just kind of sinks J Politicians' minds are l compacters. The kind of gW that comes out depends on w kind of garbage you P"tin'1 ' "And you don't think McGJ would carry out his programs?" , "Look, I'm not saying he is" honest man. In fact, I k.nd him personally. But this .J important than whole country is at staK i has a proven record: he . nearly every campaign P opponents have made needs McGovern's pJ why vote for him and take on seeing them carnec w you can have Nixon and w There has been a great deal written lately about various groups for Nixon Entertainers for Nixon, Athletes for Nixon, Connally's Democrats for Nixon, and George Meany's Pouters for Nixon. I can now report that I have discovered another such group. It's called McGovernites for Nixon, and I spoke by phone with its chairman, ' Kirfman Thornwilder. "Mr. Thornwilder, could you explain to me just what your group believes?" I began. "Very simply, we bfilieve that George McGovern's programs are what this country needs in the years ahead. We agree with his reordering re-ordering of priorities, with his tax and welfare reforms, and with his pledge to end the war." 'Then you are for McGovern." "Certainly, And that's why we're voting for Nixon." "Perhaps you'd better explain," I said. "All right," Thornwilder agreed. "Let's start with some history. In 1916 Woodrow Wilson campaigned on the issue of keeping us out of y war, against Charles Hughes Guess who won." "Wilson?" I ventured. "Right. And within three months of his inauguration, we were fighting in World War I. In 1932 it was Hoover against Franklin Roosevelt. Which one promised a balanced budget?" - "Hoover," I said confidently. "Wrong. Roosevelt, who immediately im-mediately started the Age of Deficit Spending. Now, in 1964 who promised not to send American boys to fight in place of Asian boys |