A Different Republican Icon

[OSR stands with Israel]

President Johnson reacts to results of the election



Johnson: Good Morning, everyone. Last night millions of Americans went to the polls to decide who would become our nation's next President. While it took a long time for the outcome to be decided, as soon as it was decided I called President-Elect Goldwater to congratulate him on winning the election, and invited him to come to the White House on Friday to talk about how we can make sure their is a smooth transition between our Presidencies. While its no secret that I desired a different outcome in yesterday's election and its also no secret that the President-Elect and I have some pretty significant differences but now that he has been elected as our 37th President I will pray for his success as his success will be all of our successes.

I also want to congratulate Vice President Humphrey for running a great campaign as well, and let him know it has been an honor for me to have someone like him as my Vice President for the past 4 years . Thank You



NBC White House Corrospondent : Last nights results were a major shock to the President as his most fierce opponnent won the Presidency. We have also heard he phoned , Democratic leaders in the Senate and told them its time to fight, or much of what we accomplished over the last 4 years will be washed away. Anyway his speech today was classy and we should applaud the President for that.

[OSR stands with Israel]

President-Elect Goldwater names Head of Transition Team, Chief of Staff and meets with President Johnson for Transition Meeting:

Head of Transition Team:Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen



Chief of Staff: Former Congressman William Miller




President-Elect Goldwater and President Johnson meet for Transition Meeting:



NBC White House Corrospondent: President Johnson and President-Elect Goldwater met in the oval office today for two hours and I am told they discussed a wide variety of issues from setting up a White House organzation , on how to make sure the transition can be smooth between their presidencies and also discuessed Vietnam and other foreign policy issues .

[OSR stands with Israel]

Goldwater makes First Cabinet Appointments and media reacts to them

President-Elect Goldwater makes very Conservative picks for the Treasury, Commerce departments as well as the OMB:

Secretary of the Treasury: Economist Milton Friedman



Secretary of Commerce: Businessman William E. Simon



OMB Director: Congressman John Jacob Rhodes




What Cabinet Picks Mean for Economic Policy:

David Brinkley: As we all know since 1933 and Franklin Roosevelt's new deal nobody has changed the main thrust of the US Government, more taxes and more spending and nobody has tried. It is clear with these picks President-Elect Goldwater will try

Chet Huntley: Not only that but remember conventional wisdom has been that while Presidents come and go the federal bureaucracy either remains unchanged or grows even larger. It is clear with these picks conventional wisdom may be wrong. With an Economic Team such as Friedman, Simon and Rhodes it is clear that the tax code will be significantly altered, many of the current protectionist policies will be tossed for policies favoring free trade, and regulations will be cut

David Brinkley: More changes also which would be harder to implement but it will be clear they will try to implement as well : is changing the funding of programs to more of a block grant-style, cutting payrolls and spending as well, and an attempt to shrink the bureaucracies. What very likely will not happen though is a full bourne repeal of many of the programs already implemented as that would be political suicide.

Chet Huntley: Yup , I think  the President-Elect and his team so far while are very conservative understand that outright cutting many of the programs which have already been implemented such as Medicare and Medicaid would be political suicide.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Goldwater Selects an Bipartisan more Establishment Foreign Policy Team highlighted by selections of Nixon and Connally.

Secretary of State: Former Vice President Nixon



Secretary of Defense: Texas Governor John Connally



National Security Advisor: Congressman Melvin Laird




What Picks Mean For Foreign Policy:

Brinkley: What do you think the picks of names such as Nixon, Connally, and Laird mean for foreign policy. Also what made the President-Elect decided to select a Prominent Democrat for a top cabinet role

Spivak: Well the reason we are told he selected Governor Connally to head the Pentagon was the fact that he didnt want his cabinet to have some members from the other party, and remember Governor Connally is quite Conservative for a Democrat and a position like Secretary of Defense is not supposed to be a partisan or ideological role so he was the perfect pick for this role. President Johnson requested to the President-Elect at their transition meeting he select his friend Governor Connally for the role and Former Vice President Nixon and Senator Dirksen agreed with his advice.

Huntley: I agree picking Governor Connally was a great decision, as remember before he was Governor he was Secretary of the Navy so that gives him experience for this role, and the fact he is not considered that much of an ideological figure makes him a great choice for the role

Brinkley: So Chet what do you think these picks mean for Foreign Policy

Huntely: Well choosing Nixon and Laird means there will be some differences in Foreign Policy as we are told that they believe that the US needs to be on the offensive to get the North Vietnamese on the table. So Connally may have some differences with Nixon and Laird but I think its something that will be worked out .

[OSR stands with Israel]

Infighting between Factions in the Democratic Party intensify after loss as each faction blames the others for the Democratic Defeat in 1968.








McCarthy: The Democratic Party's support of the War in Vietnam is what cost us this election. The fact is most people in our nation oppose the Vietnam War and if we took a stand against it we would have won this election. The fact is the  Party for the First time allowed the Republicans too cast themselves as the change party, and the fact that the Democratic Party stood for the status quo in a time like this is a disgrace and that is why the lost.

Wallace: The election results showed that the Democratic Party abandoned their base down South and thats why they lost. After 8 years of stepping over the South , and 8 years of only caring for the liberal special interest elitists the American people said enough and threw them out of office. The fact is unless we get rid of those liberal special interest elitists out of our party, we will continue to lose elections to Goldwater and the Republicans who will do nothing but stomp on us to benefit their rich elitist buddies.

Jackson: McCarthy's decision to challenge President Johnson in the primaries and his supporters disgraceful behavior at the convention cost us this election. The idea that he or Wallace could win is a joke and the fact is both their supporters cost us this election and they should either apologize to the party for it or get out of this party. In fact Wallace should have gotten out a long time ago, and McCarthy should leave to if he is willing to let our party lose for his ego

[Intell]

1968 Election Final Resuts:

Presidential Race:

Senator Barry Goldwater(R-AZ)/Governor James Rhodes(R-OH) 293 50.1%
Vice President Hubert Humphrey(D-MN)/Former Governor Terry Sanford(D-NC) 245 49.6%

Close States(Under 5 Points)

Arkansas: Goldwater 50.01%, Humphrey 49.89%
Illionis: Goldwater: 50.07%, Humphrey 49.71%
South Carolina: Humphrey: 50.11%, Goldwater: 49.64%
Georgia: Goldwater: 50.77%, Humphrey 48.91%
Texas: Goldwater 51.04% , Humphrey 48.64%
Kentucky: Humphrey 51.99%, Goldwater: 47.26%
North Carolina: Humphrey 52.24%, Goldwater: 47.26%


Senate:

Democrats: 55(-6)
Republicans: 45(+6)


House of Representatives:

Democrats: 223(-12)
Republicans: 212(+12)


Gubernatorial Races:

Republicans Gain 4 Seats

There is no way SC would go to Humphrey. Kentucky is also a stretch.

[OSR stands with Israel]

1968 Election Final Resuts:

Presidential Race:

Senator Barry Goldwater(R-AZ)/Governor James Rhodes(R-OH) 293 50.1%
Vice President Hubert Humphrey(D-MN)/Former Governor Terry Sanford(D-NC) 245 49.6%

Close States(Under 5 Points)

Arkansas: Goldwater 50.01%, Humphrey 49.89%
Illionis: Goldwater: 50.07%, Humphrey 49.71%
South Carolina: Humphrey: 50.11%, Goldwater: 49.64%
Georgia: Goldwater: 50.77%, Humphrey 48.91%
Texas: Goldwater 51.04% , Humphrey 48.64%
Kentucky: Humphrey 51.99%, Goldwater: 47.26%
North Carolina: Humphrey 52.24%, Goldwater: 47.26%


Senate:

Democrats: 55(-6)
Republicans: 45(+6)


House of Representatives:

Democrats: 223(-12)
Republicans: 212(+12)


Gubernatorial Races:

Republicans Gain 4 Seats

There is no way SC would go to Humphrey. Kentucky is also a stretch.

He chose a Popular Governor from North Carolina as his running mate, so it should have a lot of affect in South Carolina as well.

Especially back then since voters were pretty fickle then

[Intell]

1968 Election Final Resuts:

Presidential Race:

Senator Barry Goldwater(R-AZ)/Governor James Rhodes(R-OH) 293 50.1%
Vice President Hubert Humphrey(D-MN)/Former Governor Terry Sanford(D-NC) 245 49.6%

Close States(Under 5 Points)

Arkansas: Goldwater 50.01%, Humphrey 49.89%
Illionis: Goldwater: 50.07%, Humphrey 49.71%
South Carolina: Humphrey: 50.11%, Goldwater: 49.64%
Georgia: Goldwater: 50.77%, Humphrey 48.91%
Texas: Goldwater 51.04% , Humphrey 48.64%
Kentucky: Humphrey 51.99%, Goldwater: 47.26%
North Carolina: Humphrey 52.24%, Goldwater: 47.26%


Senate:

Democrats: 55(-6)
Republicans: 45(+6)


House of Representatives:

Democrats: 223(-12)
Republicans: 212(+12)


Gubernatorial Races:

Republicans Gain 4 Seats

There is no way SC would go to Humphrey. Kentucky is also a stretch.

He chose a Popular Governor from North Carolina as his running mate, so it should have a lot of affect in South Carolina as well.

Especially back then since voters were pretty fickle then

SC is not NC. SC went to Goldwater in actual real life. KY against Goldwater now thinking about it, is not a stretch, but SC basically impossible Especially if you have Wallace winning there in 1964. If AR goes to Goldwater, so is SC.

Also very interesting TL but let's not screw up poltical demography.

[OSR stands with Israel]

1968 Election Final Resuts:

Presidential Race:

Senator Barry Goldwater(R-AZ)/Governor James Rhodes(R-OH) 293 50.1%
Vice President Hubert Humphrey(D-MN)/Former Governor Terry Sanford(D-NC) 245 49.6%

Close States(Under 5 Points)

Arkansas: Goldwater 50.01%, Humphrey 49.89%
Illionis: Goldwater: 50.07%, Humphrey 49.71%
South Carolina: Humphrey: 50.11%, Goldwater: 49.64%
Georgia: Goldwater: 50.77%, Humphrey 48.91%
Texas: Goldwater 51.04% , Humphrey 48.64%
Kentucky: Humphrey 51.99%, Goldwater: 47.26%
North Carolina: Humphrey 52.24%, Goldwater: 47.26%


Senate:

Democrats: 55(-6)
Republicans: 45(+6)


House of Representatives:

Democrats: 223(-12)
Republicans: 212(+12)


Gubernatorial Races:

Republicans Gain 4 Seats

There is no way SC would go to Humphrey. Kentucky is also a stretch.

He chose a Popular Governor from North Carolina as his running mate, so it should have a lot of affect in South Carolina as well.

Especially back then since voters were pretty fickle then

SC is not NC. SC went to Goldwater in actual real life. KY against Goldwater now thinking about it, is not a stretch, but SC basically impossible Especially if you have Wallace winning there in 1964. If AR goes to Goldwater, so is SC.

Also very interesting TL but let's not screw up poltical demography.

Ok I will change SC once I get home

[OSR stands with Israel]

President-Elect Goldwater appoints heads of the Justice, Interior, Agriculture, and Transportation Departments

Attorney General: Nevada Governor Paul Laxalt



Secretary of Interior: Congressman Edwin Reinecke



Secretary of Agriculture: Nebraska Senator Carl Curtis



Secretary of Transportation: Congressman Rogers Morton

[OSR stands with Israel]

President-Elect Goldwater makes final picks for the Cabinet:


Secretary of Housing and Urban Development  : Michigan Governor George Romney



Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare : Former Senator Leader William Knowland




UN Ambassdor: Congressman Barber Conable



What these picks mean:

Brinkley: The picks the President-Elect made today probably rounds out what is possibly the most conservative cabinet we have seen since maybe the Coolidge Administration.

Huntley: I agree as if you look at some of these latest picks, for example, Senator Knowland and Mr.Shultz is confirmed would very much move their departments to the right. Senator Knowland is a staunch supporter of Right to Work laws, and was considered a member of the right wing of the Republican party throughout the 1950s. There is a chance that his support of right to work, and also the fact that he was very reluctant to call our McCarthyism will lead to a very contentious hearing where he may be rejected. Mr.Shultz would bring the Chicago School of Economics Thought to the Labor Department which would move the department significantly to the right as well.

Brinkley: It also seems like Governor Romney was chosen as an Olive Branch to the Liberals in the Party

Huntley: I agree

[OSR stands with Israel]

President-Elect Goldwater Holds First Press Conference since the election




Media Member 1: Mr.President-Elect, a recent study showed that your appointed cabinet would be the most conservative cabinet we have had in the past 36 years to 40 years especially on domestic issues. Dont you think thats moving the nation to far in one direction

Goldwater: No I do not. While you are right the people I appointed to the cabinet would make up the most conservative cabinet in decades, our campaign ran on one of the most conservative platforms in decades as well and won. So, in my opinion, it is my job to appoint people to the cabinet who would help implement the policies we ran on in the most competent way possible.


Media Member 1: Some people are afraid though that names such as Mr. Friedman, and Senator Knowland, are too right wing and would greatly change the departments they ran

Goldwater: Well again while yes they would greatly change the departments they ran, the American people in the last election voted for change and it is my job to deliver on that change. Mr.Friedman and Senator Knowland no matter what disagreements you have with them on policy, you cant argue they are qualified for the jobs.

Mr. Friedman is considered to be one of the top economists at the University of Chicago and during his time there he has done groundbreaking research on consumption analysis, monetary policy and its history, and different types of stabilization policies . This along with the fact he has worked for the Treasury Department before makes him a highly qualified pick to lead the Treasury.

Now Senator Knowland is also very qualified and his years in the Senate representing California represent that.

Media Member 2: Some Conservatives are though mad at your foreign policy team, especially the pick of Governor Connally . Why did you select Governor Connally to head the Pentagon

Goldwater: Well the job of secretary of defense should not be a partisan role . Governor Connally has the experience to lead the Pentagon, not only from his years as Governor of Texas but also from being the Secretary of the Navy , and the fact he is a very respected figure as well. That is why I chose Governor Connally to be the next Defense Secretary

Media Member: So Vice President Nixon has nothing to do with it

Goldwater: The choice was made about his qualifications and that alone

Media Member 3: We have gotten a word you meet with your foreign policy often to discuss changes you plan to make in the strategy in Vietnam. Will those changes be made as soon as you get into office

Goldwater: While I certainly hope we can make the changes as soon as possible, I cant give you the exact date when it would be made, but the Goal is to have the changes be made by the end of February.

[President Johnson]

Connally is good choice for Secretary of Defense. Funny you also have Tricky Dick as Secretary of State. Will Henry Kissinger also get a job?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Connally is good choice for Secretary of Defense. Funny you also have Tricky Dick as Secretary of State. Will Henry Kissinger also get a job?

Nixon seems like the obvious choice for the job :


Kissinger may get a job as a Deputy at either the State Department or the NSC.

[OSR stands with Israel]

President Johnson's Farewell Address:



Johnson: My Fellow Americans, tonight will be the final time I will have the opportunity to speak to you as your President. 8 Years ago I had the honor of running with President Kennedy as his running mate, and for 3 years had the honor of serving with him as this nation's Vice President. It has been my goal over the past 5 years to ensure that while the Assasin may have taken away President Kennedy from us , he didnt take away his Vision and Legacy.

Over the past 8 years our nation has made tremendous progress on civil rights, in Healthcare, in Education and in fighting poverty. While we have much work to do so, I am proud of the fact that our nation has made sure by law that no American will be discriminated against due to their skin color , or whether they are a man or women, that we can tell our seniors that they can retire without fear of losing their access to health care, and the fact we have expanded educational access to poor children. That does not mean the fight is over, because we can always do better but the only way we can do better is by fighting for change and at the end of the day its not I or even the Congress who brought these changes but you the people. It was because of MLK, Rosa Parks and millions of activists across the nation we were finally able to pass laws that end the horrible Jim Crow Era and it will be because of you if we make more progress.

While I may be leaving the White House next week , I will never stop fighting as well, and I will join you as a private citizen in the fights to make our nation a better place. I want to end tonight by thanking Vice President Humphrey as much of the progress we have made over the past 4 years would not have been made without all the hard work he put in making sure they happen, and I also want to give my best wishes to President-Elect Goldwater who will face many tough challenges over the next 4 years. Thank You, May God Bless You , and May God Bless America.


President Johnson Approval Rating and other polls :

LBJ Approval Rating:
Approve: 44%
Disapprove: 55%


Did you like the President's Farewell Address:

Yes: 73%
No:  26%

[OSR stands with Israel]

Breaking News: Alaska Senator Bob Bartlett passes away


Alaska Senator Bob Barlett passes away due to cardiac arrest:



David Brinkley: We have some very sad news to report you and that is that Senator Bob Barlett has passed away due to cardiac arrest. His life has been a life of service to his fellow Alaskans, and today is a very sad day for Alaska and our nation.


President Johnson, President-Elect Goldwater and Governor Wally Hickel react to the sad news:

Johnson: Today is a very sad day for our Alaska and our nation. Senator Barlett has served his state with honor, for the past 30 years and according to the Library of Congress, had more bills passed into law than any member in congressional history. The State of Alaska and our nation has been better of due to Bob and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family in this tough time.

Goldwater: Today is a sad day for our country. Senator Bob Barlett was a good man who served the people of Alaska with honor. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family in this tough time.

Hickel: Today is a sad day for the people of Alaska, and as someone who personally knew Senator Barlett as well , it is saddening for me as well. For 30 years Barlett as represented Alaska both when it was a territory and a state and I cant imagine where our state would be without him. I also want to let his family know that we will be there for you in what must be a tough time.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The Inauguration of Barry Morris Goldwater:



Prominent Republicans such as Former President Dwight Eisenhower, Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen, and California Governor Ronald Reagan give their thoughts about the Goldwater Inauguration:

Chancellor: In just a couple hours Barry Morris Goldwater will take the oath of office and become the 37th President of the United States. Now with us is Former President Dwight Eisenhower, California Governor Ronald Reagan and Illionis Senator Everett Dirksen. Lets start with you President Eisenhower, what are your thoughts

Eisenhower: I am definetly hopeful about the future of this nation, and I am also hopeful that we can make the changes necessary to put us on track to be successfull in Vietnam and aborad in general. One reason for that is the different appointments the President-Elect made in the foreign policy area, such as appointing former Vice President Richard Nixon to become the next Secretary of State and as someone who got to know the former Vice President very closely I believe he will do an excellent job as Secretary of State.


Chancellor: Governor Reagan many people consider you to be one of the 3 most influential conservatives in the nation right now, what are your thoughts on this day to see someone form your movemement have a chance to lead this nation.

Reagan: Firstly I am very excited to see my friend and mentor Barry Goldwater take the oath of office today and take charge in leading this nation. President-Elect Goldwater is one of the most principled men I know as he has spent decades fighting for policies that he deeply believed in even when they were unpopular and that is an very admirable trait.

Chancellor: What are the things you think he should mention in his inaugral today

Reagan: Well I think he needs to mention that Goverment is not the soultion to our problems, as it is the reason we are facing many problems today. This to me is critical as the fact is while many of the issues we face are different the one thing that connects all of them is they are issues due to overreach by the  Federal Goverment  and it is critical that the President-Elect Goldwater mention this.

Chancellor: Senator Dirksen , you have served along side the President-Elect for many years so what are yor thoughts

Dirksen: Well I am also optimistic as someone who has been President-Elect Goldwater's collegue for many years I saw first hand how determined he was to address the many issues we face as a nation and that type of determination I believe will lead to success.

Chancellor: It was a pleasure having you all on, now back to you David


Barry Goldwater takes the oath of office , and gives inaugural address:



Rhodes Sworn in by Justice Harlan:

Rhodes: I, James Allen Rhodes , do solemnly swear
that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
that I take this obligation freely,
without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
and that I will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
So help me God.

Goldwater Sworn in by Chief Justice Warren:

Goldwater: I, Barry Morris Goldwater, do solemnly swear
that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my Ability,
preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
So help me God.


Goldwater's inaugural Address:

Goldwater: Chief Justice Warren, President Johnson, Vice President Rhodes, Vice President Humphrey, distingushed guests and my fellow Americans : every four years we gather here to now only to celebrate the inaugration of a President, but celebrate the widom of our founders(Applause) . I want to start of by thanking President Johnson and want to thank him for all the decades he spent in public life(Applause) and also want to thank him for making this tranisiton as smooth as possible(Applause) as it will make it easier for us to get the ground running to help solve the problems our nation faces(Applause).

The problems we face today did not just begin a few years ago but came to us due to many decades of policies that just made Washington more powerful. To solve the problems we currently face we must look to the government but to the people because today Government is not the solution to the problems we face, but in most cases it is why we face the problems we face(Appluase). Today we have a tax code that penalizes hard work, the ingenuity of entrepreneurs while special interest groups to Washington reap the rewards. We have a regulatory system that increases the power of Washington while restricts the freedom of our people and today I can announce that we will end that era and inaugurate a new era where the federal government stays in the limits the constitution requires it to so the people not Washington can run their own lives(Applause).

The reason our nation became the greatest economic power ever in the history of the world was because here in America we unleashed the power of the free marketplace more than any nation has ever done in the history of the world, and if we want to make sure that our nation stays at the top of the economic ladder we must once again unleash the beast(Applause) of the free market(Applause) . The reason for this is simple when people are taxed and regulated less they have more money to spend on the economy, businesses have more opportunities to hire people and be innovative all of which help our economy.

Now while too much interference by Washington has been the problem and not the solution for so many years now its just not at home but abroad as well. Instead of letting the generals on the ground decide how to run our wars, insiders in Washington DC who dont have a first hand view on the situation in Vietnam have managed our every move and it just did not work out. Our troops are still in Vietnam and things only have seem to get worse and worse, but while it may look like that right now I have complete confidence that if we make the right changes we need, we can end this war with honor soon and bring our troops home(Applause). Thank You , May God Bless You and May God Bless America

[OSR stands with Israel]

Goldwater Signs First Executive Orders, and Cabinet Confirmation Hearings take place

President Goldwater Signs First Executive Orders of His Presidency:



Frank McGee: Treasury Secretary Nominee Milton Friedman,and Health, Education and Welfare secretary Nominee William Knowland both had their confirmation hearing's today and it got very contentious. Mr.Friedman was questioned over and over about his opposition to Keynesian Economics and his economic beliefs and at times it led to which seemed like a sparring session between Mr.Friedman and many of the Senators at the hearings. Senator Knowland was questioned extensively on his support of right to work, opposition to many government programs and his reluctance to call out Joe McCarthy.


While the other nominees are easily expected to be confirmed, the nominations of Friedman and Knowland we can say are up in doubt


All Cabinet Appointees Confirmed, including Friedman and Knowland:




Secretary of State: Richard Nixon confirmed with a vote of 90 Ayes and 10 Nays
Secretary of Treasury: Milton Friedman confirmed with a vote of 51 Ayes and 49 Nays
Secretary of Defense: John Connally confirmed unanimously
Attorney General: Paul Laxalt confirmed with a vote of 71 Ayes and 29 Nays
Secretary of Interior: Edwin Reinecke confirmed with a vote of 77 Ayes and 23 Nays
Secretary of Agriculture: Carl Curtis confirmed with a vote of 74 Ayes and 26 Nays
Secretary of Commerce: William E. Simon confirmed with a vote of 69 Ayes and 31 Nays
Secretary of Labor: George Shultz confirmed with a vote of 80 Ayes and 20 Nays
HEW Secretary: William Knowland confirmed with a vote of 52 Ayes and 48 Nays
HUD Secretary: George Romney confirmed unanimously
Secretary of Transportation: Rogers Morton confirmed with a vote of 84 Ayes and 16 Nays
OMB Director : John Jacob Rhodes confirmed with a vote of 66 Ayes and 34 Nays
UN Ambassdor: Barber Conable confirmed with a vote of 97 Ayes and 3 Nays

[OSR stands with Israel]

North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launch an offensive against South Vietnam. Dates of Special Elections to fill seats vacated due to cabinet appointments announced

Breaking News: North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launch an offensive against South Vietnamese Forces.


Brinkley: We have some breaking news out of Vietnam and that the North Vietnamese have launched another offensive against South Vietnam, and while the offensive is not as large as the Tet Offensive which took place a year ago, its still large enough to cause problems for the South Vietnam and the US.

Huntley: Plus it will force the US to delay its plan of going on the offensive, as they will have to go back into full defensive mode if they want to repel this offensive.



Nebraska Governor fills Curtis's seat and Special Election dates announced for 4 vacant house seats.

Nebraska Senate Seat:  Seat to be filled by Lieutenant Governor John Everroad
Maryland's 1st District and New York's 35th District: Special Election to be Held on June 17th
Arizona's 1st District and California 27th District: Special Election to be Held on June 24th


Breaking News: North Vietnamese offensive repelled by US and South Vietnamese forces in less than 3 weeks.  


David Brinkley: We have breaking news to report to you out of Vietnam and that is the North Vietnamese offensive has been officially repelled by US and South Vietnamese forces. Unlike the Tet Offensive of Last Year, US and South Vietnamese troops were prepared for an attack which allowed them to repel the offensive much more easily than they did last year.

[OSR stands with Israel]

White House releases Tax Reform Proposal

Details of the White House's Tax Reform Proposal:



- New Income Tax Rates: 5 brackets which have marginal rates go from a low of 10% to a high of 40%

- New Corporate Taxes Rates: Two Rates of 15% and 30% . 15% tax bracket will be taxed on the first $50,000 of corporate income , and the 30% will apply to income above $50,000

- Creates an Alternative Minimum Tax of 10%

- Doubles Standard Deduction

- Removes Many types of Depreciation Deductions

- Requires people to list Dependents Social Security Number

- Removes Investment Tax Credit

- Removal of many tax shelters


Prominent Democrats Slam Proposal as Giveaway to the rich:




Mansfield: This tax proposal is nothing but a give away to the rich , and if this comes up for a vote I will vote against it and do all I can to make sure the entire Democratic Caucus does as well.

Kennedy: This bill would require us to cut programs for the poor to pay for this so there is no way I will vote for this if it comes up in the Senate.


Summary of President's Goldwater Address to a Joint Session of Congress:





Brinkley: The President today addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time . He started out by talking about Vietnam and pledged to end the war with honor. He also mentioned that he believes the generals on the ground not us in Washington should run day to day operations and has made it clear he will follow through with that policy.

He then moved on to domestic policy and began by talking about tax reform. He talked about how high taxes hurt the economy, stifle innovation and beneift only the special interests. He then talked about how lowering rates would help stimulate the economy both on demand and supply side. He then moved on to regulatory reform where he talked about how he plans to dismantle the current regulatory state and talked over and over again how he wants to take away power from uneelected Buerecrats here in Washington and give it to the people.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The US begins to mine Haiphong Harbor in attempts to blockade the North Vietnamese.


David Brinkley: The President earlier today ordered the US forces to renew the bombing of Hanoi and  Haiphong and to begin to mine the Harbor in Haiphong as well. The reason we are told that the President made this decision is that nearly 85% of tonnages imported to North Vietnam comes through the port of Haiphong, and successfully blockading the harbor would blockade the North Vietnamese as a whole and then potentially end the war


Anti-War Protests are held throughout the nation in response to the President's decision to mine Haiphong Harbor



Huntley: The Decision by the President to mine Haiphong Harbor sparked outrage among anti-war activists and responded to that by taking to the streets to protest. The protests are taking place all over the country, and are now calling Goldwater a Liar and saying the only honorable way to end the war is by ending it now.


US naval forces increase raids against North Vietnamese Coastal Installations:



Brinkley:Today the President ordered the US Navy to increase the number of raids against North Vietnamese Coastal Installations. This operation is being carried out simultaneously with the renewal of the bombing of  Haiphong and the mining of its harbor in an attempt to totally blockade the North Vietnamese Forces.

[OSR stands with Israel]

President Goldwater and Secretary of State Nixon meet with Canadian Prime Minister to discuss a potential trade agreement between the two nations:



Frank McGee: Earlier today , the House and Ways Committee voted to pass the White House's tax reform bill after 6 weeks long of hearings and debate. While there were some markups to the bill they were mostly minor changes so at the moment the President's Tax Plan will stay almost fully intact.

Brinkley: With the numbers , the Conservatives have in the House it is very likely that this bill will pass the house pretty much unchanged. The key question is the Senate because the Democrats have a larger majority in that chamber than they do in the House so whether this bill in its current form passes the Senate is another question.

Huntley: If this bill in the current is voted on the Senate , it likely would fail to pass so I believe that there will be changes made to the bill in that chamber, so the key to whether tax reform succeeds or not will come down to the conference committee.

[OSR stands with Israel]

House Passes Tax Reform Bill



Brinkley: The House today delievered a major win to the President as the so called conservative coalition made up of Republicans and Conservative Democrats were able to pass a Tax Reform Bill. Now there is still a long way to go before the bill becomes law as the hill to pass this bill will be much more steap in the Senate and then if there are differences both houses will have to reconcile the differences in their bills.

President Goldwater's Interview with Walter Cronkite:




Cronkite: Mr.President thanks for giving me the pleaure of interviewing you here in the White House

Goldwater: Pleasure's mine Walter

Cronkite: Lets get straight to it then Mr.President. Your tax proposal passed the house a couple weeks ago and is currently being debated in the Senate Finance Committee. Why do you think it is important for us to pass that bill

Goldwater: Well one problem with our current tax code is that is one it taxes the average American and our buisnesses too much, benefits the special interests and buercracies due to many loopholes.

Cronkite: But how would it help the economy

Goldwater: Well when disposable income goes up, people have more money to spend on the economy, and buisnesses have more moeny to expand their buisnesses and doing both these things would result in new jobs being created. New Jobs being created leads to more revenue for the Goverment not less

Cronkite: Ok we will see what happens to the bill in the coming weeks, now lets go on the another issue Vietnam. Your adminstaration got a lot of controversy for its decision to mine Haiphong Harbor. Why was the decision made and why wouldnt that result in the war being escalated.

Goldwater: Well the reason we decided to mine Haiphong Harbor is that 85% of tonnages imported to North Vietnam comes through the port of Haiphong, and if we can destroy that harbor we would essiently be able to blockade North Vietnam and then end their ability to wage war.

Cronkite: The problem is many Chinese and Russian ships go around that area as well, so if the mines explode at the same time their ships are at Haiphong, could that lead to a potnetial conflict with them.

Goldwater: No because we have made it clear that we have minded the Harbor, and have told all ships to stay away for safety reasons.

Cronkite: How though will this end the war

Goldwater: Once they are blockaded, the North Vietnamese will have no ability to attack and would have no choice but to agree to end the war.

Cronkite: Ok , now for another major issue what has come up and that is the Sumpreme Court. In late June or early July you will get to pick two justices . What criteria will you consider when picking them

Goldwater: Well they have to be highly qualified and can be either by previous experiance as a judge or by being respected legal minds.

Cronkite: As you may know issues such as State Abortion Laws, Rights of Crimnal Defendents , the Death Penealty will likely be decided by the courts over the next few years. Is there any issue that you will consider the most when selecting a pick

Goldwater: Well I do not believe in picking someone based on their stances on political issues, so that is not something I will consider when making my choice. I will look at their overall juducial philosphy , their views on how the constitution should be interperated and how consistent they have been in their ideology.

Cronkite: What do you mean by consistent

Goldwater: By people who stick with their judicial philposphy when forming opinion on different legal matters no matter what their political views may be on the particular issue. One exampe is if a justice says he believes that the 10th amendment has been violated in issues where he agrees politically with the states, but doesnt believes it has been violated in cases where he agrees with the federal goverment than that is not being consistent , thats making ruling based on politics and I will not pick any person who I believe would making rulings based on politics.

Cronkite: Thank You once again

Goldwater: Pleasure is Mine


Breaking News: Associate Justice Abe Fortas resigns due to scandal




Brinkley: We have some breaking news to report to you and that is that Associate Justice Abe Fortas has resigned due to scandal. Justice Fortas had had accepted a $20,000 retainer from Louis Wolfson, a friend and former client  in January 1966 and in return for unspecified advice, it was to pay Fortas $20,000 a year for the rest of Fortas's life . The President responded by saying he is disappointed that a member of the highest court in the land would conduct himself in such a matter and said he would announce a successor as soon as possible.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Goldwater orders all Government Programs that have been created in the past 10 years to be audited.A lawsuit has been filed against the administration to stop the order form being implemented



Brinkley: Earlier today the President signed an executive order that would have each government programs that have been created in the past 10 years to be audited. The President claims this would make it easier for us to find out how to cut wasteful spending. In response to that order, a lawsuit has been filed against the administration to stop the order form being implemented .

Goldwater Appoints DC Court of Appeals Judge Warren Burger and Law Professor Alexander Bickel to fill vacancies on Supreme Court


Chancellor: The President today announced that he would be appointing DC Court of Appeals Judge to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Chief Justice Earl Warren on the Supreme Court. If confirmed Judge Warren Burger would become the next Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

The President also announced that he would be appointing Yale Law Profesor Alexander Bickel to full the vacancy caused by the retirement of Justice Abe Fortas on the Supreme Court. Both nominations are expected to be confirmed but nothing is certain until the hearings take place.

[OSR stands with Israel]

The Senate Passes Modified Version of Tax Reform:



Brinkley: After 2 months of debate, hearings and markups the Senate has passed Tax Reform as well. Unlike the house though which passed a bill almost identical to the President's tax reform bill with the exception it also made it that credit card debt would no longer be deductible, this bill has made some major changes to the original bill. Here are the main differences:

- New Income Tax Rates: 10 brackets which have marginal rates go from a low of 14% to a high of 54%

- New Corporate Taxes Rates: Two Rates of 20% and 40% . 20% tax bracket will be taxed on the first $35,000 of corporate income , and the 40% will apply to income above $35,000

- Does not Require people to list Dependents Social Security Number

- Phases Implementation of Tax Reform over a 5 year period


Huntley: While there are some differences I dont think it is anything the two chambers cant agree on so I think its very likely to be passed into law.

Brinkley: I agree but you never know and another question is  will the final bill be more similar to the House or Similar Bill. If its similar to the house bill it will be a major win for the President if its more similar to the Senate bill it will be just a minor win.


Breaking News: Dozens of Mines at Haiphong Harbor detonate, destroying much of the Harbor and many enemy ships.



Brinkley: We have some Breaking News coming out of Vietnam and that is dozens of mines at Haiphong Harbor have detonated, destroying much of the Harbor and many enemies ships. Due the damage caused by the mines, the Harbor has been closed indefinitely and with potentially many more mines which haven't detonated, it could mean the Harbor will have to remain closed for the rest of the war.

NBC Correspondent: Yes and since many of the North Vietnamese imports come from that Harbor, having to close that will have a huge impact on their war effort. The US is hoping that closure of this Harbor will effectively blockade the North Vietnamese and force them to sue for peace.


President Goldwater's Approval 6 months in:


Goldwater's Approval:

Approve: 54%
Disapprove: 37%


House Genetic Ballot:

Democrats: 44%
Republicans: 43%

Brinkley: So far the polls are positive for the President, but once concerning thing for the President is that as his Presidency has gone on most of the people who were previously undecided have gone into the disapprove camp showing signs of potentially the President becoming a very polarizing figure during his tenure as President.


Conference Committee Agrees on Tax Reform Bill and proposed Bill Passes Both Houses of Congress:



Summary of Bill:

- New Income Tax Rates: 7 brackets which have marginal rates go from a low of 12% to a high of 48%

- New Corporate Taxes Rates: Two Rates of 17.5% and 35% . 17.5% tax bracket will be taxed on the first $45,000 of corporate income, and the 35% will apply to income above $45,000

- Creates an Alternative Minimum Tax of 10%

- Doubles Standard Deduction

- Removes Many types of Depreciation Deductions

- Requires people to list Dependents Social Security Number

- Removes Investment Tax Credit

- Interest on Credit Card Debt will no longer be deductible

- Removal of many tax shelters

- Phases Implementation of Reform over a 3 year period


Brinkley: The President got his first legislative victory of his Presidency with the passage of Tax Reform, as all 3 of his goals of tax reform were passed: Get Top Marginal Rate to be cut to under 50%, Get the amount of tax brackets to be reduced to single digits and getting rid of many deductions.

Huntley: The Official Vote Count if anyone wants to know was 260 Ayes to 175 Nays in the House and 59 Ayes to 41 Nays in the Senate.