The original documents are located in Box 15, folder “Nessen - Clippings: Light, Incidental Mention of Nessen in Stories” of the Ron Nessen Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Ron Nessen donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Digitized from Box 15 of the Ron Nessen Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library 6LCU1U W WIC ~ug CC5 IL UIU.
MAYBE 'mEY DIDN'T SAY IT JER DEN ••• What, Earwigs, is happening to Prestige of the Press? For simply years, the Gridiron Club, to which the Mightiest Presspersons of All belonged, was the ne plus ultra of the Big Time. Women panted to join. The Mighty of the Land vied to speak there. Saturday night, for the big winter dinner, Bob Dole, Jim Baker, Ron Nessen, Andrew Young, Jack Watson and HBmilton Jordan were scheduled speak ers. Earwigs: Jor~. Jimmy Carter's absolute right hand, not only didn't show: He didn't even call to say why not. Is this the end of the Media Establishment as we · know it? Stay tuned, for heaven's sake. PLEASE RON, EVERYBODY'S his childhood sweetheart Juliana, the for STARING! ••• Even the tired sodden mer Hungarian electronics worker. He's seekers of the truth from the Other Paper / .. ·, 33, she's 38. Inches that is, but that kind were astounded. There they were, having of difference never bothered Jackie and their usual little pint after work at their The Ari. Anyway, Ear's got the scQOp on the usual spot, the Class Reunion, when they Ear wedding. April. New York. Probably in spotted Ron Nessen literally tete a tete Grace Church, where the short but and pied a pied with an unidentified lady. mighty Tom Thumb married little Lavin Ear is disillusioned. ia Warren nearly a hundred years ago, AND HERE THEY ARE - EDIBLE also under the auspices of Ringling PET ROCKS! •.. General Foods is test CHEER UP, TRUMAN .•. Truman speaking to him are hailing him with the Brothers, Barnum and Bailey. A thou· ing the weirdest thing in their kitchens Capote is so gloomy and low after being words "A star is born! A star is born!" It sand or so glitteries will be in attend right now. It's hard candy with carbon snubbed by the beautiful people that he's all sounds too lowlife to be true, but there ance, some of them actually in s~::quins. dioxide inside. Crack it with your teeth going around the Big Apple in bright red you have 'it. Then, Earwigs, if you can bear this, the and it pops noisily while dissolving, Vou boots and a beige cable knit sweater, Ear BIG NEWS ON THAT LITTLE WED entire weddin!J will be re-enacted at may not think this is hot stuff, but it's all hears. Or maybe it's just part of his new DING ••• You've all heard, of course, every subsequent circus performance of over the Wall Street Journal. Now every acting career. (He just finished "Murder that Michu, the smallest man iil the the season! Ear's hunting for a teeny tiny one will know who just cnt~t smoking. By Death.") ~people who are still world. is fillflly going to tie the knot with wok.{ , . ,;... ' ..-4 Big Tennis Racket Is a Tyro's Hope For ... 15'-Love at First Smite
By Michael Putney run reached sporting-goods stores and pro FROM PRINCETON, N.J. shops last January. But McCllntlck says that most of those rackets were sold, and "THE RACKET," the U.S. Tennis As the stores are clamoring for more. "Our sociation's glossary of technical sales are abOut 42 to 45 per cent ahead of terms explains dryly, "is the lm our wildest projections," McClintick re· plement used to strike the ball." That's all. There's not a word abOut the proper slze, ports, "and the acceptance has been gOOd all over-in the States, canada, and Eu shape, or weight of the tennls racket, al rope." though the USTA rules define down to the inch the slze of the court and down to the Undoubtedly some measure Of the rack· thousandth of an inch the slze Of the ball. et's sudden success can be traced to ten nis' trendy status. The USTA estlmates that The Prince racket may change an that some 7 mUllen Americans took up the -and the way that thOusands of Americans game last year, bringing to 40 mllllon the play tennis. The Prince, produced here bY number who pray "from time to time." Prince Manufacturing, Inc., has a head Withln that number, the USTA says, there's only slightly smaller than Jimmy Connors'. a hard-core group Of 23 mlllion who play at Its hlttlng area ls half again as. large as a least three times a week. Many of them are conventional racket, and the "sweet spot" wllllng, even eager, to spend $75 to $80 is almost tour tim~s as large. That makes (the cost of a strung Prince> if it'll give the Prince the 747 of rackets, the magnum their game a ntt: Or lf the Prince slmply to everyone else's flfth, a Brobdingnagian becomes this season's "in" racket. blessing for players With Lllllputian talents. That huge head has also ma<;le the Prince Carl Anderson, chairman of the USTA's the hottest thing to hit tennls since the yel equipment · committee, observes: "Last low ball. year it was composltlon [rackets], two Despite the Prince's $65 price for the years ago it was aluminum, before that it was steel. A lot of those metal rackets are frame alone, it's selllng faster than tickets in closets tOday, but that won't prevent the to a Connors-Arthur Ashe grudge match. Prince from being popular thls year." "It's sweeping the country at a rate we would not have expected," exults Howard The racket is already a hit in status· Head, the designer ot metal skls and ten conscious and tennls-crazy washington, nls rackets who also designed the Prince. D.C., although no more than three dozen "It's very exciting." Prlnce President Bob rackets have been sold there. Presidential McClintick won't reveal hOw many rackets Press Secretary Ron Nessen has been seen have been sold since the first production Please Turn to Page 10, Column -+ i. Prince Racket Lets Tyros Hope . I=' It11 Be 15-Love at First Smite Continued From Page One join-<>! a conventional racket. TO·make I1 tend you can play well with a board • wielding one on the White House tenn1a that sweet spot part of the usable hit if you've got a good stroke. I once 1 court (although he recently went back ting area, for all players, he simply en· saw Bobby Riggs beat a guy with a i to his old raclr.et), and syndicated col- larged the racket head, using a high· broom." . umnlst Art Buchwald raves about his. strength, lightweight aluminum frame. "It's fantastic," says Buchwald. "It's Head made another important dis· 'The Finest,' Says Budge really helped the net game. Fortunate covery when he devised the stringing · Neither Riggs nor any other name ly, my tennis Is so bad that no one has pattern for the Prince. One reason that player has yet endorsed the Prince, al· really raised toQ much hell with me for tennis balls feel and act dead when thOugh McClintick says he is now nego using·it." they're hit on the outside strings is tiating with four world-class players Beyond fashion, a larger measure ·because those strings are spaced as for the honor. And he proudly displays 1 or the Prince's success can be traced evenly as the center strings. But the a letter from the legendary Don Budge to the fact that It closely matches ball responds fairly uniformly if the lauding the ·Prince as "the finest racket Its advertising claims. The racket does outside strings are farther apart and I have ever played with." have a significantly larger hitting area, the inside strings are closer together. a bigger sweet spot, and-strung fairly In fact, the closer the strings in the For at least one high-ranking USTA tight-shows mark.ed resistance to center, the higher the "coefficient of official, however, the Prince ls a royal twisting In the hand, even when the ball restitution." That means you can hit pain. "The only person who is going Is hit way off the racket's center. Most the ball a ltttle faster with an on to benefit from that racket is an ex Important, the Prince feels like a tennis center hit with the Prince than with a perienced· player, an accurate player racket. It's no longer than a conven regular racket. who already hits the ball down low on the racket face," the official grumbles. tional racket, weighs no more, is beau- Wbo Will Beneftt? ' tifully balanced, and doesn't offer more "Logic tells me that it helps the per· wind resistance than any other racket. Is bigger better? Your correspond son who doesn't need help." And th ent, a serious tournament player as a official predicts that if the P.l'IJ.w~.r~; "Tbe three constants in designing boy and now a dedicated hacker, would the racket," explains McClintick, "were spurs a fiood of imitators, thaD~~~~~ cau~ously answer yes, with a few ca UBTA may well consider writlii · a length, balance, and weight. Howard veats. I used a Prince for a two·set more precise and limited -deflrutlon -~~ no [Head] found that if he changed any 3 0 workout with Bob McClintick and found What COnstitutes a tennJl r~et1 • ' one of them he made something, but it that it had a hyperbolic effect on my wasn't a tennis racket." Until or unless taat new -definition game. That is, it tended to intensify is written, perh!IJJI t))e palf'llpposition To Build a Better Racket my strengths and fuzz my weaknesses. to the Prince may come from main Head, who is now board chairman My ground strokes, the strongest line tennis enclaves where using such of Prince Manufacturing, got involved part of my game, had extra pace-so an ~ racquet would be bad with the company in 1971 when he much so that I had to remind myself form. "There could be some stink bought one of its tennis-ball throw not to overhit just for the delicious about it at some of the exclusive, snooty ing machines for }lis private home court crunch of smacking the ball with the clubs," says Art Buchwald. "Clubs may in Baltimore. Head had recently sold Prince. My serve, which on occasion . outlaw them rather than any tennis the company that still bears his name has reduced me to tears and my oppon association." to AMF, Inc., for $16 million and had ents to giggles, actually has some kick plenty of time to practice. But he found to it. But my mediocre net game prol) Okay at Forest Hills several design flaWs with the Prince ably benefited most from Ute racket, Not the West Side Tennis Club in ball machine and suggested changes to bolstering my confidenet! enough to Forest Hills, N.Y., the hallowed site company officials. Impressed, they hit some outright winners that might of the United States Open and a club asked him if he'd like to consult. Soon have been wood shots with my regular where white is stU! de rtgueur. Club of atter, be set out to build a better ten· racket. ficials say they don't care if members nis racket. Still, I hit most of my balls in the show up with a prince or a Prince. As he worked out the design for the center of the racket, and the Prince And at the tradition-laden Newport Princt!, Head discovered a curious is really designed to help players who Casino in Newport, R.I., pro Joe Lean· thing. The sweet spot-the precise don't. Vic Braden, one of the most dra pooh-poohs the notion that using point of contact on the racket face knowledgeable and respected teaching the Prince is bad torm. where all the force of a swing goes into pros in tennis, believes that the Prince "I haven't "heard any comments the ball without Jarring the arm-was will most help the rank amateur and like that," says Leandra. "No more ccnsiderably farther from the center the ranking intermediate who knows the so than abOut Jimmy Van Alen's scor than anyone had ever suspected. That game but occasionally hits oft-cente_!. ing system. No more so than during "point of percussion,". Head found, "I don't think it will ever benefit the transition from wood to metal was actually somewhert! near the throat anyone who has a lousy stroke who hits [rJcketsJ. As far as I'm concerned, it's -where the racket head and handle on- or off-center," says Braden. "I con- just a matter of progreq;,. Watchword for an Untimely Gift
By Maxine Cheshire heads of state. Bonker promptly sent wald used one of those new over-size the watch back to Ohm. racquets that look like giant lollipops. Rep. Don L. Bonker (D-Wash.) had He still got beaten . . . When U.S. Am· an unexpected visit in his office re Potpourri bassador to India William Saxbe left cently from Korean National Assembly to take that post, farewell parties in official Young-Dal Ohm. Presidential press secretary Ron his honor set some sort of record here. Ne&aen, previously a three-pack-a-day Bonker says Ohm insisted on pres Heading home on leave he wasn't even man, was one of four White House out of New Delhi before invitations to enting him with a small, gift-wrapped staffers to graduate this week from package. Bonker says he declined, but parties in his honor started arriving. Ohm persisted, assuring him: "You can Saxbe returns amidst rumors at the take this under your foreign gift laws. State Department that he will not be It is worth less than $50." VIP going back ... The Korean, a total stranger until Smokenders. The others were his sec- Kennedys never forget a friend (or that visit, dropped the beribboned box retary, Jan Barbieri, who was almost an enemy). So Ethel Kennedy turned on Banker's desk, as the congressman up to three packs a day herself, as- Hickory Hill over to Rep. William J. hurried off to answer a floor call. sistant press secretary Margita White, Green, Democratic ca~didate for the When Bonker returned, he discov- and Ann Grier, assistant to presiden· Senate in Pennsylvarua, for a fund· ered the package contained a $2,000 tial 'I'V adviser Robert A. Mead ... raiser this week, even though she gold Pulsar digital watch, a premier Playing tennis with Defense Secretary couldn't be there. Green helped carry status symbol . with celebrities and 1 Donald Rumsfeld, columnist Art Buch- See VIP1 C6, C9l. ~ $'tA.4L., P~.- . ~ ..LS I J The\\UshingtonSior Portfolio • Amusements SECTION B THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1976
TV TONIGHT Ignore Ratings On Cop Show By Bernie Harrison Washinaton Star Staff Writer Robert Stack starred in another cop show pilot for producer Quinn Martin recently. despite the consensus that c~p shows. ttave had it•. explaining he paid more . attentaon to scrapt and experaenced associates than he did to trend analysts. and he could be right. It's virtu· ally impossible to make sense of some ratings. For e~a~ple. David Janssen's "Harry 0" (WMAL-7 at 10) fmashed very low (49th) in the Nielsens last w~k a~d:yes, it's in reruns, but so is "Barney Miller," whach fmashed just out of the top ten, and so is "Stark· sy ~.n~ Hutch," which finished No. 1, topping the finale of Rach Man, Poor Man." Week in, week out, the Janssen entry maintains a fairly high level for such shows and tonight's encore, which finds "Harry·O" on the carpet, neatly framed for murder, is a good .puz· zler. Watch for the scene in which Harry faces his nemesis in utter bewilderment. · Meanwhile, "Kojak," also in reruns, dropped to 54th place, "Joe Forrester" was 57th, "Superstar" (which as still offering fresh episodes) was 66th, and "Bronk" was 68th. It's easy to explain away "Barney Miller" (wMAL· 7 at 8: 30) as simply the ·best-written, best-cast cop ~ho'! on. the tube, a series still young enough to be an ansparataon to the actors and writers. Remember the scene recently when Harris, who fell into a sewer making an arrest, was filling out a claim sheet for his ruined clothes - all very expensive .:..... and "Barney" said he probably wouldn't get it, that he ought to "dress down for the job." Harris re!ij)Onded: ''I tried. I couldn't get out of t.he house." The humor is insightful; Coiffure Competition: A Head-to-Head Set-To the ~hara~ters behevable and sympathetic, even the sands of· people - almost uniformly well· old-tamey mspector. · By Charlie McCollum Hair Stylists Make ·w!av~s in Tress. Ol~J)ics; dressed and well-coiffed - walked . Watch the show tonight which - without overdoing Special to The Washington Star through the exhibits or watched the com· at- relates to New York's finan<;ial bind. Wojo, Chano NEW YORK - It certainly was good petitions remaining. Outside, scalpers and Harris are the three earmarked for unemploy for a laugh. Locked in Combat for the Kindest Cut of All were getting $.25 for a $15 ticket for the ment before a last minute reprieve saves their jobs. "What are you doing in New York?" gala awards festivities. Bob Dishy's desperate ex-stockbroker is a gem. people asked. · It is a big event, this hairy extravagan· The Fresh Episode .''Covering the World Hairstyling za; the bienniel Olympics for haircutters. Championship," l replied. Stylists practice diligently to compete. Mac Davis has The one, sharing the screen with Gales of Laughter. FOR THE AMERICANS, this year's he.a~line guests, Bob Hope and Redd Poxx. plus Anson Dennis Bergman, press spokesman for Walh~ms, better known to "Happy Days" viewers as championship was especially important the championship, takes a very dim view because it was the first occasion · on Potsae (WRC-4 at 8). It's the only series effort on the of this sort of frivolity. "Oh God, this is an three major networks that isn't an encore. which it had been held in the United important business," he says with some States. The Confederation Intemationale The Movies heat. de Ia Coiffure (CIC) has put on the event A dapper, fast-talking man, Bergman for decades, but not until 1960 did Ameri The stars of "Two People" (WRC-4 at 9) Peter quickly rattles off some facts to support Fonda and Undsay Wagner, can't make much out of ca even field a team. As in the Winter his contention. "In this country alone Olympics, this country has never done the script for· this Universal Pictures effort. Fonda there are 500,000 hairdressers" he re- plays a Vietnam war deserter in Marrakech where he well in the competition, winning a medal counts. "There are a~:ound 250 000' sepa- meets a fashion model (Lindsay) and edi~r (Estelle here and there but never plac;:ing better rate salons, which means most are one than fourth in the 28-nation affair. And it Parsons). and continue on chummily to Casa· and tWo-hairdresser ..... ~~~~-~~ YDa II CIO IIIUC!ft rAmer 'WdJP!il!lf ·~ Mtii i
himself back at the main entrance as Ford rode up the elevator_ When the president reached his floor, he spotted a balcony that faced the inner court and darted to the rail to wave to the milling crowd below, which caused the Hennepin County sheriff's deputies stationed on all the other balconies to snap to with their rifles, just in case. THE PRESIDENT was tucked into bed for the night, without thought of a dip in Morris Levy's pool, as Levy had so hoped, and the White House advance men, on the okay of their leader, "Pappy," went recession president, he had thought. The delegate from Furniture downstairs for a drink with the press. THE PRESIDENT gobbled down City Po&t No. 258 "worked the crowd" several times Eric Rosenberger settled down to pineapple chunks mixed with during his pre&idential visit to a beer on a pair of United Press raspberries and blueberries while his the Twin Cities Last week, International photographers, while economic advisor, Alan Greenspan, much to the horror of the Pappy and the others lined the bar made most of the secret remarks to Secret Seroice. stools for a drink on the U.S. the media moguls. Then Ford was Treasuty. whisked into the nearby Le Cafe to Rosenberger was reminded that say hello to a group of Republicans he was supposed to report his who might part with lots of money location to the Secret Service soon, and then the president was l..EFT: Bill "the Boomer" command post in a sixth-floor room escorted to his waiting limousine Brown (in brush cut) received - not far from suite number 605. He where good old Hubert Humpt)rey &pecial greeting& from Presitknt Ford and a special removed tiny transitor mike from was waiting. invitation to enter Republican beneath his necktie and whispered: Gerald Ford whipped through the politics. Brown was "Hello ... I'm in 'LeBar' on the White House news digest in the back noncommital, but State Sen. George Pillsbury ofOrono, main floor." seat of his limousine as it roared up the man with the ioothy smile "What?" the other end asked. · Hwy. 100 to Hwy. 12, then down to the president's Left, " 'LeBar,' "Rosenberger 13th Street to the Minneapolis approved heartily. BELOII': Gerald Ford met the press answered. "That's the name of this Convention Center auditorium, and briefly during his tour of .bar/' just before he encountered the crowd 494 Land Last weelc, and he's "What'l" the other end repeated. downtown ·he read the latest • seen with .his press secretary Ron Nessen. " 'LeBar_' I'm not kidding. And I installment of Doonesbury! which haven't even had one beer." had to do with the Geraldo Rivera MEANWHILE, Hubert Humphrey special on New York's fiscal mess. was "working the crowd" as it · A scruffy band of 50 people were Dakota coed Christie Vail, entered meandered out the Sofitel, being walking around in a circle outside the for the speech and sat with a group especially solicitous of the Ford auditorium, singing: "We'll all be of White House aides and Alan partisans who were too slovu to eaten happy and-do jest "' 1e;'Wt1en tlte a handshake from the president as president's on the unemployment he swept by on his way to nndillier's line."· snack tray and a night's rest. You could just barely make out When the tourists had finally left, the words to the song because Sen. Humphrey found the makeshift between the demonstrators (from the press room and wandered in to say, Workers Rights Center and the "Hi, boys! This is my territory!" Committee Against Racism) and the Humphrey attracted a handful of defused U.S. Air Force Minuteman correspondents - including J5~mes Missile on display was a nigh school Naughton of the New York Times, band blaring away on "America the - ...... ~iV. the family dog. Ford Saul Friedman of the Detroit Free Beautiful." encountered Mr. and Mrs. Robert Press and Sanford Ungar of Atlantic THE PRESIDENT'S LIMOUSIN Lund, of nearby Hopkins, Minn., Monthly - to a session of espresso · rolled up, he got out and flashe owners of the dog, whose name is and remarkably candid conversation toothy grin, worked the crowd 'Bang,' formal name 'Honors Let 'em in the hotel coffee shop. bit and disappeared inside t Have It,· most obviously a fine stud. While Gerald Ford slept, Hubert auditorium. "Ford shook hands with the dog, Humphrey campaigned hard with the The pr and said that he was 'proud' of panel of influential journalists by speech thr Uberty and happy to have her. While demurring on the question of his own America L this was going on, a band was candidacy and telling jokes. delega playing Sous marches in a Humphrey politely dismissed his specia y- temporary shell in front of the audience at 1 :20 a.m., when the dignitari otel whil ecret Service agents reporters were thoroughly charmed, at the per loca ied ~so f ear-shot of the yet not too sleepy. general public a llowed to tion be een .~he president * * * limited sea · area on the gree ... Jean-Claude Tindillier was at it in of th SIDE' HE MARRIOTT, Ford the wee hours of Tuesday morning. A ked tO Republican fund-raisers He put the finishing touches on his of a hile White House advance man two _pastry centerpieces - one in the tr witho t Bruce Decker made sure the shape of an American Bald eagle s aals and 1 ,Wook-up to the White House phone and the other a scale model of the b lding wit system back at the Sofitel was in Eifel Tower - and he checked the credenti order. Decker told resident manager kitchen schedule to note that Gerald ay Dick Feller how disappointed he was Ford would like tea before he came lately with the White House press down to an off-the-record breakfast corps because its members hadn't with Midwest media moguls in the noticed the sign he arranged for a Nice Room. Romanian villager to hold up during The tea went up at 8 a.m. sharp, the president's re_cent tour of Europe. along with a fruit-laden brioche which The sign read, in Romanian, the president liked so much he asked rium "Re-elect Ford." for three more to take home to Betty. peak a Ford told the cheering Gerald Ford came downstairs to couple protest a ef Republicans: "Our constituency is breakfast without fanfare and found Service agen rush the people who do the nation's work, that, despite his objections, souvenir corner_ pay the nation's bills and preserve menus of his presidential breakfast "Leave them alone!" the agent the nation's laws," which a reporter had been printed and were being shouted. "Let them in! That's the stuffed into suitcoat pockets by the president's son. Jack, you jerk!" FORD SLEPT HERE media moguls. Much too fancy tor a Jack and his Qirlfriend, South Continued next page ~~------~ ------Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1975 - SUN - Page 7 WASHINGTON STAR JUNE 11, 1975
It was the o~
oi4llt for 'NashviJI~'
l. touted
the counmr music scene, and lots of Wttshington officialdo1n were on hand
White House press secretarY RoD Nessea and friends all wafted with hands in pockets.
PlesJIIent Ford's son Jolm, tall and blonde, stood above tbe crowd, but Sllrlent SlJriver, below, seemed very bappy to be immersed in it. U!b~ \uas ington post JlJLY 6, 1975
A Fitting Bicentennial Symbol: George Washington's 200-Year-Oid Tree by Fred Blumenthal
cover photo: Horticulturist Robert Fisher in Front of Washington's Tree at Historic Mount Vernon WAlTER SCOTT'S Personallv Parade Want the facts? Want to learn the truth about prominent personalities? Want informed opinion? Write Walter Scott, Parade, 733 3rd Ave., New York,. N.Y. 10017. Your full name will be used unless otherwise requested. Volume of mail received makes personal replies impossible.
Q. Does Gerald ford speak any foreign language? have antagonized the world and would have had to Helen Thornton, Philadelphia. support a client state indefinitely. Moreover, it is A. He does not highly doubtful that the American people would have permitted its military to use nuclear bombs in Q. When Maurice Stans, Nixon's chief money-raiser a war unvoted by the Congress. and former Commerce Secretary, pled guilty in court, he announced that the conviction merely proved his · Q. Is it true that Jeanne Eagles, the actress who innocence. What sort of man is he anywayi-G.F., ·starred in "Rain," used to charge $3000 a night for a Wilmington, Del. romp in .the hay?-G.L., Hartford, Conn. , A. If one were to buy a used car from Mr. Stans, one A. Jeanne Eagles (1890-1929), portfayed on the might want to think about it more than once before screen in 1957 by Kim Novak, once charged an actor. finalizing the deal.. Glenn Hunter, $3000 for spending the night with her; but she was no prostitute. She explained that Now that she is in her sixties it is hard to tell, but she was merely punishing Hunter for his expansive Q. JOHNNY MILLER JAY NORTH AS ''DENNIS" I wonder if Katharine Hepburn was ever a real ego. John Wharton describes the incident in his re beauty?--.:selena Henderson, Raleigh, N.C. Q. Is Johnny Miller the golfer the former Jay North cent book, "Life Among the Playwrights.'' A. In her youth Katharine Hepburn was a tall, thin of the "Dennis the Menace" TV series? If not, what stalk of exquisite loveliness, one of the most beau happened to Jay North?-Barbara Reilly, Vineland, tiful actresses of stage and screen. N.J. A. Johnny Miller is not Jay North grown up. Jay North acts in los Angeles theaters when he can ob tain work. He also coaches an amateur ice hockey team in los Angeles.
Q. Can Gerald ford count on the political support of Ronald Reagan and John Connally, two Demo crats whq converted to conset-Vauve Republicanism? -F.l.., Santa Ana, Cal. A. Not at this time; both Reagan and Connally would like the Republican Presidential nomination if they can get it. And Reagan is trying mightily:
Q. Why was Lucille Ball so uptight at the Emmy Awards? Why didn't she let her co-presen Groucho Marx say anything?-/. Middleton, Q. It is my understanding that Ron Nessen, the Angeles. White House press secretary, is not permitted to an A. lucille Ball's nervousness at the Emmy swer any foreign policy questions without fi~t phon was provoked by a crank caller who •.,,.,.-K.,.~ ing Henry Kissinger. What's the truth?-Gale Evans, midway through the Emmys. The u Los Angeles. male caller told lucy that her son, Desi ., had been A. Nessen is allowed to hedge on such questions. It KATHARINE HEPBURN IN HER EARLY DAYS seriously injured in an auto accident d was at the is Kissinger, the omnipote11t, who insists upon re UCLA emergency hospital. Lucy maining the behind-the-scenes figure in every im Q. Was the name Brokaw the maiden name of only moments before learning that portant foreign policy announcement. Nessen is Clare Boothe "Luce or the name of her first husband? prank; Desi Jr. was safe at home. given far more latitude. by Ford to answer questions Is Tom Brokaw of NBC News related in any way? on domestic policy (which he frequently does in -Mrs. Calvin Duncan, San Diego, Calif. Q. Could America have won the detail) than Kissinger allows him on foreign affairs A. Clare Boothe luce was married to George Tuttle If so, why didn't we?-Mark Miller, queries. As a result when a newsman asks Nessen a Brokaw, New York clothing manufacturer, in 1923 A. If we had wanted to blast Hanoi question on foreign affairs, Nessen is neither candid when she was 20. The marriage ended in divorce· in shima, if we had wanted to destroy nor forthcoming. The White House press corps rea 1929. Tom Brokaw of NBC News is not related to dikes and drown most of the North lizes that Kissinger severely hampers Nessen and Mrs. luce in any way. could easily have won. But then wh understands the press secretary's predicament.
chairman of the board, ARTHUR H. MOTLEY president, JAMES McALLISTER editor, JEsS publisher. WARREN J. REYNOLDS editor at large, LLOYD SHEARER senior editors, HERBERT KUPFERBERG, DAVID PALEY art director, ANTHONY LA ROTONDA associate editors, JONATHAN BRAUN, MARY ANN CAVUN, LINDA GUTSTEIN, NOR HUMPHREYS, PAM PROCTOR, JOHN G. ROGERS, ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN, ROBERT WALTERS assistant art director, ROIEIT L PETERSON art associates, CANDia CULBERT, AL TROIANI assistant to the editor, MARION LONG editorial assistants, DORIS SCHORTMAN, BEBE WILLOUGHBY home economics, DEMETRIA TAYLOR tashion, VIRGINIA POPE cartoon editor, LAWRENa LARIAR washington, bureau chief, JACK ANDERSON; FRED BLUMENTHAL, OPAL GINN west coast bureau, CHARLES P£TERSON europe, CONNECTICUT WALKER australia, PATRICIA ANGLY 1975, Parade Publications, Inc., 733 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017. All rights reserved under International and Pan American JULY 6,1975 © Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in.whole or in part of any utide without permission is prohibited. PARAD~; Marca Res. Please address editorial contributions to: Articles, Parade, 733 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017. Although reasonable care will be taken, Parade is not responsible for unsolicited material. THE WASBINGTOW POST I · Thur&dl.iy,]une 26,1975 •• • R G3·
Politics, lmost as Usual' By Jeannette Smytk mented Nessen with a laugh. Aiejatldro Orfila had a '"1 remember a meeting at the White House the other dinner ·party last 'Right, his day where somebody brought last as Argenti\liln ambas up an issue that was totally S'lidor, but intri~ of the iiTelevant. B e f o r e, Ford Washington kind proceeded would have sat there, grfn. as usual1 conv~ationa be ning and bearing it, but this hind big peov bouflu~: time he said, 'Look, I'm Is . Je!J"l Ford unbeatable? meeting (Israeli Prime Mini· What about Wallace? WU! ster) Rabin in half an hour the Democrats have a candi• and I need the time to date? study.' He's in command Senate. Majority Leader now." Mike Mansfield (D.Mont.) "I wish," said Mrs. Averell sat on a silken loveseat in HaiTiman to Ml"$. Birch the corner, talking to no White H•use Press Secretary Ron Nessen with NBC anchorwo.....,. Btmhara Bayh, "that you'd get him Walters at the party in honor of W tilter qroknite. one. Minorlly Leader Hugh (Sen. Bayh) to ruh for P\'ellli· Scott (R·Pa.) was sayfog, dent." . "Statesmanship is easy on "I wish " said Marvella Americans recqgnize Cron ed those days as "very dark, ·at the neighbiuiliir HUtop,. the head but hard on the Bay'h, "you;d tell him that kite than your •verage pre· very hungry and very cold" "He says he wid consider it feet. My feet are killing But it's realty getting to be idential primrut candidate; in 'an after-dinner toast, add an act of aggr-ou If I do,'' me." ridiculous. 'What are there, one measure of his influence said Kissingerf Democratic National Com· 16 candidates already?" ing h~ would tell the "true is the fact that Secretary story" when he and Orfila S
Announces with Pleasure That The First Annual
FATHE JOHN McLAUGHL N M MO ) L AWARD
FOR GENERAL EXCELLENCE IN HERMENEUT CAL HOMILETI CS AND EXEG T I ~J \PO ( l ETIC
1c: CONFERRED UPON
BROTHER RON NESSEN
PRESS SECRETARY OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CITATION
On the fourth day of October In the Yt1!11 of Our Lord One. thousand Nme hun dred and seventy fow, at the White House durmg the dally press brief1ng for the ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth Estate Brother Nessen was asked by one L. Kinsolving whether President Gerald Ford who has asked the American people to fight mflation by economizing, bel1eves that sa1d people are not concerned about the Ford administration's present spendmg of more than $9 000 per day on Mr Richard M. N1xon as well as the continuing employment of high-salaned N1xon staffers like Mr. Ken 'Clawson, whose duties. 1f any are unknown to the publ1c £Jrother Nessen replied to this quest1on by announcmg "I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU, LES IT'S FROM EPHESIANS. CHAPTER 4 VEnSES 31 AND 32 'lEI ALL BITTERNESS A.ND WRATH AND ANGER AND CLAMOUR AND EVIL SPEAKING BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU. WITH ALL MALICE. 'AND BE YE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. TENDERHEARTED. FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER. EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE HATH ALSO FORGIVEN YOU."' Said quotations from Holy Writ succeeded in leaving said Kinsolving speechless. a somewhat unparalleled feat Awarded this seventh day of October 111 the Year of Our Lord One thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy Four with the commendation to Brother Nessen's devotional attent1on of ADDITIONAL PASSAGES from th1s very same chapter of the Epistle to The Ephesians: • Verse 29 "LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUfH. BUf lHAT WHICH IS GOOD TO THE USE OF EDIFYING THAT IT MAY MINISfER GRACE UNTO THE HEARERS.' *Verse 28· "LET HIM THAT STOLE STEAL NO MORE: BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, WORKING WITH HIS HANDS THE THING WHICH IS GOOD • "WHEREFORE PUTTING AWAY LYING. SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH NEIGHBOR ... " * Verse 14: "THAT WE HENCEFORTH BE NO MORE CHILDREN TOSSED TO AND FRO, AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE. BY THE SLEIGHT OF MEN AND CUNNING CRAFTINESS, WHEREBY THEY LIE IN WAlT 10 DECEIVE" AMEN, RON, AMEN • Any resemblance of the ..above Scripture to persons previously connected with the Executive Branch .of the United St tes Government IS purely /~ Editorials ' .
The flounderers Washington office in advance of the Chicago meeting to in The FCC is still thrashing around in search of agreement quire whether the network's Chicago 0&0, WMAQ-TV, on repeal, retention or revision of the prime-time access would prepare announcements inviting the public to attend. rule. At last report thete was talk of some kind of compro It just happened that Chairman Richard E. Wiley was to be mise that would retain restrictions on the number of even in Chicago and could drop by the studios to make tapes. ing hours to be occupied by network or off-network pro Why, yes, sir, it would be a pleasure, the FCC official was graming but would ~ant exceptions fot programing that advised. At last count 13 television and 13 radio stations the FCC wants to cultivate. got Wiley tapes that WMAQ-TV distributed at cost. The whole prime-time exercise has been an extended il Mind you, it has all been very informal - no threats to lustration of bureaucratic meddling at its worst. Not from WSB-TV Atlanta, which did the first promotional spots, or the outset has the FCC known what it was doing. The ori to WMAQ-TV; no pressure put on other ·stations to broad girlal rule, which was intended to wrestle the television net cast Mr. Wiley's solicitation. Nothing more than a good works into submission, is now vigorously supported by ABC turn done for a worthy cause. and NBC and only tokenly opposed by CBS. The FCC Oails Baloney. There is something cozy about an arrangement about with whip and chair, but the lions happily disport that puts broadcasting facilities and time at the disposal of outAde the cages. an FCC that is out soliciting criticism of broadcasting. Meanwhile, program producers are kept in confusion by Broadcasters could lay larger claim to their souls if they re the gyrations of an FCC that reconsiders and revises the jected the next booking. rule and now, at court remand, reconsiders once again. Television program development is uncertain enough with- Lesson learned -. out Washington's erratic messing with the market. Last week the White House announced that President Ford As we have said before, the FCC should never have gone would make an appearance on Nov. 14 at Phoenix before into this escapade in the first place, but it may be in too the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi. far now to get out all the way without causing even more That appearance, at 6 p.m; mountain time,. will be in the damage. It should, however, get out of scheduling as far as nature of a question-and-answer session. possible and out of content altogether. Press Secretary Ron Nessen said the meeting "will be If there is to be a limit on the evening time that net- available for live televiSion coverage." And we say, "bravo." work and off-network programing may fill, let the limit ap- That observation is a far cry from what was variously in ply cqual~y to a~l stations and programs.. When the FCC bt: terpreted as a request for all-network r.overage of President gan grantmg watvers for some programs and denying them Ford's speech Oct. 15 before the Future Farmers of Ameri ca in Kansas City, Mo. (Broadcasting, Oct. 21). 1 for others, it embarked on censorshiJ\in precisely the form that is prohibited by the Constitution· and the law. The And while dealing with White House press relations, we talk now_ of issuing permanent waivers leads t!)ward tighter applaud the decision to retain Gerald Warren as deputy censorship. Who are the members of the FCC to say, as press secretary, albeit with a new asslgD.Dlenf. Mr. Warren, they did earlier this year, that Animal World is worthy of w~o had worked under Herbert Klein as assistant managing prime-time exposure but Hogan's Heroes is not? edttor of the San Diego Union, now takes -over the part of It's time for tile FCC to conclude t}lis case as rapidly the erstwhile Klein responsibilities of maintaining liaison and simply as possible and get on with business it is both with broadcasters and editors, rather than as resident White authorized and competent to conduct. House spokesman, which was his assignment in the latier days of the Nixon administration. . ~ Public servants No one we know is shedding tear$· about the resignation An R. J. Reynoldsreport to stockholders for the third - long sought :.... of the director of communications for the quarter of 1974 contains information that we hope will executive branch, K~nneth Clawson, who, without the: title, come to the atteqtion of all. of those high-minded 1egisla is being replaced by Mr. Warren. t6rs who outlawed cigarette advertising on the air for the stated purpose of reducing smoking and keeping cigarette -advertising from influencing the young. On one page Reynolds reports that its tobacco sales for the first nine months of 1974 were $2.1 billion - or $400 million bigger than in the same period of 1973. On another it shows a photograph of a new sign that has been painted on the wall of a Manhattan building. It is a picture of a pack of Winston cigarettes, 136 feet high and 84 feet wide. Children, of course, will be taught to turn away when in the vicinity. ShiiHng them into the tent In the best show business tradition, the FCC has been us ing audience promotion to attract attendance to the two regional meetings it has held . .And it is learning by experi ence. Its first exchange with the public, in Atlanta last spring, drew some 200 citizens. Two weeks ago it got a Orawn for Broadcasting by Jack Schmidt house of 1,000 in. Chicago. "This is WOF's Tom McNeil ... I've jwt come from the As repor_ted here last week, an FCC official called NBC's White House. . . " t Broadcasting Nov 111974 66 9tOOZ ~Q ND!,NIHSV~ N3AY 3~DWI11VS Zlt~ ~0 N3SS3H NOH SHW·HW The entire issue is included in this folder, but only portions were digitized due to copyright restrictions. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to these materials.
IIW YOIIBA84Zilll COBPITITIOIT
COMPETITION NUMBER 242 BY MARY ANN MADDEN 1. "Thank you." "We're Shaffer people" -ANTHONY AND PETER SHAFFER 2. "This old thing? I got it on sale at Bloomingdale's. Marilyn Crystal, Scarsdale, N.Y. I hate the color, but it was my size and ..." . and will weigh six lbs. four oz., Above, Esprit d'Escalier. Competitors are invited to submit a brief exchange and · · " :-JEANE DIXON Helen Stroud, Phila., Pa. consisting (in order) of (1) what one should have said, and (2) what one said. " .... Bingo!" -SIMON PETER Results of Competition 239, in which you "Happy untimely ripp'd day to me; Happy J. M. Riordan, Laguna Beach, Calif. were asked for Famous First Words. untimely ripp'd day to me ..." -MACDUFF "It was a good birth" Report: Hello. I'm your bunny, Esther. A Sunny Vaughn, Old Lyme, Conn. -ERNEST HEMINGWAY lot of you men, especilllly you new men, Richard J. Hafey, Morningdale, Mass. have been asking about assembling the re "Peekaboo! I see you!" -TRUMAN CAPOTE peating rifle and the repeating entries. Albert G. Miller Fan Club, Laurel, Miss. "No pictures!" -RON NESSEN First, the repeating entries: "Batter up" sp. mention: Marie! Bossert, Chatham, N.J. Diane Gentry, Norristown, Pa. AUNT JEMIMA. "Dy·no-inite!"-ALFRED No BEL. "Here come the fudge, pudge, drudge, "Peek a boo!" -THE LOCH NESS MONSTER "Let me tell you about my operation" et al."-B. CROCKER, T. FIELDS, CINDERELLA, Emily Barnhart, Pittsburgh, Pa. . -JULIUS CAESAR et al. "Hold the Mao"--GEN. CHIANG. Michael Deskey, NYC "Moo goo gai pan"-cHAIRMAN MAO. "I "Aardvark, aardwolf ..." feel pretty"-c. JORGENSEN. "Pardon me" -NOAH WEBSTER "Sorry about that" -JOLLY GREEN GIANT _:RICHARD NIXON. "Hello, Ma?"-A. G. Amy Schreiber, Bklyn. Norma Agnew, Pittsburgh, Pa. BELL. "I do"-ZSA ZSA. "This could be the start of something big"-WILT CHAMBER· "Please do, Doctor" "Where there's smoke • .."-PROMETHEUS LAIN. "I have this terrible headache" -LEOPOLD VON SACHER-MASOCH Virginia Feine, Hartford, Conn. EVE. · "lnka dinka' do"-.y. DURANTE. "Fur Eleanor Paul, Bklyn. thermore . . ."__;H, COSELL. "Take my - J i.JLIUS CAESAR wlfe,. please"-H. YOUNGMAN. Arid "Let "Je suis, done je pense" -DESCARTES E. B. Callahan, Pittsburgh, Pa. me call you sweetheart"-oEDIPUS. To as· Lawrence S. Braden, Honolulu, Hawaii semble repeating rifle consult your manual Janet Lemkau, Plandome, N.Y. "Doctor, I presume?" under "R." For Rabbit. -HENRY M. STANLEY "Happy Birthday!" John Hines, Rio Pedras, P.R. First Prize of "The Brontes," by Brian -MARGARETTA ROCKEFELLER Wilks (Vi~ing) to: Teddy Huxford, Skaneateles, N.Y. "212 555-1212" -ROBERT CUMMINGS "I am not a baby" RICHARD M. NIXON Book Stall, Pittsburgh, Pa. Dr. Bicycle, NYC "Sum es est" -WERNER ERHARD Margaret D. Dale, Longmeadow, Mass. "Here's Mudd in your eye" -ROGER MUDD "Far out!" -JOHN DENVER E. S. Joline, Huntington, N.Y. Robert Blake, NYC "MOMA" -NELSON. ROCKEFELLER Marshall A. Chess, NYC " Sommer is icumen in" -ELKE SOMMER "Who was that masked man?" similarly: Larry Laiken, Bayside, N.Y. Nancy !'trine, Huntington, N.Y -LINDA LOVELACE Roland L. Holter, Bismarck, No. Dak. " 'Morning" -ELECTRA "You're gonna have to come in and get Raymond E. Benenson, Niskayuna, N.Y. me!" -JOHN DILLINGER Anthony Gray, Closter, N.J. Runner-up Prizes of one-year subscriptions "Hello, Dolly" -JAMES MADISON to "New York" to: Sunny Kramer, Harrison, N.Y. "Send in the clowns" -P. T. BARNUM "Oops!" --GERALD FORD Betsy J. Willner, Bklyn. T. Gauker, Forest Hills, N.Y. Bruce Karp, Flushing, N.Y. Maureen Quap, Willingboro, N.J. " ... and how I got in these pajamas I'll Jess Rosenthal, Roslyn Estates, N.Y. never know" --GROUCHO MARX "What a great trip, and you don't need · Fran Ross, NYC similarly: Grace Katz, Rutland, Vt. your American Express card" Miles Klein, E. Brunswick, N.J. -JOSIAH S. CARBURY And Honorable Mention to: Judith Klein, E. Brunswick, N.J. "Well, I'll be damned" -FAUST "Hello, I'm Chevy Chase and you're not" Jerry Lederman, Bklyn. "I wouldn't go out without It" -cHEVY CHASE -cLARA BOW Bertram Weiss, New Rochelle, N.Y. "Hold the mayo" -EARL OF SANDWICH Joseph S. Miller, Albuquerque, N.M. Sheila Lederman, Bklyn. "Layette, we are here" "Dah-dah" -SAMUEL F. B. MORSE -cHAS. E. STANTON (for Gen. Pershing) "Look, Mal Two dead snakes!" Richard Silvestri, Valley Stream, N.Y. Norton Bramesco, NYC -HERCULES W. H. Richardson, Peace Dale, R.I. "EMU, AT, UNAU" -WILL WENG "Sorry I'm late, but the traffic was in Editorial Dept., the N.Y. Lawyer, NYC credible" -YVONNE DIONNE "Here we go again" -BRIDEY MURPHY Jack Rose, NYC Sue and Erica Klein, E. Brunswick, N.J. "Shazam!" -HENRY KISSINGER sp. mention: Donald Wigal, NYC similarly: Cookie Gray, Closter, N.J. · Myron H. Milder; Omaha, Neb.
74 NEW YORK/FEBRUARY 2, 1976 THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TO: RON NESSEN
FROM: MARGITA WHITE
F.Y.I. More than 10,700,000 paid circulation through 309 influential daily newspapers
MORTON FRANK Preeident and Publieher
. .
February 25, 1975
Dear Margita,
I'm delighted to learn, via FAMILY WEEKLY, that you're continuing to serve the nation. Every 90od wish!
Enclosed is an advance copy of a proof of the "Ask Them Yourself" feature for r-iarch 2 3, that told me the good news.
Saw Herb Klein at the SDX convention in Phoenix. He looked well, seemed relatively content, and relaxed. He made a good talk, too. Cordially,
7/~ ; 71;/&'A- Morton Frank
Mrs • .Margita ~~hite Press Office Office of the White House Washington, D.C. - - . - ._...._.__ ------::-;...,_:-::;.:·-:;.. --.... -~-
! _ .., ",.. complaints from Iisntenbers.{!Ghis is what haMppeLn~d : I gk a FOR POLLY BERGEN _ country-westem 1u a y o to 51eep y 1tt1 e 1 a- roo"), and all the ladies were furious because inst of Did you start o6 as a singerP-B.B., Lowell, Mass. their children ping to sleep, their husbands became very 0 Correct. When I was 16, I got a job singing on a Pasa "interested" in me. It seems my voice-which was always dena radio station. I was soon fired because of a Bood of LL ' low and husky--was too sexy and suggestive. ~------======~~~
FOH KITTY CARLISLE, panelist on "To 1 ll the Truth" Are the ·gowns you wear on _the show your )Wn?-Cecilia FOR BART STARR, head coach of the Green Bay Packers Bom,.•,icz, Stephen, Minn. ~ How do you feel about the football tradition that says ex 0 Y~:i. The reason I have so many is because f never tl ow quarterbacks don't make good head coaches in the National any of them away. You see, I haven't gaine< an inch or an Football League?-Roger Davidson, Durham, N.C. ounct' in 30 years, so all my clothes still fit. I lon't get ri\ o 0 I intend to bury that next to the one that said a black man anything because I know if you wait long nougll, e\ ry couldn't play quarterback in the National Football League. thin:~ -eventually comes back into fashion ag 1. ------FOR JASON MILLER, star of "Tile Nickel Ride" -. I Do you think most actors come to admire the characters ·. I they're playing?-J.N., Ogden, Utah . e "Understand" might be the better word. Whe , "admire"tray murderers them. Butand if criminals,they research and the I'm character, sure. they they don't get r , l'------T-ex-u e Definitely. As a matter of fact, President Ford has just to "understand" what makes the character tick, and so are appc in ted Mrs. Margita White, formerly of the Nixon press able to give the role much more realism. team, tO be an assistant press secretary. rl· --~------~~~~ 1111• Hll11 -AIIIIIY nynn, t• .. t'r('f'IOWn Ml\1116 I , •• I IV I'UIIll e So um II WJ.nt's cvma more suq rtsmg 1.~ Lhut th · st•a d • ! lw1 s ur hi jenm.. J) ne1 wns pmdmst~ wny hat·k ln 100!>. A numht•r of Sl·ripts lanvc you ' ''"'' ly now tl you're the ,!at of tl hccn written-and rcjt.-cted-and various actors proposed for dent? -L.A., Durham, N.C. the lead. The film, if it ever gets off the ground, is based on 0 I wear blue jeans because I really do ke them. the first book, "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late." There is also I still have the same friends I had before " • moved o , some TV interest. Keep your fingers crossed. i White House. We still have the same kir. I ,f fun tog 1. FAMILY WEEKLY ·:-u--:-,~,; ..A.,La; ·--·------(J . t '·· "~" • .,1 l~U,~. ~'It j PAGE !t IC ' j~- vr-Y .· ,., '" ,_ i# ,_ ,, li1e5 \ \) I • I - -14~ (NESSEN'S WILL POWER) WASHINGTON CUPI> -- PRESS SECRETARY RON NESSEN TRIED FOR A WEEK TO SMOKE A PIPE BUT TODAY HAD RETURNED TO CHAIN SMOKING CIGARETTES. AT HIS DAILY NEWS CONFERENCE, A REPORTER ASKED NESSEN IF HIS RETURN TO CIGARETTES •REPRESENTED A CHANGE IN WHITE HOUSE POLICY•, NESSEN SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SAID, "NO. IT REPRESENTS MY LACK OF WILL POWER. • . UPI ~3-21 05:16 PED FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1975 11 • a Ford ID their future? I think men have the right to have their show me how lt all worked. Overnight he own clubs. It's pretty much llke the racial was President and so we all just kept.,grop situation. I don't se~:t why a person owning ing." a restaurant doesn't have the right to pre Socially, the Ford team enjoys men's vent anyone from coming in, be they black clubs, golf, musicals and backyard pool or white," she explains. "Certainly there parties. are some white people who I'm sure pla Ron Nessen describes the soclalllfe as gued restaurant owners would llke to say, much freer than under the previous ad and probably have said, 'You're not wel ministration: "The Nixon people were come here.'" very suspicious and so clannish that they only hung around with each other. Here, you're free to go your own way." ave the President's views in But one social rule usually applies: The fluenced her on such issues? President rarely parties with hls staff. "Frankly, I think we sort of just in Buchen says his decision to join the H Ford team has ended, for the present, his herently shared the same ideas on issues without ever talking about them," she status as an old friend. "He keep the flgiting under control. "We needed a strong hand and Don had it," says one Ford intimate and high-ranking cabinet officer. "He is brusque, a per fectionist, whereas the President is overly sympathetic toward people, very under standing 1f people make mistakes." Buffering the behind-the-scenes power plays is just one aspect of the Ford admin istration's effort to dissociate itself com pletely from the Nixon image. "This staff is not enthralled by the at tributes of wealth, or by Ivy League or West Coast go-go types," says counsel Buchen, sitting behind the red tap-proof scrambler telephone. Instead of James Bond, his hero is Dorothy Sayers' Lord Pe terWimsey. umsfeld, who objects to the chief of staff title because of its association Rwith H.R. Haldeman, balks at any description of himself as the keeper of the gates. "I don't decide that. The President decides who he wlll see," Rumsfeld count ers. Most Congressional leaders, llke Sen -•...... -... nnh T<>ultc Chuck Percv and John Coming into .office in the Watergate upheaval, the Ford staff is keenly aware of the risks and the transi ence of power. "It made me aware that once the blood gets in the water and the umsfeld skips sharks starts circling, you could be the choosing a next guy," recalled photographer David R from tennis, Kennerly from his basement rocking much because I'm chair. "The job that was done on Halg (by House," he says. others on the Nixon staff) was totally out thing to the n.~ .nnt~uv of line. People are basically animals and mind the cornp~u-is:on ' they just had to stick it in him. bust in his As for the "I'm not paranoid about that at all," "Maybe I'll do concedes Kennerly. "I've never heard of Photo by Guy DeLDrt ing a bar, anyone trying to knife me on this staff The President and his morning staff meeting. coming a movie ever." about more Kennerly But he admits, "There are people here ernment is to help the individual. The indi some to question the savvy of the Presi the Nixon adJmilllisltral who on occasion have tried to knife each vious administrations. dent's inner circle. "They're a team which guys are today Instead, the inner circle is turning vidual has come to rely too much on gov other. It's jealousy of somebody else who ernment. He has lost his self-sufficiency," came in without any time to prepare," ad People who are backward for its values, back to what mit~ one Javits aide. "They're a product jobs tomorrow is closer to the President." Buchen calls "the old-fashioned liber observes Buchen. "It sounds homely now but I know the President has a strong con of on-the-job training." has passed to so1meonl While Ford himself says he wants to alism of the '30s." viction this is what they should be after." As secretary Mildred Leonard puts it, "The general theme of this adminis "I wish I had met Rosemary Woods to avoid staff feuding, it is difficult to avoid tration is to go back to the idea that gov- The lack of new ideas has prompted temper tantrums, malicious press leaks and in-fighting. "There is an abundance of • For all the President's men -and women- there's a question: Will it all be over next year? • powerful egos around here and the politi cal animal is by nature aggressive, com bative and ambitious," observes Hart mann. Insiders say Rumsfeld was hired to keep the fighting under control. "We needed a strong hand and Don had it," says one Ford intimate and high-ranking cabinet officer. "He is brusque, a per fectionist, whereas the President is overly sympathetic toward people, very under standing lf people make mistakes." Buffering the behind-the-scenes power plays is just one aspect of the Ford admin istration's effort to dissociate itself com pletely from the Nixon image. "This staff is not enthralled by the at tributes. of wealth, or by Ivy League or West Coast go-go types," says counsel Buchen, sitting behind the red tap-proof scrambler telephone. Instead of James Bond, his hero is Dorothy Sayers' Lord Pe terWimsey. umsfeld, who objects to the chief of staff title because of its association Rwith H.R. Haldeman, balks at any description of himself as the keeper of the gates. "I don't decide that. The President decides who he will see," Rumsfeld count ers. Most Congressional leaders, like Sen ator Jacob Javits, Chuck Percy and John Sparkman, say they have only to pick up the phone to talk directly to Ford. Also different are the morning staff briefings. Gone are the experts who speak only on their areas of expertise, and the solitary moments of presidential decision making. Ford, instead, relies heavily on his advisors and prefers to thrash out problems with his staff. "Those of us who have this so-called cabinet.rank have a sort of general license to stick our noses into any question that comes along," says Hartmann. Former journalists like Hartmann and Nessen cling firmly to their roles as policy advisors. " When I took the job I told the President lt was vital to me to have an in put as a senior advisor," explains Nessen. "Ford believes I have good judgment across-the-board." To prepare for the role, advisers are briefed on issues by oth er administration experts. "It's almost like being in college again," says Nessen. This free-form policy-making ap proach has resulted in few innovative pro grams, however, and so far, the Ford line up lacks the idea-men associated with pre- 10 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1975 Is there ASHINGTON - Ron Nessen, the President's press secretary, says he may try tending bar. :Photographer David Kennerly is worried he'll have lost his competitive bite when he leaves the White House. Staff coordinator Don Rumsfeld is mentioned as a Wcandidate for high office on his own. President Ford's inner circle seems to have some nagging doubts that a year from now it may all be over. And a prudent bureaucrat, even installed in the White House, knows the advantage of covering his bets. The doubts and insecurities typical of any White House entourage persist despite continued emphatic avowals by Ford that he will be a candidate in 1976. Some White House staffers say Betty Ford's health may intervene to change the entire plan, with Ford, the family man, dropping out for personal reasons. And then there's the view that the Ford team has been unable to supply the kind of bold, innovative programs needed to lead the country out of the econom ic blahs, thereby heightening the chances of defeat if he does run. For the Ford staff, the future is now and the power is in the present. Facing a than anyone else and maybe I understand Congress upset by vetoes and aiming to him better." hold the White Hou5e under Republican This isn't exactly true. Chief counsel control no matter who runs, the inner Philip Buchen has known Ford since 1935. circle is hard at work - boosting, shield While the younger of the two, Buchen's at ing and sometimes manufacturing the po titude toward his Grand Rapids buddy is litical prowess of Gerald Rudolph Ford. often paternal. "I was the senior partner Middle-American, middle-~ed, when we served in the same law firm," ex Middle Westerners, they are the plains the white-haired lawyer. Former frequently faceless insiders with imme press secretary Jerry terHorst of the Det diate access to the Oval Office who help roit News describes Buchen as the most hammer out administration policies. liberal in the group, the man responsible Many are former congressmen, aides and for influencing Ford to pardon Richard journalists with a flare for the free-wheel Nixon. ing rap session. ike Rumsfeld, counselor John Marsh Rumsfeld, Ford's cooly combative is a former congressman with a de chief of staff, joined his first presidential L ceptive Cheshire cat grin and a yen cabinet in 1969 under the Nixon adminis for the country-lawyer image. Known as tration to head the Office of Economic Op the man who handles Ford's thorny back portunity, an agency he voted against room issues, such as the administration's when he served as congressman from Chi position in the South, his chief responsi cago. Of Rumsfeld, Evengeline Bruce told bility is dealing with Congress. What a friend, "He is the first man of presiden trouble spots has he been dealing with tial stature I've seen in years." For him lately? "I was in charge of building the self, Rumsfeld is closing no doors. "Do President's ·swimming pool," he says mestic, economic, national security, for cooly. Marsh is probably the most con eign policy, I'm interested in all these servative member of the Ford team. Be areas," he says. Rumsfeld is also keeping fore joining Ford's staff, he worked as his party lines open. "I play tennis every chief lobbyist for the Pentagon. Sunday, at Ethel Kennedy's with Art The youngest advisor, at 41, is press Buchwald and John Douglas." secretary Ron Nessen. "I've had to get Bob Hartmann, a crusty, florid-faced used to being held up to extreme public and often abrasive ex-newspaperman~ is scrutiny and it leads to a touch of para highly possessive of his influence over noia," says the successor to Ron Ziegler's Ford. Hartmann worked on the Hill with legacy of mistrust. "I'm very high-strung, Ford for the 1968 and 1972 Republican Na don't take criticism well and vacillate be tional Conventions. tween fits of depression and euphoria." As Nessen sees him, Ford is "even-tempered, Counselor and chief speech writer, hides his feeling when he's angry. I'd like Hartmann is a feuder who has tangled to be more like him." with Nixon's chief of staff, Alexander Generally, the staff mirrors Ford's Haig, Ford's economic counselor, Bill own conservative views. Ford's personal Seidman, and even Betty Ford. Of Ms. secretary of 22 years, Mildred Leonard, Ford, he says, "We don't always see eye still follows the dictates of some of Ford's to-eye. '' But Hartmann appears most controversial stands, namely on civil eminently self-confident abeut his posi rights. "I do think women should get equal tion: "I've known him The Honorable Ron Nessen Press Secretary to the President The White House Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Nessen, It is with deep regret f read your letter. I am distressed that inadvertently you were caused displeasure in Sans Souci. I assure you, it is important to me that while dining with us, that you enjoy your privacy, which I appreciate and greatly respect. I do hope you will continue to favor us with your presence and I look forward to the privilege of welcoming you in person in the near future. Paul DeLisle SANS SOUCI 726 17TH STREET. N.W., WASillNGTON, D.C. 20006 THE HONOIABLE tON NESSD Press Secretary to the President The White Rouse washin&ton, D. c. 20500 l - October 24. 1975 Dea~Pault Thia 1WM}. of ..,.ad:ropping could peznade ~ :rep.lu' cndtomen- to eat el•ewber• wbeu thei• coa...-:r•tioe• are. kept private. Ron Nessen Pren Secretary to tlw Presideat Mr. Paul :D.u.la y_Sana Soncl ll.es~t 7Z6 17th' Street, NW Washi.Dgton, D. c. %0006 RN/cg '· DCT2 51975 Cffi£~ fJ~ES ..... ~ ·--- .. : ' -~-- .__ ~.·: .- ·. ~ .... - : . 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