Word: laird
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...Presidents-elect, Nixon relied heavily on the supporting cast he has learned to trust from close experience. Maurice Stans (Commerce) is a colleague from the Eisenhower days and a longtime Republican fund raiser. John Mitchell (Attorney General) was Nixon's law partner and campaign manager. Wisconsin Congressman Melvin Laird (Defense) has served Nixon occasionally as an adviser. California Lieutenant Governor Robert Finch (Health, Education and Welfare) is an old friend, campaign aide and confidant. In fact, Finch is matched in the boss's esteem only by William Pierce Rogers, Attorney General in the Eisenhower Administration, whom Nixon selected...
Nixon then turned to Melvin Laird, who is regarded as one of the shrewdest Republicans on Capitol Hill as well as one of the best-versed in public policy. For 14 of his 16 years in the House, he has been on the Appropriations Subcommittee, dealing with Defense, and has become an expert in the field. He knows the department's budget thoroughly, is acquainted with many military leaders, and has an intimate knowledge of Pentagon practices and politics. Laird was also an outspoken critic of McNamara on a number of is sues, berating him, as did other conservatives...
...Laird--intelligent, partisan, combative, behind-the-scenes boss of the House Republicans--probably agrees with observers who expect him to be the most powerful man in the Cabinet. Besides serving on the defense subcommittee, Laird was ranking GOP member on the House Appropriations HEW-Labor subcommittee. His strong views on urban problems, plus his intimate knowledge of legislative procedures, will probably cause him to try to influence the Administration's domestic and Congressional strategies...
Even Moynihan might fit in too well with the Nixon team. Besides writng for Laird's recent collections of "Republican Papers" and calling for a liberal alliance with conservatives to preserve order, Moynihan cheers Republicans with his "decentralize the bureaurcay" and "make the lower class the working class" rhetoric...
With a homogeneous Cabinet sharing Nixon's outlook, the second-level officials will become even more important, especially in State, Labor, and Treasury. The clearest early indication of Laird's attitude at the Pentagon will be what type of man he names to replace Alain Enthoven, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis, or whether the post is filled at all. The new Commissioner of Education can indicate what the Administration's attitude toward student protesters will be and its decision on the financial crisis of higher education Nixon's soft approach to civil rights enforcement might be hardened...