Word: laird
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...Ford camp naturally disputes the projections. Giving "every benefit to Reagan," Ford Adviser Mel Laird insists that Ford will enter the convention with 1,114 delegates at a minimum, Reagan with 1,058 at best. Thus Ford would be only 16 away from the "magic number." This "worst case projection," says Laird, assures Ford's nomination, since "I have absolute confidence, 100% certainty," that Ford will win the support of at least 75% of the theoretically uncommitted...
Although agreeing that Reagan cannot win the election, even so devoted a Ford adviser as Mel Laird seemed to take issue with the tactic of painting him as an extremist. "I don't consider Reagan an extremist," said Laird. "I think he's got greater popularity inside the Republican Party than any other candidate. Reagan is much more popular than Ford in the rank and file, but you can't win the election in that area. Declared Republicans make up only 17% to 19% of the electorate." The remark about Reagan's popularity was a startling admission from a member...
Trying to keep the campaign from becoming another Titanic, senior Ford advisers recently held an emergency summit conference. Among those attending were Republican Heavyweights Melvin Laird, Dean Burch and Bryce Harlow as well as some G.O.P. congressional leaders and two savvy fund raisers, Detroit Industrialist Max Fisher and California Businessman Leon Parma...
...participant griped that Carla Hills, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was unwilling to speak for the President because "she can't decide whether or not she is a Republican." Treasury Secretary Simon might have been useful in Michigan-then why was he traveling in South America? Laird sniped at the bad timing of Kissinger's Africa trip...
Behind the lighthearted banter was a grimly sober realization: every time Ford loses a primary, Kissinger is bound to get some-or much-of the blame. When the President lost the North Carolina primary, for example, his confidant Mel Laird and his campaign chairman Rogers Morton both remarked that Kissinger would not remain in office much longer. After the more critical setbacks in Texas and Indiana, Kissinger was under even greater fire from a number of top Republicans and White House aides...