Word: politburos
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...still occupied the Oval Office and Watergate meant nothing more than a fancy apartment building. With Wife Pat at his side, Nixon waved from the door of his plane as in campaigns of old. He waded into excited crowds, shaking hands as if he were running for the Politburo. He discussed foreign affairs with Chinese leaders as if he were still Henry Kissinger's boss. The ex-President clearly relished the chance to play a role once again on the international stage. But in so doing, he profoundly embarrassed the U.S. and its policymakers at an extremely sensitive juncture...
...judge from the banners and slogans that garlanded every major Moscow thoroughfare, all 15 members of the Politburo are joined in "monolithic unity" with the people. Reinforcing this impression was the announcement that Party Chief Leonid Brezhnev, 69, would deliver the Soviet equivalent of a "state of the union" address. This traditionally lasts from five to six hours-scarcely an undertaking for a man long rumored to be suffering from a fatal physical or political illness. Premier Aleksei Kosygin, 71, whose survival in power is often linked to Brezhnev's, is scheduled to deliver the crucial report...
...inexorably coming to its natural end, even though Kremlinologists no longer believe he will use the congress podium to announce his retirement. Whatever the state of his health, this is surely the last Party congress over which he will preside as General Secretary. Several others in the gerontocratic Politburo (average age: 66) will also not survive for another performance in the Palace of Congresses. Among the first to retire will probably be Arvid Pelshe, 77. Agriculture Minister Dmitri Polyansky, only 58, may be on the way out if a scapegoat is needed for farm failures...
...Many Kremlinologists believe that Brezhnev would prefer an orderly transition and a new regime that will continue his policies. Nonetheless, they predict a possibly lengthy power struggle under cover of a caretaker "collective leadership." If Brezhnev were to retire in the near future, his titular successor would probably be Politburo Member Andrei Kirilenko, 69, an old Brezhnev crony, who has acted for Brezhnev during his recent illnesses. Kiril Mazurov, 61, at present Kosygin's standin, is expected to inherit the premiership. Potential second-stage succes sors to Brezhnev's job include such relative youngsters as Fyodor Kulakov...
...backbone of China's economy. Significantly, he went to Peking just after former Defense Minister Lin Piao tried to overthrow Mao in 1971. Mao at that time was presumably trying to bring trusted officials to the capital. In 1973, Hua was named to the 22-member Politburo; early last year he became a Vice Premier and head of China's little-known security apparatus...