"Senator, it's Mr Haldeman."
Kennedy looked to Ethel, and she shrugged. He picked up the receiver.
"What can I help you with, Bob?"
"Senator, we'd like to arrange a debate."
"Is that so?"
"We think it will help to shake up the election."
"Isn't the election shaken up enough as it is?"
"Sorry for speaking so openly, sir, but... yes, or no?"
Kennedy chuckles.
"When and where."
...
"Good evening, I'm Walter Cronkite. Tonight, we are holding a debate between two presidential candidates: Senator Robert Kennedy, from New York, and Vice President Richard Nixon. The candidates have prepared opening statements, and they will read them before we move on to the questions. The questions will be asked by a panel, as follows: Sander Vanocur, NBC News, Mike Wallace, CBS News, Paul Harvey, ABC Radio, and Charles Warren, Mutual News.
"Each candidate will be given five minutes to answer each question. The candidate is allowed to comment upon the responses of the other candidate, so long as it regards the same question. By a coin toss, it had been decided that Senator Kennedy will go first. Senator, you may now begin."
"Thank you Walter. A lot of people, in the media, and other institutions are putting out the idea that this is a time where... where people have to take a side, so to speak. That there is a fundamental divide in society. And don't get me wrong, I... I realize that this is a special time in history. But I believe that it is in the spirit of political comprehension and subjective diversity that people can... can do more, and I believe that Americans need a leader who can take that into account and utilize it. Thank you."
"Vice President Nixon, your opening statement."
"My opponent here, he... he makes the point that because of our differences, then we will work together. And it's not as if I don't believe in bipartisanship, I, um... I do. But nevertheless, I am representing the silent majority. I am looking out for regular, middle class Americans while my opponent spouts out... out certain vague concepts. I hope that voters will see that when they go to the polls."
"All right, the first question will be asked by Mr Vanocur."
"Candidates, this is a foreign policy question. The conflict in Vietnam has become one of the most divisive policy issues of our time. There are an estimated 550,000 US troops deployed there. Opposition to this war has become the subject of several, sometimes violent, demonstrations. What is your take on it, and what do you propose to do?"
"Well, first off, I don't believe in withdrawing at this time. Our presence there is necessary. But... but if for a moment, we choose not to look at the bigger picture, and at the smaller details, we can see more of... of how things function there. The government in Saigon, in particular, is extremely corrupt. They are undemocratic, and... and yet we are sending our sons there to fight on their behalf, spending billions of dollars in Congressional aid. I believe we should exert pressure to democratize the country.
"Furthermore, a comprehensive peace agreement between South Vietnam and North Vietnam is... is the only real, plausible solution to the conflict. We may have one one of the largest armies in the world, but we don't have an unlimited capacity for firepower. At one point, we're going to have to leave, so at least... at least let's leave it in better shape than we found it."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"First off, I seriously doubt Senator Kennedy's dubious accusations regarding... regarding the state of affairs in the Republic of Vietnam. While I was in the Eisenhower administration, I've... I've seen Indochina get partitioned, and I've seen the democratic process take place. I don't really see how we can demand Saigon to fight a grueling war while... while changing their form of government to whatever may appease American perception.
"As the Senator, I do support a peace agreement, but North Vietnam cannot be trusted unless they are in the lesser position. They must be... must be more desperate, you know, to... agree to talk with us. That is why we must bomb Hanoi, to showcase the whole of our... our military power, and break the will of the, the, Vietcong and the North Vietnamese."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Wallace."
"Candidates, this is a domestic question. In the last two years, numerous riots have taken place in cities throughout America, primarily by radical members of the civil rights movement. What is your response to this?"
"Obviously, these actions served only to defame the name of Dr King, whom I had the fortune of befriending before his death. Now, we have to look at why these riots took place, and that leads us to the cynicism that prevails within the Negro community. Because, despite our efforts during the last few years, police brutality and discrimination is rampant. We have to solve these factors if we want to improve relations between the races and really... really bring peace."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"You know, I realize that there are many problems facing... facing black Americans. But I believe that law and order should come first. We cannot ignore the fact that people have been injured and killed during these... these riots, and need to take a tougher stance toward these criminals, especially... especially, the Black Panther Party, which is no doubt a terrorist group."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Harvey."
"Candidates, this is a domestic question: questions have been raised in the last few years about the environment, specifically environmental degradation. Some claim that unregulated dumping of chemical waste in our water and forestry is on the rise, and worry about the effects of pollutants from cars and factories. What do you plan to do about this?"
"I think that this is a problem which has gone on for... for too long. I think we need more legislation on this front, such as a clean water act or a clean air act. We need to create some sort of administration or agency to deal with this, to protect our natural resources and persecute those... those who have skirted or evaded our regulations on this front."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"Well, I'm a conservationist, absolutely, but... but I don't think that this is something for the federal government to deal with. I think that local and state governments can handle these affairs on their own, and... and the creation of another bureaucracy would be too difficult and expensive to manage."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Warren."
"Candidates, this is a domestic question: There has been a surge in these past few years, as Mr Vanocur mentioned, of student demonstrations, as well as student strikes. Many have included the burning of draft notices. What is your stance on this?"
"I think that some of the demands these demonstrators have are reasonable and should be addressed. We should protect their First Amendment rights to protest and petition the government, and resolve disputes with campus authorities.
"As for the rampant draft evasion among our youth, I think... I think I'm not sure whether or not we should just pardon them. Perhaps at some, less critical point in the future, clemency could be an option, but at this time, I think we should be a bit more stern."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"First thing I'll do is... I'll cut all funding and government grants to campuses who allow this to keep going. I think... I think that if they keep on letting this happen, it will cause more disturbances and uncontrollable protests, which inevitably lead to violence.
"I will also set stricter punishments for... for draft evaders. Their country has called upon them, and they have simply fled from their civic duties. I won't grant clemency, not while I'm... I'm in office."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Vanocur."
"Candidates, this is a foreign policy question: the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 has raised fears over the retaining of a nuclear arsenal, or at least regarding nuclear testing. What is your stance on this critical issue?"
"Well, having been a member of my brother's Cabinet during the crisis, I firsthand saw just how close we came to a full-scale conflict. I don't believe in dramatically reducing the size of our arsenal, but we should take steps to ban the testing of bombs and warheads, which causes too much damage to the environment."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"When I was in the Eisenhower administration, I saw just how effective our nuclear weapons worked... how our nuclear weapons functioned as a deterrent. Several times crises have been prevented by wielding our arsenal. We've been falling behind in the missile gap these last few years, and we need to fix that."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Wallace."
"Candidates, this is a domestic question. The Johnson Administration has launched a series of Great Society programs, aimed at combating poverty. These include Medicare for the elderly, Medicaid for the low-income, as well as Head Start in education and nutrition. What is your stance?"
"I think that these... these programs were an excellent idea, which greatly expanded upon the New Deal. As President, I will... will increase the budget for these programs, though obviously with much caution."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"I think that a lot of these programs are necessary, and effective... but, well, I think that in the long-term, we could, um... do without. They are expensive to manage, and often just serve... serve to expand the power of the federal government, rather than just helping the... the poor."
"The next question will be asked by Mr Harvey."
"Candidates, this is a domestic question. In the last few years, the federal government has introduced the concept of busing Negro students to primarily white schools, so as to increase diversity. What are your thoughts?"
"Well, I understand worries over... over the program. But I think that it serves more than just... just to make schools look more colorful, so to speak. I think that desegregation is only the first step in the larger process of integration and reconciliation, and busing is an essential component."
"Vice President Nixon?"
"Well, I of course support... I support desegregation. But, I believe that this is somewhat intrusive on the side of... of the federal government, and I believe that the Brown Supreme Court decision has done enough on the front of integration in public schools."
"All right, the candidates will now give their closing statements."
"I want to thank Vice President Nixon for suggesting a debate, and the Central Broadcasting Station for holding it..."
