Sarge: The Life and Times of Sargent Shriver
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36 “I am not deserting the people of France”: Bob Blake, interview February 19, 1998.
37 “The waves are rising”: Sargent Shriver to William Rogers, March 7, 1969, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
38 “Odds are so close”: Sargent Shriver to William Rogers, March 29, 1969, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
39 Shriver monitored the situation anxiously: Donald Lesh to Henry Kissinger, April 28, 1969, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
40 could not have asked for better access to the highest levels: Helmut Sonnenfeldt to Henry Kissinger, June 26, 1969, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
41 Nixon knew that Shriver: Houston Chronicle, July 20, 1969.
42 Shriver visited thirteen cabinet ministers: Baltimore Sun Magazine, July 27, 1969.
43 In a meeting with Pompidou: Sargent Shriver to William Rogers, July 8, 1969, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
44 In July 1969 the Shrivers returned to the United States: Sargent Shriver, interviews August 16, 1997, and March 31, 2000; Sulzberger, An Age of Mediocrity, 558–59; Apollo XI itinerary, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
45 Eunice argued him out of it: Clymer, Edward M. Kennedy, 151.
46 “they certainly were not finished”: WAYE TV Baltimore, February 28, 1970.
Chapter 42: Au Revoir
1 A group of leading Democrats: Bill Gale, William Delano, et al. to Sargent Shriver, September 8, 1969, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
2 But in the last week of October: “Itinerary—USA—October 22 to 31, 1969,” Shriver Papers, JFK Library; Pathersville Telegraph, October 16, 1969.
3 “always be welcome in Illinois”: Chicago News, October 30, 1969.
4 “It was a difficult moral decision”: Chicago Daily News, October 31, 1969; United Press International, October 30, 1969.
5 Maryland liberals were searching for someone: Baltimore Sun, October 31, 1969.
6 a “dynamic personality”: Sunday Star, November 2, 1969.
7 “There are those who are saying”: William Josephson to Sargent Shriver, n.d., Josephson Papers, JFK Library.
8 Shriver formally withdrew himself from consideration: See, for instance, Sargent Shriver to Dan Rostenkowski, November 21, 1969, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
9 Shriver operatives on the ground in Maryland: William Josephson to Sargent Shriver, November 28, 1969, Shriver Papers, JFK Library; New York Post, November 28, 1969.
10 Shriver hosted a dinner for Henry Cabot Lodge: Henry Cabot Lodge to Sargent Shriver, December 9, 1969, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
11 “Shriver Is Boomed”: Washington Post, December 18, 1969.
12 Shriver told Cy Sulzberger: Sulzberger, An Age of Mediocrity, 597.
13 Shriver wanted to make some final grand gesture: Description of the Midnight Mass from Time, January 5, 1970; New York Daily News, December 25, 1969. Daniel Morrissey, interviews February 19, 1998; March 3, 2003. William Josephson, interview October 12, 2000. Edgar May, interview February 21, 2002. Frances Cook, interview September 25, 2001. Sargent Shriver, interview August 16, 1997.
14 “the Mass was absolutely beautiful”: Sulzberger, An Age of Mediocrity, 596.
Part 6: Democratic Politics (1970–1976)
Chapter 43: The Politics of Life
1 President Pompidou’s visit to the United States: Sargent Shriver to President Nixon, January 27, 1970, Nixon Papers, National Archives.
2 In his first appearance on national television: Meet the Press, April 5, 1979.
3 Ted Kennedy wrote to Shriver: Ted Kennedy to Sargent Shriver, n.d., Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
4 “There is just something a little bit wrong”: Washington Star, March 9, 1970.
5 he began to pull together his team: Matt Reese, “Proposal III for Ambassador Shriver,” Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
6 “A good deal of time and energy”: Unsigned campaign memo, May 19, 1970, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
7 Mandel’s job approval ratings: “A Study of the Political Climate in Maryland” penetration research, April 1970, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
8 “The whole picture begins to take on”: Joseph Bailor memo, May 22, 1970, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
9 “the worst experience of his life”: Max Kampelman to William Josephson, October 7, 1970, Josephson Papers, JFK Library.
10 “I say we’ve just got to have him”: New York Times, May 31, 1970.
11 attacked the plan for the new party council: New York Times, June 5, 1970; Washington Post, June 5, 1970.
12 After an hour-long phone conversation: New York Times, June 25, 1970.
13 “While I have been evaluating the situation in Maryland: “Statement by Sargent Shriver,” n.d., Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
14 After Shriver had discovered Novak’s book: New York Times Magazine, October 15, 1972.
15 Between July and November: “Speeches delivered by Sargent Shriver, July 1970–Nov. 1970,” Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
16 “The White House plods its somber way”: New York Sunday News, August 16, 1970.
17 “The eye-bulging political organization”: New York Post, August 8, 1970.
18 Sarge would be carved up”: New York Times Magazine, October 15, 1972.
19 “the hand of death lay heavy upon our society”: “The Politics of Life,” Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
20 Some of Shriver’s advisers: William Crook to Sargent Shriver, October 29, 1970, and Crook to Citizens Advisory Committee, October 1, 1970, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
21 “like a hibernating bear out of a dark cave”: New York Times, November 5, 1970.
Chapter 44: International Men of Mystery
1 Shriver had always been fascinated with self-made men: David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002.
2 Fried, Frank was anything but typical: David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002; William Alford, interview October 30, 2001.
3 Lenin wrote a secret letter: Epstein, Dossier, 81.
4 Over the next fifty years, he would exploit this position: Ibid., 115.
5 forced to make certain ethical compromises: Ibid., 99–110.
6 he went to Moscow for a summit with Khrushchev: Ibid., 209.
7 Hammer retained him as a legal counsel: Blumay, The Dark Side of Power, 146–48; David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002.
8 Shriver also found Hammer to be wonderfully appealing: Sargent Shriver, interview August 30, 1997.
9 “Was Armand Hammer a spy for the Russians?”: David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002.
10 Shriver introduced Hammer to another larger-than-life businessman: Blumay, The Dark Side of Power, 148. 572 Karr was a brilliant, mysterious, complex figure: Fortune, December 3, 1979.
11 Shriver and Karr first crossed paths: Sargent Shriver, interview March 31, 2000.
12 “a wheeler-dealer”: Sargent Shriver, interview August 30, 1997.
13 “Karr was chiaroscuric”: “The Death of David Karr,” Fortune, December 3, 1979.
14 “had a strong social conscience”: Ibid.
15 “He was interested in only one thing”: Ibid.
16 The two men had spent hours smoking cigars: David Karr to Sargent Shriver, December 17, 1969, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
17 Shriver arranged to introduce Karr and Hammer: Blumay, The Dark Side of Power, 148.
18 “You’re always talking about your old friend Lenin: Finder, Red Carpet, 227.
19 Hammer, Shriver, and Karr flew in Hammer’s aircraft: Sargent Shriver, interview March 31, 2000; Bobby Shriver, interview May 21, 2003.
20 “kind of got pulled along by Hammer”: Sargent Shriver, interview August 30, 1997.
21 Shriver so charmed his Soviet hosts: Andrei Pavlov, interview March 31, 2000.
22 “This is one of the letters that Lenin sent to me”: Bobby Shriver, interview May 21, 2003.
23 “We went into Lenin’s little study”: Finder, Red Carpet, 274.
24 Karr and Shriver watched as Hammer was feted: Epstein, Dossier, 269; “The
Death of David Karr,” Fortune, December 3, 1979.
25 “I had been running the Merchandise Mart in Chicago”: Finder, Red Carpet, 281–82.
Chapter 45: Shriver for Vice President
1 “George is a good guy”: New York Times Magazine, October 15, 1972.
2 “We were always subject to this pressure”: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 44.
3 “It seemed barely possible”: Ibid., 187.
4 “We had no framework for our discussion”: Weil, The Long Shot, 161.
5 initial brainstorming turned up twenty-three names: Ibid., 161–2; White, The Making of the President, 1972, 195.
6 “he was strongest where McGovern was weakest”: Life, December 29, 1972.
7 Shriver’s name was dropped from the list: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 195–96.
8 “if we could have somehow located him”: Koplinski, Hats in the Ring, 455.
9 Kevin White was considered next: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 197–98.
10 “Well, I guess it’s Eagleton”: Weil, The Long Shot, 168.
11 Weil did find reference to mental health problems: Ibid., 164.
12 “George, before you change your mind”: Ibid., 169.
13 Around four o’clock on Friday morning: Ibid., 171–73.
14 Eagleton thought the matter settled: Ibid., 176.
15 “I’m 1,000 percent for Tom Eagleton”: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 204.
16 “look like a fool”: Ibid., 207.
17 “It’s a suicide mission”: Newsweek, August 14, 1972.
18 Later that day, McGovern asked: Time, August 14, 1972.
19 “Shriver! Who wants him?”: Newsweek, August 14, 1972.
20 McGovern wanted to curry favor: Chicago Sun-Times, August 7, 1972.
21 the Massachusetts senator signaled to McGovern: Hart, Right from the Start, 267. Adam Clymer’s 1999 biography of Ted Kennedy disputes Hart’s account. Clymer writes, citing an interview with Ted Kennedy, that “Ted objected to McGovern’s final choice, Sargent Shriver, as he had four years before when Humphrey considered his brother-in-law. But McGovern ignored his objections.”
22 “Wimbledon champ or Vice President”: Newsweek, August 14, 1972.
23 Dell went down to McGovern’s Senate office: Donald Dell, interview April 15, 2003.
24 Shriver sought out his brother-in-law: Life, August 18, 1972.
25 “This is a slight but not awesome gamble”: Chicago Sun-Times, August 7, 1972.
26 Shriver insisted on finishing his tennis game: Time, August 14, 1972.
27 “Sarge, this is George McGovern”: Hart, Right from the Start, 268.
28 Shriver felt compelled to bring up the one episode: Sargent Shriver, interview August 30, 1997.
29 “we’ve got to have fun in the campaign”: Washington Post, September 25, 1972.
30 “Shriver swung into action”: Hart, Right from the Start, 269.
31 “Che Guevara meeting General Patton”: Ibid.
32 “Sarge is just what George needs”: Time, August 21, 1972.
33 Mike Mansfield and Dan Rostenkowski officially nominated Shriver: Hart, Right from the Start, 269.
34 “his enthusiasm for the task”: Evening Bulletin, August 9, 1972.
35 “I am not embarrassed to be George McGovern’s seventh choice”: Sargent Shriver acceptance speech, August 8, 1972, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
36 “Look at him with that pensive look”: Life, August 18, 1972.
37 This affected the campaign’s press coverage. Burt Hoffman to Sargent Shriver, September 16, 1972, Shriver Papers, JFK Library. In explaining the importance of catering to preordained news cycles, Shriver’s press secretary Burt Hoffman, a former reporter and newspaper editor himself, had some choice observations to make about the nature of the press: “First, some background applicable to both print and radio-tv press. Reporters are terribly insecure people suffering from constant anxiety. Although they are competitive among themselves, their greatest competition is against the inexorable demands of the clock and their editors. As a whole, editors are rather dumb and few have any appreciation of what their reporters are doing or the problems reporters face. Editors exert often unrealistic pressures, and reporters must respond or find themselves out in the boondocks.… Our roadshow must recognize these pressures and assist the reporters in getting their reports to their editors.”
38 “Everywhere we go, Sarge is late”: Donald Dell, interview April 15, 2003.
39 “Jeannie Main guarded the gate”: William Alford, interview October 30, 2001.
40 The “talented people that Shriver was able to recruit”: Mark Shields, interview April 16, 2002.
41 Large percentages of normally Democratic voting groups: New York Times, August 20, 1972.
42 “I don’t think we saw three white Protestants”: Mark Shields, interview April 16, 2002.
43 why he sent his eldest son, Bobby, to Exeter: Perry, Us and Them, 249.
44 AFL-CIO president George Meany: Weil, The Long Shot, 153–55; New York Times, October 23, 1972.
45 according to Mark Shields, what happened was this: Mark Shields, interview April 16, 2002.
46 Shriver told a group of reporters: New York Times, August 11, 1969.
47 “historic opportunity for peace”: New York Times, August 12, 1969.
48 The week after Shriver’s nomination to the ticket: Time, August 14, 1972; Newsweek, August 14, 1972.
49 Shriver was on solid ground here. Averell Harriman and Cyrus Vance joint statement, August 12, 1972, Josephson Papers, JFK Library; Newsweek, August 28, 1972.
50 “We support completely Sargent Shriver’s view”: Averell Harriman and Cyrus Vance joint statement, August 12, 1972, Josephson Papers, JFK Library; New York Times, August 13, 1972.
51 The Times published an editorial: New York Times, August 16, 1972.
52 “We couldn’t carry on discussions”: New York Times, August 13, 1972.
53 Nixon became preoccupied with managing the attacks on Shriver: H. R. Haldeman, August 13, 1972, and August 14, 1972, The Haldeman Diaries. 600 “we should be hitting Shriver hard”: H. R. Haldeman, August 14, 1972, The Haldeman Diaries.
54 “Need to destroy Shriver and his credibility”: H. R. Haldeman, August 16, 1972, The Haldeman Diaries.
55 “fucking a sow in downtown Fort Worth”: Mark Shields, interview April 16, 2002.
56 “McGovern is associating with amateurs”: H. R. Haldeman, August 22, 1972, The Haldeman Diaries; Weil, The Long Shot, 149.
57 “I never trusted him, the SOB”: Nixon, The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, 688.
58 McGovern trailed 60–34: Washington Post, August 30, 1972.
59 “recreation director on the Titanic”: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 319.
60 When Lee White and Bill Josephson met with McGovern: William Josephson to Sargent Shriver, August 30, 1972, Josephson Papers, JFK Library; Washington Post, August 31, 1972.
61 “It’s incredible what’s going on”: New York Times Magazine, October 15, 1972.
62 “Sarge is out to pull a Muskie”: New York Times, October 23, 1972.
63 “Sargent Shriver is probably the most sparkling of the four candidates”: Washington Post, September 25, 1972.
64 when Shriver and Agnew were matched up: Washington Post, October 4, 1972.
65 “sprinting through all-white suburban neighborhoods and all-black slums”: Washington Post, October 9, 1972.
66 “the most Kennedy of the Kennedys”: Hart, Right from the Start, 311.
67 “American Family Picnic”: Washington Post, October 16, 1972.
68 “Both Eunice and I are grateful”: Sargent Shriver to Jackie Onassis, November 14, 1972, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
69 “How can the President claim to know what’s going on in Peking”: See, for instance, Face the Nation, October 22, 1972.
70 “where Nixon meets his Waterloo”: Sacramento Bee, September 12, 1972.<
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71 Back at the office for a day: Crouse, The Boys on the Bus, 362.
72 the Shriver staff soldiered on: White, The Making of the President, 1972, 335.
73 “I was never depressed during that campaign”: Sargent Shriver, interview August 31, 1997.
74 “I remember the last day”: Mark Shields, interview April 16, 2002.
75 Sarge and Eunice voted in the early afternoon: “Detailed Schedule—Sargent Shriver—November 7, 1972,” Josephson Papers, JFK Library.
76 “It was a horrible night”: Donald Dell, interview April 15, 2003.
77 “We were having a grand old time”: Sargent Shriver, interview August 31, 1997.
78 “In a campaign of surpassing importance”: “Lucky Seven Follies,” Timberlawn, November 7, 1972, Shriver Papers, JFK Library.
Chapter 46: Shriver for President
1 “With the disastrous defeat of George McGovern”: Witcover, Marathon, 119.
2 “Mr. Kennedy has given his close friends the impression”: New York Times, May 21, 1973.
3 over the first weekend of September: Witcover, Marathon, 121.
4 “He wasn’t going to leave her”: Ibid., 121–22.
5 “a kind of royal family in exile”: Ibid., 124.
6 “firm, final, and unconditional”: Boston Evening Globe, September 23, 1974.
7 “very, very reluctant”: David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002.
8 McGovern’s aides had laughed at him: Bourne, Jimmy Carter, 228–36.
9 but “clearly concerned”: David Birenbaum, interview March 4, 2002.
10 “the last of the sophomores”: McCarthy, One Journalist’s Place in the World, 117.
11 “Shriver is a lightweight”: Ibid.
12 “We sat down around the dinner table”: Bryan Hehir, interview March 27, 2003.
13 “ruthlessness of his good intentions”: New York Times Magazine, October 15, 1972.
14 “Sarge is probably too nice a guy”: Bryan Hehir, interview March 27, 2003.
15 “What I found both very appealing about him”: Anthony Lake, interview May 13, 2003.