Republicans: Harmony at Hershey

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Within a few days of his crushing victory at San Francisco, Barry Goldwater realized that he had committed a major mistake in campaign strategy. Letters of protest from other Republicans poured into the G.O.P. National Committee, and Goldwater could see that his cold, unconciliatory acceptance speech and his explosive line about extremism had refueled, rather than dampened, the fiery convention tempers. He knew that something had to be done about it — and something was.

Goldwater wrote to Richard Nixon, explained that perhaps what he should have said about extremism was that "wholehearted devotion to liberty is unassailable and that halfhearted devotion to justice is indefensible." Then, carrying out a plan conceived even before the convention, he skillfully handled a remarkable summit conference of G.O.P. leaders in Hershey, Pa.

One of Goldwater's top aides explained why the unity meeting was now so important. "Let's face it—that acceptance speech was a mistake. We'd won, and that was a time for pulling together—inviting everybody back in.

But those guys* came in with this 'to hell with you' speech and hit the boss in a mood to take it."

So, one day last week, Goldwater went to Hershey armed with a carefully honed speech. It was drafted largely by former Eisenhower Advisers Bryce Harlow and Ed McCabe in consultation with Goldwater and Ike; it was a fascinating document, in both tone and content (see box). "This speech," observed a close Goldwater associate, "is what he should have said at San Francisco."

To hear Barry out and to discuss all of the obstacles to party unity, the leaders met for two hours and 45 minutes at the Hershey Hotel. Present were Goldwater, Vice-Presidential Candidate William Miller, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, 14 Republican Governors and 14 G.O.P. gubernatorial candidates. The positions they took there, in private, laid the basis for their later pronouncements of unity. High points behind the closed doors:

Miller: The two premises of the campaign will be, first, firmness in foreign policy, and second, fiscal responsibility. Barry Goldwater wants to be President, and I want to be Vice President. But we want to conduct ourselves in such a way that whether we actually achieve this or not, we will strengthen our party, thereby strengthening the two-party system in this country. If we have any trouble achieving unity, all we have to do is look at the bitterness the Democrats had to face in 1960 after their convention. They got together after bitter primary and convention fights.

Goldwater: [Introducing Ike.] Here's a man who brought us eight years of prosperity, peace and honesty in government. [Applause].

Eisenhower: I have had many talks with Barry Goldwater. He plans to release a statement today that should erase all doubts any of us may have had about him. I assure you it is not a bland one, but a strong one. Let's bare our souls today and get down to meaningful issues.