DEMOCRATS: Undeclared Campaign

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No Open Arms. Such a statement, if made by Richard Nixon, might have caused a national uproar. Some politicians thought he had made a gaffe as damaging as the "brainwashing" statement that capsized George Romney's candidacy four years ago. As it turned out, the answer stirred hardly a ripple of comment. The blacks at the meeting politely thanked Muskie for his candor—although one participant said later: "He won't be a candidate the black community will welcome with open arms." Were Muskie nominated, however, he would almost certainly be the choice of most black voters over Nixon.

For the one-day trip north to Oregon, Frank Sinatra lent Muskie his private 12-seat Grumman jet. The pilot, in some confusion about the schedule, landed in Portland instead of Eugene, and taxied around vainly in search of a welcoming party. "It's hard to make a speech here," Muskie quipped to an aide. "There are no terminal facilities." Once put down properly in Eugene, he attended a party meeting where he argued with a Women's Lib group about abortion—he opposes it, favors disseminating more information about birth control instead.

At one point in Los Angeles, Muskie talked about being "conscious of my weaknesses and shortcomings." Then he added: "And I'm awed by the responsibility I presume to seek." But it probably won't be until the first of the year that Muskie makes his presidential candidacy official.