Session: 1234567891011121314151617         Page 365366367368369370371372373374375376377378379380381382383384385386387388389390391392393394395396397398399400401402403404405406407408409410411412413414415416417418419 of 755

want to debate.

I thought so, but I wasn't sure. There were two candidates for President on the Democratic side, Lyndon Johnson, who was majority leader, and John Kennedy. At that time it wasn't clear (as it became shortly thereafter) that the Kennedys had outplanned the Johnson forces very substantially. But, there was also Richard Nixon, on the Republican side, so I went over to see the Vice-President, but his assistant, his administrative assistant (who later became a senator from California, I've forgotten his name now), came out to see me. He said he knew I had an appointment with the Vice-President, but the meeting was running long and could he help me? Very friendly guy. I said, “Yes, all I really wanted to find out was whether, if we got the debate legislation through for the temporary relief, would the Vice-President be willing to debate?” He said there was no question about that. He said he was a champion debater when he was at Whittier. “I don't even have to ask him,” he said. “Just take my word for it that he will debate.”

So, I went on my way. I then went over --

Had he had any experience with television at that point? Nixon?

Oh, yes, sure.

He had done public appearances, and --

He had done public appearances, “Face the Nation,” and things of that kind. Well, wait a minute. Sure. He did the famous speech, when he was about to be knocked