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"A collaborative political resource." |
A perennial thorn in Nixon's side
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Candidate
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| Contributor | None Entered |
| Last Edited | None Entered Jan 20, 2005 03:46am |
| Category | Profile |
| News Date | Jan 19, 2005 12:00am |
| Description | Percy was a Republican who was both too liberal and too independent for Nixon. While the president was a hawk on the Vietnam War, Percy was a dove, seen by the White House as weak and pandering to the media and Washington establishment. He was a leader in pushing for a moratorium on sending more troops and then to cut off funds. He was critical of the South Vietnam regime the U.S. backed while also taking a more left-leaning position on the Middle East. On the domestic front, Percy voted against the party line on civil rights and some other issues, and he appointed federal judges Nixon deemed too liberal.
The senator from Illinois called Kissinger on Oct. 7, 1970, with congratulations after Nixon's speech to the nation calling for a cease-fire in the Vietnam War and convening of a peace conference. Ninety minutes later, Kissinger chats with Nixon about Percy's call -- and Percy's apparently numerous media bookings to discuss the speech. |
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