Evening star., 1960-10-09
Campaign 7 rail Demands
Work, SpIit-Second Timing
BY ROBERT X. WALSH
Star stan Writer

Campaign trials and tribeR-
lations Of Vice President Nixon
and Senator Kennedy combine
all the elements Of putting a
circus on the road, carrying
forward the Great Crusades
and using every modern cleo
tronic device and ancient polit-
ical practice.
What goes on behind the
scenceS and away from the
tumult and shouting of the
crowds is seldom seen or even
suspected by the general pub
lie.
Not that there is any delib-
crate mystery about the in
flnitely detailed planning and
preparation that goes into the
travelling and speechmakinN
Of the Democratic and Repub-
lican presidential nominees
and, to a lesser degreee, the
vice presidential candidates.
The prime purpose is what
1t always has been-to put
forward the candidates to be
seen and heard, to appeal for
votes, rally supporters, refute
the opposition and persuade
the independents and the in
different,
But politicking by airplane
and taking to the air for face
to-face TV debates have added
vast new dimensions, not to
mention direction, back and
forth across the United States
with dazzling and sometimes
dizzy speed. Railroad whistle
stopping has not been saban-
doned but it is being used
rarely this year.
Saga Of Work, Worry
In the interests Of strict ac-
curacy. newsmen accompany
ing Senator Kennedy and Vice
President Nixon make up only
one segment Of the sweeping
saga of hard work, hurry-and-
wait formations and personal
inconvenience such as loss of
sleep, inadequate laundry and
no time to enjoy various attrac-
tions Of the cities through
which they scurry.
The candidates themselves, Il
while spared some of the hard
ships by efficient aides, are not
sparing themselves.
Senator Kennedy is one of
the hardest-driving candidates
in many years. He sometimes
changes schedules literally in
midair. He seems to count the
day lost when he does not make
eight or 10 speeches, not in
cluding side sallies for hand
shaking and autograph signing.
Mr.. Nixon also pushes himself
relentlessly, often almost from
dawn until well after midnight.
Yet, neither candidate has
shown any sign Of Ill temper
or temperament in public, as
has happened in some past
presidential election campaigns.
Both men must be at the
ragged edge Of weariness many
q time. But they seldom show
It. Or If they do, they snap out
Of 1t instantly at the first sign
OF Q cheering crowd.
Such tremendous and fast
moving campaign operations
where q slip-up or miscalcula- Z.
ton might lose votes-could
not succeed without big stats
that go with the candidates,
and the bigger organization
staffs In Washington and
throughout the country.
Kennedy Has 8 Planes
The Kennedy caravan, for ,
example, usually calls for three ,
planes. There is Senator Ken ,
nedy's plane, the Caroline,
named after his daughter. With ,
him generally are a few top :
aides, advisers and speech !
writer's as well as occasional i
guests such as Governors, ,
Senators or party chieftains.
Three news correspondents,
too. have seats in the candi-
dates plane. There are re- ,
porters for the Associated ,
Press and United Press Inter- /
national and a pool" reporter !
selected daily from among ,
other newspaper, magazine /
and radio-television news cor 5
respondents. $
A special plane carries the
rest Of the press. The number G
OF neWSmen varies according {
to duration, distance and the $
general target Of a journey, I
such as a visit to Southern ]
States or to New York or the ,
Far West. Photographers and !
TV technicians with especially l
bulky equipment often have !
a plane of their own. '
For a Washington news
paperman it is practically like
old home week or covering '
Congress. Most of the press
planes regular occupants rep
resent Washington newspapers