Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-13
LETTERS TO THE STAR
Richard Nixon and the Press

However, after reading Mary
McGrory's statement Of Nix
on's final" press conference.
and comparing this with the
verbatim text of Nixon's re-
marks, I feel that if he had
been the object of many such
articles, then he had every
right to complain. Mr.. Nixon
is a fine and outstanding
American, and deserves bet
ter than this.
Martin C. Nielsen.
\ Il y Il
I object to editorializing on
the front page, such as in the
article Nixon Pulls Havoc
Down Around Ears"
The use of the words Gin
temperance" and "incoher-
ence" is not consistent with
objective reporting. Had they
been used in an editorial or
a column no complaint would
have been registered, but the
opinions of reporter should
not appear in an article on
the front page.
The press has long con-
sidered itself a sacred COW.
1t has been altogether too
sensitive to criticism. I agree
with Dick Nixon's compare
sion of television and press
coverage of the campaigns.
Donald T. Jensen, Jr.
y 4 4
The Star can go ahead
and wash its hands in an
editorial that lays Nixon's
defeats to "the nature of the
man" if it wants to, but in
the hearts of many of the
American people it shares
the responsibility for helping
to create a distorted image
Of a capable and courageous
man. In Mary McGrory's COW
erage of his recent campaign
you gave us cleverneSs, SEN
Sational interest and a vitri-
Ollie bias on the front page.
Ever since he helped con-
vict that nice. clean-cut,
handsome. intellectual" Al
ger Hiss, Nixon has been fair
game for much of the press.
All of us are mortal and
make mistakes, but it seems
to me that Nixon made few
er than he was entitled to.
Yet how many Americans
are really aware Of his cool
courage in South America.
Instead the 1860 Democrat
campaign implied the attacks
on him there were somehow
his fault. His flawless behav-
Tor during Ike's illness, his
effectiveness and popularity
in his other foreign travels,
this is not the side of Nixon
that was ever emphasized in
the press.
Phyllis ]. Davenport
Richard Nixon never eX-
hibited more clearly than in
his final" press conference
his unfitness to hold any
high public office.
FIR.
&& -
I thought I would never
read such trash in The Star
as Mary McGrory's exit
Snarling." I have also read
the transcript of Mr.. Nixon's
remarks at a news conference
on November 6, 1862. No
where in that transcript did I
see any indication of where
Mr.. Nixon turned against his
friends. Miss McGrory says
that he went on to blame his
volunteer workers FOR blowing
it," His statement II only
wish they could have gotten
out a few more in the key
precincts. but because they
didn't Mr.. Brown won and
I have lost the election" was
in connection with his state
ment on the lack of money
and in no way could be in
terpreted that he was slur-
ring his friends or campaign
workers by a fair-minded
person.
John H. Currier.
y y
If any justification Is nee
essary for the complaint that
Richard Nixon voiced against
the coverage Of his public
statements and political
campaigns by some elements
Of the press, your reporter,
Mary McGrory, has provided
it by. her report" of his
remarks. 1t is difficult read
ing Miss McGrory's article
and then comparing it
with the actual transcript Of
Mr.. Nixon'S remarks, to real
ize that both constituted the
same subject matter, so much
did she pull statements out
of context and juggle their
sequence in order to provide
a purported basis for her
biased interpretation"
NJ. GOlding.