NEW REPUBLIC

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Let's face it, this is not my normal constituency. This evening has been traumatic for me. I have been photographed with so many liberals, my semi-annual visit to the White House will now be even less frequent.

I am honored to join so prominent a group, a
group to pay tribute to so small a magazine.

Of course, given my latent paranoia--celebrated
over the years in the pages of the New Republic--I can
already see the comments in Senator Helm's office when the
Washington Post reports my presence tomorrow surrounded by
so many illustrious members of the remnants of the Liberal
Establishment.

It will do me little good to plead that Marty
Peretz has deftly steered the New Republic from its
historic position on the left side of the political road--in a
nation that drives on the right--toward a still more hazardous
position somewhere near the middle.

From this vantage point, the New Republic has found
a vast new range of targets for its slings and arrows. It
has truly become an equal opportunity deplorer.

THE NEW REPUBLIC

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All of this helps explain why so many famous
liberals are here tonight, and why so many of them look
faintly uncomfortable.

Warren Beatty, our Master of Ceremonies, is, of course,
a famous Hollywood liberal. His last film, appropriately
enough, was entitled "Reds," and its theme was that the
Bolshevik Revolution didn't go far enough.

Bill Bradley is a famous New Jersey liberal. In
speculating about Presidential candidates many people say
it was he who should have lost 49 States to President Reagan
this year. We have also heard tonight among others from
Yo Yo Ma, a famous eastern liberal; Lane Kirkland, a famous
labor liberal; Roger Rosenblatt, a famous passionate
liberal; Eugene McCarthy, a famous Reagan liberal; and
Shimcha Dinitz, the token Jewish liberal.

I am here to give the program balance--though
how a member of an extinct species--the Rockefeller

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Republicans--can do that is not clear to me.

I am surely not here to repay the New Republic
for having succumbed to my ability to manipulate the
press over the years. Upon my appointment as the President's
National Security Advisor in 1968, for example, the New Republic
abandoned its customary restraint and pronounced my
selection "pretty good."

When I completed my service as Secretary of State some
eight years later, the New Republic bade me a fond farewell
with an editorial entitled "Good Riddance."

I am here above all to pay tribute to my friend,
Marty Peretz. He came to my attention nearly twenty years
ago as one of the organizers of anti-Vietnam demonstrations at
Harvard--not exactly my favorite cause. But I knew I was
dealing with someone special when he called me during the
Six-Day war to urge Walt Rostow to invoke sanctions against
Jordan if it joined the war. "But I thought you were a dove",

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I said innocently. "Dovey" replied Marty witheringly "stops at the delicatessan door."

I knew then I was dealing with a discriminating political intellect.

Strangely enough we became increasingly good friends. He saw me occasionally about the causes that concerned him, Biafra, Israel, the end of the Vietnam war. Even when I did not agree with every policy prescription I admired his dedication, his faith, and his purposes.

Still, he surprised me with what he did with the New Republic. The loss of our innocence has so polarized our intellectual life that it is not easy to find a position at once compassionate and not wallowing in rejection; dedicated to peace without abdication of justice or freedom.

The New Republic under Marty Peretz has done so in a remarkable manner. As I pointed out I have probably been more frequently criticized than praised in its pages.

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Yet I have always thought of it as an ally in the
goals that mattered to me.

Having lived as a boy in a totalitarian society
I could never accept the self-hatred with which so many
native-born intellectuals react to the realization that
our society is not immune to imperfection. I could never
forget the hope America had been to my family in a desperate
period.

Nor has the New Republic under Marty Peretz ever
forgotten that in the end the desperate everywhere need a strong
and purposeful America. The New Republic has pulled no
punches. Its intellectual level has been extraordinary;
its moral standards impeccable.

Charles Krautheimer, Wieseltier, Morton Kondracke,
Marty himself, Sidney Blumenthal, have taught me much about
our society and given me new perspectives on our challenges.
It is no accident that the New Republic has been the only

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major publication which has had the courage recently to
take on the LaRouche abomination and the disgraceful
conduct of some of our officials towards that totalitarian
group.

When I read these articles I thought of their authors
as grizzled veterans of many intellectual battles. I have
always been astonished upon meeting them by their buoyancy,
their dedication, and above all their youth.

I do not know whether it is possible to distil a
journal's message in a few sentences. To me the New Republic's
message to America seems to be: Do not be afraid or ashamed
that you are powerful; neither hoard nor abuse your strength.
It is not a burden but God's blessing conferring an opportunity
to defend the free, to lift up the poor, to give hope to
the disadvantaged and to walk truly in the paths of justice
and mercy.

So the New Republic at Seventy is--thanks to Marty Peretz

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and his extraordinary collaborators--not just in its prime
but at the beginning of a new era.

Marty is giving us a magazine that makes us think
which is always a dangerous theory.

He is giving us a magazine that today, as in 1914,
"starts little insurrections in the realm of our convictions."

He and his associates are making a major contribution
to the intellectual and political life of our country.

May they continue for a long time--to all our glory!

Nov. 27, 1984

THE NEW REPUBLIC

Of course, given my latent paranoia--celebrated
over the years in the pages of the New Republic--I can
already see the comments in Senator Helms' office when the
Washington Post reports my presence tomorrow surrounded by
so many illustrious members of the remnants of the Liberal
Establishment.

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NOV. 26 '84 14:24 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

I AM HONORED TO JOIN SO PROMINENT A GROUP OF PEOPLE
IN PAYING TRIBUTE TO SO SMALL A MAGAZINE AS THE NEW REPUBLIC.

IT IS A WELL-WORN TRUISM THAT THE NEW REPUBLIC HAS A
SIGNIFICANCE FAR OUT OF PROPORTION TO ITS MODEST CIRCULATION.

IT IS EQUALLY TRUE, AND EQUALLY WELL KNOWN, THAT NO
ONE'S CIRCULATION HAS EVER BENEFITTED FROM A BLEEDING HEART.

RECOGNIZING THIS, MARTIN PERETZ HAS DEFTLY STEERED
THE NEW REPUBLIC FROM ITS HISTORIC POSITION ON THE LEFT SIDE
OF THE POLITICAL ROAD -- IN A NATION THAT DRIVES ON THE
RIGHT -- TOWARD A STILL MORE HAZARDOUS POSITION SOMEWHERE
NEAR THE MIDDLE.

FROM THIS NEW VANTAGE POINT, THE NEW REPUBLIC HAS FOUND
A VAST NEW RANGE OF TARGETS FOR ITS SLINGS AND ARROWS. IT
HAS TRULY BECOME AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DEPLORER.

ALL OF THIS HELPS EXPLAIN WHY SO MANY FAMOUS LIBERALS
ARE HERE TONIGHT, AND WHY THEY ALL LOOK FAINTLY UNCOMFORTABLE.

WARREN BEATTY, OUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES, IS, OF COURSE,
A FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD LIBERAL. HIS LAST FILM, APPROPRIATELY
ENOUGH, WAS ENTITLED "REDS," AND ITS THEME WAS THAT THE
BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

NOV. 26 '84 14:25 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

P.03

MARIO CUOMO IS A FAMOUS NEW YORK LIBERAL. HIS SPEECH AT LAST SUMMER'S DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WAS BRILLIANT, AND MANY PEOPLE SAY IT WAS HE WHO SHOULD HAVE LOST 49 STATES TO PRESIDENT REAGAN THIS YEAR.

IN ANY EVENT, WHEN PEOPLE DISCUSS PUBLIC SPEAKERS NOWADAYS, THEY OFTEN COMPLAIN, "HE'S NO MARIO CUOMO." AFTER LISTENING TO BARNEY FRANK TONIGHT, ONE IS TEMPTED TO SAY "HE'S NOT EVEN PERRY CUOMO."

BILL BRADLEY IS A FAMOUS ACADEMIC LIBERAL. IT WAS THIS FORMER RHODES SCHOLAR FROM PRINCETON WHO FIRST OBSERVED THAT MANY PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE BLACK. FOR SUCH ASTUTENESS, HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SENATE FROM NEW JERSEY.

BETTY FRIEDAN IS A FAMOUS FEMINIST LIBERAL. HER BOOK, *THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE*, REMAINS THE BIBLE OF THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT. WITH ITS CUSTOMARY SENSITIVITY, THE NEW REPUBLIC ONCE CALLED *THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE* A SEMINAL WORK.

IRVING KRISTOL IS A FAMOUS NEOLIBERAL, AND HE IS HERE TONIGHT ONLY BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE WERE HONORING THE NEO REPUBLIC.

NOV. 26 '84 14:26 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

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WE HAVE ALSO HEARD TONIGHT FROM YO YO MA, A FAMOUS
EASTERN LIBERAL; LANE KIRKLAND, A FAMOUS LABOR LIBERAL;
ROGER ROSENBLATT, A FAMOUS PASSIONATE LIBERAL; KATHARINE
GRAHAM, A FAMOUS DISPASSIONATE LIBERAL; ALBERT GORE, JR.,
A FAMOUS SOUTHERN LIBERAL; EUGENE MCCARTHY, A FAMOUS
REAGAN LIBERAL; AND SIMCHA DINITZ, THE EVER-POPULAR JEWISH
LIBERAL.

THIS LEAVES MICHAEL WALZER AS THE TOKEN LIBERAL, AND
JEANE KIRKPATRICK WHOM GEORGE WILL HAS NOMINATED FOR SAINT-
HOOD. I AM HERE TO GIVE THE PROGRAM BALANCE.

I MUST SAY THE NEW REPUBLIC HAS GIVEN ME QUITE WELL-
BALANCED COVERAGE OVER THE YEARS, HANDING ME APPROBATION
ONE WEEK, EXCORIATION THE NEXT.

UPON MY APPOINTMENT AS THE PRESIDENT'S NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR IN 1968, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW REPUBLIC ABANDONED ITS
CUSTOMARY RESTRAINT AND PRONOUNCED MY SELECTION "PRETTY GOOD."

WHEN I COMPLETED MY SERVICE AS SECRETARY OF STATE SOME
EIGHT YEARS LATER, THE NEW REPUBLIC BADE ME A FOND FAREWELL
WITH AN EDITORIAL ENTITLED "GOOD RIDDANCE."

NOV. 26 '84 14:27 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

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AND IN THE INTERVENING YEARS, THIS MOST CEREBRAL OF JOURNALS SAW FIT TO COMMENT NOT ONLY ON MY CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY BUT ON MY WORK HABITS AND EVEN MY PHYSIQUE.

THUS WAS I CHRISTENED "HENRY THE CURMUDGEON" IN 1971.

THUS WAS I DESCRIBED IN 1972, NOT AS THE ARCHITECT OF WORLD PEACE BUT AS "SHORT, ROTUND, CHUNKY."

THUS, MOST MEMORABLY, WAS I ALLOWED TO CHARACTERIZE MYSELF, AGAIN IN 1972, AS AMERICA'S LONE COWBOY.

FOR ALL OF THIS, OF COURSE, I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. I AM GRATEFUL, MOST OF ALL, THAT HARDLY ANYONE READS THE NEW REPUBLIC.

IN MORE RECENT YEARS, THE NEW REPUBLIC HAS FOUND OTHER PEOPLE TO PERSECUTE. WITH THIS MAGAZINE, IT'S "OUT OF POWER, OUT OF MIND." AS A GENERAL RULE, THEY ALSO CONSIDER THOSE IN POWER TO BE OUT OF THEIR MINDS.

NOV. 26 '84 14:28 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

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EVEN SO, I REMAIN A FAITHFUL READER OF THE NEW REPUBLIC, HOPING AGAINST HOPE THAT SOMEDAY THE ELEGANCE OF A WALTER LIPPMANN WILL REAPPEAR IN ITS PAGES.

AT THIS POINT, I MIGHT EVEN SETTLE FOR THE ELEGANCE OF A WALTER MONDALE. BUT WHAT I FIND MORE OFTEN IS THE GRITTY REALISM OF A WALTER MITTY.

IT IS CUSTOMARY TO THINK OF THOSE REACHING THE AGE OF SEVENTY TO BE IN THE TWILIGHT OF THEIR LIVES. MANY OF US ARE PLEASED TO THINK OF THE NEW REPUBLIC IN THIS WAY.

BUT WE KNOW THAT SOME EXTRAORDINARY FEW -- THE CHURCHILLS, THE ADENAUERS, THE REAGANS AND OTHER NEW REPUBLICANS -- CONTINUE TO SERVE WELL BEYOND THIS BIBLICAL MILESTONE OF THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN.

THAT IS JUST A CHANCE WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE.

MARTIN PERETZ IS GIVING US A MAGAZINE THAT MAKES US THINK, WHICH IS ALWAYS A DANGEROUS THING.

HE IS GIVING US A MAGAZINE THAT, TODAY AS IN 1914, "STARTS LITTLE INSURRECTIONS IN THE REALM OF OUR CONVICTIONS."

NOV. 26 '84 14:29 KISSINGER ASSOCIATES, WASH. DC

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HE AND HIS TALENTED STAFF ARE MAKING AN IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTION TO THE POLITICAL AND INTELLECTUAL LIFE OF THE
NATION EVERY WEEK.

FOR ALL OF THIS, WE SAY "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NEW REPUBLIC."
AND AS THE PRESIDENT SAID ON ELECTION DAY, MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

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