Ten O'Clock News; Interview with George Wallace

Yes. Jack it's hard to button should know where your chair I don't know where. That looks fun. OK Larry. Governor there are many people who feel quite strongly that you're going to win here in Massachusetts and they base that prediction of the theory that the people who were opposed to bussing are going to come out and vote in large numbers with the people who favor other candidates. Those candidates will be spread across the board and there's a lot of apathy so that they feel that you are going to win here in

Massachusetts how do you feel about that. What I can hardly see where I would win in Massachusetts I would be the most surprised individual. Dissipating in the presidential sweepstakes. Hi I have a bus in the not the only problem that people face in this country and in Massachusetts. But I think that people in this state of Eric concern that they spend all this time on these social experiments when we have so much unemployment and recession and inflation in the country. So if people do vote for George Wallace of all people it will certainly be a very strong message to those in Washington and to the Democratic Party and to the Republican Party. This is an important state for you isn't it. Well it's important in the sense that it's one of the finest states of our union. But I ran very poorly here 972 I did not campaign here and I do not expect to run well here. I wish people had more of an opportunity to listen to me

and see me but of course that's impossible so many primaries going on. It's important but. I do not expect to win but if I win it would certainly be a shock and a surprise and a good lesson. I think all the people that national politics cover there are some people who think you're poor mouthing about the way you're going to do when misused. Well I'm looking back at the fact that I didn't do well in 1972 in Massachusetts and I'm looking back to the fact that the people of this particular region have been propagandized very heavily against George Wallace and the ideas that I've stood for that have been misinterpreted and distorted. So it's very hard to see where I would do well but of course I hope to do well and if I do well it will certainly be as I said the best met message barrier that they can have about some of these matters would be through George Wallace perhaps because this was the state in which George McGovern did so well four years ago that was it right he won the state the only one in the union.

You were given a Reagan may find yourselves competing of eventually for some of the same voters and Governor Reagan has reached some promise lately with his plan to cut 90 billion dollars from the federal budget. Could you support such a plan. Well of course I have not seen the details of the Reagan plan but to cut 90 billion from the federal budget and turn it over to the states without any corresponding reduction of taxation would be impossible. There should be more state control over the expenditure of money they take from Massachusetts and sent to Washington and then send back. I'm agreed. Agreed in the matter of the spending of school money. Let the local people in Boston Massachusetts make the determination and stead of someone in Washington it would be cheaper. But on the other hand to transfer immediately that cannot be done. Governor Reagan said that if a certain state did not provide programs for people who felt they

needed they could vote with their feet and go somewhere else do you agree with that idea. No I do not agree with that. The proposal has come from Ralph Nader's organization in recent days that the federal government and not the state's charter corporations in effect to make the big companies more democratic efficient and law abiding. Is that an idea you could support. I don't support the idea of giving the central government more authority and power. I believe in the Anna trust laws and I believe they should be vigorously enforced. And I believe that cooperation should say pay their part of the tax. I don't tax load on the other hand the founders of our nation intended for the central government to be limited. When you regulate everything out of Washington the people of Boston Massachusetts do not know who to go to when federal judges who are not elected by the people but given a life tenure and just tell the people of this state what to do about their children then the people have no recourse. I would like police authority in those matters to be vested in the state

so if the people are not satisfied then they know who to blame they know who to get rid of in the next election. I'd like to come back to a point we were talking about a moment ago about how you expect to do in Massachusetts and you say you don't expect to do well. But there is already been one poll that showed you were second to Sargent Shriver in the early going. Well I'm very surprised I don't know how scientific that poll is but I don't expect to do well but I'm still campaigning in this state and if I do well it would of course certainly be a surprise it will be a good surprise in the sense that the people of this state are going to get more attention than they would get otherwise because they are dissatisfied with unemployment and the recession and the fission problem among the fishermen on on the coast. The government spends more time. Bussing children back was involved in polarizing people which is their unfortunate. Then they do on these particular problems and I think the people of Massachusetts in times of

inflation and unemployment but rather for the government to spend their time in those fields and out of the field of social experiments. If you do not expect to do well why have you plan to spend so much time in Massachusetts between now and the primaries Well this is one of the first primaries and the primary emotional after the Massachusetts primary. I'm not in the New Hampshire primary. I'm not I'm not spending all of that time here but I am spending some time this an important segment of the United States a great eastern part of our country. And I want to know more about the positions that I've taken because I'm running to be president of all the people of our country. I'd like to break for one second. Just leave a kidney for you. I mean water. We were in the water. Governor you made a point of saying that you're going to support the nominee of the Democratic convention unless that person is what you call a McGovern type in the event that the convention might turn from you to someone like Senator Humphrey or Senator Kennedy. Could you support such a person.

I don't believe that a candidate is going to in the first place accept the nomination he says he's not a candidate who doesn't want to be president and I accept his word. I believe that he means what he says and I don't believe that anyone is going to have too much chance of being nominated unless they go out for the people. And neither one of these candidates this time of going out for the people they're both fine people personally. Set at home and we have Sunday that you have no chance of winning. Well that's part of the strategy of the National Democratic Party they don't like me. They ganged up on me and he knows that he was even asked that question on that particular program because the newsmen know it and I would say that you folks know who asked me that question you know they are you know that in some states they're going to all stay out not campaign that one individual campaign they're hoping that they can pile up the opposition vote. That might be it against me in order to take me out. Well they're saying this to you dollars and we have a wireless problem. Well a lot of problem they have a

little farm a problem and that ought to work a problem in that. And the barber and beautician and tax a gab drive and a businessman that has been ignored by the Democratic Party while they paid attention to folks who allowed people to run loose in the field of crime while they drive in limousines to do their work. And I live in apartment houses without the protection while the average citizen have to put up with it and they themselves. Know that I have spoken for these people and they want to get rid of me because I'm sort of a thorn in their side but after all it is up to the people and it's part of the conspiracy of the National Democratic Party to all say he's not going to get the nomination. Well that ought to be left up to the people of Massachusetts and the other states who vote in the primaries and the caucuses to make that determination and not he. A few members of the party. Well you said all along you'll abide by the decision of the Democratic convention as long as you think it's been fair.

Now you seem to feel as though maybe they're not going to be fair to you does that raise the possibility of a third or out of a seat. I believe the Democratic Party is going to go back to represent the masses of people in this country because nearly every candidate is now saying what I've been saying all of them almost against bust and they used to be five all of them against big government in the bureaucracy and all of them were talking about foreign aid and giving our money away and why not use it here. Even getting around a say in things that I've been saying for many years that and they said well I was on to radical in my judgment. And this means that if they all say that those those who take the position that the National Democratic Party must have a platform and a candidate and I must embrace that particular platform. You feel I gather is though you're going to be a force at that convention in New York City this summer. What do you want to see in that life.

The people that I represent are going to be a force I don't think any one individual is going to be a force. I represent many people I represent many people in this state. But there are many people who feel you're going to be the broker for those be well I'm not going well I'm not going to be a broker. But at that convention if they give me enough vote I'm going to see that their positions are represented in the platform and by the candidate. And if you don't get those positions into the platform. Listen there's no chance that they were not in the in the plan that were not so why is the Democratic National Conference of governors chairman Mr. Noel of Rhode Island and eastern state and a so-called liberal state says we must get closer to the positions of George Wallace. Why does the president of the United States say that my position and Governor Wallace is on many matters are similar. Well they're saying that because they know that I've been the spokesman for many people in this country who've been ignored. The average citizen the great middle class the working people of our country. And if they say that they certainly are not going to get to

the convention and have a platform and a candidate that doesn't represent this great mass of people in our country. If the presidential nomination should in some way elude you are there any circumstances under which you would accept the vice presidential nomination. I'm not interested in the vice presidential nomination at all I'm interested in this country getting back on the right track and I believe that I'm playing my part contributing my part that I believe that's going to happen I'm not hunting just a place on the ticket in that regard as a vice president. Would you rule it out. Well I'd rule it out I'm just not there when I do a lot more to be the vice presidential candidate. And if it was offered you would not accept. Well all of the rest of the runnings they have they get the nomination and got going to offer it so that's not a question governor in the past you have said that if other candidates in the race are willing to make their complete medical reports public you too would be exacted his positions then.

Well already the New York Times DR ALTMAN has already gone and checked my records and wrote a nice story in The New York Times and gave me this fine bill of health as you know one of the candidates. So I've already had one of their top writers. That is a doctor a medical writer for The New York Times and that paid better than I ever said a kind word about George Wallace. But I refer you to his report and his study about my health. You know you don't want an acrobat as Al Smith said when Franklin Roosevelt who was in a wheelchair running for governor in New York. We're not going to elect an acrobat we don't need an acrobat to be a governor. We don't need an acrobat to be president. So I am qualified You Don't Be proud you're not president with your leg or your president with your head. And my health is all right if it were not I would not be a candidate. There is a movement in Massachusetts and there are signs of movements elsewhere in the country I will in particular for an uncommitted slate of delegates perhaps that means a Humphrey slate of delegates. Have you noticed this situation and how do you feel about it.

Well there have been uncommitted slates of delegates in many instances that they were 970 to but I don't know. I know some of the uncommitted could wind up being for George Wallace. You see some of those people on the uncommitted slates as as really pledged to you or yes I actually saw them I see some in one particular state which had answered well in Mississippi for instance and I am not sure about I will but I would say Mississippi. There are some who think that presidential campaigns are too long too drawn out and too expensive. Are you in favor of shortening or streamlining the campaign. This might be the primary as it should be made a consolidated into regional primaries that all the candidates run in the regional primaries and then have a portion of representation at the convention. Governor you have sought the presidency more than once and you've not done I want to sort it one out Rand once that in 1968 I ran in three primaries in 1964 mainly to let people know that there

were other positions other than these Oprah way of left wingers that have gotten our country in the thick cheese and brought all the Bustan and all the crime existence in our country through all of the missing Nish. But that wasn't really an effort because it was on and restage. I ran in 68. One thing you said that too I was a candidate for the nomination but I was shot and as a result I was out so I really have been a candidate the presidency only once to its final conclusion. A lot of people have viewed you over a long period of time as a man seeking the presidency and you keep coming back for teach each time. Why do you do it people try to understand what makes George Wallace tick I want to see this country get by to represent the masses of people in the government. And I want to see the parties do the same thing. I think the people of Massachusetts at the end understand what many of us were talking about I used to prophesies that someday the federal government the central government is going to take over every phase

and aspect of your lives. They're going to spend your money they're going to take it from you're going to have no voice about it. They're going to tell your child whether you or your child can go to school. Who can teach him in what they can be taught. They of course made fun of me when I made those statements. And you have right here in the state of Massachusetts an example of a judge taking over and operating the school system himself. And exactly what I prophesied. But many of those people remember you as the man standing in the schoolhouse door and as a magical ratify would segregation. That's right and I wasn't against people because of color because in the last election and seven of four I received a great majority of the black vote and their predominant black count is now Alabama I received as high as ninety seven point two ninety six point three. Ninety five point four that statistically Ridge did and own record and you can look at it I would say that I received more black vote in Alabama in my last

election that any did any of the other candidates running for the presidency in their last election. So I was not against people. I was against big government and I'm glad to say we have very good racial relations in Alabama but many people are going to ask and still ask themselves what converted you from being a segregation. Well when you say segregation I was raised in that fashion. Not that it was anything wrong in our hearts and mind of what we thought was the best for the people where that school system it was countered by the Coens the co-ops you know the courts that and we have bade the Cohens that was all right. Now legal segregation is a moot question. Been been abolished a long time ago so why you might ask about it. There's no legal segregation so why even talk about it. You very much. If you could stay just a moment long with like sheets of cutaways to help us out it will be all set.

If you you want me to talk to you like it's the place you want me to talk Larry OK. I'm really fascinated by this whole question of what's going to happen here. Jesus has a lot of people who think you would do awfully well and you keep saying you're not going to do well here I am. I'm the puzzle to play to understand you know if you do I'm just talking you know what I'm saying easily I'm intrigued to know why you feel that you're going to do so poorly here of course yes I understand your past record but the circumstances clearly have changed busing has become a major issue this time. And there's a very crowded field. Would you be intrigued if I ran well up there. I think a lot of people to be intrigued. Well I'd be intrigued to so would you be surprised. Well no I'm not sure on that at least from where you live up here and you may know more about it not too good I don't live here. I just came from Florida where it was 70 degrees and I was sweating

a lot of people in there wish they were in Florida we don't give a pneumonia. Well you have a dummy pulling up your own. Have you done any polling any polling reproduceable Do you ever do polling you don't do it better than it will the elsewhere of the of the states were you making the main effort. But I have my Fact check to do where do you expect Which states do you expect to do the best in of the you know I'm just from the. All to do fairly well in Michigan. And the parallel world of Pennsylvania ranch second there send it to without campaigning. Just can't second guess the American people you may do well one year. They just have no way to second guess their letter you know take positions at one popular in Massachusetts years ago was made fun of and a lot of people amassed didn't I vote for me but they

certainly agree with me. I just don't get it. Are you going to New York or you know when I'm in the prime there. You up but you don't have names on the ballot in this fair difficult to let people know who you delegate in a way if you had your name in you and your name next to the delegate than the fellow with no. Pressure or know whether they were voting for your delegate of bents and that together you go about California is that too far ahead to predict that this one will be in California. I received about 300000 right in 1972 I was in the hospital but I think the parents and I would say the half a million that they're there and part of what was written about what might have happened in 72 using the political landscape is basically the same that it was as it was and

so that was that.