Ithinkit'sobviousfromthecamerasherethatIdidn'tcometodiscussthebanoncyclamatesorDDT.IhaveasubjectwhichIthinkifofgreatimportancetotheAmericanpeople.TonightIwanttodiscusstheimportanceofthetelevisionnewsmediumtotheAmericanpeople.Nonationdependsmoreontheintelligentjudgmentofitscitizens.Nomediumhasamoreprofoundinfluenceoverpublicopinion.Nowhereinoursystemaretherefewerchecksonvastpower.So,nowhereshouldtherebemoreconscientiousresponsibilityexercisedthanbythenewsmedia.Thequestionis,"Arewedemandingenoughofourtelevisionnewspresentations?""Andarethemenofthismediumdemandingenoughofthemselves?"Mondaynightaweekago,PresidentNixondeliveredthemostimportantaddressofhisAdministration,oneofthemostimportantofourdecade.HissubjectwasVietnam.Myhope,ashisatthattime,wastorallytheAmericanpeopletoseetheconflictthroughtoalastingandjustpeaceinthePacific.For32minutes,hereasonedwithanationthathassufferedalmostathirdofamillioncasualtiesinthelongestwarinitshistory.WhenthePresidentcompletedhisaddress--anaddress,incidentally,thathespentweeksinthepreparationof--hiswordsandpoliciesweresubjectedtoinstantanalysisandquerulouscriticism.Theaudienceof70millionAmericansgatheredtohearthePresidentoftheUnitedStateswasinheritedbyasmallbandofnetworkcommentatorsandself-appointedanalysts,themajorityofwhomexpressedinonewayoranothertheirhostilitytowhathehadtosay.Itwasobviousthattheirmindsweremadeupinadvance.ThosewhorecallthefumblingandgropingthatfollowedPresidentJohnson’sdramaticdisclosureofhisintentionnottoseekanothertermhaveseenthesemeninagenuinestateofnonpreparedness.Thiswasnotit.OnecommentatortwicecontradictedthePresident’sstatementabouttheexchangeofcorrespondencewithHoChiMinh.AnotherchallengedthePresident’sabilitiesasapolitician.AthirdassertedthatthePresidentwasfollowingaPentagonline.Others,bytheexpressionsontheirfaces,thetoneoftheirquestions,andthesarcasmoftheirresponses,madecleartheirsharpdisapproval.ToguaranteeinadvancethatthePresident’spleafornationalunitywouldbechallenged,onenetworktrottedoutAverellHarrimanfortheoccasion.ThroughoutthePresident'saddress,hewaitedinthewings.WhenthePresidentconcluded,Mr.Harrimanrecitedperfectly.HeattackedtheThieuGovernmentasunrepresentative;hecriticizedthePresident’sspeechforvariousdeficiencies;hetwiceissuedacalltotheSenateForeignRelationsCommitteetodebateVietnamonceagain;hestatedhisbeliefthattheVietcongorNorthVietnamesedidnotreallywantmilitarytake-overofSouthVietnam;andhetoldalittleanecdoteabouta“very,veryresponsible”fellowhehadmetintheNorthVietnamesedelegation.Allinall,Mr.HarrisonofferedabroadrangeofgratuitousadvicechallengingandcontradictingthepoliciesoutlinedbythePresidentoftheUnitedStates.WherethePresidenthadissuedacallforunity,Mr.Harrimanwasencouragingthecountrynottolistentohim.AwordaboutMr.Harriman.For10monthshewasAmerica’schiefnegotiatorattheParispeacetalks--aperiodinwhichtheUnitedStatesswappedsomeofthegreatestmilitaryconcessionsinthehistoryofwarfareforanenemyagreementontheshapeofthebargainingtable.LikeColeridge’sAncientMariner,Mr.Harrimanseemstobeundersomeheavycompulsiontojustifyhisfailurestoanyonewhowilllisten.Andthenetworkshaveshownthemselveswillingtogivehimalltheairtimehedesires.NoweveryAmericanhasarighttodisagreewiththePresidentoftheUnitedStatesandtoexpresspubliclythatdisagreement.ButthePresidentoftheUnitedStateshasarighttocommunicatedirectlywiththepeoplewhoelect...
