Page:1976 Campaign Strategy Paper.pdf/11

 THE 1974 CHARTER CONFERENCE

Your Attitude Toward the Conference

It is my strong feeling that you should be positive and serious

in all future statements ~ public and private - about the Charter Conference. The liberal elements of the Party strongly favor the idea of a mid-term conference. They regard the Conference as an important forum for the continuing discussion of Democratic issues and policy as well as an opportunity to test their collective strength as a prelude to 1976. Host conservatives and many mode- rates were opposed as we have been to the idea of a mid-term conference. And although opposed to the basic concept of the Conference, most moderate and conservative Democrats have accepted the Charter Conference as something that is going to happen whether they like it or not. And, as a result, they are taking the Charter Conference sorionsly out of fear that the McGovern types might dominate the proceedings, embarass the 'regulars' and begin to recapture the machinery of the Democratic Party. And although Strauss and the National Committee have the right to set and limit the call and agenda of the Conference. there is little doubt thet if the McGovern types are present in sufficient numbers they can

take the Conference into any area(s) they desire.

The point I hope to make here is that for whatever reason, large

numbers of Democrats with different viewpoints and persuasions are