490 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

A. Well, I can't say whether I'll maintain it at such period as the
Republican candidate would become capable of having the informa-
tion to make some judgment and differentiation from that of the
President. My position has been right along that the Republican
strategy should be this, if you want to call it strategy: support the
President on the basis that we all know he's a loyal American and
interested in the welfare of the country and that we have no infor-
mation available upon which to disagree with him. Then, after the
nomination of a Republican presidential candidate, request the
President to have the National Security Council give our candidate,
the Republican candidate, the most thorough briefing possible on the
subject. At that point allow our candidate to take a position either
in support, differentiation, or rejection of the President's position.
Now, given all that, assuming that after having had such a briefing,
the Republican candidate decides to differ with the President's posi-
tion, he would then be in possession of information which he would
make available, I would assume, to the Republican platform com-
mittee and on the basis of new information I would feel free to make
another judgment on the matter if I thought it was indicated.

Q. Governor, didn't you say sometime ago that you wanted the
GOP to concentrate on problems in the cities in its campaign?

A. Yes, I did. I think that the most important single approach to
the election, the area in which the people can say, "yes we see the
effect of a wrong approach and we do welcome another solution, " is
in the area of solving the problems of the cities.

Q. Well, do you think the presidential candidate should emphasize
Vietnam or the cities?

A. Well, you can't run a presidential campaign on a single issue. I
think they both have to be touched upon.

Q. Governor, two days ago the majority of Republicans on the
Executive Committee of the Constitutional Convention voted to
abolish the offices of Comptroller and Attorney General as elective
offices. Did you have any conferences with them before they voted?

A. No, as a matter of fact I have never discussed these questions with
any delegate to the Convention, either formally or informally. And
I've specifically avoided this for the reason that I may have been ac-
cused of interjecting a personal interest into the discussion. I took a
position in a formal statement that I delivered to the entire Con-
vention, and that's been the extent of anything I've said with regard
to it and will be the extent of anything that I shall say.