The Presidency: Polite Indictment

In the first months of his Administration, Richard Nixon was understandably reluctant to engage the Democratic Congress in dispute. His priorities were Viet Nam and inflation; he wanted no damaging distractions. The President’s main goals are unchanged today, but his political position has altered. His Administration is under attack on several issues and he stands accused of nonleadership. His relations with Congress having already deteriorated, Nixon has nothing to lose by going on the offensive. This week he lodged a polite but unmistakable indictment of the Democrats. He sought to show that they, rather than the Administration, are responsible for the year’s slim legislative pickings.

The nine-page message to Congress was deftly drafted to carry political punch without obvious polemics; it managed to declare war while appealing for peace. “Let us resolve,” Nixon said, “to make the legislative issue of the 1970 campaign the question of who deserves greater credit for the 91st Congress’ record of accomplishment, not which of us should be held accountable because it did nothing.”

Having said that, Nixon catalogued 18 important programs that he has put to Capitol Hill, including reform of the welfare system, sharing of federal revenue with the states and cities, overhaul of the draft and the Post Office, and tax revision. Congress, to be sure, has been slow to act on Nixon’s recommendations—or to do anything else for that matter. But the Administration has been late in developing its program and rarely energetic in promoting it. What Nixon wanted on the record were his large and good intentions: “We intend to begin a decade of government reform such as this nation has not witnessed in half a century.”

Basic Tactic. The message is unlikely to have much effect on the course of legislation. It would be astonishing if the White House really expected that it would. Rather, it sets the basic Republican tactic as politicians begin thinking about next year’s congressional elections: the G.O.P. must stop its internal bickering and concentrate on the real enemy, the do-nothing Democrats who control Congress.

Mike Mansfield, the Senate Democratic leader, did not hesitate to respond. “We won’t let pettiness hold us back,” he said in as testy a voice as he ever uses. “That would be a poor way to run a railroad. We don’t intend to be vindictive.” At the same time, Mansfield reminded Nixon: “We have the votes. We’d like to cooperate, but we don’t intend to be pushed around.”

Ironically, the question of whether the Administration or the Democratic leadership is holding up domestic legislation is unlikely to be the big issue next year. Solid progress toward ending the war and curbing inflation would be the strongest possible talking points for Republicans. Failure to cope successfully with these afflictions would probably overshadow everything else.