A JIMMY CARTER DRAFT OF A CAMPAIGN MESSAGE PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES. Holograph Manuscript...

A JIMMY CARTER DRAFT OF A CAMPAIGN MESSAGE PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES. Holograph Manuscript by Greg Schneider, heavily annotated and initialed by Jimmy Carter, delineating how he would govern if elected president, 4 pp, legal folio, on yellow foolscap, [n.p., October, 1976], minor thumbing and toning. AN EARLY DRAFT OF THE NEW YORK TIMES' 'A MESSAGE FROM THE NEXT PRESIDENT' WHICH RAN IN THE FINAL WEEK OF THE CAMPAIGN. On October 29, 1976, the New York Times ran a feature: 'A Message from the Next President,' which included a letter from Gerald Ford outlining his vision for the future followed by a letter from Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. During the 1976 Presidential campaign, Carter opened up an early lead over Ford, thanks to the lingering fallout from the Watergate scandal. During the fall, Ford gained in the polls after a strong debate performance. The feature in the New York Times represented a last effort for both candidates to articulate their message, and it's clear from the present draft that Carter took the assignment seriously. Greg Schneider was a former L.A. Times reporter who joined the Carter campaign in 1976 as a speechwriter. Carter edits this draft and then adds a note to retype and send it on for review to Jody Powell (1943-2009), who would serve as Press Secretary in the Carter Administration. After opening with the statement that most people who are able to work want to work, the speech expounds on how Carter would address economic issues (text in bold is in Carter's hand, as are strike-throughs): 'I would encourage the private sector cooperate with our private enterprise system and with local and state governments to create meaningful jobs. While keeping a tight rein on inflation I would stimulate the economy 'expand productivity and hold down interest rates and payroll taxes so that the economic activity of this country would benefit all of our people—not just the well-to-do and the secure. / I know that the first victims of inflation are those who have no influence with the government—the poor, the unemployed, the elderly. As President I would act to protect these people from the ravages of inflation by meeting the oil cartel head on and letting them know that we will not tolerate any further embargo by developing a reasonable and predictable domestic energy program, by aggressively developing our overseas markets, by never again imposing unnecessary embargoes on our grain being shipped abroad develop specific goals in energy, government reorganization, transportation, housing, health care, agriculture, tax reform, crime control, and the correction of the blight of urban centers, and then harness the tremendous resources of our nation to meet these goals. I would reestablish a sense of morality and purpose in our national character in both domestic and foreign affairs, and be bold in our search for world peace and the protection of human rights.' The text quoted here appears nearly verbatim in the final column, though the published version is longer and more inspirational in tone. On the cover sheet, Schneider has written a note to the 'Gov,' saying that Jody has not had a chance to see the draft yet; Carter responds, 'Greg, Get this typed so I can read it—Let Jody approve it—give back to me for final check.' For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing