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  Apollo 11 and the Nixon White House

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Author Topic:   Apollo 11 and the Nixon White House
RGW
Member

Posts: 40
From: Long Island, New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 07-20-2005 11:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for RGW   Click Here to Email RGW     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've been listening to "The Haldeman Diaries: Inside the Nixon White House", by Chief of Staff H.R.Haldeman (c) 1994.

Here are Haldeman's reflections prior to the launch of Apollo 11:

"Monday, July 14, 1969: Overall planning session for Apollo 11. President decided to do his TV from the White House Sunday night, instead of Houston or Cape. President plans to speak with Astronauts on the Moon – much better idea … it was Rose’s. Met with Borman. President excited about Sunday’s service – Borman will do scriptural reading - same as Moon. President cranked up about playing “Star Spangled Banner” when flag is placed on Moon. Borman opposed – astronauts will lose 3 minutes while at attention and possible adverse reaction to overnationalism. President is really intrigued about his participation in the whole thing...

Saturday, July 19, 1969: Teddy Kennedy’s escapade in Martha’s Vinyard."

Is anybody aware of other memoirs that include commentary about Apollo missions or other space programs written by White House or Congressional personnel?

RGW

Ryan Walters
Member

Posts: 78
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 07-21-2005 07:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ryan Walters   Click Here to Email Ryan Walters     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Good question. I'm not sure on that one. Some oral histories I have examined contain very little about the space program. You will just have to check them out. But, in a related matter, check out this website - www.whitehousetapes.org. I know there are a few taped conversations with some of the presidents. I know there is one between Kennedy and Gordon Cooper after his MA-9 flight. But I have not thoroughly examined the entire site.

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RGW
Member

Posts: 40
From: Long Island, New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 07-22-2005 12:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for RGW   Click Here to Email RGW     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the link to that website, Ryan. I'll check it out.

Here's another facsinating excerpt from "The Haldeman Diaries..." published by The Publishing Mills Audio Books:

Sunday, July 20, 1969: Moon Landing Day. Fantastic! President to the Executive Office Building for solo work most of the day … a few conversations with president at EOB to go over details of telecast tonight. President came into the office at about 8:45 p.m. – went into the little office because the Oval Office was filled with TV gear and crew … discussion about the Teddy Kennedy matter … Then had Frank Borman in to describe what was happening as men were preparing to leave the Lunar Excursion Module. Borman, the President and I watched on the little TV in the little office when Neil Armstrong hit the surface. President clapped and shouted “hooray” – he’s very much excited by the whole thing – fascinated by watching the Moon walk, etc. – then into the Oval Office for TV – did a great job on the split screen with the Moon – wrote his own remarks instead of using the suggestions. All in all a great day and he was very elated as he left for the House. Julie, David and Tricia were waiting for him in the Rose Garden and walked him home…

Monday, July 21, 1969: … back to the ban on "The New York Times" – mainly due to Moon TV editorial which was uncalled for. The editorial berated the President for sharing the stage with the astronauts and wasting their precious time with his direct link conversation. It also voiced the opinion that Nixon had very little to do with the Program, giving most of the credit to Kennedy and Johnson. And now on to our “’Round the World” journey.

Duke Of URL
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Posts: 1316
From: Syracuse, NY
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 07-22-2005 09:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Duke Of URL   Click Here to Email Duke Of URL     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Over time people have forgotten how petty and vindictive Nixon was.

I've always thought he accepted cuts in Apollo because he felt it was Kennedy's legacy.

Ryan Walters
Member

Posts: 78
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 07-22-2005 03:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ryan Walters   Click Here to Email Ryan Walters     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Good point Duke! This is very true of Nixon. Leon Wagener writes of this in his biography of Neil Armstrong - One Giant Leap. On page 17 he writes that "President Richard Nixon had wanted to attend [the launch of Apollo 11] but demurred when he concluded his presence would be dewarfed by the event." He quotes from a memo Haldeman wrote that Nixon "definitely wants to go ahead with plans to visit the Cape for the shoot and was interested in using the boat for his Presidential reception. He wants to be sure, however, that this would clearly be the President's affair - not NASA's - and he is afraid that if the boat belongs to NASA, and the VIP's are housed on it, that it will become their function rather than his." Is this ego or what?

RGW
Member

Posts: 40
From: Long Island, New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 07-24-2005 10:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for RGW   Click Here to Email RGW     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Nixon had many sides. Haldeman, the Chief of Staff, didn't cover anything about NASA budget or program funding issues in this Publishing Mills Audio Books version. Here's the last of "The Haldeman Diaries" installments on Apollo 11:

"Thursday, July 24, 1969: This is the day the men came back from the Moon. Sleepless night on Arlington…Up at 4:00 for 4:40 a.m. departure from Arlington to Hornet. Beautiful on the flight deck: absolutely dark – millions of stars. Borman said that the sky looked more like the sky on the back side of the Moon than any he had ever seen on Earth. Helecopter left the deck and flew over ocean to the Hornet. Landed and went through quick briefing on decontamination and recovery plan. Watched on bridge for capsule to appear: it did – in spectacular fashion. We saw the fireball like a meteor with a tail rise from the horizon and arch in the sky, turning into a red ball and disappearing. Waited on bridge an hour or so until we saw helicopter over capsule and raft in the sea. Steamed toward them. Watched the pick-up – first through binoculars, then with naked eye. President exuberant – really cranked up – like a little kid – watched everything - soaked it all up…Pick-up helicopter landed on deck. President ordered band to play “Columbia, Gem of the Ocean”, as capsule was named “Columbia”. Presented gifts … down to the hanger deck for chat with astronauts in quarantine chamber. Great show: he was very excited – personal – perfect approach. Then prayer and “Star Spangled Banner”. Then ruffles and flourishes. Then “Hail to the Chief” and we left. … later flew to Guam: … gave press backgrounder at Officer’s Club. President’s remarks became known as the Nixon Doctrine (only supply arms and assistance to those nations that would supply their own manpower to defend themselves). Pretty historic and fascinating day."

I enjoyed listening to "The Haldeman Diaries". After having read books written by astronauts, which focused on the details of mission planning and execution, it was very interesting to hear how the Apollo missions were regarded in the White House, and the attention they were (or weren't) given by the President and his staff in the context of the other events of the day, which was a truly dynamic time in our country's history.

All times are CT (US)

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