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64 Delug e '72 Convention. MacLain e dre w grea t medi a attentio n a s a n outspoke n ad vocate of abortion. From television producer Norman Lear , creator of All in the Family whic h mocke d working-clas s whites , t o Jan e Fonda , wh o had posed for a photograph astrid e a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun , the Democrati c Part y ha d a new , culturall y powerfu l constituency . Bo b Hope was the onl y major sta r t o mak e a large contribution t o the Nixo n campaign.48 In on e o f the worst blunder s o f his presidency, Nixo n ha d mad e littl e effort t o gai n GO P seat s i n Congres s durin g th e '7 2 election. Democrat s remained securel y in charg e o f the Hous e an d Senate . Moreover, Demo crats were gu n sh y and extremel y wary o f Nixon's domesti c an d foreig n policy initiatives . Congressiona l Democrat s woul d no t hav e sanctione d Nixon's secre t agreemen t wit h th e Sout h Vietnamese government . I n th e event o f a massiv e attac k b y Hanoi , Nixo n ha d promise d tha t Americ a would com e to Sout h Vietnam's defense . The Democrats were also suffi ciently annoyed by the Watergate wiretapping to organize special investigative hearings . Al l o f thi s di d not , however , mea n tha t congressiona l Democrats were fans o f McGovern's. Only a handful ha d been selected as delegates to the Democratic convention. (Th e few female and black members o f th e Hous e wer e mor e likel y t o b e chose n a s delegate s tha n th e white men who dominated Congress. ) Brooklin e and its similarly affluen t suburban neighbor s migh t elec t antiwa r liberal s t o publi c office , bu t th e South an d the industrial heartland di d not. 49 At the same time, Nixon faced shar p critics from th e conservative wing of th e GOP . Buckle y an d othe r anti-Communis t activist s ha d bee n ap palled b y th e president' s diplomati c overture s t o Chin a an d th e Sovie t Union. S o fa r a s th e Republica n Righ t wa s concerned , arms-reductio n talks an d openin g u p trad e wit h Chin a bordere d o n treason . (Privately , Nixon sai d that William F . Buckley and his brother, Senato r James Buckley of New York, were "nuts." ) Conservativ e Democrat s like Jeane Kirk patrick an d Senato r Henr y "Scoop " Jackso n o f Washingto n concurre d with th e Republica n hawks . T o mak e conservative s eve n mor e irate , Nixon ha d outdon e Lyndo n Johnso n a s a champion o f Big Government . Nixon wen t alon g with Congres s i n the establishmen t o f federal agencie s to regulat e pollution an d workplace safety . Man y corporation executives , particularly thos e i n th e Sunbelt , regarde d th e Environmental Protectio n Agency an d th e Occupationa l Safet y an d Healt h Ac t a s socialistic . I n a rare understatement, Buchana n muse d that Nixon was "the least ideological statesman I ever encountered." 50 64 Deluge '72 Convention. MacLaine drew great media attention as an outspoken advocate of abortion. From television producer Norman Lear, creator ofAll in the Family which mocked working-class whites, to Jane Fonda, who had posed for a photograph astride a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun, the Democratic Party had a new, culturally powerful constituency. Bob Hope was the only major star to make a large contribution to the Nixon campaign.48 In one of the worst blunders of his presidency, Nixon had made little effort to gain GOP seats in Congress during the '72 election. Democrats remained securely in charge of the House and Senate. Moreover, Democrats were gun shy and extremely wary of Nixon's domestic and foreign policy initiatives. Congressional Democrats would not have sanctioned...

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