Senate Republican Conference
Senate Republican Conference Announcement
"Senate Chamber 1810-1859" on wood engraved plaque above doorway, U.S. Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) standing with Senate colleagues Robert Packwood (R-OR), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Jake Garn (R-UT) and James McClure (R-ID) talking to press "...unanimous vote for Senator Packwood as Chairman of the Campaign Committee. Go ahead". Senators Baker and McClure answer questions from adult Caucasian male and female reporters. Adult male journalist (off camera) asks: "Senator McClure, in your mind, what was the issue in the race with Senator Heinz? A philosophical issue?" Sen. McClure, standing next to Sen. Baker responds: "No, I don't think it was a philosophical issue. I think, as is always the case in an election within a group like the Republican Conference composed of fifty-three men and women, there are all kinds of reasons that are involved; many of them highly personal reasons. And I don't think you can read any ideological or philosophical tinge to the outcome of the election." Another adult male reporter asks: "Well, then how...would you conduct this any differently then Senator Heinz would have?" Sen. McClure responds: "Well, I suspect each of us have our differences in style, but the conference is an instrument of service to membership of the conference, and the entire membership will determine what is done. I intend to operate that way. I'm sure John would have operated in that way as well." Adult male reporter asks: "Senator Baker, the West seems to be weighted very heavily in the Republican leadership. Why hasn't..." Sen. Baker interrupts: "I'm sorry. I didn't...[hear the question]" The reporter speaks up: "The West seems to be very well represented in this Republican leadership. What happened to the other sections?" Sen. Baker: "Oh, I don't think that...just as Jim McClure pointed out, that personalities seldom play a role in the selection of caucus officers. I don't think geography plays any particular role. It really is of interest perhaps to no one, except us, but if you think it's tough running statewide, or even tough running nationally for public office, you ought to try running with fifty-three voters. That is really tough politics. And there are so many factors involved. There are, sometimes, philosophical issues. More often, there are personal relationships that evolve and develop that transcend philosophical lines. And sometimes, it's simply a question of commitments that have been made. But, almost never, has there been an attempt to balance conservative versus moderate, or east versus west, and the like. And there was not in this case. I would have been greatly surprised had there been a significant element of that type involved."
Senate Republican Conference Announcement
U.S. Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) and James McClure (R-ID) standing in the old Senate chamber, answering questions from adult Caucasian male and female reporters (off camera) following the Senate Republican Conference; Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK), Jake Garn (R-UT), and Robert Packwood (R-OR) standing behind them. Sen. McClure, standing next to Sen. Baker, relays reporters question to Sen. Baker, who responds: "No, we have a secret ballot in the caucus and there is no way to tell that". Adult female reporter asks Sen. Packwood: "You are the only one in this group who is thought of as a liberal. Do you feel a little lonesome?" Sen. Packwood comes to the microphone and responds with a chuckle: "No. It's all relative in this campaign, because that charge is levied from time to time. I had my campaign staff prepare the ratings chart over the last twelve years that I've been here, and I consistently fall in the forty to sixty percent category on all of the rating groups. And, I don't think by any stretch of the imagination that makes me a liberal". The reporter follows up with: "You said the charge is almost always leveled. That is a charge, when you're called a liberal?" Sen. Packwood: "Oh, people have called me liberal. Actually, I was attacked as being right wing and reactionary by one of my opponents in this race, the libertarian. So, it's all relative, I guess". Adult male reporter asks Sen. Packwood: "Senator, over the course of the discussions today, did anyone object to any of your views on abortion or anything else?" Sen. Packwood: "No. No". Adult male reporter continues: "Can you talk about your views at all..." Sen. Packwood interjects: "No. Howard has put it very clearly, this is a small group. It's a peer group. Everybody knows each other pretty well, and they know who has performed, or who they think can perform, and that transcends, I find, the philosophy, and it transcends anything else, but can this person do the job that he's seeking, and I think that was the reason". Adult female reporter, asks an inaudible question to which Sen. Packwood responds: "I think he thought I had the votes".
Senate Republican Conference Announcement
U.S. Senator Howard Baker (R-TN) standing next to Sen. Robert Packwood (R-OR) in the old Senate Chamber responds: "Let me add one thing to that. It relates to all the other questions in a way, and I should have said in my opening remarks. I've seen a number of Republican conferences since I've been here, and I've never seen one in which the spirit of cooperation was greater than it is in this one. There's absolutely no divisiveness. There was no conflict. There was nothing except honest competition for the offices involved, and I think the spirit of enthusiasm and optimism that has pervaded the Republican Party since the election, was carried into this conference to a remarkable degree. And I intend, the extent I am capable of it, to see that that continues far into the future, and indeed, for the entire next session of Congress". Senator Jake Garn (R-UT) standing in the background next to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), steps forward and interjects: "Howard, if I could just add one note on the question asked on Senator Packwood and all this; just add one word on Senator Packwood's election, and these questions about liberal versus conservative. I would just add that I nominated Senator Packwood for the office". Sen. Garn retreats back behind Sen. Baker as an adult female reporter (off camera) asks Sen. Baker: "You've got all your leadership in place. Your Senators are here. You know what the committee is going to look like. What can we expect is going to be different from those Democrats who have been running this place for the past twenty-six years?" Sen. Baker responds: "Oh, I think that it would take too long for me to describe for you the things I have in mind. But, let me give you a few general outlines. To begin with, this Republican majority in the Senate will move diligently to move a Republican program through the Senate and through the Congress, which necessarily means there will be a high level of cooperation and coordination with the new Republican Presidential administration. I intend to try to help Ronald Reagan perform on the commitments he made during the campaign, and the programs that he will propose in the course of this Congress. The first change, then, I believe, will be a high level of cooperation and good will between a Republican Senate and a Republican White House. That has not existed since 1954. Second thing is, I intend to try, to the extent my colleagues will permit it, to change the way the Congress operates, the Senate operates. I think we got too far away from the idea that the Senate is a forum, a public forum, for the disposition of important issues. I hope that we can regularize the proceedings of the Senate, so that a part of the day is devoted to committee activity, a part to constituent services, and a part to our activities on the floor. I hope we can get away from the time when you come to the Senate galleries and see that only one, or two, or three people are there. I'd like to see us restore the nature of the Senate as great debating institution".