Nixon's enemy list

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President Richard Nixon (1971)
Cover of the memo compiled by John Dean

Nixon's Enemy List is the slang term for a list of the main political opponents of US President Richard Nixon . It was compiled by his associate, Charles Colson , and sent to legal advisor John Dean on September 9, 1971 . The list was part of a campaign known internally as the Opponents List and Political Enemies Project . The official purpose of the list, according to the President's Advisory Board, was to campaign against Nixon's opponents through investigations by the IRS , credit manipulation, public procurement denial, litigation and law enforcement.

In a memo from John Dean to Lawrence Higby , assistant to Chief of Staff Harry Robbins Haldeman , dated August 16, 1971, the latter succinctly describes the purpose of the list:

“This memorandum deals with the question of how we can maximally use the fact that we are in government when dealing with people who are known to be actively opposed to our government. Put a little more openly - How we can use access to state machinery to finish off our political opponents. "

The journalist Daniel Schorr made this list public on a television program on the CBS . Nixon is said to have ordered the FBI to investigate Schorr. In an interview in 2009, Schorr considered his listing in Nixon's enemy list for a greater honor than the Emmy Award .

The following are the 20 names of Colson's memo and his associated notes, with a much longer list of political enemies later being created, the so-called Master list of Nixon's political opponents with around 200 entries from people and organizations.

Text from Colson's original memo

After reviewing the attached material and evaluating the proposals for the actions discussed, I think you will find my list valuable. It is ordered by priority.

  1. Arnold M. Picker , United Artists Corp. , New York ; Top Muskie fundraiser. Success here could be both crippling and embarrassing for the Muskie machine. If the effort looks promising, both Ruth and David Picker should be scheduled, and United Artists after that.
  2. Alexander E. Barkan , National Director of the AFL-CIO Civic Education Committee , Washington, DC: Without a doubt the strongest political force against us 1968: (US $ 10 million, 4.6 million votes, 115 million leaflets , 176,000 workers - all programmed by Barkan's COPE - says Teddy White in The Making of the President 1968 ). We can expect the same effort this time.
  3. Ed Guthman , Executive Editor-in-Chief, Los Angeles Times Editor -in- Chief: Guthman, a former Kennedy employee, was a very effective champion against us in '68. It is evident that he is the main initiator behind the current Key Biscayne effort. It's time to give him a lesson.
  4. Maxwell Dane , Doyle, Dane and Bernbach , New York: The Democrats' top advertising agency - they destroyed Goldwater in '64. You should be hit hard, starting with Dane.
  5. Charles Dyson , Dyson-Kissner Corporation, New York: Dyson and Larry O'Brien were close business partners in '68. Dyson has huge business assets and is currently a major contributor to the Businessmen's Educational Fund, which funds a nationwide radio station with five-minute anti-Nixon programs.
  6. Howard Stein , Dreyfus Corporation, New York: Main backer of McCarthy '68. If McCarthy competes, he'll do the same in '72. If not, Lindsay or McGovern will get the money.
  7. Allard K. Lowenstein , Long Island , New York: Driving force behind the 18-year-old “Dump Nixon” election campaign.
  8. Morton Halperin , executive at Common Cause : A scandal would be most helpful here. (an advisor for Common Cause February – March 1971) (Associate at Brookings Institution )
  9. Leonard Woodcock , United Auto Workers , Detroit, Michigan : No comment needed.
  10. S. Sterling Munro, Jr. , Associate with Senator Henry M. Jackson , Silver Spring, Maryland : We should give it a try. Positive results would stick a pin in Jackson's white hat.
  11. Bernard T. Feld , President of the Council for a Livable World : Relevant left wing funder . They will fight us in '72 by all means.
  12. Sidney Davidoff , New York City , most important employee of [New York Mayor] Lindsay : a first-class “son of a bitch” and businessman. Positive results would thoroughly disrupt the Lindsay camp and its plans to reach out to young voters. Davidoff entrusted it.
  13. John Conyers , Congressman, Detroit : Up and coming. Develops into the authoritative black anti-Nixon spokesman. Has a known soft spot for white women.
  14. Samuel M. Lambert , President of the National Education Association : Attacked us head-on about government support for church schools - a '72 issue.
  15. Stewart Rawlings Mott , Mott Associates New York: Nothing but tons of money for radical liberal candidates.
  16. Ron Dellums , Congressman, California : Had extensive UMC - Tunney support in his candidacy. Success in California next year could help.
  17. Daniel Schorr , CBS , Washington: A real enemy of the media.
  18. S. Harrison Dogole , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania : President of Globe Security Systems - fourth largest privately owned detective agency in the United States - key Humphrey supporter . Could use his agency against us.
  19. Paul Newman , California: Radic-lib reasons. Significant McCarthy participation in '68. Used effectively in national television advertising. Participation '72 sure.
  20. Mary McGrory , Washington columnist: Daily Nixon Hate Articles.

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  1. ↑ a b Robert D. Hershey Jr .: "Daniel Schorr, journalist this at 93" , New York Times , July 23, 2010

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