Richard Nixon photo

Remarks on Arrival at Morristown, New Jersey

October 29, 1969

Congressman Cahill, Mrs. Cahill, Congressman Frelinghuysen, Senator Case-I am being very formal with all of my colleagues and former colleagues--Mr. Mayor:

I do want you to know that this is a wonderfully heartwarming welcome.

And I think I got a little bit of bad advance dope about this meeting, Peter [H. B. Frelinghuysen]. I thought the rally was downtown. I didn't know it was out here.

And I think also you will be interested to note that my background information told me some interesting background with regard to this county and the visits of Presidents. This is a county which has been very good to Republican candidates. It was very good to me in 1960 and in 1968.

But I think you will be interested to know this is the first time in history that a President of the United States has ever visited Morris County. I am glad to be here.

I have had the privilege of visiting this county as a candidate on other occasions. And I have always had a wonderful welcome. But, believe me, this tops them all. And we are most grateful.

I simply want to leave with you, if I can, one thought: I am here not in my own behalf, but in behalf of a man for whom I have very great respect. I like Bill Cahill as a person. I like him because of his experience in the Congress of the United States.

He is a man who is trained for the job that he is seeking. I like him because I believe that he is the man for the future of this State. He is a man who has no commitments to those mistakes of the past, and he is a man that can lead New Jersey in the seventies. And that kind of a man, I think, New Jersey wants.

Let me put it this way: I just happen to think that Bill Cahill, because of his integrity, because of his experience, because of his program, because of his idealism--I think he is ready to lead New Jersey and, from what I see here, New Jersey is ready for Cahill.

I wish we had more time. I do know that there are many, many problems that you would like to hear discussed.

On Monday night, I urge you, incidentally, to listen to Bill Cahill's final wrap-up.

I also will tell you that I will be speaking to the Nation Monday on a subject-the subject of Vietnam--and I would invite you all to listen to that particular matter.

But let me say, finally, that apart from these political remarks that I have made, you can't really understand or estimate how heartwarming it is for a man who serves as President of the United States to come to a State, which has been very good for him and to him on election day, and gets such a wonderfully warm welcome.

And I particularly say that because I know how hard it is to get to an airport. I know how far you had to walk to get here.

Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 7:30 p.m. at Morristown Airport, Morristown, N.J. The mayor of Morristown was Victor L. Woodhull.

Richard Nixon, Remarks on Arrival at Morristown, New Jersey Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239950

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