September 10, 1973 – busy day in this era of Watergate.
The first day of hearings on Dr Henry A Kissinger’s nomination for secretary of state showed how the “good guys” and “bad guys” syndrome operate in this town. Most members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee muttered or howled for years that a power-mad White House (“bad guys”) conducted foreign and military policy with arrogant disregard for Congress that is them. In truth those policies were formulated in tandem by President Nixon and Dr Kissinger. What was good or bad about the policies including the Vietnamese war the Indochina situation and all the rest must be assigned to this Nixon-Kissinger team.
Meanwhile, from the White House – In a major new effort to put Watergate behind him. President Nixon told the Democratic-controlled Congress today that, he is ready to compromise ‘‘on solutions to our national problems”. Submitting a special 15, 000 word State of the Union message, Nixon urged action this year on his priority legislation and stated anew actions he opposes: a tax increase, red-ink spending, hefty defense cuts and the busing of school children to achieve racial balance. Mingling compliments with criticism, Nixon said he welcomes “a congressional renaissance” and was “ready to find workable compromises wherever possible on solutions to our national problems.” While making repeated pledges of cooperation, the President emphasized that if Congress voted more money than he wants, he would not hesitate to veto spending bills and impound appropriations.
He also said he “will continue to oppose all efforts to strip the presidency of powers it must have to he effective” – an apparent threat to veto any legislation that would limit his war powers.
And finally – Bombs exploded in two railway stations in London today injuring 11 persons and climaxing a wave of blasts in British cities blamed on Irish Republican Army terrorists. Police originally said one man was killed Scotland Yard announced later that the man was still alive “but in a very bad way”. Bomb scares forced police to evacuate two other railway stations. The blasts and warnings at all four stations came between noon and 1 pm suggesting a co-ordinated wave of terror. In Belfast Northern Ireland usually reliable sources said the bombings were certainly inspired by the outlawed IRA although mainstream IRA operators may not have set them.
And while the Kissinger Confirmations hearings continued, that’s just a small slice of what happened, this September 10, 1973 as reported by John Chancellor – NBC Nightly News.
