89 Jewish Newsmen in Nixon-land

Eighty-nine editors and publishers of Yiddish and Anglo-Jewish newspapers and periodicals in the United States and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency met with top officials of President Nixon’s staff and administration in the White House today to hear briefings on the President’s achievements and policies in areas of general and Jewish interest. The guests were treated to a tour of the White House before the briefings began and were entertained at lunch. The President did not meet with the group although previously it had been rumored that he might. Herbert Klein, the White House director of communications explained that Mr. Nixon was occupied writing a statement on the issue of bussing school children.

The Jewish journalists attended the briefings on invitations issued in the President’s name. There was an undercurrent of feeling among some of them that the briefings, which lasted almost five hours, were an apparent bid to extol the virtues of the Nixon Administration in a very soft sell approach.

Others, however, felt that they were instructive and an effective way to put on the record the immediate and long-range interests of the Jewish community as implemented by President Nixon. When asked by one editor why they were invited at this particular time–a Presidential election year, Klein said the purpose was to give the visitors an opportunity to evaluate the administration’s record now that it is nearing completion.

William Safire, who described himself as a drafter of Presidential speeches on economic and foreign policy subjects, claimed that the briefings were not intended to sway Jewish voters or views. He asserted that the President does not consider Jewish votes in connection with the US government’s relations with Israel. (See late story on Page 3.)