University of Virginia Library

Agnew Resumes Fire On Press For Reporting 'Hearsay Evidence'

By TOM TANTON

CD/Jim Brunetti

Agnew Arriving In Charlottesville And Speaking At University Hall

CD/Dan Grogan

Agnew Arriving In Charlottesville And Speaking At University Hall

Harassed by catcalls,
questions and boos by a largely
hostile audience, Vice
President Spiro T. Agnew
insisted it is "not proper to
convict a wide range of people
on hearsay evidence and
unsubstantiated reports"
before a capacity audience in
University Hall last night.

Referring to the Watergate
scandal, Mr. Agnew said, "a
grand jury proceeding is the
best way to deal with the
problem" as opposed to
"exploratory operations by the
media."

Even before Mr. Agnew
walked on stage, a battle of
beliefs took place in the
audience. One group of Agnew
supporters raised a sheet with
the slogan "Spiro in '76",
which drew scattered applause
mixed with boos and jeers. In
retaliation, one person raised a
sign bearing the word
"Watergate", which drew much
stronger applause. One veteran
newswatcher said the reactions
of the audience gave "some
feeling of how the evening was
to go."

Mass Media

All three major television
networks as well as the
nationwide magazines were
represented, while Mr. Agnew,
in response to questions,
covered a wide range of topics
and issues.

He opened his speech with
a few scathing remarks for
recently declared Republican
John Connally. He said the
former Treasury Secretary was
asked to come to the Key Biscayne
to confer with the
President but he refused. Mr.
Agnew said the last time he
went to a barbecue given by
Mr. Connally "It took me two
hours to cut myself from the
spit."

People Mislead

He complained of a
situation in America today in
which he said certain
professors and journalists lead
the American people to believe
that unobtainable objectives
are, indeed, practical.

"The imperfections of
humanity are not susceptible
to short-range cures, or, in
some cases, long range cures,"
he said.

"We must spend more of
our time laying down practical,
reachable goals" for despair
inevitably follows the Utopian
idea, he added.

Condemns Press

Condemning the press for
their coverage of the affair,
Vice President Agnew said
"there has been a contribution
by the press" but the
importance of the contribution
"has been over-blown by
self-accolading members of the
media."

"Watergate would have
reached the public without the
kind of hearsay evidence...and
character assassination in recent
reporting," he added.

"You know, it's a short
jump from McCarthyistic
techniques to what is going on
right now," Mr. Agnew
claimed.

Responding to criticisms of
President Nixon's handling of
the affair, he said that "it's not
the President's job to be a
criminal investigator" and that
"the business of the United
States and the world cannot
stop while the investigation is
going on."

Throughout the speech,
hisses and boos could be heard
in the audience, while
approximately 10 to 12
picketers stood outside
University Hall, in the rain, to
protest the speech.

With regard to the Middle
East crisis, Mr. Agnew said,
"The United states' policy has
been to try and bring the
parties in conflict into some
posture for peace."

Middle East

He added, however, that
the U.S. "must not interject
itself into this conflict to the
point of deciding peace terms."

Responding to a question
concerning the amount of
money spent on defense in the
United States, Mr. Agnew said
"defense spending has
decreased since 1969, while
human resource spending has
increased."

CD/D Grogan

Protesters Urge Boycott Of Vice President's Speech