University of Virginia Library

Divided Voice

Second, the Democratic
opposition must counter the
President's tremendous
opinion-molding powers with a
divided voice. The media is glad to
give party leaders collectively as
much time or space as the President
— and in some cases more. But that
is precisely the problem: the
President speaks, obviously with
one voice and with all the authority
of his office; the opposition speaks
with a babble of voices and with all
the authority of much lesser offices
or ex-offices. The result is that
neither Senators Muskie nor
Kennedy nor McGovern nor former
Vice President Humphrey, nor any
other Democratic spokesman
speaks with the authority or
credibility which President Nixon
or any President brings with his
office. The opposition needs
therefore to unite around and speak
through only one man. The
opposition needs to create their
own president — what Burns calls
the "Shadow President."