Bumpers has Charlie Ward, Randell Ford is on the Executive Committee himslef, and Kennedy, Jackson and Mondale have people on the
Committee who are close to them and probably involved in their efforts.
At an appropriate time - probably right after the 1974 elections - you need to discuss your plans with Strauss anyway. I think that you can make the argument to Strauss that you are entitled to have > representation on those conmittees which make the major decisions which will impact on the nomination process - particularly in view ‘of the fact that most of the other potential candidates already have supporters on the Executive Committee of the DNC. Strauss may not be able to accomodate you now — but at least he will know that you are expecting him to be fair to your candidacy in terms of rep~A
resentation on the critical committees and commissions.
We can put it all together in the primaries and lose it at the convention on procedural questions and votes for lack of strong and effective representation on the various committees that will hear challenges and make rulings.' At that point, we had best have ease of our people on the inside. We have been justifiably pre- occupied with getting Democrats elected to this point. We are going to have to begin to work and worry about the process of nomination.
