Incontrast, mr. Nixon said his november 3 address, though supporting him comprise the silent majority. We want to look into that term, the silent majority, a label that has brought world attention to those americans who are not so demonstrative. [crowd clamoring] today, im watching a demonstration against the american policy in vietnam. These demonstrators were given permission by the government to carry their protest through the heart of the city, within side of the white house. Climaxing the threeday demonstration is a rally at the washington monument. Many of the people merely observing the demonstration from the sidelines are probably members of that silent majority, referred to by their president. Demonstrations still attract audiences, even though protests, pickets, and planters continue to be a common sight in washington. Almost every day, there are some americans who come from around the country to express their views because this is the seat of the federal government for all 50 states. [chanting] not all come to protest. Some come to promote a cause. But no matter how worthwhile or meaningless the issue, how popular or unpopular, how sound or foolish the cause, demonstrations are part of the american tradition. [singing] [chanting] realized that what is happening right here and right now with all of the demonstrations, i according to many people including president nixon, this demonstration does not reflect the views of 200 million American People. On the contrary, some observers these demonstrators speak only for a minority while the silent majority supports american policy in vietnam. The silent majority includes many people who have not demonstrated but who nixon believes share his certainty of the honorable resolution of the war in vietnam. But how can president nixon tell that these people support him . How does he know they make up a majority . How can anyone tell what so many different people are thinking . One way is to conduct a nationwide poll. I did the next best thing, talked with someone who directed a pole, a researcher respected for his objective reproach and renowned for the reliability of his methods. For the last 33 years, the American Institute of Public Opinion has been a respected reporter of american attitudes. The institute has pioneered attitude techniques of Public Attitude sampling and refined of the methods of research which have been used all over the country and by Foreign Research organizations in all parts of the world. George gallup is president of the organization. Today, we would like to question him about one of his most recent polls. On november 3, president nixon spoke to the people of the United States about his policy in vietnam. He mentioned a silent majority of americans who, he felt, supported his position. What did your organization do following that speech . Immediately following the speech, we had a squad of welltrained telephone interviewers contact 500 people across the country and then the results came in the same night, of course, and we collected them the next day and wired results off to our newspapers at 1 00. Will you give us the results . We found, first of all large , a majority of American People supported the president s policies set forth in his speech. We also found that a large majority of the public favored the president s program for troop withdrawals. But, we found that the people were divided on the question of whether these policies would bring a peaceful settlement to the war. A further question found that by the ratio of six to one, the public thinks moratoriums and demonstrations do more harm than good in terms of the attainment of peace. There are 200 Million People in the country. You called 500. How do you know this is an accurate sampling . It is all in the selection process. This 500, must include, in all major in all portions, the major groups in the population. Size is not a basic factor, its representativeness. So even with 500 cases, they will have a good example. Good sample. Let me give you an example of how we select people. Imagine every name in america being in a telephone book. We would select every nth name to come up with 1500 names. In other words, it is all done objectively following mathematical principles. What questions were asked . First, we had to find how we how many people listened to the program. We found a large majority, approximately 75 of all americans. Then, of those who had heard listened to the program, we asked them how they reacted to the president s overall policy. And, as i mentioned, we found a large majority saying they approved. We also asked questions about the moratorium and troop withdrawals. Did the results come as a surprise . Actually, no. The public has never favored immediate and total withdrawal nor allout escalation. They also have favored a solution to the war, which will not deny the right of the South Vietnamese to determine their own future. President nixon was appealing to the basic attitudes of the public, and they have also consistently favor the idea of of war. As a means of measuring, how accurate has your organization been in past president ial elections . Im happy to say weve had a good record since 1948. In particular, since we missed the boat, our final preelection survey results has varied from actual results by less than 2 . I should add that, in elections in five nations of the last 15 18 months, some of these nations include australia, west germany france, and canada, their final survey results have a very from the actual Election Results by one percentage point or less. Thank you very much, sir. If, then, the majority exists, how did it come to be . The white house is a focal point for all sorts of expressions of support and assent for dissent for americans. One of the most prominent was hubert humphrey, president nixons chief opponent in the last election. He was a leader in the democratic party, he conversed with a president then chatted with newsmen. I think we have to realize that the president is moving and he is trying, and i believe he has made some progress. Thats my view of it. I think he has. Does this mean that you support whatever the president has done in vietnam up until now . I think what he has done has been good. He hopes he can do more. I hope you can, too. I believe that no man in this country is more desirous of bringing about an acceptable and workable settlement in vietnam than the president of the United States. Washington, and in particular the white house, has frequently been a focal for groups point demonstrated for or against something or someone. Peaceful protest is a citizens right under the u. S. Constitution. President nixon is aware of the objections raised by the vocal minority, both responsible and irresponsible. Most of the visible pressure on him has been from those who would either get troops out immediately for those who want a buildup to force a military victory over hanoi. Why does president nixon take a position between these two extremes . How does he view the conflict of vietnam . In 1963, president kennedy with his characteristic elegance and clarity said we wanted to want to see a stable government in there, carrying on the struggle to maintain its national independence. We believe strongly in that we are not going to withdraw from that effort. In my opinion, for us to withdraw from that effort, would mean a collapsed not only of South Vietnam but southeast asia, so we are going to stay there. President eisenhower and president johnson expressed the same conclusion during their terms of office. For the future of peace, precipitous withdrawal would be a disaster of immense magnitude. A nation cannot remain great if it betrays its allies and lets down its friends. Our defeat and humiliation in South Vietnam, without question, would promote recklessness in the councils of those great powers who have not yet abandoned their goals of world conquest. This would spark violence wherever our commitments help maintain peace. In the middle east, in berlin, eventually even in the western hemisphere. Ultimately, this would cost more lives. Announcer the silent majority. These are americans from almost all segments of the populace. They include people of all ages, occupations, and religion. People from every level of the community, people from every region. The silent majority. Many prefer to make their views known by writing a letter to legislature rather than by taking part in a public demonstration, either for or against a particular issue. The silent majority. They do have opinions, but many of these people have been making their views known only in private conversations with relatives and friends, not in public forums. The silent majority. According to a gallup poll, although they agree overwhelmingly with president nixon, that demonstrations are harmful to the attainment of peace in vietnam, most agree that americans do have a right to demonstrate. President nixon, in his address on november 3, referred to demonstrators and others who withdrawals of u. S. Troops from vietnam. Pres. Nixon i would be untrue to my oath of office if i allowed the policy of this nation to be dictated by the minority who hold that point of view, and to try to impose it on the nation by mounting demonstrations in the streets. For almost 200 years, the policy of this nation has been made under our constitution. By those leaders in the congress and the white house elected by all people. If a vocal minority, however fervent its cause, prevails over reason and the majority, this nation has no future as a free society. Now, i would like to address a word, if i may, to the young people of this nation who are particularly concerned, and i understand why they are concerned about this war. I respect your idealism. I share your concern for peace. I want peace as much as you do. Public reaction to the address was prompt, and some regarded as the silent majority broke their silence. The white house reported the president received thousands of telegrams, of which 90 endorsed his statements. Many other citizens communicated by mail. The white house said they received thousands of letters and postcards, the vast majority supporting the president on vietnam. In addition, many people telephoned their support. No matter what the outcome of this controversy, demonstrations of support and opposition on many issues will continue to take place in washington and throughout the land. What i have found, however, is that the loudest sound is not the only one should be listened one that should be listened to. This is Wiley Daniels in washington. Announcer 40 years ago, irani and students overran to run and held 52 americans hostage for 444 days. Sunday, watch two american features on the crisis. At 8 30 eastern, deaths on a former Carter Administration official and former arranging hostage and author john limbered. They will be taking phone calls and tweets. , 4400 days989 film tell freedom, detailing the hostage crisis. With no help coming, the besieged siege went forward. One who spoke farsi try to go out and save a life. He was immediately blindfolded and bound. The americans [indiscernible] explore our nations passed on American History tv, every weekend, on cspan3. Announcer the cspan cities tour is exploring the american story. Join us the first and third weekends of each month as we take book tv and American History tv on the road and to watch videos from all of the cities we visited road. To go to all of the to watch all of the videos from the cities we visited, go to cspan. Org citiestour. We now take you to the Laramie Plains museum which beatles features a special exhibit on wyoming womens suffrage. We are in the womens hallway of the Laramie Plains museum and islands and mansion. We begin to tell