THE WHITE HOUSE

\ V /\ S :--: I " I G T O N

November 14, 1983

FOR : FRED F . FIELDING

FROM : DAVID B . WALLER--

SUBJECT : 11
The Dav After"

r~y attached November 8 , 1983 memorandum summarizes the request

made by High Frontier that Karna Small and others in the
Administration call certain indi viduals (Joe Coors , Cle~ent
Stone, etc . ) and re~uest from each of them a major contribution ·
to fund a media bJ.itz intended to offset the storm of anti-nucl~ar
sentiment that will be stirred by the referenced made-for -
tele vis ion movie. I indicated in my memorandum that no White
House staff membe r will be responding to High Frontier ' s request ,
and recommended that we suggest to Karna that she simply advise
Gen . Graham that, although we 2p-preciate Hi gh Fr ontier ' s effort,
it would be inappropriate for members cf the White House staff to
become invol ved in the solicitation effort .

I checked again today with Karna . She advised that although the
Administration is developing a press strategy for responding
to the program, no one has or intends to engage in this or any
other solicitation effort . She dces not feel it is necessa~ y and
does not intend to respo nd to Gen. Graham .

For you r information, the press strategy will consist of Karna

and others discussing with the American Security Council ,
Citize n s for America , selected columnists, and others the
question of whether young children should be permitted to watch
the show . The hope is that those selected organizations and
individuals may e ncourage PTAs and other responsible groups to
counsel against viewing by the very young . Additionally, FEMA is
preparing its response to the questions it anticipates receiving .

No further action is required by this office at this time .

 THE WHITE HOUSE
W /\ 3 H I ; .1 G 7 0 N

November 8, 1983

FOR: FRED F. FIELDING

1 .•,,/ '
I ~ ·,
FROM: DAVID B. WALLER ~r--... _ -
SUBJECT: Proposed Response to "The Day After"

As I mentioned in this morning's staff meeting, yesterday

afternoon Karna Small gave me copies of the attached letter and
memorandum from High Frontier regarding their referenced proposal.
She and David Gergen asked that it be brought to your attention
for whatever action you deem appropriate.

High Frontier seeks to offset the storm of anti-nuclear sentiment

that will be stirred by the made-for-TV movie "The Day After,"
which is scheduled to air on ABC on November 20. High Frontier's
memorandum indicates that several anti-nuclear groups are
organizing an ad campaign that will run during the week following
the film. High Frontier seeks to "not allow the disarmament
lobby to play on the fears and frustrations of the citizens of
this country," and to provide as a sensible alternative, the
President's March 23 initiative. The organization proposes a
media blitz of their own and "[s]ince High Frontier does not have
the financial resources on hand to purchase time, [it is]
requesting help from the White House." The organization asks
that the White House call those individuals identified on page
six of their memorandum (Joe Coors, Clement Stone, etc.) and
request from each of them a $500,000 contribution to the effort.

Identical letters from High Frontier and copies of their

memorandum were sent to Ed Meese, Morton Blackwell, Ed Rollins,
Ly n Nofziger and Paul Laxalt. I spoke early this morning with
Mort Blackwell. He advised that he had been cautioned by Jim
Cicconi not to become involved. Thereafter, I talked to Cicconi
and he indicated that he, Gergen and Karna had agreed that legal
issues, if any, aside, White House personnel should not
participate in the solicitation.

Ed Meese and Ken Cribb are, of course, out of the country as of

this morning. I have a call in to that office, however, to
determine what, if any, action they intend to take. If
the y intend to take any action, I will notify you. Otherwise,
you can assume no White House staff will be responding to High
Frontier's request. Obviously we have no control over responses
made by Lyn Nofziger, Paul Laxalt or Ed Rollins.

There does remain an issue of what formal response, if any,

should be made to High Frontier. I recommend that we suggest to
Karna that she simply advise Gen. Graham that, although we
appreciate High Frontier's effort, it would be inappropriate fer
members of the White House staff to become involved in the
solicitation effort.
~ HIGH FRONTIER

1010 Vermo nt Avenue , N.W. • Suite 1000 • Wash ington , O.C. 20005 • (202) 737-4979

Lt . Gen. Da niel 0 . Graham

USA (Ret.)
Director

URGENT

November 4, 1983

Mrs. Karna Small

Deputy Assistant to the President
Director, Media Relations & Planning
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Karna:

Here is our analysis of the problem which will arise from the ABC-TV
show "The Day After." And here is a sound course of action to offset it,
using it to promote the Pres i dent's call for strategic defenses instead
of his opposition's call for nuke freeze.

We need act i on on this fast. We need calls to the po t en tial

financial backers now.
i

Regard , /

£,( ,_
Daniel O. Graham
Lt. Gen., USA (Ret.)

DOG:vvm
Enclosure
 ; ; ; , , ; , HIGH FRONTIER

1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W. • Suite 1000 • Washington , O.C. 20005 • (202) 737-4979

Lt. Gen. Daniel 0 . Graham

USA (Aet. )
Director

HIGH FRCNl'IER
'00 mY MEDIA BLITZ

November 20, 21, 1983

Note: Others who

received this:

Ed Meese
Morton Blackwell
Ed Rollins
Lyn Nofziger
Karna Small
Paul Laxalt
~ER 4, 1983

_;
j
\
~ HIGH FRONTIER

1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W. • Suite 1000 • Washington, D.C. 20005 • (202) 737-4979

Lt. Gen. Daniel 0 . Graham

USA (Aet. )
Director

/
BACKGROUh1)

On November 20, 1983, ABC will air the made-for-TV movie, "The
Day After.· The announcement of this pro-freeze film has already
stirred a storm of anti-nuclear sentiment across the country.

The film is expected to draw a 50 share of the audience, making

it one of the highest rated shows of all time.

Several anti-nuclear groups have tried to purchase air time

during the movie, according to H. Weller Keever, ABC's Vice
President for network sales. While ABC has refused to sell network
air time to any advocacy group during the film, including High
Frontier, several groups are organizing an ad campaign that will run
during the week following the film.

These campaigns include local TV spots and print ads in major

city newspapers with an 800 telephone number for people to call to
become involved with the disarmament movement.

Roger Molander's nuclear-war-education group, ·cround Zero," has

published and distributed 200,000 viewing guides (see attached), and
is encouraging people to watch the film in groups and join the
movement.

Janet Michaud's •campaign Against Nuclear War• will also have an

800 number and will sponsor two days of seminars in major cities
across the U.S. the week following the movie. Other pro-freeze
groups are also actively organizing media and grassroots campaigns.

As supporters of the President and his call for a sound national

defense, we must not allow the disarmament lobby to capitalize on
this emotional movie. We must not allow the disarmament lobby to
play on the fears and frus;_rations of the citizens of this country.
We must provide a sensible alternative on November 20th. That
alternative is the President's March 23rd initiative.
.liIGli FRCNTIER Is MEDIA a.m
To provide viewers with an alternative, High Frontier
prop:>ses a Novanber 20th-21st media blitz on local T'v, national
T'v (if we can ?Jrdlase the time), and in local and national
newspapers.
'llle television commercials are already produced. The
camnercials will have a tagline to call attention to the
corresponding newspaper ads in the major dailys in the same
markets.
Additionally, High Frontier will have an 800 telephone
hoUine for ~rters to call for additional information.
'!be specific media plan is still being finalized, but
as a minimlln should include the foll<Ming:

WNDr\Y, OOJEH3ER 2Q
I-OcaJ "Ne5!iDper &m. Cone full page)
washington Post $29,200
Miami Herald 11,400
Houstoo 01.ronicle 10,400
nu.las Times Herald 9,500
SeatUe Times 14,100
San Diego Union Tribune 9,000 (Sun/Mon ccmbo)

New Orleans Times-Picayune 4,900

Kansas C'apital Journal 2,600
Denver Post 10,400

National ~ r !cs. (full page>

N.Y. Times National Edition 28,150

-3-
 Local Newmr !cs. c112 I;age>
San Francisco Chronicle 11,000
Los Angeles Times 12,000
Chicago Tribune 13,700
National LL.
* Ted Ko~l's post film analysis 50,000
2 - 60 second spots

Post film local/regional 60 seconds

Spots in markets cx:>rresponding to the newspaper ads.
175,000

~ , tP/EM3ER 2l.
Local Newspaper~ Cfull I;age) fik)nday
Washington Times (2 full I;age ads, $3,510
2nd I;age free for
1st time advertisers)
Houston Oironicle 9,800
Dallas Times Herald 9,100
Seattle Times 12,800
San Diego Union Tribune (Stm/Mon canbo) 9 ,000
National Newspaper Ac.s. (full I;age)
USA Today 16,000
* Wall street Journal (closed out)
I .

,
Christian science Mari.tor 1,450

National t..Y...
ABC's AM World News 7,000
one 60 second spot
-(Contingent a1 availability)

- 4 -
 Local/regional 60 second T.V. spots in markets
corresponding to the newspaper ads.
50,000
Total 510,000
'lllese are several secondary markets that we would like to
add to this campaign. OUr ability to oo so will depend on the
financial resources that can be raised in the brief time we have
left before the deadlines.

- 5 -
111'"

MEDIA BUDGET

The two day media blitz will cost a minimum of $500,000.

Anything less than this size buy will not make an impact significant
enough to make a difference.

Furthermore, a buy of this size will generate substantial news

coverage of the buy itself. We will, more than likely, receive news
coverage in markets that we did not reach with the ads.

To encourage this coverage, High Frontier will send out press

releases to approximately 3000 media contacts to stir their interest
in the campaign.

Obviously, the time is running out to finalize this buy. Since

High Frontier does not have the financial resources on hand to
purchase this time, we are requesting help from the White House. We
need the White House to call the following individuals and ask each
to donate $500,000.

W. Clement Stone (312) 564-8000

Bunker Hunt (214) 573-8466
Joseph Coors (303) 279-6565
Rich DeVoss (616) 676-6225
&
Jay Van Andel
Ed Gaylord (405) 232-3311

Since High Frontier will be carrying the lance for the President
on the issue of strategic defenses and the validity of his March 23
initiative, we are depending on the White House for their critical
support.

- 6 -