 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
43
Korea and Japan, full-page ads appeared in the New York Times, the
Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle featuring a photograph of
Sun Myung Moon and a bold headline declaring "America in Crisis; answer to
Watergate; Forgive, Love, Unite." Over the next few months this Watergate
statement was
341
published in 50 other newspapers. Each State UC center and every individual in
those centers were instructed by Neil Salonen to send telegrams to President
Nixon, the Washington Post, and the New York Times declaring their support of
Moon's Watergate statement. (379) This was paralleled by fasting and prayers.
Though Moon proclaimed that the campaign was his creation, Kennedy and a
former member of the UC both told the subcommittee that the majority of the
ideas contained in the Watergate statement were Kennedy's.
Reaction from the White House was immediate and favorable. President
Nixon expressed his appreciation to Moon in a letter dated December 11, 1973.
The National Prayer and Fast Committee, a UC organization created to
coordinate activities related to the Watergate statement, was invited to attend the
national Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the evening of December 14, 1973.
The roughly 1,200 UC members who attended quickly turned the ceremony into
a support the President rally. They were well rehearsed, having practiced earlier.
John Nidecker, special assistant to President Nixon and President Ford,
testified that Nixon was furious with the group for turning a national religious
event into a political rally. (380)
However, when the same group held a
candlelight vigil opposite the White House later that same evening, Nixon greeted
Salonen and several of the participants. Rallies for Nixon by UC members acting
under the aegis of Project Watergate and the National Prayer and Fast
Committee were held in several other U.S. cities, as well. Demonstrations were
held in Tokyo, England, Germany, and Italy as well.
As a result of these efforts, Kennedy, through Bruce Herschenson, a White
House aide, arranged for Moon to be invited to the presidential prayer breakfast
held on February 1, 1974. Later that day, Moon met briefly with President Nixon
in the White House. (381)
The relationship between the UC and President Nixon had not always been
so cordial. On February 28, 1972, a demonstration protesting Nixon's visit to the
People's Republic of China was staged by the FLF and Washington, -D-C., UC
members. (382)
From July 22 to 25, 1974, 600 UC supporters of the National Prayer and Fast
Committee held a 3-day fast on the steps of the Capitol. Each participant wore a
poster-sized photograph of a Congressman. Several Congressmen were
photographed with the individual praying and fasting for them and addressed the
entire group. Moon was actively involved with this fast, apparently passing on
such details as which group's name should appear on the banners and whether
the Members of Congress should come out to the steps or fast participants go to
their offices. (383)
At the end of the demonstration, a telegram from President
|
 |
|