Historical Perspective: Goldwater’s “No QRM” Platform Not Resonant with Public
By K5PO, on the scene
WAVERTON, Maine – Bob Makins loves history, especially political history. So much so, in fact, that he dedicated eight years of his life to earning a Doctorate in Political History from Martinville College that he’s used for the past 15 years as a clerk at the Waverton Electrical Supply store.
Mr. Makins’ living room is piled with books covering the gamut of political history. From the Declaration of Independence to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Makins has a book about it.
There is one political moment that Mr. Makins doesn’t have a book about yet, and so he’s writing one himself. “Perhaps the moment in American politics I find the most engaging,” muses Makins, “is a speech given by then presidential candidate Barry Goldwater when he outlined his campaign platform.”
Makins claims this speech was the seminal moment in the 1964 presidential election; one that turned the tide against Goldwater. Barry Goldwater was a well-respected Republican Senator from Arizona who rose to the Republican nomination in the 1964 presidential election following a hard-fought defeat of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
Goldwater stepped into the presidential limelight with a head full of steam. By late September of 1964, Goldwater seemed all but set to walk into the White House, at that point holding double digit leads in polls over Democratic rival Lyndon B. Johnson. It all changed one chilly evening in southern Nevada.
Goldwater was slated to speak at the town center in Feldun, Nevada, on October 11, 1964. Things seemed to be going exceptionally well. The crowds were very excited to see their man step up to the podium. Ever punctual, Goldwater began his speech promptly at 7:00 p.m. Initially, it seemed to be going superbly. Goldwater’s message of fiscal conservatism seemed to speak to the Nevada audience that evening.
“And then he introduced a new topic. It was at about 7:13 p.m.,” Makins states proudly. Goldwater, who in addition to his years of government service, was also an avid amateur radio operator. He had spent the week leading up to the speech with his “ham” buddies working DX and forming a new policy platform that Goldwater planned to introduce at his Feldun, Nevada, speech. “We thought it was a damn fine idea!” claimed Jack Smoot, a good friend of Goldwater’s and also an amateur radio operator.
“Fellow Americans,” started Goldwater at the podium, “I want to introduce to you a new policy. One that I feel is vital to the very fabric of our country.” Most of the audience expected Goldwater to follow with his typical anti-communist rhetoric, but he continued into unexpected territory. “I put forth that under my presidency, the full power of the executive branch will be dedicated to the elimination of vicious QRM!” Goldwater spoke boldly. “No longer will amateur radio operators be forced to QSY when some shmuck running five kilowatts steps in a kilocycle away from their operating frequency!” continued Goldwater. “No longer will we be forced to endure lids calling on the DX frequency when he’s in the middle of a QSO. This is America, and we’re not going to take it anymore!”
An uproarious cheer erupted from the back of the crowd. The Feldun Amateur Radio Club was enraptured by the speech. They looked at each other in amazement. Never had they heard a candidate speak to them so directly. “We knew he was our man right then!” quipped William Balt, the president of the radio club.
Unfortunately for Goldwater, this message did not resonate with the rest of the audience. Puzzled looks spread across the Feldun town center. “They had no idea what the hell he was talking about,” smirked Makins. “I guess he just totally forgot that most everyone was not an amateur radio operator and couldn’t give a crap less about their ‘QRM.'” Worse yet, the American public didn’t copy the message, either. The speech’s coverage by the Feldun Crier newspaper was picked up on the newswire and was republished across the country. The headlines were damning to the Goldwater campaign. “Goldwater Doesn’t Make Contact,” cited the Phoenix Gazette.
It wasn’t long before the Johnson campaign got in on the act, too. Johnson, who had never even heard of amateur radio, mocked his rival. “I don’t think Barry is copying you, America!” Johnson told to roaring laughter at a press conference on October 18, amid a sea of signs with “QR WHAT?” in large lettering.
Of course, as history knows, Goldwater went on to lose the general election by one of the largest margins ever. It’s clear that the message that Goldwater felt was so important to his country, truly never got through.