This program is 28 minutes long
#41140
(Studio) There will be no one chief of staff in Carter White House
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41142
(Studio) Carter and family continue vacation on Saint Simons Island off Georgia coast; Carter now beginning to turn attention to staff.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
(Saint Simons Island, Georgia) Plan with regard to choosing of cabinet and personal staff comes from Hamilton Jordan; Carter won't appointed chief of staff but will have several top advisers. [Press secretary Jody POWELL - believes arrangement good.] Vacation spot, Musgrove Plantation, on Saint Simons Island noted.
REPORTER: Ann Compton
#41143
(Studio) President Ford vacations in California; Ford reported as saying he had phone conversation with former President Richard Nixon, but doesn't give details.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
(Palm Springs, California) Ford talked with Ronald Reagan about same time as Nixon call; is 1st time Ford and Nixon have talked since Mrs. Pat. Nixon's stroke. Ford is asked on golf course with regard to call. [FORD - says they're not having press conf.; says he called Nixon and said hello to him.] President's golf game noted.
REPORTER: Charles Gibson
#41144
(Studio) State Department spokesperson says today Secretary Henry Kissinger won't consider any job offers until after he leaves office.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
#41146
(Studio) Federal Energy Administration officials tell congress committee today there should be enough natural gas and alternate fuels to go around this winter, barring extreme cold; other details noted.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) Report on situation with regard to use of natural gas from known reserves; problems involved because of lack of drilling for new reserves cited. Price hikes have been approved by FPC and Alaska has reserves to be tapped, but environmental and consumer groups challenge both. Problem basically is that United States is running out of natural gas and will be paying more and more for less and less gas.
REPORTER: Roger Peterson
(Studio) Last week FPC ordered increase in some natural gas prices; consumer groups protested. Today federal court orders prices can't go up yet; details noted.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
#41147
(Studio) Pentagon announces today it has surplus of money available for weapons systems; officials say money will be spent on defense programs. Dispute with regard to cost overrun of Navy project between Navy and major contractor noted.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
(DC) Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company is largest yard in United States for building nuclear ships and only 1 in country able to build nuclear powered aircraft carriers like "Admiral Nimitz" and guided missile cruisers like "Virginia." Claim of cost overrun by shipbuilders noted. [Newport News Shipbuilding Company President John DIESEL - says believes Navy has purposefully underestimated nuclear ship costs under contract now; cites reasons.] Navy acknowledges dispute; spokesperson asked if overruns could have been caused by deliberate underestimates. [Undersecretary of Navy David MacDONALD - says he's not aware of it and doubts it.] Chief civilian procurement officer for Navy is Gordon Rule, not known to be soft toward government contractors. [RULE - says Navy is dealing unfairly with 2 nuclear shipyards, Newport News and Electric Boat, division of General Dynamics Corp.] Newport News company has said if no progress made it won't bid on new ships and will ask 14 ships now in production be moved to another yard; there's no other yard equipped to build nuclear-powered ships. Question now raised is whether government or private contractors should build ships.
REPORTER: Bettina Gregory
#41148
(Studio) Customer rebate offers by American Motors on 1977 models noted; offers made to American Association of Retired Persons and National Retired Teachers Association Details noted.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41150
(Studio) Gary Gilmore scheduled for execution in Utah and is resisting legal efforts to hold up execution by firing squad.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(Salt Lake City, UT) Report on Gilmore's motivation and that of those who want him to live. Background on Gilmore noted, include previous prison record before return to hometown of Provo, UT; while there, he was accused of murder, convicted and sentenced to die before firing squad next Monday Uncle with whom Gilmore lived says Gilmore made clear he'd rather die than spend more time in jail. Assistant attorney general Bill Barrett talked to Gilmore on phone. [BARRETT - notes Gilmore's comments with regard to execution.] Gilmore's letters to Utah supreme court expressing desire to be executed rather than spend time in prison noted. Lawyers for Gilmore don't accept sentence. [Public defender Mike ESPLIN - says client has right to appeal and his attys. feel Utah supreme court should review case before Gilmore is shot.] Attys. file appeal; it's supported by national orgs. opposed to execution. [American Civil Liberties Union spokesperson Shirley PEDLER - says if execution goes ahead may pave way for others in nation but if stayed, may stop others from thinking that state has right to execute individuals.] Gilmore expected to appear before state supreme court
REPORTER: Greg Dobbs
(Studio) Last legal execution in United States noted.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
#41151
(Studio) Patricia Hearst transferred today from federal prison in Pleasanton, California, near San Francisco to 1 near San Diego; details noted.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41152
(Studio) Driver of car which struck and killed 8 high school students in Minster, Ohio, John Kremer, is fined $300 and driver's license suspended for 1 year Judge says Kremer created own jail and will have to live with it rest of life.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41154
(Studio) Newly elected President of NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) , Benjamin Hook, holds news conference today; comments with regard to black vote in election of Carter noted. Hook is former mbr. of Federal Communications Commission and will replace retiring NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) President Roy Wilkins at end of January
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41155
(Studio) Carter press secretary Jody Powell's statement with regard to no White House chief of staff noted. Interview is with Democratic national committee chairperson Robert Strauss who says he will retire from post after Carter's inauguration. Anchor asks what Strauss thinks new administration will be like.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says announcement with regard to chief of staff is no surprise; notes Carter's administrative abilities.]
(Studio) Anchor asks if Strauss is close to Carter.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says he's comfortable but not close with Carter; says Carter is shy not outgoing, but not cold as press has said.]
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(Studio) Anchor asks Strauss' answer to questions of people who say they fear Carter will have only 1 view of situation as President
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says such comments bad; notes example of Carter's process and resulting choice in picking Vice President]
(Studio) Anchor asks Strauss' opinion with regard to role of Walter Mondale as Vice President
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says he thinks Mondale's role will be different from any previous Vice President]
(Studio) Anchor asks if this could be liaison with Congress
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says it could be major role for Mondale.]
(Studio) Anchor remembers when it was said Lyndon Johnson would be liaison with Congress for John F. Kennedy but didn't happen.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) [STRAUSS - says if it had happened some of Kennedy programs which were delayed would have gone through.]
(Studio) Notes voluntary retirement of Strauss in January
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
#41156
(Studio) USSR Communist party leader Leonid Brezhnev says now that United States and West German elections are over, Moscow looks forward to more effective action in solving major international problems; Brezhnev speaks on occasion of visit from Polish Communist chief.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41157
(Studio) Washington, DC officials say United States and Vietnam will begin talks with regard to possibility of normalization of relations in Paris, France, on Friday; will be 1st since Paris Peace agreement signed nearly 4 years ago.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41159
(Studio) 5 physicians testifying before Senator panel today recommend amphetamines be banned as weight-loss medication; details noted.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#41160
(Studio) Purpose of Viking project noted.
REPORTER: Barbara Walters
(DC) Last photos sent by Viking before shutdown noted and shown. [Viking biology team spokesperson Dr. Harold KLEIN - says no conclusive evidence recd. for or against life on Mars.] [Lander imaging team spokesperson Dr. Carl SAGAN - says it's 1st time we've explored any other world for life.] [KLEIN - notes length of time it took on earth to settle issue with regard to whether bacteria are living organisms.] Scientists' request for Viking Rover noted; NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) ready to approve; details noted.
REPORTER: Jules Bergman
#41161
(Studio) Report on death of Smokey the Bear at DC's National Zoo. Bear was rescued as cub from forest fire in Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico in 1950.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner
#669433