President Richard Nixon's backpocket statement in case of an Apollo 11 disaster

By Jack Brummet, Aerospace Ed.

RMN speechwriter William Safire composed this statement in July, 1969 as we awaited news of the astronauts' moon landing. He actually wrote two statements:  one for a successful landing, and another in the event the Apollo crashed or exploded, or Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin became stranded on the moon.  Fortunately, Dick Nixon was able to deliver the "success" statement.  

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