The Importance of Being Coy

The moral of the latest Gallup poll seems to be that the harder they run, the bigger they fall.

Gallup stacked Nelson Rockefeller, Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge against President Johnson in a series of trial heats. On a nationwide basis, Rocky fared worst: he drew 16% of the votes to Johnson's 77% . Goldwater was hardly better off, with 18% to Lyndon's 75%. But, in an impressive demonstration of the importance of being coy, Non-Candidate Nixon got 24% of the votes against 71% for the President, and Lodge--who is even more of a non-candidate--did best of all, with 25% to Johnson's 68% .

Regionally, the poll showed Barry and Rocky running neck and neck in the East and Far West. Barry was at his best in the South--where Rockefeller made his poorest showing. Lodge was strongest of the four in the East, while Nixon outran the others in the Midwest and even did slightly better than Barry in the South.

As for the President's huge lead in every region against every candidate, Dick Nixon professed unconcern. Said he: "Gallup isn't going to count the votes on Election Day."

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