Rearview Mirror: California Republicans argue over Birch support. (September 25, 1965)

Boyarsky,B. (1965, September 25). California Republicans argue over Birch support. The Free Lance-Star, p. 1.

In this article, Boyarksy reports on fallout in the wake of the “denunciations” of the John Birch Society.  Essentially, some GOP moderates were up in arms because Reagan’s rejection of JBS wasn’t sufficiently robust.  According to Boyarsky, Reagan said:

I have never sought Birch Society support nor have I any intention of doing so should I become a candidate for public office…I am in great disagreement with much of what [JBS founder, Robert Welch] says.

Curiously, though Reagan was (and still is) often accused of simplistic thought and lack of nuance, it was one of Reagan’s rivals who was perhaps least circumspect with his words.  Former San Francisco mayor George Christopher pontificated, “any member of the Birch Soceity adheres to Welch’s admonitions, and I violently disagree.” [emphasis added]