AS befits a one-man race, the pace of the official month-long campaigning that began last week for South Viet Nam's presidency was positively glacial. Until a TV appearance at week's end in which he suggested that a no-confidence vote would be a vote against democracy, President Nguyen Van Thieu had not made a single campaign speech. His total campaign effort, it appears, will consist of three TV and three radio broadcasts. Previously planned visits to the countryside were scrubbed for security reasons, but were unnecessary anyway in the absence of any opposition. Saigon, meanwhile, hummed with exotic speculation about the shape of things to come. One opposition daily even wryly suggested that Mme. Thieu had threatened suicide if her husband did not resign. The newspaper was promptly seized.
Saigon's political mood could best be described as tense but basically subdued, despite Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky's efforts to inject some life into it. General Duong Van Minh had dropped out. Ky was barred from the presidential race by South Viet Nam's Supreme Court, then given the go-ahead, but he dropped out anyway, protesting that the contest was rigged. Last week he again publicly called for Thieu's resignation. In place of the Oct. 3 balloting he suggested that he, as Vice President, take charge of South Viet Nam and organize new elections within 90 days. He pledged that he would not run. To nobody's surprise Thieu ignored the suggestion.
Between the public ploys and private power plays, the campaign at times seemed a Mad Hatter's version of due constitutional process. Seeking a closer understanding of the attitudes and intentions of the two figures most deeply involved in the race, TIME requested and was granted lengthy interviews last week with both the President and Vice President. Excerpts from their exchanges with Chief of Correspondents Murray Gart and a group of TIME reporters appear in the following stories.
THIEU: A QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE
In his plushly carpeted office in Saigon's Presidential Palace, Thieu was very much at ease. Seated on a red chair, he spoke in a strong voice and laughed often at his own jokes. Yet there was something slightly defensive about his answers.
Q. Mr. President, could you tell us your view of the current political situation?
A. It is very clear. As President I cannot do otherwise but abide by the Constitution and the law. And I have mentioned very clearly that unfortunately the ticket which remains is mine. (Laughter.) Now Vice President Ky suggests that I resign. Why? I have no reason for that. I cannot abandon the country. I would be accused by the people and the historians. To the army I also said very clearly, if the whole army comes here to say "You betray your country, you go against the people," you can have a very peaceful coup d'état. (Laughter.) If [however] the National Assembly wants to postpone the election, then it must amend the Constitution. To do that it needs a two-thirds majority. If it does that I will not abide as President. Now as to the election, I say clearly, because it has a very particular character, it's an election of confidence or noconfidence. The way for people to express their will, if they do not like me, is to make the ticket illegal and irregular.