On April 23, 1975, President Ford was scheduled to speak to 6000 students at Tulane University in New Orleans. Presidential Counselor Robert Hartmann (in his book Palace Politics, page 321) reports the following discussion between Ford and his speechwriters: "What I want to get across," Ford began, "is the idea of all the challenges awaiting college students today. I want to give them a feeling of purpose, of being needed. They should think about the future, stop arguing about the past. Vietnam has been going on ever since any of them can remember. Well, the war's over." "Why don't you say just that?" I [Hartmann] asked. Ford's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure Henry [Kissinger] would approve." In the end, President Ford decided to include that line in the speech. His reference to "a war that is finished as far as America is concerned" drew a standing ovation from the students.