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Conversation 338-006

TapeTape 338StartTuesday, May 9, 1972 at 11:07 AMEndTuesday, May 9, 1972 at 11:12 AMTape start time00:25:37Tape end time00:29:21ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe")Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with his close confidant Bebe Rebozo to discuss the ongoing military escalation in Vietnam, specifically the mining of North Vietnamese harbors and planned bombing raids on railroad yards. Nixon expressed confidence in the effectiveness of these measures despite concerns that they might jeopardize the upcoming Moscow summit. The two also touched upon domestic political fallout, noting the opposition from Democrats and Senator Edward Kennedy regarding these foreign policy actions.

Vietnam WarMining of Haiphong HarborMoscow SummitForeign PolicyDomestic PoliticsEdward Kennedy
AudioNARA Description

On May 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:07 am and 11:12 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 338-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 338-6

Date: May 9, 1972
Time: Between 11:07 and 11:12 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo.

[See Conversation No. 24-38]
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

I thought I might come down this weekend, but that was the political weather.
I don't want to come there.
I don't want too many radicals.
The question is now whether it works.
It will work over a period of time, because I intend to squeeze these batteries if it takes a year.
No, no, no, no, no.
Oh, hell no.
Oh, no.
Boy, if they start bringing it in, if you see them, the ships are stopped.
So nobody's going to go in.
Twenty ships are lined up to get out right now.
They're clogged with channeling.
No way they can get in.
Hell no.
And we're gonna bomb the railroad yards tonight.
Well, it'll give the course probably, as they've already said, most people think it'll sink the Russian summit, but I don't.
But if it does, what the hell?
It crawled all the way up.
Probably got it off of the wall or some toilet.
Let me ask you to say to the little people in your band, the little secondaries in the room, do they understand you?
Ray McGovern jumped on it right away, and the Democrats have refused to endorse it.
So I think that's playing a very vicious part in politics.
I endorse that goddamn Kennedy's Cuban thing.
But that's all right.
Let him play part in politics.
He'll be.
Well, we've got strength.
We will work on that.
Well, okay, well, I may come down around Thursday, but I can't get away.
I agree.
Well, you know, I worked my hell this weekend.
I worked on that, I was working on the money and all that.
So I did mostly write and speak myself.
Protected the part of Russia I didn't know about.
Don't do anything I don't say.
Except I'm a lover.
Okay.
Okay.
I think that's a little dry.
Oh, it's under operation now.
Yes, sir.
Sir, there's Larry, please.
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