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Conversation 001-006

TapeTape 1StartTuesday, April 6, 1971 at 12:14 PMEndTuesday, April 6, 1971 at 12:17 PMTape start time00:10:41Tape end time00:14:42ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Hardin, Clifford M.;  Gifford, Claude W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon calls Secretary of Agriculture Clifford M. Hardin to announce his decision to support the Agricultural Extension Service, effectively overruling the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) staff and siding with the Secretary. Nixon emphasizes the political importance of the service to the American farm community and instructs Hardin to communicate this victory to the department. Additionally, the President speaks with Claude W. Gifford of the Farm Journal to personally encourage him to accept an appointment within the administration.

Agricultural Extension ServiceOffice of Management and BudgetClifford M. HardinClaude W. GiffordFederal AppointmentsAgriculture Policy
AudioNARA Description

On April 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Clifford M. Hardin, and Claude W. Gifford talked on the telephone from 12:14 pm to 12:17 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 1-6

Date: April 6, 1971
Time: 12:14 pm - 12:17 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Clifford M. Hardin.

[See Conversation No. 475-4B]

     Agricultural Extension Service
          -President's decision
          -John B. Connally
          -John D. Ehrlichman
          -George P. Shultz
          -Office of Management and Budget [OMB] staff

     Claude W. Gifford
          -Appointment

The President talked with Gifford at an unknown time after 12:14 pm and before 12:17 pm.

[Conversation No. 1-6A]
[See Conversation No. 475-4C]

     Appointment
         -Benefits

The President talked with Hardin at an unknown time after 12:14 pm and before 12:17 pm.

[Conversation No. 1-6B]

[See Conversation No. 475-4D]

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/20/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[001-006-w001]
[Duration: 24s]

     Clifford M. Hardin’s wife
           -Eye health

*****************************************************************

     Implementation of President's decision
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.

Hello?
Yes.
Terry Hardin.
Hi, Glenn?
Yes, Mr. President.
I, uh, just made a decision that I think will, uh, please you.
Good.
And, uh, I, uh, and as a result of it, I, uh, uh, know that you can now go out and, uh, and have a chance to sell our, uh, rural, uh, the extension service.
We, uh, we, uh, I made the decision that, uh,
We will follow your recommendation.
The maintenance of effort, you know, sort of whatever it is that is required.
I think you know what the...
The three senses that need to go in.
Yeah.
Well, I'm sorry I had to push the harvest.
Well, I understand.
I understand.
Well, as a matter of fact, John Connolly and I talked a little about it in California, because you know how strong he was about this and that.
And I just told him, I said, no, the Department of Agriculture will be tough enough, but the Extension Service, we just cannot...
cannot uh you know that damn thing is uh it's so part of the american uh ethic that we just can't uh screw it up so uh so we but i just want you to know that i uh i just told her like min schultz that's the way it's to be so it's not well thank you and when you hear it from them i just hope you carry it out but uh i i appreciate it i know you had to argue for it and
And you were right, and we pushed it out.
And you get the word to the people in the department that you and I chatted about the thing, and that I, frankly, this is a good idea to the farmers, that I overruled the OBM staff, and I stood for the Secretary of Agriculture.
Fair enough.
Yes, sir.
Say, Mr. President, there's a man I think you know in here with me now, Claude Gifford of the Farm Journal.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Well, if we don't one or the other of us stutter in the next 10 minutes, he's going to come to work with us.
Oh, that's wonderful.
Wonderful.
Listen, you don't stutter ever.
Uh-huh.
I try not to.
That's right.
That's right.
You're always fast with the words.
Well, he's a great, great guy.
Just don't mind.
Just delight it.
We'll be delighted to have him.
Would you say a word to him?
Sure I would.
Sure I would.
Put him right on.
I didn't raise this either, Claude.
That's right.
Hello.
Hello.
I just wanted you to know that Cliff had told me that he's trying to use his wiles to get you to come help us, and I couldn't endorse it more.
It would be a wonderful asset to the administration to have you with us.
We need not only your support, but more your know-how, you know your way around, you know the farm community, and it would just be a great help to us.
Well, I appreciate that very much.
And we look forward to working with you.
I just gave Cliff some good news he'll tell you about about the extension service, so that'll make your job a little easier.
All right.
Okay.
All right.
Tell the farmers not to give up on us.
It's going to come out all right.
I'm sure it will.
Yeah.
I'm sure it will.
All right.
Bye.
All right.
Bye.
Thank you.
Okay.
Bye.
Thank you, Mr. President.
You betcha.
You betcha.
Bye.
Well, this is a great day, Mr. President.
You go ahead now.
You work out the words, but I've made the general ruling.
I didn't read it.
I don't know how to adopt it.
I just said, all right, folks, look, we're going to do what you want on this thing, so let's work it out.
Well, the words are all prepared.
All right.
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
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