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Conversation 001-012

TapeTape 1StartWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 9:42 PMEndWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 9:49 PMTape start time00:23:39Tape end time00:29:50ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Woods, Rose Mary;  Sanchez, ManoloRecording deviceWhite House Telephone
AudioNARA Description

On April 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone from 9:42 pm to 9:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 001-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 1-12

Date: April 7, 1971
Time: 9:42 pm - 9:49 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods.

     President's speech on Southeast Asia
           -Reactions
          -Kevin Taylor's saluting President
          -John A. (“Jack”) Mulcahy's reaction
          -[Forename unknown] Bergen
          -[Forename unknown] O’Hara

*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/20/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[001-012-w001]
[Duration: 5s]

     Refreshment order
          -Scotch and soda

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

           -Bergen and O'Hara

The President conferred with Manolo Sanchez at an unknown time between 9:42 pm and 9:49
pm.

     Fireplace

[End of conferral]

     President's speech on Southeast Asia
           -Bergen
           -Length
           -Cabinet
                 -John B. Connally
                 -William P. Rogers
           -Callers' reactions
                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                 -Rogers
                 -Taylor anecdote
                 -John N. Mitchell
           -People to be called
           -Callers' reactions
                 -Agnew
                 -Rogers
                 -Hobart D. Lewis
                 -Leonard K. Firestone
                 -Dwight L. Chapin
                 -Marjorie P. Acker
                 -Robert J. Dole

     People to be called
          -Agnew
          -Rogers
          -Lewis
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.
This is Wood, sir.
Hi, Rose.
That was absolutely great.
How's the dispatch side reacting over there?
Well, let me tell you that it was tremendous from everybody's point of view.
The whole thing, the sincerity, I'm now lumping a lot of calls together, but when you put the papers down and just talk,
I would doubt that you had a dry eye in the audience.
Well, I didn't.
I felt a little wet myself.
Yeah.
I know that.
And I remembered, I was thinking myself of that woman you saw at El Toro who was... That's right.
You know, so...
The little boy that saluted.
I remember when he saluted me while I was broke up.
Oh, that's great.
Because Jack Mulcahy called.
Did he?
Yes.
And he was, he's down in Florida, and Bergen and O'Hara were around, and they just thought it was absolutely tremendous.
Oh, that's nice.
And he said that it was the first time he'd ever listened to any president and had tears in his eyes.
Did he?
Yes.
Even old Jack?
Yeah.
He thought it was sensei.
And all of them came on, you know, Bergen and O'Hara.
And Delta Fire.
excuse me yeah i'm sorry bergen bergen came on and and he just thought it was a great speech it was magnificent well it was a nice little speech actually it was 19 minutes and 40 seconds but it was one of the hardest ones i ever did oh you know we'd have no support this goddamn cabinet except for connelly and i must say bill rogers to his effect not one of the veterans not one rogers called i'll get to him the vice president called he would like to talk with you
Peter Malatesta talked with me and said that the Vice President thought it was, they all thought it was just marvelous, but that he really would like to talk with you, so I'll give the operator that number if you want.
Well, maybe I should return his call.
Secretary Rogers was at the Luxembourg Embassy.
So he didn't see it?
Yes, he did.
He called and he said it was great, it was tremendous.
He said everyone thought it was, and he said that
he thought it had quote the same impact as the fun speech that it had one hell of an impact and that he just he just thought the last part was well he suggested that you know he didn't no he didn't suggest what i'd say but he said throw away your notes and just talk a little while but this little story about kevin i've told i never told before but that was beautiful
The little boy saluting.
Wasn't that something?
Yeah.
It was beautiful.
And the Attorney General called.
Oh, did he?
Yeah.
What did he say?
He thought it was great.
He thought it was one of your very best.
One of your great... That's nice.
He said, I thought it was one of his greatest performances personally.
And he said that he'd been working, talking with people, very hard problem, but he thinks that you have really, you know, touched the people.
And he thinks that...
Yeah, we just have to move ahead with the project of selling some of the idiots.
Well, they're most of them in the establishment, yeah.
Well, I'm glad Rogers was pleased and the vice president.
Very much so.
Is Agnew out in California?
Yeah, Agnew, I'll give the operator the number.
Well, maybe not.
I don't think I should call him out.
I think you should.
well he called me did he yes well then i should return he said he called and said i would like to talk to you all right fine that you can't you know you can't i can i can talk to him i wouldn't need to talk to you i shouldn't talk to mitchell most of the others you don't need to rogers rogers said don't bother he's at the embassy and so forth um home lewis thought it was uh he called what he said yes he thought it was the greatest ever
You really did?
I might return his call because he never calls me.
I mean, he never calls me to bug me.
Yeah, he never does.
He said, anyone has to be convinced by that.
He thought you had an unbeatable position, the record was great, another $100,000 on top of what you've done.
He just thought it was marvelous.
Leonard Firestone called.
Oh, did he?
Len?
Yes.
He was in Palm Springs, and he said that he was with a whole group of people.
And they all were so thrilled.
They thought it was just...
I'm reading from notes now.
That it was great.
The record, the leadership, the delivery, the poise, the...
The everything of the delivery and everyone around there, just their consensus was it was great.
To conclude, you know, tell me about the people in your office.
They were moved by the city, the kids.
Marge even called me and Dwight called me.
Dwight called me and it was over.
Dwight says, I haven't ever cried before.
And Marge, everybody, it was just beautiful.
Well, I was practically crying when I delivered it.
I remember that.
I know that from watching it.
And Senator Dole had just gotten to Florida.
Dole?
Yeah.
Yeah, and he said he has an officer cranking out a statement that, you know, so forth.
He thought it was very good.
He said he's going to put out a release in terms of the carping Democrats.
And I said, what are you going to do about our own people?
Yeah.
He said, we didn't limit it to Democrats.
That's right.
But he just thought it was great.
He's down there doing five fundraisers.
Now, out of all those people, I think the only one really would be Agnew.
Because I didn't speak with him.
I might call Rogers for only a reason.
He suggested throwing away the text at the last.
If you want, I'll tell you up there where he is.
He's at the Luxembourg Embassy.
And I'll give him the Vice President's number.
You think I should call Hope Lewis?
I think that would be great because as a matter of fact, if somebody calls, I got cut off from home.
Fine.
All right.
Fine.
Okay.
I'll tell the operator again for you.
Fine.
All three.
Fine.
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