Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 001-036
Date: Wednesday, April 7, 1971 at 11:12 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Lewis, Hobart D.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/001-036

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Mr. Hobart Lewis, sir.
[0:03] Hello.
[0:04] President?
[0:05] How are you?
[0:05] I tried to get through to you a little earlier, but you had too many admirers.
[0:08] Oh, well.
[0:09] Say, I'd like to come down and shake your hand.
[0:12] Well, that's very nice of you.
[0:13] It's very terrific for you to hold the line that way, I think.
[0:16] It's just wonderful.
[0:18] You had to do it.
[0:19] That's right.
[0:19] Of course.
[0:20] And the conclusion of that speech was the most moving thing I ever heard in my life.
[0:25] Well, it had to be done.
[0:27] I wrote that out myself about two nights ago, and I didn't tell anybody that it was going to be done.
[0:32] It wasn't in the text.
[0:33] I noticed you put the text aside.
[0:35] That's right.
[0:36] Just terrific.
[0:37] And it was true, too.
[0:38] That's exactly what happened.
[0:40] When this little kid saluted me, I broke up, you know, and there was no press there at the time.
[0:45] I would think so.
[0:46] But it was just the right time and place to tell that story, too.
[0:51] I must say that you were bleeding from strength there with 265,000 men out and another 100,000 to go and that terrific record.
[1:00] It's the most convincing story in the world.
[1:04] Yeah, well, these people that are trying to bug out without regard to the cost, what the hell.
[1:10] But when you've got that terrific record behind you, you've got an awful lot of confidence.
[1:14] Yeah, all right.
[1:16] Okay, I'll keep the faith.
[1:17] Hey, Mr. President, we just got back from Caneel Bay, where we were... You must have had a wonderful time.
[1:23] Isn't that a marvelous place?
[1:24] That's a great spot.
[1:25] Hope you didn't get stuck by any of those bugs that are out there.
[1:28] Well, there were a few up and down there, yeah.
[1:30] And when we got back, we found a great big box full of ash trees and...
[1:35] And matches and glasses with your signature.
[1:38] You got the glasses?
[1:39] Oh, yeah, that's right.
[1:40] So we've been drinking your health.
[1:41] That's only for just our friends.
[1:43] Well, isn't that wonderful?
[1:44] That's great.
[1:45] Okay, Hope.
[1:46] Thank you so much.
[1:46] Don't give up now.
[1:48] Don't you, sir.
[1:49] Bye.
[1:49] Good night.