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Conversation 004-050

TapeTape 4StartMonday, June 7, 1971 at 10:24 AMEndMonday, June 7, 1971 at 10:40 AMTape start time02:24:00Tape end time02:28:16ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Fitzsimmons, Frank E.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AudioNARA Description

On June 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Frank E. Fitzsimmons talked on the telephone from 10:24 am to 10:40 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 4-50

Date: June 7, 1971
Time: 10:24 am - 10:40 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President conferred with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Military buildup

The President talked with Frank E. Fitzsimmons.

[See Conversation No. 511-1C]
     Fitzsimmons’ election to presidency of the Teamsters Union
           -Reaction of rank and file Teamsters

     President's schedule
           -Fitzsimmons’ conversations with William J. Usery and George P. Shultz
           -Reasons for not attending Teamster convention, July 5-10, 1971 in Florida
           -Executive Board meeting

     Forthcoming Teamsters convention
          -George T. Bell
          -Other administration attendees
          -John N. Mitchell

     President's attendance at future Executive Board meeting
           -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

He said the bigger build-up occurred.
Yes, sir?
Did you call?
Yeah, I had Mr. Fitzsimmons here in Washington.
Yeah.
Hello?
Hello.
Mr. President, I wanted to congratulate you.
Well, thank you, Mr. President.
I followed it in the papers, and apparently everything went very well.
I kind of feel I had a prelude because it seemed to me you thought you were going to win when you ruined my office here.
Yes, I had the same feeling, and I'm sure that you have right now.
How do the people, how do the members feel generally?
Are they in pretty good spirits?
Great.
Good, good.
Had all, I would say, at least 300 wires.
Wonderful, wonderful.
Of congratulations and whatnot.
Good, good, good.
Well, Mr. President, it's a great honor to be called.
Well, you're now a member of an exclusive club.
A few of us have got to form a union.
What do you think, huh?
I'm ready.
All right.
This is a union where there are no dues.
That's right.
But a lot of obligations.
That's one of the unfortunate situations about this.
Well, congratulations.
And to all the other members of your board, I congratulate them.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I talked to...
Bill Usry and as well as George.
Good, good.
I hope and pray that you can give us a few moments at the convention.
Where is that?
We're holding it starting July the 5th.
I'm in Florida and we're holding it for five days there.
The 5th to the 10th?
Yes.
Let me tell you, there's a major problem then, which is in...
I'd do it in a minute, except for the fact that I will be traveling at that point.
I can't tell you where or anything, and you wouldn't want to know anyway.
But if you were a week earlier or a week later, I could do it.
But I know you can't change your convention.
No, we can't.
Let me ask you, of course, next year is the election year, and that wouldn't be good.
But is there any other kind of a meeting?
Would you be having a meeting of your executive board or anything that I could do?
Yes, we will.
Well, I'll tell you what I'll do.
Because I know I can't do this.
I got something I can't tell you about.
You won't hear about it for two weeks, but then you'll know that you and I talked about it.
And you'll see the reason that I couldn't do it.
But let me say that I'd like to come to the next meeting of your...
your executive board, wherever it's, you know, if it's convenient.
How's that?
Is that all right?
That would be wonderful.
And you can, and I will send a message to this if it would be worthwhile.
I'd appreciate that.
And is there anybody else that you would like to have from our side?
Well, let me say this.
Let me talk to one or two of our people, and then I'll get back with Mr. Bell.
How about John Mitchell?
He's a pretty good fellow.
He, as far as he is concerned, he's...
He's a pretty good man.
Yes, he is.
A strong man.
Yes, he is.
Yeah.
You know my feelings for John.
Yeah, yeah.
Darn it, I just, you know, I just love to do this.
It's the only time that the first, I tell you, from about the 4th of July until the 14th, I'm dead.
And that's just one of those things.
And things happen.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Well, we'll send a message in a second.
I'll come to your next executive board meeting if it's a time when we can both work it out.
Fair enough?
Maybe I can get our schedule of it before we actually set it, and then maybe we can adjust our schedule to yours.
Right.
Right.
Sure.
If you could do that, that would be great.
All right.
See, my problem is that between the July, August, September, and so forth,
is a difficult time for me, but if it fits in the right periods, I can do it.
Like, I'm going to do the VFW convention in August, but I'm just flipping out there, and then I have to take another trip.
Okay?
Let's do it that way.
Fine.
Well, thanks.
All right.
Well, congratulations, and good luck.
Thank you very much.
Bye-bye.
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