Nixon phone call with Hébert on Mansfield Amendment and Vietnam War

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

What?

I have Congressman Abare on, sir.

Hello.

Mr. President, how are you?

How are you doing, Eddie?

Man, they're killing me.

I'm too old for this business.

We just got out of the... You wear them out.

You wear them out.

Let me ask you this.

What does it look like?

I just wanted to check, because I have to go to dinner tonight.

We finished the entire bill this afternoon, except the man's fee.

We're in agreement all the way down on everything tentative.

Right, right.

Right, sure.

We'll close it out on everything.

Now, the first order of business tomorrow will be Mansfield, and that's what we'll talk about.

We'll meet tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.

In that area, I told Stennis I didn't want to discuss it at all.

Because I talked to Les this morning, as you know, and I talked to Clark, and I talked to Jeff Fuller.

I told them that my conversation with you and I was staying put.

I told you I'd stay put, and I will stay put.

And I'll be guided by what you want to do.

Now, as far as what we can do, I don't know.

I think they're trying to insist on some type of compromise.

And then they have the threat of the filibuster.

I talked to Carmel this afternoon, and if anything like the Mansfield Amendment is in, he indicated to me he wouldn't give me a rule.

Good for him.

The rule would mean that, you see, we've got to get points of order, Mr. President.

Oh, I see.

All waived.

I see.

And tomorrow night, of course, it's a deadline.

Now we'd have to get this thing out by tomorrow.

I'd have to go to him if there's a compromising language in it.

Now, they told me this morning, Clark told me, that the language that I've had was acceptable to you.

I said, you'd have to tell me that, because I told you.

Yeah, I know.

I know.

I approve it.

Well, now, let me ask you this.

You're meeting tomorrow at 10?

Yes, correct.

Okay.

Could I call you tomorrow, just before the meeting?

No, sure.

I'll be on my own.

Let me think about the thing a little bit.

Think about it and find out what you want me to do, and you call the signals, and I'll carry it over.

Well, I appreciate it.

I want the signals directly from you.

I appreciate it.

And let me say this.

First, that...

The battle you put up has just been great and I appreciate it because, you know, after what the Senate did to have you guys stand up, it greatly strengthens what, you see,

there is always there is still a chance of negotiation i've told you that and you can take my word for it well here's what i whether it does whether it comes off or not i don't know but be that as it may we got to run the chance out that's really what it gets down to and then you you helped on that and now uh here's the here's the day here's what i told the papers trying to explain because you know to give you the pressure

Yeah, and then a lot of people run away.

I don't run away from them.

I talk to them because I think I can talk to them.

I can handle myself without anything.

They try to make you say things, don't you see it?

You don't want to say it.

And I told them today, they said, am I under instructions not to take the Mansfield Amendment?

And I said, let me go back and let me explain to you what the parliamentary situation is.

I made a motion that the House disagree to the Senate amendment appoint Count Friesen to go to conference.

That amendment was adopted by the House.

Like any pro forma amendment, it's the usual amendment we have when we go to conference.

Following that, Whelan made his motion to instruct us.

I asked the House not to shackle or handcuff my countries, to leave me free and open as I do, and then I made the motion to table.

Now, the motion to table did not instruct me not to do it or to do it.

It was not voted on.

Oh, I see.

I mean, the merits of the resolution that's on the table, see, didn't say anything.

So the Mansfield resolution, I read out.

The Massville resolution takes its same place with anything else in conference.

I was asked to do that.

He begged me not to put my feet too much that he couldn't maneuver.

And so that's the way it stands.

So you've got a car.

And then I said, well, wouldn't you take a compromise?

I said, I can't tell you what I'll do.

The thing is in conference.

You've got the complete running room this way.

That's good.

And the other day, I maneuvered him by me being able to control the time.

Mm-hmm.

See, so that's how it, now tomorrow we got the presidential, I mean, the printing and papers coming on to approve the resolutions.

We're going to run the problems in.

Well, you're going to handle that, aren't you?

I'm handling that.

Yeah, yeah.

I'm reporting both of them out at Vaisley and then making a motion at table.

And I'm about to lose a motion at table because it'll be open for an hour each and we'll have some more monkey shines, I don't know.

Well, if they have a hearing, though, you'll handle it, won't you?

Oh, there's going to be no hearing.

We already killed that.

Oh, you did?

Oh, hell yeah.

We killed it in committee.

This goes to the floor now as a privilege resolution.

Oh, I see.

Oh, no, we reported that voicely on the resolution.

Oh, then the floor, I see.

Yes, and as soon as I call it from the desk, I'll move the table.

I see.

Oh, no, I'll move the table right away.

Oh, that'll be quite a vote.

Well, I'll be watching you with interest.

Ten o'clock tomorrow.

When do you eat?

God, I don't have to.

I've got to go there.

Listen, will you tell them what I do?

I don't know how you could run that job.

What are you talking about?

No, I don't.

I stick around here.

I'm sitting here.

I'll get in the Security Council people now and have a talk with them about this.

We'll be in touch with you tomorrow morning.

I'll be down.

I'm usually in the office at half past nine.

All right.

Okay.

Well, I won't call you until a quarter of ten.

I will make no move until I hear from you.

All right.

Fine.

Whatever you tell me to do, I will do.

Good.

Okay.

I'll forward that to you.

Thank you.

Bye.

Thank you very much.

Nixon phone call with Hébert on Mansfield Amendment and Vietnam War

AI Summary

Audio

Transcript (AI-generated)

NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on June 29, 1971

Cite this conversation