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Conversation 007-009

TapeTape 7StartTuesday, July 27, 1971 at 2:49 PMEndTuesday, July 27, 1971 at 2:51 PMTape start time00:17:26Tape end time00:19:48ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Cook, Marlow W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon initiated this call to Senator Marlow W. Cook to offer birthday wishes and discuss Cook's recent attendance at a space launch. The conversation quickly shifted to legislative concerns, specifically the precarious status of the Lockheed loan guarantee bill in the Senate. Nixon emphasized the importance of the legislation, and they strategized on avoiding the prolonged, unsuccessful floor tactics that previously doomed the Supersonic Transport (SST) project. Nixon directed the Senator to coordinate further efforts with Clark MacGregor.

Lockheed loan guaranteeSpace programSenate legislative strategySupersonic Transport (SST)Clark MacGregor
AudioNARA Description

On July 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Marlow W. Cook talked on the telephone from 2:49 pm to 2:51 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 007-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 7-9

Date: July 27, 1971
Time: 2:49 pm - 2:51 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Marlow W. Cook.

[See Conversation No. 548-3A]

     Cook's birthday

     Space shot [Apollo 13]
          -Cook's trip to Cape Kennedy [Canaveral]
          -The President's talk with the astronauts
          -Possible problems
     Lockheed bill
         -Senate debate
               -Adlai E. Stevenson, III's amendment
         -Compared to Supersonic Transport [SST] vote
               -Warren G. (“Maggie”) Magnuson
               -Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson
         -Importance
         -Clark MacGregor
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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?
Senator Marlo Cook, Mr. President.
Hello?
Mr. President.
Hello?
Mr. President.
I didn't call you to twist your arm, but just to tell you not to get any older.
Oh.
One of my spies told me you just had a birthday.
I'm a lady.
Well, you don't sound like it.
You don't sound like it.
You sound just as tough as ever.
Oh, I want to tell you, we got up at 5.30 yesterday morning to...
Did you see the flight and got home late?
Yeah.
Oh, did you go down?
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
I did it once and it rained and I haven't been back.
But it's a great sight, isn't it?
It makes you a great advocate up there.
It really, really zing the way it goes up there.
Well, I'm going to watch them.
I talked to them on the phone the night before and they said be sure and watch it.
It's just like a golf cart.
They go pedaling around the moon.
I sure hope they land.
Oh, my God.
Don't tell me they won't.
Well, the noon headline, you know, for this thing.
Yeah.
some little gadget that keeps turning red and not yet.
Yeah, I know, I know, but they have that quite often.
I'm not going to worry.
At least we'll keep saying our prayers today.
Okay, well, don't get any older.
You're old enough, sir.
I didn't figure you were 45 anyway.
Let me tell you about this thing that we're debating on now.
It seems like it's going downhill.
What's that thing?
Lockheed?
Yeah.
It seems like the longer...
I'm not sure the significance of the Stephenson Amendment.
I voted for tabling it yesterday, and of course we failed.
But I hope John doesn't keep it up too long so that we delay these votes.
I always felt like the SST thing was a mistake on Maggie and Jackson's part that they kind of strung it out and strung it out and strung it out and everybody...
Everybody got way ahead of them.
Yeah, that's true.
The Lockheed thing, of course, Marlow, is so terribly important.
Well, I don't have any problems with it.
I would have had trouble with a Lockheed bill, but I don't have any trouble with what's there now.
Right, right.
But I just get the feeling that every day it's kind of reported somebody else is going to say that it's bad or something else, and it just seems to be getting into more trouble than it seems to be getting in good graces.
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
But I hope.
We hope.
Okay, well, let me take a check with McGregor.
Oh, no, that's Clark's been working on everybody.
He's a good boy.
Gee, you're nice to call.
I appreciate that.
Good luck.
Thank you, sir.
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