Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 007-050
Date: Monday, August 2, 1971 at 12:56 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Aiken, George D.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/007-050

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:03] Hi, George.
[0:05] I hate to bother you on a matter that is not in the field we usually talk about, foreign policy, but I've just been getting some reports from California on our situation there.
[0:20] And this Lockheed thing I know is a very technical thing.
[0:26] The problem we've got, George, is that having
[0:29] You see, Southern California has this enormous airframe problem.
[0:35] If we lose this one after the SST thing, it's going to have a terribly depressing effect.
[0:39] I was just talking to Reagan on the phone over the last week, and he was informing me.
[0:44] I just pass it on to you.
[0:45] I'm not trying to arm-twist you.
[0:46] I wouldn't do that.
[0:47] But I would appreciate if you'd consider, if you could give us a little help on it, it would have an enormous effect.
[0:52] I said at the beginning, if you make it across the board,
[0:56] I go for it, but to make it too selective, there's hardly anyone up our way in the northeast of New England anyway that would be affected by it.
[1:09] Well, as a matter of fact, we could go for a cross-the-board thing at a later time.
[1:13] The House struck it down, but on the other hand, at this point,
[1:17] We have a very serious problem in terms of this specific thing, and I certainly would support across the board at a later point if we can get our friend Proxmire to go along.
[1:30] You may have to.
[1:34] Yes, but I would...
[1:37] Well, I just wanted to let you know my deep personal interest in it.
[1:42] Thanks for calling.
[1:43] I know you've got a personal interest.
[1:45] It's because of the state and Southern California has really taken a rap there.
[1:51] And I'll try to find something, I know, up in your way in Vermont and New England and so forth.
[1:57] We've got to do something for that part of the country.
[1:58] I've got five GE plants with inner stone throw-ups.
[2:02] Have you?
[2:03] Well, you let me know whenever we can do something.
[2:06] But incidentally, I'm very grateful for your statements on China.
[2:10] They were just great.
[2:11] Yes, and I just endorsed your statement, Bill's statement on... Oh, did he get it over to you?
[2:18] He told me he was going to call you this morning.
[2:22] Don't you think that's the right approach?
[2:23] I do, too.
[2:24] I think it's the only approach.
[2:27] Yeah, we've got to oppose the expulsion of Taiwan.
[2:30] I agree.
[2:31] I've always felt that Taiwan belonged to the promotions anyway.
[2:35] But we certainly shouldn't permit them to be expelled if we can help it.
[2:41] As far as Security Council goes, that's a matter for the UN itself to decide who has that seat.
[2:47] And it'll be People's Republic if they come in under the terms which are laid down.
[2:55] Well, fine.
[2:56] Well, anyway, George, a lot of people watch you up there, and I would, as I say, I sure will appreciate it if you could help us on this one.
[3:03] Well, I'm not taking any part in the debate.
[3:06] I think that's about as good as I could do, considering the attitude of our way.
[3:12] Okay.
[3:13] Okay.