Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 007-127
Date: Sunday, August 15, 1971 at 10:03 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kennedy, David M.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/007-127

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:03] Hello Dave, how are you?
[0:11] Well, I think we had to do it, Dave.
[0:15] You'll set us up for some of the other things that you and I know we're working on.
[0:26] And also, if we hadn't done it today, the Congress would have forced us to do something the wrong way.
[0:33] That's right.
[0:36] We're going to do it the right way.
[0:38] Well, Wilbur was pushing for that.
[0:40] Right.
[0:41] But apart from that, the international thing required the kind of action he took.
[0:44] I talked to John Connolly and Colville.
[0:45] Yeah, John told me.
[0:46] Oh, yes, yes.
[0:47] And I was glad that you went along with it.
[0:50] It was a tough thing.
[0:51] Well, it's not easy.
[0:53] Combs was very much opposed to it.
[0:55] But I just felt that they said, well, you might do your domestic things and all these other things would come into play.
[1:02] But we might have to crisis next year.
[1:04] So I said, bite the bullet now.
[1:06] Let's do that.
[1:07] Don't you agree?
[1:08] If we had done that, we'd have to do the other later.
[1:13] That would be murder later.
[1:18] That's right.
[1:18] This was the action that I had in mind.
[1:19] Well, I appreciate it very much.
[1:22] We'll have a talk.
[1:23] You'll be at the cabinet meeting tomorrow?
[1:25] Yes, I will.
[1:26] Good.
[1:27] I think that I may go over to Europe.
[1:33] Oh, boy.
[1:33] You may have to.
[1:35] I know.
[1:35] I know.
[1:36] I thought I'd go over there.
[1:38] Good.
[1:38] You can hold their hand.
[1:39] Yeah.
[1:39] Good.
[1:40] Very good.
[1:40] Dave, good of you to call.
[1:41] Thank you.