Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 011-014
Date: Thursday, October 7, 1971 at 9:03 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/011-014
National Archives Catalog: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/417189929 (NAID 417189929)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Yeah.
[0:02] Yes, sir, Mr. President.
[0:03] Hello, Chuck.
[0:04] I thought it went just beautifully.
[0:05] The tone was right on.
[0:08] You always say that, but I think I did a pretty good job tonight on that.
[0:12] Well, I spent a lot of time working on it.
[0:15] Sapphire did a fine job.
[0:16] I may always say it, but it's only because it's true, and if I didn't think it, I wouldn't say it.
[0:20] Well, we work on these goddamn things, you know.
[0:23] You sure do what it shows.
[0:24] No, I think, interestingly enough, the...
[0:27] The comments we've gotten from a lot of people were that you were very firm, very much in command, very strong.
[0:36] You know, my daughters liked the upbeat thing at the end.
[0:39] They said you gave hope.
[0:41] You know, that by God, the country isn't going to hell.
[0:44] They liked that.
[0:45] Just looking at my notes.
[0:45] And everybody liked the letters.
[0:48] The letters were excellent.
[0:49] Just looking at my notes, it's a very strong ending.
[0:52] And CBS gave us a very straight commentary afterwards.
[0:55] Good.
[0:56] Amazingly so.
[0:57] In fact, some of the people we've been phoning, like Red Motley, great publications.
[1:04] Oh, old Red, good old Red.
[1:05] The boss did a sensational job.
[1:07] He said, and I couldn't believe the CBS commentary.
[1:11] It was fair and straight and good.
[1:13] It was good.
[1:13] It was excellent.
[1:15] Harris is enthusiastic.
[1:16] About Harrisfield, yeah.
[1:18] You're bringing him in Wednesday, aren't you?
[1:21] Yes, sir, if that's good.
[1:22] You bring him in.
[1:23] I told him that you want to see him.
[1:25] He said you hit the nail right on the impression.
[1:27] He liked the continuation.
[1:29] Very much.
[1:31] Well, of course, he was pushing on that part.
[1:34] He said the two things that came through to him were very strong.
[1:38] One, that it's very clear from this that you mean to do the job.
[1:41] And secondly, that you're very confident in...
[1:45] He described that it was an effective toughness.
[1:49] And he said, you've just got this momentum rolling, and it's going to continue.
[1:54] And he said, the businessmen are going to be very happy over the profit control.
[1:56] Well, do you think the profit thing came off in a way it didn't scare him to death?
[1:59] Yeah.
[2:00] No, he thought it did.
[2:02] Yeah.
[2:02] He thought it was excellent.
[2:03] And I did, too.
[2:05] Some businessmen will worry, but we put it very, very narrowly.
[2:08] I said, you know, those few cases where
[2:12] Well, windfall is a good word because windfall to a businessman is something he didn't expect or didn't earn.
[2:18] And I said, well, I don't mind all windfalls, but only those windfalls that are due to government policies.
[2:23] Then they've got to pass it on.
[2:25] Exactly.
[2:26] I think, too, the idea that let's reduce prices.
[2:29] That's a good theme.
[2:30] This is an hour to hit that.
[2:32] Oh, I talked to her.
[2:37] She was getting on the plane to go to Indianapolis.
[2:38] I got some great lines into her speech before she left.
[2:39] And I talked to Barry Goldwater, who called me.
[2:42] Good.
[2:42] God, he's a great old soldier.
[2:54] I think he'd had a couple of great looseners for the evening.
[2:56] But he said, I want you to deliver a message to the president.
[2:57] He said, I don't know whether this goddamn program will work.
[3:02] He said, it doesn't make any difference.
[3:03] He said, I'm not for control.
[3:04] But he said, I'll tell you, I'll go anywhere in the country for this man.
[3:06] I'll do anything for him.
[3:06] I love him.
[3:06] I'm a thousand percent for him.
[3:07] And you know why?
[3:08] Isn't that wonderful?
[3:08] He said, you know why?
[3:09] He said, not because of the goddamn program.
[3:10] He said, he could.
[3:10] He said, personally, I think it probably stinks.
[3:12] So do I.
[3:12] But he said, because the president's a leader.
[3:14] He's like Harry Truman.
[3:15] He's out front.
[3:16] He's fighting.
[3:17] He's strong.
[3:19] He said, we have a president who's a president all the way.
[3:23] He said, goddamn, I'll go anywhere and do anything you fellas tell me.
[3:26] Isn't that great?
[3:27] Yeah.
[3:28] He said he thought your speech was extremely strong.
[3:33] He said, I just felt goosebumps watching it because he didn't use the word goosebumps.
[3:38] He said, I just felt proud watching it.
[3:39] He said, he was so strong, so good.
[3:41] Good, good.
[3:41] And thus far, the reactions, there's been really nothing negative on the wire.
[3:47] I haven't found any negative comments.
[3:47] There's been no labor comments.
[3:50] George Shultz is doing a hell of a job.
[3:51] We'll put the labor people right on the goddamn spot where I... Those letters were all from people that had their wage increases.
[3:58] Sure.
[3:58] I thought those letters were beautiful.
[4:00] Extremely effective, Mr. President.
[4:03] And, you know, we get used to that kind of thing already, but I would admit...
[4:06] to letters like that, but people out in the country love to hear that.
[4:18] It puts a personal touch on it.
[4:18] Makes them think their letters count.
[4:19] That's right.
[4:19] And it's something they understand, and they feel sort of, they identify with people who write to you.
[4:22] Oh, and I think it does a hell of a good impact.
[4:23] You made the point tonight, I thought, exceedingly effectively, that this was the all-volunteer army of American patriots.
[4:33] Yeah, that was an insert.
[4:34] Oh, I love it, because it gets the thought across, which you did
[4:35] throughout it, but this depends on the people.
[4:53] It's got to work unless the people make it work.
[4:54] And you put kind of on them the responsibility, which is just the way you make people respond.
[4:56] That's the best kind of leadership, because then they all feel they want to participate.
[4:58] I think we're just to keep going.
[4:58] Would you do something for me?
[5:00] Yes, sir.
[5:00] Find out what is on at the Kennedy Center
[5:03] There's a concert of some sort.
[5:06] If it's harmony, I might want to stop over for the last half of it, but I want to know.
[5:13] I'm going to do it just as a surprise to come in.
[5:16] You mean tonight, sir?
[5:16] Yeah.
[5:16] Harmony?
[5:17] No, no.
[5:17] Check to see what's on, if it's harmony.
[5:20] And just find out what it's harmony, what he's playing.
[5:23] All right.
[5:25] Okay.
[5:25] I'll call you back as soon as I have it.
[5:26] Thanks.