Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 015-107
Date: Monday, November 22, 1971 at 6:13 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; MacGregor, Clark
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/015-107

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Mr. Clark McGregor.
[0:02] Yeah.
[0:03] There you are, sir.
[0:04] Mr. President, I'm sorry to bring you the bad news.
[0:06] I figured it was that.
[0:07] We lost at 52 to 47.
[0:09] We lost on the critical vote on Title 10 of Pastore.
[0:12] We lost Matthias and Case.
[0:15] Five Democrats voted with us, Irvin Bird, Stennis McClellan, and Eastland.
[0:21] Without the two Republican defections, we'd have been beaten 50 to 49, just as I anticipated.
[0:26] So it didn't make any difference, but it made 52 to 49.
[0:28] Well, we'll have a little fun vetoing it.
[0:30] You're going to be there at breakfast in the morning, right?
[0:33] Yes, sir.
[0:33] What about Griffin?
[0:35] Will he stand up for a veto?
[0:36] Yes.
[0:37] Will he?
[0:37] I think he will.
[0:39] He was very strong in his auto thing.
[0:44] I'd talk to him frankly about that tomorrow, Mr. President.
[0:48] He'd be flattered if you did.
[0:49] Oh, I'm going to ask him.
[0:50] I'm going to ask them what they think we ought to do.
[0:52] Good.
[0:52] I got a piece of paper in to you, but I don't need to give you any guidance on what to bring up tomorrow.
[0:56] No, no, no.
[0:57] I'll have the piece of paper, too, but we'll go at 8 o'clock.
[1:00] I wanted also to be sure that I wasn't exceeding any authority that I should have.
[1:04] Jerry Warren's been concerned about what he should say to the press, and what I did was to take...
[1:08] The Ray Price drafted statement that we did not use Saturday, and I reworked it, cut it way down, and I said, I don't think you ought to issue it, but you ought to use it as a guide in saying that the president feels that this amendment is both unsound and unwise, and that he urges the House of Representatives to reject it.
[1:26] and then point out why it was unsound and unwise.
[1:28] Well, the House won't get a chance to reject it, will they?
[1:31] Mr. President, the conferees, of course, from the House will be acting, and under the new House rules, any House member can demand a separate vote on this tax checkoff idea, and the House, therefore, will have a vote.
[1:42] Assuming that the conferees keep it in.
[1:44] How in the hell are you going to get, you mean you might, are you going to try to work the House?
[1:48] We're going to try, Mr. President.
[1:50] We're going to try everything.
[1:50] But I think it's important for you to say that you urge the House to reject it so that every step along the way you're fighting it and pointing out the dangers.
[2:00] Mr. President, if I might be so bold, I think it would be very helpful if we could have Bill Timmons at breakfast, too.
[2:07] Fine.
[2:07] Bring him along.
[2:08] Good.
[2:08] Thank you, sir.
[2:09] Sorry we lost you.