Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 016-055
Date: Wednesday, December 8, 1971 at 3:40 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Flemming, Arthur S.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-055

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] Mr. President, I have Dr. Arthur Fleming for you.
[0:03] All right.
[0:03] All right.
[0:06] Hello.
[0:06] Hello, Arthur.
[0:07] Mr. President, how are you?
[0:09] Well, I tell you, I want you to know that after just considering everything, I think you handled that aging thing with great mastery, and we're most grateful to you for keeping the lid on and
[0:24] and having it come out as well as it did.
[0:25] Well, I appreciate that very, very much.
[0:28] I have a skillful operator, and you know that.
[0:30] Well, it was great to have the opportunity, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity of working with you on the follow-through now.
[0:36] We just sent, incidentally, the pension message down today.
[0:39] Good, good.
[0:40] The vesting of pensions, which, of course, is not of great interest to people that are already retired, but it is for the future, and it's an awfully good idea.
[0:46] That's right.
[0:46] And in the meetings I held, they always brought that up, too.
[0:50] They've got it on their minds.
[0:51] Not only the vesting of pensions, but it provides opportunities, of course, for people.
[0:55] The great 60% that aren't in any plans, or 40%, whatever it is, an opportunity to, an encouragement through the income tax deduction route, to buy their own pensions.
[1:06] That's right.
[1:06] Ought to be done.
[1:07] I met with about 1,200 older persons in Los Angeles yesterday.
[1:12] Did you?
[1:12] Yes, sir.
[1:14] And your speech really got through.
[1:19] We're on the offensive.
[1:20] There isn't any question about that.
[1:21] And I think we can stay on it now until November, and that's what I'll be trying to do, everything I can to make sure that that happens.
[1:29] Well, I want you to be, you know what I mean, wherever...
[1:34] However, often we get the talk remains to be seen because, as you know, Russia and all these countries and China and Russia and all that.
[1:42] You just take a few liberties and say that you talk to me quite regularly and that you know you're reflecting my views and et cetera, et cetera.
[1:49] Will you do that?
[1:50] But I will.
[1:51] I'll be happy to.
[1:52] And I'm the president who said that any time I said this in the speech, that we have this commitment and that if they want to gain anything to me, they tell you, you get it to me.
[2:04] Okay?
[2:04] Okay.
[2:04] Yes, sir.
[2:05] I certainly will operate that.
[2:06] And, of course, that's true, too.
[2:07] As you know, we've got through the whole domestic council set up and so forth.
[2:12] We've rammed this stuff through.
[2:13] But having said these things, we'll now include them in the budget and so forth.
[2:17] Good.
[2:18] And you can, for example, when the budget message comes out, you can refer to the fact that all the things we had in the speech are in there.
[2:24] Right.
[2:24] And George Schultz, I'm sure, will see to that.
[2:27] Right.
[2:28] Okay.
[2:28] I'll work just that way.
[2:30] All right.
[2:30] It'll be great to work with you.
[2:31] Good to talk to you.
[2:32] Fine.
[2:32] Thank you so much.
[2:33] And thanks for all your help.
[2:35] I'm just delighted to do it.
[2:37] We need those old firehorses in there, you know.
[2:38] Well, I'm happy to be around.
[2:41] You're not part of the over-the-hill gang.
[2:43] No, no.
[2:44] Thanks a lot.