Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 016-058
Date: Wednesday, December 8, 1971 at 3:46 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/016-058

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Yeah.
[0:02] Yes, sir.
[0:03] One thing that I'm sure you're on top of is the fact that we're preparing now a veto message on that OEO child care thing.
[0:12] Now, obviously, this is something the Buckleys and both Jim and Bill ought to jump up and down and
[0:19] and we've been working on that right guys uh you know we're going to take a little heat from the left so we might as well get a little credit from the right well we discussed that last night with him mr president and of course i asked pat buchanan to get in because the yeah the words we use are very very important and uh yeah we we want to be sure that we're
[0:38] against certain principles that that you know that the conservatives are more interested in philosophy than i know they're the philosophy rather than more than they can in the programs well that's right and they're very uh unrealistic this way they got their tough cookies to i know to deal with jim is jim is frustrated i just oh of course he is sure i know i know he's not he's not really comfortable with these people i mean he knows that they're so unreasonable
[2:32] A little heat from the left, so we might as well get a little credit from the right.
[2:35] Well, we discussed that last night with him, Mr. President, and of course I asked Pat Buchanan to get in because the words we use are very, very important, and we want to be sure that we're against certain principles, that the conservatives are more interested in philosophy.
[2:53] I know.
[2:55] they're the philosophy rather than uh more than they can in the programs well that's right and they're very uh unrealistic this way they got their tough cookies to i know to deal with jim is jim is frustrated i just oh of course he is sure i know i know he's not he's not really comfortable with these people i mean he knows that they're so unreasonable
[8:48] I would think that most of the conservatives would favor our position on the India, too, don't they?
[8:52] They don't care for India, do they?
[8:54] No.
[8:55] No, they don't.
[8:56] I was glad that U.N. vote was so decisive.
[8:58] I called Bush and thanked him.
[8:59] He did a hell of a good job.
[9:00] I think we've... Did you know that they only got 12 against us in the old damn U.N., and that's with India and Russia against us.
[9:07] So that shows we were on the right side of that, I think.
[9:10] Oh, absolutely.
[9:11] I mean, I think our position from a public standpoint right now, Mr. President, is very good.
[9:15] I think Kennedy...
[9:17] with his blast yesterday in Muskie, got a little press out of it, but I don't think they're on a popular side of that issue because really what he's suggesting is an interventionist policy, Kennedy, and I think that's exactly what people don't want.
[9:33] He was saying we should have been in earlier and should have gotten more involved.
[9:37] I think he's on the wrong side of that issue politically.
[9:43] Kissinger did a good job with that background, I guess.
[9:45] Yes, everybody said he did.
[9:47] It was well that you spoke to him, because I found Scali wasn't getting enough stuff to do the job.
[9:54] Yeah, well, he doesn't, and he isn't familiar enough with it, you know.
[9:57] That's right.
[9:58] But not his fault.
[9:59] He does a damn good job.
[10:00] But Kissinger, now Scali can take that and run with it.
[10:03] Well, I just listened to him in there arguing like hell with Marvin Kalbhofer.
[10:08] Okay, I won't do any good.
[10:09] Well, he's trying.
[10:10] doesn't know okay Marvin you see Cobb is very very close to discipline from the Russian side you know he is one of his sources so he's going to take the Russian line he's always has and that's he's he's been he's been tough on us in this one but but I think the UN vote as you point out is extremely helpful in right being able to fight off some of the pro-India media which is which is the majority of them yeah
[10:35] Edith Ephron, our friend, was on the Today Show this morning.
[10:38] Oh, good.
[10:39] I haven't seen it rerun.
[10:40] I want it rerun.
[10:41] I don't know how well she did, but at least we're getting her national exposure now, and her book is selling well.
[10:47] Good.
[10:47] The book's going well, huh?
[10:49] Yes, sir, and we've just done another mailing.
[10:51] I'll show it to you when you have time.
[10:54] It's a beautiful reprint of the crystal piece from Fortune.
[10:57] Good.
[10:59] That keeps them on the defensive.
[11:02] Okay, thanks, Chuck.
[11:03] Yes, sir, Mr. President.
[11:04] Thank you.