Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 018-008
Date: Monday, January 3, 1972 at 12:13 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Allen, George E.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/018-008

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:03] Hello.
[0:04] Here's Mr. Allen.
[0:05] Yeah.
[0:06] You can take it now.
[0:07] Hello.
[0:08] President.
[0:09] Hello.
[0:11] Mr. Allen.
[0:11] Hello.
[0:12] Yes, Mr. President.
[0:14] George?
[0:14] Yes, sir.
[0:15] I wanted to ask you, I was trying to remember, George Shultz came in with a final budget.
[0:20] What that Harry Hopkins story was about leaning on the shovel?
[0:24] Oh, yes.
[0:26] Harry said, uh...
[0:29] They sent in a requisition for about 5,000 shovels.
[0:36] Oh, yes.
[0:36] And Harry wired them back, let them lean on each other.
[0:40] Oh, let them lean on each other.
[0:41] All right, I got it, I got it.
[0:43] I want them to give the budget boys they're just having their...
[0:46] You go through the egg and I'm going to say, let them lean on each other.
[0:49] That's a good thing.
[0:51] Mr. Preston, I think you're just going great.
[0:53] I'm so proud of you.
[0:54] Well, thank you, George.
[0:56] Thank you.
[0:56] Okay, just keep it up.
[0:57] I just wish you a happy new year.
[0:59] I wish you just a... And we...
[1:01] I tell you, you saw you, you're still the most popular man.
[1:05] That's great to know.
[1:06] Well, that's only, George, because you're president, you know.
[1:11] That's the one they know.
[1:12] I think Billy Graham being second shows that it's a kind of a change in atmosphere.
[1:18] Well, you know, I noticed some of our usual critics were squealing about the fact that I happened to bomb a few targets in North Vietnam.
[1:33] You know, that'll pay off in the end because you know what it means.
[1:36] You've been so right.
[1:38] Well, the point is that we did it so that we can continue our withdrawal.
[1:41] We're not going to let those clowns get down there and kill a few Americans.
[1:44] That's right.
[1:44] Well, look, we had one man killed last week.
[1:47] That's right.
[1:48] That's right.
[1:49] Well, good to talk to you, George.
[1:51] President, Ms. Nixon seems to be doing a good job.
[1:54] She had a terrific reception.
[1:56] Well, I'll remember that now, and I'll call George Schultz.
[1:59] Yeah, just tell him that Harry Hopper, they wired in for 5,000 shovels.
[2:03] Yeah, yeah.
[2:04] And Harry says, just let them lean on each other.
[2:06] They wired in from out some office.
[2:08] Yeah, some state office.
[2:11] Yeah.
[2:12] A requisite.
[2:13] I'll say that California wired in.
[2:15] Yeah, California wired in.
[2:17] All right, fine.
[2:19] Thank you.
[2:19] Thank you.
[2:20] Okay.