Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 020-135
Date: Wednesday, March 1, 1972 at 8:50 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/020-135

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Mr. Colson, Mr. President.
[0:05] Good morning, sir.
[0:06] What's new today before I take off?
[0:09] Well, I think the market went up very well at the end of the day on some very heavy trading.
[0:18] And I just had a fill-in from Herb Stein on the...
[0:22] Economic report.
[0:23] He was talking at our 815 meeting this morning.
[0:26] He sent you a series of memos, but I think he's a little more bullish talking about it than he is in the...
[0:32] Number one, the uninsured employment numbers have declined again in January, which indicates to me that when we get our figures tonight on the January unemployment, we may get a break.
[0:48] They'll be announced this Friday.
[0:50] This week should show us hopefully another good month.
[0:55] If it does, I think maybe we're on a trend that we can sustain.
[1:01] Politically... 5.9 now, aren't we?
[1:04] 5.9, yes, sir.
[1:05] And we get a little bit of a seasonal adjustment break this month also.
[1:10] And that may help us.
[1:11] But I'll have that figured by between 5 and 6 tonight.
[1:17] Yeah.
[12:45] Well, they're in trouble on that one.
[12:49] Let's see, yesterday in the Senate, they turned down the softer thing, huh?
[12:53] Well, no, they turned down the Griffin Amendment, which was the hard... Oh, the other way around.
[12:58] Yes, sir.
[12:59] The Griffin Amendment got beaten yesterday, which passed last week by three votes.
[13:06] By how much yesterday?
[13:07] I think it was also three votes yesterday.
[13:09] Well, Chris, the lovely part of it from our standpoint, I think, yes, it was three votes.
[13:16] I'm delighted with it because had the Griffin Amendment stayed in the legislation, it would have preempted whatever you decide to announce and would have made it more difficult for you to come forward with a legislative posture.
[13:31] So I'm glad from a political standpoint that Griffin was licked.
[13:35] I'm glad from a second standpoint because the votes that defeated it
[13:39] with the return of Muskie, Humphrey, and McGovern.
[13:43] They all voted against it?
[13:46] Oh, yes.
[13:46] Humphrey did?
[13:47] Yes, sir.
[13:49] And Mansfield called them back.
[13:52] As you know, they all missed the vote.
[17:57] Well, if you get anything interesting, you pass it on to Alleman, will you?
[18:02] Well, I'll get you the unemployment statistics as soon as I have them, and we'll pass those on to Bob tonight, and I hope you do get some rest, Mr. President.
[18:09] I don't want to hear them.
[18:10] They're bad.
[18:10] We don't need them.
[18:11] Okay.
[18:12] We don't care.
[18:13] Okay, thanks.
[18:13] Have a good rest, sir.
[18:14] Bye.
[18:14] Thank you.