Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 022-101
Date: Monday, April 10, 1972 at 8:23 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Cox, Tricia Nixon
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/022-101

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Thank you.
[0:49] I'm going to be there Monday because I'm going out to see the ping pong players.
[0:53] Are they going to be here Monday?
[0:54] Yeah, they're coming Monday and then they're going to meet you Tuesday.
[0:57] Oh, great.
[0:58] But they wanted me to go out for a nap, you know.
[1:01] Where's it going to be at?
[1:02] University of Maryland?
[1:03] Yeah.
[1:04] So I'm going to go out there.
[1:09] I don't know if that's a good thing to do, but I guess it is.
[1:11] And so they have a lot of interesting things.
[1:12] Sunday and Monday, yeah.
[1:13] Well, they're awfully good.
[1:14] Are you going to join?
[1:16] Yeah.
[1:17] I think I'm going to do the Mike Douglas show soon.
[1:18] You are.
[1:19] Good.
[1:22] That's a good thing to do.
[1:26] He's a nice man.
[1:27] He always is.
[1:27] In fact, I watched one of his shows today.
[1:28] I think the ping-pong thing is all right.
[1:30] You've got the good things to do.
[1:31] Yeah.
[1:32] Well, I think it is.
[1:32] That tennis crowd is sort of a lousy crowd.
[1:40] Oh, yeah.
[1:41] That's true.
[1:41] But it may be a different kind of crowd.
[1:44] Actually, the crowd doesn't really matter.
[1:45] Nah.
[1:50] If you want them to have a warm welcome or something.
[1:55] I get your point.
[2:01] That's right.
[2:02] But if not, then I won't go.
[2:02] Yeah, that's right.
[2:03] We do.
[2:03] We do.
[2:03] What else is there to do?
[2:04] No.
[2:04] Right.
[2:04] Right.
[2:04] All right.
[2:04] You know, I was wondering, you know, when I'm going around, if there's anything that's in Vietnam, because I'll probably be asked, if there's anything you want me to do.
[2:08] No, I would...
[2:08] I think the thing to do is to maintain a very discreet, confident silence, because...
[2:14] This is going to go on for about two to three weeks, and then we'll be at that.
[2:18] And I would simply say, no, I'm not going to have any comment on that.
[2:24] I'm just not going to comment about this time.
[2:28] I think that's...
[2:28] I think the comment was just being sure or something like that.
[2:32] Well, yeah, I think... Or no, maybe I shouldn't say that, because...
[2:34] I'd simply say that, no, that I'm not going to comment on that subject that...
[2:42] Any comment on that?
[2:44] It should come from... From the White House?
[2:48] Yeah, from Mr. Yeah, yeah.
[2:50] Any, any, no, I just, let me see, let me see.
[2:53] I don't want to put you on the spot, but... No, no, no, I'm just trying to think of what to say.
[2:57] I just simply say that the best thing is not to just get involved in it right now.
[3:06] I mean, nobody's, we're not saying anything here.
[3:10] And just...
[3:13] It's a little hard to know what to say, because you don't want to sound down-to-the-mouth.
[3:18] No, no, no, no, no, no.
[3:20] No, it isn't either.
[3:21] I just simply say that we are... Well, I... Well, just say that I...
[3:30] I would simply say that I'm not...
[3:34] I'll just say I don't have any comments.
[3:37] Well, I'm not going to comment on that.
[3:41] That...
[3:42] I think at this particular point, all comments should be made from the... No, just as...
[3:50] I don't know.
[3:50] I don't want to say that.
[3:51] I just say, no, I don't... No, because I don't want you to... Yeah, I would simply say, no, I haven't any comment on this.
[3:59] We're all following it closely.
[4:00] I think the one thing I could say was this.
[4:03] We're all following it closely.
[4:04] And I could say something about the South being invaded.
[4:14] And we know that all Americans are hopeful that the South Vietnamese will be able to, against the attempt of the Communists to invade their land.
[4:28] To invade them, that's right.
[4:29] And to conquer them by invasion.
[4:30] And to conquer them by invasion.
[4:32] And that they say, well, what about bombing and the rest?
[4:34] You can say that's retaliation.
[4:36] I would simply say that all we're doing is just...
[4:41] I don't want to go... Don't you think it's a good point to bring in the invasion part?
[4:45] That's a very good point to make, yes.
[4:48] I have no comment beyond that.
[4:50] When will you have to say something and what time?
[4:53] Well, you see, this is...
[4:54] I mean, I haven't seen the trailer, but at the end of the week.
[4:56] Well, let me see what I can do.
[4:58] Of course, it could change five minutes, but still.
[5:02] Well, it's just play it real cool.
[5:04] Let's play it real cool.