Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 25 › Conversation 025-083

Nixon phone call with MacGregor on Vietnam War and Legislative Strategy

Tuesday, June 20, 1972 · 1:45 PM–1:49 PM ET · White House Telephone · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); MacGregor, ClarkConversation025-083 on Tape 25 (tape position 03:25:04–03:29:22)StartTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 1:45 PMEndTuesday, June 20, 1972 at 1:49 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 025-083 ↗

President Nixon and Clark MacGregor consulted regarding legislative strategy and the administration’s response to ongoing congressional debates over Vietnam policy. The discussion touched upon the timing of legislative actions, the effectiveness of specific messaging proposed in a memorandum by Patrick J. Buchanan, and the political implications of compromise on war-related votes. Nixon emphasized a cautious approach, advising against certain public statements while evaluating how congressional movements might influence North Vietnamese strategy.

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What?
... ... ... ... ...
.
.
.
But I wouldn't, I wouldn't go, I couldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't talk about it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
I wouldn't do it.
Thank you.
I mean, obviously, something's going on.
I don't know what's going on, but we can be sure that at least they're going to start to state as well that they want to be there.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
And also, I'm going to be behind the lines of service.
What do you want to do?
Offer time.
That's what they're doing.
If they do that, all that does is hurt the enemy.
Yes.
Because that's not as incidental as far as it could go.
Well, it worked too well, but it worked out to be better.
I wouldn't want to pass, though.
So if you can't get anything, if you can't get anything, there's going to be a problem.
All right, went too well.
Stop, stop.

On June 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone from 1:45 pm to 1:49 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 025-083 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 25-83

Date: June 20, 1972
Time: 1:45-1:49 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Clark MacGregor.

[See Conversation No. 342-24D]

*****************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/30/2017.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[025-083-w001]
[Duration: 27s]

     Clark MacGregor’s trip to New Orleans
          -Trip summary

*****************************************************************

     President's call to Hugh Scott

     Legislation
          -Timing
          -Patrick J. Buchanan
                -Memorandum
                      -Language
                      -Value
          -Michael J. Mansfield

     Congress
         -Vietnam
              -Negotiations
                  -Timing of Congressional actions
                     -North Vietnamese strategy
                     -US position
                          -Opposition's suggestions
                     -Vote in Congress
                          -Compromise
  • 025-079 1:30 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hugh Scott talked on the telephone from 1:30 pm to 1:35 pm.
  • 342-023 1:30 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hugh Scott met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:30 pm to 1:35 pm.
  • 342-024 1:35 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Joseph Trerotola, White House operator, unknown person(s), and Clark MacGregor met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 2:10 pm.
  • 025-080 1:38 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Joseph Trerotola talked on the telephone from 1:38 pm to 1:39 pm.
  • 025-081 1:39 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:39 pm and 1:45 pm.
  • 025-082 1:39 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:39 pm and 1:45 pm.
  • 025-084 2:10 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:16 pm.
  • 342-025 2:10 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:16 pm.

Conversation 025-083, June 20, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/025-083 (accessed September 30, 2026).