Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 29 › Conversation 029-017

Nixon phone call with Cook on Hides bill and Legislative strategy

Friday, August 4, 1972 · 1:09 PM–1:12 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Cook, Richard K.Conversation029-017 on Tape 29StartFriday, August 4, 1972 at 1:09 PMEndFriday, August 4, 1972 at 1:12 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 029-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Richard K. Cook discussed the status of a hides bill that had recently passed both houses of Congress despite administration opposition. While Nixon expressed concern over the political ramifications regarding shoe prices and cattlemen, Cook advised that the administration could frame the defeat as congressional obstruction. The two men also strategized on upcoming legislative efforts, specifically regarding the need to secure the neutrality of Speaker Carl Albert by leveraging the influence of former Speaker John W. McCormack.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Let me ask you one other thing, right?
I just came to my attention while we were here.
You know, on that Hyde thing,
Has that passed the House?
It passed the House, yes.
But what about the Senate?
Has it gone there yet?
It went in the Senate, too.
Did it pass?
It passed.
Oh, it passed the Senate, then, had it?
They were in conference this morning, and we haven't gotten a report back, but...
I was hoping we could rescind it before the Senate acted, but I guess we can't, huh?
No, but politically, it might not be as bad as it appears at first blush.
We fought it, and we lost, but...
Here's a case where your action attempted to deal with the question of increased prices of shoes, and the Congress is frustrating that attempt.
So politically, it could be worse.
That's true.
The only thing is if we have to do the cattlemen in on another area.
We might balance this off.
Well, anyway.
We're working on that in the war in the house right now, and that will be up Wednesday.
The key, as you know, is the speaker and Hale, and that breakfast you had with him last Friday was very helpful.
The best we can hope for is with the speakers to maintain, for him to maintain neutrality.
I think I spent over an hour with him yesterday.
He's extremely nervous.
If John McCormick were around, he'd be strong as a rock.
Oh, hell yes, yes.
But I think... You don't think John McCormick would call him on this, do you?
I had John McCormick... Would it help?
I keep in touch with John McCormick frequently, and he's been very helpful on issuing...
If you like, you might just say to Henry...
or somebody, or you could call, you could tell McCormick.
Henry hasn't seen McCormick for some time.
He might see him and say, sir, we really need help on this, and could you do something?
Why don't you try that?
Okay, I will, Mr. Perry.
Henry can use my name in it, too, that we need him.
But he ought to pay attention to the old man anyway.
That's right, sir.
Have Henry, tell Henry that he'd like for him to talk to McCormick.
Very good.
Okay.
Bye.
Thank you, Mr. Perry.
All right, thank you.
Bye.

NARA Description

On August 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Richard K. Cook talked on the telephone from 1:09 pm to 1:12 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 029-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 29-17

Date: August 4, 1972
Time: 1:09 pm - 1:12 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Richard K. Cook.

[See Conversation No. 761-7E]

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 58s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO 1

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

     Trade
         -Hides bill
              -House of Representatives
              -Senate
                     -Status of bill
                          -Passage
              -Price of shoes
                     -Political impact
                          -Cook’s view
                          -Cattlemen
              -The President's previous meeting
                          -Carl B. Albert
                          -[Thomas] Hale Boggs
               -Albert
                     -Cook’s previous meeting
                     -John W. McCormack
                          -Previous call to Albert
                          -Request for help
                                 -Henry C. Cashen II

Also recorded on August 4, 1972

  • 762-001 1:48 PM · 13 sec — Unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House on an unknown date, sometime between 1:48 pm on August 4, 1972 and 8:20 am on August 7, 1972.
  • 029-018 1:51 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:51 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 362-001 1:51 PM · 16 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 1:51 pm and 2:23 pm.
  • 029-019 2:23 PM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Jeb Stuart Magruder talked on the telephone from 2:23 pm to 2:28 pm.
  • 362-002 2:23 PM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Jeb Stuart Magruder met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:23 pm to 2:28 pm.
  • 029-020 2:28 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:28 pm and 2:30 pm.
  • 029-021 2:28 PM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:28 pm and 2:30 pm.
  • 362-003 2:28 PM · 12 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 2:28 pm and 2:30 pm.

All 38 conversations from August 4, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 029-017, August 4, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/029-017 (accessed October 1, 2026).