Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 031-009
Date: Friday, October 6, 1972 at 10:14 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Shivers, Allan
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/031-009

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Mr. President, former Governor Alan Shivers for you.
[0:04] Hello?
[0:05] Hello.
[0:06] Alan, I was surprised to read this morning that my old friend Alan Shivers is actually a little older than I was, and I had to congratulate you before you began to realize it.
[0:17] So I wish you a happy birthday.
[0:18] And I want to tell you that, you know, I have just finishing the 50s.
[0:24] I'll start in the 60s in 1973.
[0:27] Do you think they're good years or not?
[0:30] Do you recommend it or do you think I should just give up now?
[0:34] So far they've been pretty kind to me.
[0:35] I recommend them.
[0:37] One thing I've tried to do is keep them from stopping.
[0:41] That's right.
[0:43] Well, you know, every time you get any discouragement, you can think of what a lot of people did, like Adenauer and Eisenhower and Churchill and De Gaulle after they were 70.
[0:53] They're pretty good.
[0:54] So let's not even think the 60s are a stopping place.
[0:56] Don't forget, I'm eligible for Medicare now.
[0:59] Oh, God almighty, and Social Security.
[1:01] All right, I'll raise Social Security for shivers.
[1:04] They probably won't even take care of your tip and money.
[1:07] I said, no, I don't know how the devil that got in the paper, but the Spidey Fox will love you to call.
[1:11] No, we saw it up here, and one of our guys, Shivers, I don't follow many these days, but I thought, my God, that fellow can't be 65.
[1:24] Then I thought to myself, my God, I can't be 59.
[1:27] It was our wedding anniversary also.
[1:30] Your wedding anniversary, too?
[1:32] Yes, we're over at our farm in East Texas.
[1:34] That is terrific.
[1:35] And yesterday was my birthday and our 55th wedding anniversary.
[1:39] You give your wife a message.
[1:41] And incidentally, I don't know whether you know, but did you know that there's another great fellow who worked with you in 52 who had exactly the same name, Jimmy Barnes?
[1:49] Yes.
[1:49] Jimmy Barnes' birthday was always on his wedding anniversary.
[1:52] Right, I remember.
[1:53] And I went down to his, just two years before he died, I was there in South Carolina when they celebrated his 80th.
[2:00] I don't know, his 60th, 5th wedding anniversary or something.
[2:05] Well, anyway, I hope you live as long as he did.
[2:08] Well, thank you, Mike.
[2:09] Thank you a lot for calling.
[2:11] Thank you.
[2:11] Good to talk to you.