Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 035-067
Date: Tuesday, January 2, 1973 at 4:46 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Johnson, Lyndon B.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/035-067

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] President Johnson.
[0:02] Happy New Year.
[0:03] Happy New Year.
[0:04] How are you feeling?
[0:05] I feel pretty good.
[0:06] Well, like we think of here, I saw our friend Beebe
[0:11] I told him that you were waiting for him to come out and call on you.
[0:14] You tell him that's your Christmas present coming.
[0:17] Hey, listen, that's something, you know.
[0:19] He's feeling, I tell you, he's feeling very low now because he was 60 years old the other day.
[0:25] And, you know, you know how B.B., he just, I said, B.B., you can't talk about being a young gay blade anymore.
[0:32] But I said that don't worry about being 60.
[0:35] I didn't know that bad.
[0:36] But he's in good shape, good shape.
[0:40] Well, I just feel the torture you're going through on this.
[0:43] I wish I could do something to help you.
[0:45] Don't you worry about it.
[0:45] It's going to come out all right.
[0:47] It's going to come out all right.
[0:49] These people are now coming back to the table in a very, we think, constructive frame of mind.
[0:56] And they better.
[0:57] As you know, I'm sure you feel the same way.
[1:00] We've got to get this finished in the right way and not the wrong way.
[1:03] That's what you did try to do.
[1:04] That's what I'm trying to do.
[1:06] I just wish for you the best of care you can have.
[1:11] I appreciate it.
[1:12] Let me ask you, tell you one thing that I particularly wanted to call about.
[1:16] We've been in touch with my staff with Tom Johnson.
[1:21] As you know, I went out to Independence to lay a wreath, and as you did, we both did the same day.
[1:35] at the private services.
[1:38] Under those circumstances, it was not my intention to attend the public memorial service here, which is mainly for the diplomatic
[1:49] representatives and for, of course, members of Congress who could not go to the private service.
[1:56] Now, on the other hand, I have understood from Tom that you were not planning to come.
[2:02] If you were coming, I didn't want it to appear that I was not going.
[2:06] But could you tell me what your plans are?
[2:11] Yeah.
[2:11] It would seem to me, I think you agree, that we both have basically attended the service, and it would look, I rather thought we were exploiting it if we just went again, you know what I mean?
[2:23] Or how do you feel?
[2:24] I don't want anybody to think that we were affronting President Truman.
[2:30] We're not talking.
[2:31] and we thought that what we ought to do was to go the day you did and make our, pay our respects.
[2:38] Well, you did exactly the same.
[2:39] And therefore, that way, we did it in a very personal way, you and Miss Johnson and Pat and myself.
[2:47] And you feel then that, and you feel as far as I'm concerned then that as far as you're concerned, you will not be there and I will follow the same line here.
[2:56] And I'll tell Jerry Warren to say that.
[3:00] But with the understanding that both of us will not go.
[3:05] that's uh and then i don't then i don't think there'd be any problem either way i think if either one either of us went then somebody would say the other ought to be there see my point right look for anything drive a whole no i will not be at the box thing i just can't get away there but but pat will be there so she may see you there are you going to that it depends on my condition right
[3:28] I went to the ball game yesterday, and I stayed up all night and had Dr. out in San Antonio.
[3:33] Look, your team won.
[3:34] Yes, we had a wonderful game.
[3:35] I saw that game on television.
[3:37] Texas came back and won.
[3:38] I pay for it every time, though.
[3:40] I do.
[3:41] I know you yell, don't you?
[3:43] A little bit.
[3:43] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[3:45] And then I had to stay up all night.
[3:46] They have had hard pants all night.
[3:48] Oh, boy.
[3:48] Have you?
[3:49] Goodness, I called you at the wrong time.
[3:50] Not at all.
[3:51] This hadn't, well.
[3:53] I'm cheered.
[3:53] I wanted to hear from you.
[3:54] Let me tell you this.
[3:55] I still have that invitation for you to go down and use that place in Florida because old Bebe is a great guy to have around.
[4:01] He cheers people up, you know.
[4:02] He never brings up any unpleasant subjects.
[4:04] Come see me.
[4:04] I'll make you see him.
[4:06] All right.
[4:07] Well, it's good to talk to you.
[4:08] Give our best to Lady Bird and to the girls.
[4:11] Thank you all.
[4:11] And also to that little boy, that future president I had in here, will you give him my best?
[4:16] We sure will.
[4:17] Tell him not to run until he's 35.
[4:20] I'll do it, Mr. President.
[4:21] Best wishes to you.
[4:23] Let me know if I can help you anyway.
[4:24] I know you'll do the best you can.
[4:25] Sure.
[4:26] It'll come out.
[4:27] It'll come out.
[4:27] Thank you.