Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 039-093
Date: Tuesday, June 5, 1973 at 5:21 PM
Participants: White House operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ford, Gerald R.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/039-093

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Congressman Ford, sir.
[0:02] Hi, Mr. President.
[0:03] Hi, Jerry.
[0:04] Al had to go up to West Point, so I'm just checking on your friend McCluskey.
[0:10] Well, I had about a 15-minute talk with him on the floor of the House.
[0:16] And even though we disagree on most things, I have a good rapport with him.
[0:23] He is not going to urge that action.
[0:27] He is going to give
[0:29] as I diagnosed his comments to me, a sort of academic discussion.
[0:38] He is not going to urge the direct action.
[0:41] He is not going to urge the action that would result in a resolution with it being referred to a committee.
[0:49] And after this somewhat lengthy discussion with him, I talked to Les and to one or two others, and it's our general
[0:59] just to ignore it.
[1:01] I agree.
[1:02] And I talked to Louie Wyman, who, you know, is a charger.
[1:07] Yeah.
[1:07] And Louie was with me on this other matter a couple years ago.
[1:11] Yeah, yeah, I know.
[1:13] And I said, Louie, now, follow this line.
[1:17] And he said, well, I'm going to be here, and if he starts to get off the track, I'm going to challenge him.
[1:24] I said, well, challenge
[1:25] Just don't give him a forum and don't give him an opportunity to get a story.
[1:30] I think we can keep him under control.
[1:32] Well, whatever it is, it's just another one of those stories that will work out.
[1:36] I appreciate your taking it.
[1:43] He's not a vicious fellow.
[1:44] No, and he just goes off in these clouds.
[1:51] If we ignore him, I think it'll be minimal.
[1:54] If we challenge him, it'll get blown way out of proportion.
[1:57] That's right.
[1:58] Big constitutional debate.
[1:59] Right.
[2:00] Well, as a matter of fact, we got work to do for the country.
[2:02] I just heard it.
[2:03] And by golly, Jerry, we're going to do it.
[2:05] And we're not going to let this Watergate stuff distract us.
[2:10] I couldn't agree with you more in your comments at the breakup of the meeting.
[2:14] Very apropos.
[2:16] And I think we're on the track here of just
[2:22] approach, and I understand Mel called me today, which I think is excellent.
[2:29] Well, I knew you'd be pleased.
[2:31] I couldn't mention it in the larger group, and I frankly, between you and me, I didn't want to mention it when you and Scott were there.
[2:37] I'm glad you didn't, because I know why you didn't.
[2:40] You know why.
[2:41] It leaked.
[2:42] Not from you.
[2:43] Right.
[2:43] Well, I couldn't
[2:45] A better setup than he described just how you were trying to put it together.
[2:50] Yep.
[2:50] He will be the counselor to the president for domestic affairs, and he will be more of an outside, and he'll work on an inside man.
[2:58] Also, for your very confidential information, we're going to get Bryce back July 1st.
[3:03] Great.
[3:04] Now, on the Bryce thing, that's got to be just between you and me because he has a horrific conflict of interest problem, and I've got to speak to his boss about it.
[3:12] If it ever leaked out, it'll blow that up.
[3:13] But you see, with Mel and Bryce and Al, we'll have a team there that more can handle that.
[3:22] Congressman Timmons and his group will still do all the legwork.
[3:25] But I really think you've got a great team, which will really be better than the one we had before.
[3:30] I'm glad you mentioned Bill, because I said to him after the meeting that I thought this was great.
[3:35] And Bill said, gee, it looked like you all were criticizing me and our operation.
[3:41] I said, Bill, that wasn't.
[3:45] our intent, and I'll tell the president when I see him.
[3:47] Sure.
[3:48] I knew that.
[3:48] As a matter of fact, I'd look over there to him and do that, mainly because these guys have got to think that I'm acting on it, see?
[3:55] Right.
[3:55] And we are.
[3:55] We are.
[3:56] Well, he does a hell of a good job.
[3:58] And incidentally, you ought to see every paper that comes in here that's got Timmons either for or against me, because he's a real fighter.
[4:06] I agree.
[4:06] And give him a little pat on the back, because he thought this morning that we were being critical of him.
[4:13] Yeah.
[4:13] All right, I'll give him a call.
[4:15] Okay.
[4:15] Fine, thank you.
[4:16] Good to talk to you.
[4:18] Thank you.