Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 044-086
Date: Thursday, March 29, 1973 at 9:39 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/044-086

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Mr. President, I have Dr. Kissinger calling.
[0:03] Oh, yeah, okay.
[0:03] Thank you.
[0:06] Hello, Mr. President.
[0:08] Oh, hello, Henry.
[0:08] How are you?
[0:09] I thought it went extremely well.
[0:12] Very well delivered, and I think it serves its purpose extremely well as far as the domestic opinion is concerned.
[0:20] the story will be on the meat prices.
[0:23] Oh, yes, that'll override everything else, you know.
[0:25] We certainly don't want to debate on Vietnam right now.
[0:28] No, but the point is, I knew that override, but it's well to remind the people about Vietnam and about the defense budget.
[0:34] I think it's very good, because if it was only Vietnam, it would have been...
[0:38] They'd say, what's the whole story?
[0:39] Well, and you would have had...
[0:40] Full pride in everybody.
[0:42] I think we've stuck a lot to them.
[0:44] And I was going to say, as far as our chief audience is concerned on foreign policy in Peking, Moscow, and Hanoi, this was a very strong speech.
[0:56] And it will have its effect.
[1:00] Well, that's the main thing.
[1:02] The main thing is the effect on the American people, too, just to stiffen their backs on the defense cuts, which I think we did.
[1:08] I mean, it's very hard.
[1:09] That was pretty bad.
[1:11] And also, the first time explained the reason for the impoundment.
[1:17] Sure.
[1:18] I mean, I, for example, didn't know that we had increased some of the social welfare expenses.
[1:22] Doubled.
[1:22] Doubled.
[1:23] Doubled, right?
[1:24] By the amount that we had.
[1:25] And using that Truman thing, the buck stops here, I thought was pretty good.
[1:28] Yeah.
[1:29] But you know, the most important thing in it is something that you would not probably, well, you would feel it, but I would.
[1:36] was what i said at the last about the spirit i think that believe me what the guy that told me that was reisner you know and he broke down and cried when he told me you know you know i think that it's the key helen and when he said you know it was faith you know and he said i can't it's hard for me to say this and i tried to stop him he says then he just cried and said it was faith and that's that's the thing henry people have got to have a little faith
[2:01] Without it, it's impossible to do anything that is difficult.
[2:04] Anyway, you got it done, and your friends won't like it, and the liberals.
[2:11] Oh, Christ, they're going to die.
[2:12] You notice how I stuck it to them on amnesty, but that had to be done.
[2:16] And, you know, I wasn't divisive, though.
[2:17] I said, let us put aside the divisions that have divided us.
[2:20] because, go ahead, I was very generous.
[2:22] It was a good moment to make it, and it was essential.
[2:25] But I wasn't too rough on the opposition.
[2:27] What did you think?
[2:28] Well, as you remember this afternoon, my recommendation was to go further.
[2:32] But you know, as you noticed, but it was good to remind them of Cambodia, to remind them of the rest.
[2:38] I think it was just as well you didn't.
[2:41] Yeah.
[2:41] Your instinct was right.
[2:43] Yeah, we'll see.
[2:45] We'll see.
[2:45] Okay, Henry.
[2:46] Congratulations.
[2:48] Bye-bye.