Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 131-029
Date: Thursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:22 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Camp David Study Table
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/131-029

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:02] Yeah.
[0:02] Yes, sir.
[0:06] As you know, I'm aware of the PR problems of an expensive gift of this sort.
[0:13] There are also PR problems of accepting a gift of that.
[0:16] I mean, although the Chinese gift is worth infinitely more, as you know.
[0:20] Yep.
[0:22] They aren't as blatant.
[0:23] They're not as ostentatious.
[0:25] Yep.
[0:27] But I think you ought to get somebody like Moore in on the act to see it.
[0:31] We'll say, now, how do you think we ought to handle this?
[0:34] Pointing out the background, you know, that what happened was that we learned that the Soviet government, they asked if they could present a hydrofoil because they're very proud of their hydrofoils.
[0:44] And so we said we couldn't accept that unless we could prevent something, you know, in kind.
[0:50] And what would the Soviet government want?
[0:52] And Brezhnev said, well, you'd like a car.
[0:55] We do cars well.
[0:56] They do hydrofoils well.
[0:57] That's really the story.
[0:58] It's the God's truth.
[1:00] I think if it's well handled, it's all right, except that the idea of giving a Cadillac to Brezhnev can be a hell of a negative story if it's handled that way.
[1:09] No problem.
[1:12] We just got to be sure and do it that way.
[1:16] It's a problem unless you point out that our gift was less expensive than theirs.
[1:23] Right.
[1:23] And it's basically a sort of material exchange.
[1:29] Okay.
[1:30] Okay.