Nixon phone call with Bush on Republican National Committee and Bob Dole

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Hello.

Ambassador Bush, sir.

George.

Hello, George.

Mr. President, how are you today?

You probably ought to talk with Bob, and the purpose of this call is simply to work out the fact that

If we can work out the situation at the National Committee, which of course we have to do, if you will accept the position, and I'd like for you to say yes now so that I have it firm, and then I can go ahead and get the other ducks in a row.

No, that's fine, and he did not call, so I've not talked to him.

Oh yeah, bye.

Should I if he calls?

No, no, it was Ehrlichman, wasn't it?

Oh, yeah, John Ehrlichman.

That's what I meant.

John and Cole.

Oh, excuse me, I thought you meant Bob Dole.

No, no, no, no, no.

Oh, Christ, no, no, no, no.

No, I thought Bob Haldeman.

No, but the two of them were working on it.

No, it was Ehrlichman.

It was Bruce Dole.

Now, the second point I want to make is this.

It's, frankly, it's unanimous in my opinion that they want you.

Between you and me, you have a very sensitive problem with Dole.

Let me let you in on it in a nutshell.

Dole is

He'd like to stay on three or four months because he likes the car and he likes the rent paid and all that, which is, of course, that's crappy stuff.

But then also he says, well, it would help him in Kansas if he didn't leave right after the election.

I said, Bob, if you don't leave right afterwards and then the sentiment builds up,

a full-time chairman.

I said, then it's going to look as if you were forced out.

I said, you've got to take the lead and you've got to be for a full-time chairman.

He said, well, I said that in the previous.

And I said, then I brought it around.

I said, I don't know.

Who the hell could we get?

I threw a few, you know, names up like

and others that practically drove him up the wall.

And I said, I said, I don't know.

I said, the only guy that—I said, now come—some people—I said, there's been speculation about Bush.

He said, oh, he'd be great if you get him.

I said, I think so, too.

I said, but frankly, I need him in the U.N., and he wants to stay in the U.N., which is totally true.

Yeah.

So I was not being, you know— No, I have no— —devious of him.

I—that you wanted to stay in the U.N., but I asked you to go.

As if when Bob calls you, you were to say, Bob, the president, the president, I said, frankly, I prefer to stay in the U.N.

But I had to talk with him on the whole thing.

I want to do what the party wants to do and so forth and so on.

And I've agreed to take this.

When he told me that you were before, and he also told me Jerry Ford was for it.

Just mention those two names.

Because I also talked to Ford and Dole.

will have known that.

Hallowen will have called Dole and told him that Ford strongly felt.

Now, for your information, of course, Rockefeller is for it.

Rogers Morton thinks it's great and so forth.

They don't have the slightest idea you'll do it.

Yeah.

I've not talked to any of them.

That's great.

And you should.

Okay.

The thing is that we need, what we need to do to get this properly positioned and to save Dole's face is to let Dole now have a little talk with you and

And but the point is, all of them is gonna say that it's done, that you're the choice, and that's what it's gonna be.

And though is to work it out, you know, here to work it out on timing with the timing is to be

the day after the National Committee meets.

I think so.

Because I think, and you should tell though, because the line we're going to, I took with him, no, that Bob will take with him, is that with the committee situation there and so forth, we cannot have you lame ducked.

And that the moment that you, it's known that you're going to be National Chairman,

and that you're elected national chairman, you cannot stay on at the UN.

And therefore, it must come on the 20th of January, period.

No, we don't want it one day after that, you see.

Must be then, yeah.

Well, if you screw it around, you'd be very strong with it.

Just say, look, we can't do that, Bob, because if we do the Mideast thing, we're in heavy negotiations.

And I've got to get my successor.

And also, in terms of letting the word get out that he's for you and so forth and you're to be the man, that should come out fairly soon so that I can get my nominee, whoever he's going to be for the U.N., elevated and up there and indoctrinated a bit before the 20th.

See?

Sure, sure.

So play the line that we need to get it out fairly soon, that is the idea that he is for you.

In other words, without preempting the National Committee.

That way we'll preempt the field.

I'll get the word around.

We'll have our people get the word around it.

Well, it'll be very easy.

Mitchell and others are all working on it.

To all the party faithful, that's the man.

And that'll kill off all the opposition so that when the National Committee comes, you'll all get up and make a gracious speech saying, I think we ought to have George Bush.

I think it's great that he will take it.

The National Committee will unanimously elect you.

And that'll be that, and you take over the next day.

I see.

That's my thought.

Well, and I should keep in touch then if he calls with Ehrlichman or Bob, either one.

No, Ehrlichman.

With Ehrlichman.

You've already been with Ehrlichman.

They're both on the same wavelength.

I mean, you can keep it.

But if Bob Haldeman calls you the same thing, remember that it doesn't make any difference.

It just depends on who's... We're working on so many of these cabinet things at the moment.

It depends on who's busy at the moment.

One last question, sir.

Yeah.

When...

I mean, now you can tell Dole we made the offer.

I'm agreed to accept it.

When do you think there will be some public thing?

I'm just thinking of how to handle it with all these countries and all that stuff up here.

I mean, will that be fairly soon?

Well, I am trying to get him, push him into, I'm going to have him come to see me

and next Thursday or so to sort of tell me that he's checked around the country and that he feels you're the man.

And then I want him to make it public at that point.

I see.

So that then you can then start, you know, go through your round of parties and all that sort of thing.

See my point?

I got it.

Yes, sir.

And I think that's the best way.

Also, I had a great talk with Ford.

Ford is on total wavelength with regard to bringing the Senate and House Campaign Committee.

I touted him off of Johnny Rhodes and on to Blood and Brown.

who I think, you see, for chairman of the campaign committee.

Oh, I see.

Bud Brown.

I like that.

But he has more balls.

Yeah.

Well, he's younger, too.

Yeah.

You see, and Johnny is sort of parallel.

It's a little bit too Goldwater-ish.

Don't you agree?

I think so.

Bud, you know, was a little critical after the election, but that's all right.

I mean, maybe he can do his thing now.

Yeah, that's right.

You know, he was saying, well, Republicans didn't—he was less Republican than he wanted it to be.

That's right, but that's fine.

All right.

Well, we don't know that we'll get him, and if we don't, Barbara Conable's a possibility.

But is Wilson still hanging in there?

Is he— I told—well, let me tell you for your information.

I told Ford in rather direct terms.

I said, Bob, let me be—Jerry, let me just tell you this.

I will work with a Bud Brown, or I mentioned a couple of others.

I said, Bud Brown, I even suggested a Steiger to get a brand new face in it, but that's too young.

Or a Barbara Conable.

I said, I just frankly will not work with Wilson.

I said, he's washed out and it's not good.

You've got to get a new face in order to make this thing go.

And he said, I understand.

So Jerry is committed.

Yes, sir.

And of course he's, without knowing that we're going to get you, he's totally committed to you.

So this is the important thing.

Brother, I'd not talk to Jerry until this is over.

All this stuff is kind of sorted out next, this week.

I'd wait.

No, I'd wait because it'll get out.

You see, the thing is, I'd wait till you hear from Dole before you talk to anybody.

But remember, with Dole, hard line up.

Yes, sir.

The president has offered it and you've accepted.

You know, the president has said that you would take the position.

and that you greatly appreciate bob just sort of the fact that he's supporting you and then if you get into the business and bob hollerman will have worked him over before of the timing his business is hanging on if you see it'd be a great mistake for you to stay at the united nations you might not be able to do it because of the middle east and this panama meeting we got a bunch of well you might not be able to do it because for you as a potential candidate for national chairman i mean as a man would be national chairman to be

up there is just a hell of a mistake.

You know what I mean?

So what I mean is hang tight.

Not 30 days, not 60 days.

It's that day.

And for his own good, he should do it.

He just doesn't see it.

If you were in his position, I said, Bob, you should leave now.

He says, nobody's going to say that you were tossed out at the end.

Everybody resigns after a great victory.

That's true, too.

Yes, sir.

Wouldn't you do it?

Well, I think so.

I really don't understand it.

I don't know him that well, frankly.

And then would the announcement come from you all or would it come from him?

I'm a little unclear.

Well, let me say that we'll do it jointly.

Basically, it'll be Whitehouse.

Dole will say something.

And then Ziegler...

We'll confirm from the White House that he's the president's choice.

Ah, good.

You got my point?

Good, that's a point.

That's the way we'll do it.

Don't worry.

Okay, sir.

See, I'm sorry that this seems so devious, but you're a devious enough politician.

You're going to have to be a hell of a lot more devious right now.

I understand.

But you enjoy that, don't you?

I understand it perfectly.

We're getting enthusiastic.

Oh, listen, you're going to do a terrific job so far.

And all you give up is the apartment you took at the limousine.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right.

Bye.

Goodbye.

you

Nixon phone call with Bush on Republican National Committee and Bob Dole

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on November 29, 1972

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