Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 189-017
Date: Wednesday, May 17, 1972 at 2:26 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Camp David Hard Wire
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/189-017

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.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] Did Harry Dan speak to you about the possibility of calling?
[0:06] What do you think?
[0:13] There is the one item which would help if it were to do that, but I understand he probably is going to Walter Reed according to what's said in two or three days.
[0:28] Dr. Lukash tells me this is at 11 o'clock.
[0:30] The move will be taking place in two to three days.
[0:34] Well, maybe they...
[0:39] The hospital, that's what I was going to say.
[0:40] I think a telephone call then does the trick.
[0:47] Helicopter out there, could we?
[0:50] No, that's awful noisy.
[0:54] Let's not give any indication that we're thinking of that, and I won't tell Luke Cush or anybody else.
[1:02] Like today, it says Mrs. Wallace feels the governor's alert enough to take your telephone call today.
[1:07] See, of course, Luke Cush suggested I call him.
[1:09] I said, well, I don't want to sign it right now.
[1:11] And Wallace himself believes tomorrow would be better.
[1:13] He's kept morphing his experience of some difficulty hearing.
[1:18] So I'm not going to come out there.
[1:19] I'm not going to call him even for a couple days.
[1:22] I don't think that, of course, as you know, they do have press at Walter Reif on.
[1:34] And I, well, I suppose I'd want you to do it if you were there, so.
[1:42] I'd have to say a word when I left.
[1:45] You know, remember when I used to go see Eisenhower and all the jams and the bitches are out there?
[1:50] Questions?
[1:53] It'll be Friday.
[1:57] I'll plan to do it.
[1:58] Don't tell Lukasz we're thinking about it because it gets around.
[2:03] We'll see whether it's conditioned.
[2:08] We've just got to be very sure it's the right thing to do.
[2:17] According to schedule today,
[2:25] I did a foolish thing this morning.
[2:35] I woke up at 6 o'clock.
[2:37] So I got up and I went to work until about 12.30.
[2:44] There's going to be one hell of a problem, as usual, going over there because the problem is going that way
[2:51] I'll be getting up in the middle of the night.
[2:56] You know, that's what I mean.
[3:00] So... Well, I'll be getting up in the middle of the night, but beyond that... Getting up at night isn't going to be so hard over there, is it?
[3:15] I used to do it.
[3:16] I used to do it, but I can't...
[3:18] I'll just need more sleep or something.
[3:21] Have more in your mind, I think.
[3:23] That's it.
[3:25] Well, that's it.
[3:26] When I used to do it, I think that I'd hit the bed and I'd just sleep, you know.
[3:32] Good in mind, but you don't do that anymore.
[3:36] Good reactions in the blue room, I hope.
[3:37] I'm going to call Pat and say, you know, have it the right sound.
[3:42] Good.
[3:42] Good.
[3:44] You're writing good on it, aren't you?
[3:48] It's all about the Wallace thing.
[3:50] If you've got any ideas, I'll have a chance to mention it.
[3:55] Yeah, Harry Hanna thinks it's going to make him a hell of a lot tougher in the convention.
[4:01] And, well, either way, if you're a third party, do.
[4:05] Although Harry says that there are a number of states where it's awfully hard to get the balance.
[4:12] It'll be hard to get on a mission, for example.
[4:16] I don't know if you might want it on you.
[4:19] the South.
[4:22] It's true.
[4:24] It's true.
[4:26] It's true.
[4:27] It's much easier for an anti-busing Democrat to vote for another Democrat than it is for an anti-busing Democrat to vote for a Republican.
[4:33] See, that's...
[4:36] I want to get some.
[4:38] That's right.
[4:39] Just took a hell of a call.
[4:42] Sir?
[4:43] And that Dan McGovern keeps coming.
[4:44] Harry says in Colorado and Utah he picked up a lot of delegates.
[4:50] You know, he's working around the state.
[4:54] That's right.
[4:57] The hippies all go to these district precinct conventions.
[5:01] They got nothing else to do.
[5:08] Well, also, they got the types that Goldwater had in 64.
[5:13] You know, they're the type that used to love to sit down and figure it all out.
[5:21] It was a great game for them.
[5:25] And, I mean, they're just the opposite of some of the people that, you know, the people we have had.
[5:31] Some of them are people, not all, but some who are just as good-hearted as they can be.
[5:35] Well, like a Jack Brown, for example, you know, who wouldn't know how to count.
[5:39] I mean, they just, these guys are just brutal and vicious and just love it.
[5:46] Love to go in and do the grubby work and so forth.
[5:52] We shall see.
[5:55] Yes, sir.
[5:55] Okay, bye.