Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 191-008
Date: Thursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:22 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Camp David Hard Wire
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/191-008

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:02] Yeah.
[0:06] If you know, I'm aware of the PR problems of an expensive gift.
[0:11] There are also PR problems of accepting a gift.
[0:15] I mean, all of the Chinese gifts were infinitely more, you know, because they're not as ostentatious.
[0:25] So, but I think you ought to get somebody like a Moore in on the act to see and 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 that they could present a hydrofoil because they're very proud of their hydrofoils.
[0:43] And so we said we couldn't accept that unless we could present something, you know, in kind and what the Soviet government wanted.
[0:51] The Russians said we'd like a car.
[0:53] Well, we do cars.
[0:54] Well, they do hydrofoils.
[0:55] Well, that's really the story.
[0:56] It's the God's truth.
[0:57] I think that it's well handled.
[1:00] It's all right.
[1:00] Except that you give them the cattle at the restaurant.
[1:03] It could be a hell of a negative story if it's handled that way.
[1:08] What?
[1:10] Well, it's a problem.
[1:11] But yeah, it's a problem unless you point out that our gifts are less expensive than theirs.
[1:21] And it's basically, you know, you turn it and it changes.