Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 197-012
Date: Saturday, July 22, 1972 at 2:37 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: Camp David Hard Wire
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/197-012

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] So, how did the, how did he exit?
[0:15] You see if he has an alarm?
[0:17] 12 minutes?
[0:22] That's enough.
[0:22] Why don't you, why don't you call him?
[0:23] He don't have it yet.
[0:24] Call him.
[0:24] Oh, fine.
[0:24] He didn't say.
[0:27] That's rather good that you're stating that.
[0:44] That gives me...
[0:44] He may not in any event.
[0:47] You can get that out when he makes his speeches now.
[0:51] We'll be watching closely.
[0:51] I think it's handled all right.
[0:53] Your thing went right well.
[0:57] Right.
[1:18] Right.
[1:18] Right.
[1:18] Right.
[1:18] Right.
[1:18] Right.
[1:23] I think McGregor also might say the issues, the gulf between these two are so great, the differences between these two are so great that they don't need a debate to bring them out.
[1:53] How's that sound to you?
[2:16] They're so clear.
[2:16] They're so clear on defense, on the other ground, on domestic policy, on economic policy.
[2:18] They're so great.
[2:18] They need a great turnabout.
[2:19] It's certainly interesting.
[2:19] The country, particularly at this time, very important negotiations are taking place involving matters of very great parts of the nation and which cannot be discussed today.
[2:23] should not be discussed in the debate forum.
[2:33] You ought to say that for the nation's interest to not be served.
[2:42] I think it's good for him to just crack it.
[2:42] I think we may as well get the debate thing out of the way now, and if they ought to suspend 315, let him squeal about anything.
[2:48] Of course, having a debate would concern me a bit, because this guy doesn't have any, he doesn't have any flair at all.
[2:54] I'm giving him a lot of free time.
[3:10] Well, it isn't just a prestige.
[3:15] I don't want to give him all that.
[3:16] I just want to give him all that coverage.
[3:16] You know, on prime time.
[3:17] Let him get his own prime time.
[3:18] But I think that's a very good thing to do.
[3:18] Very good thing to do.
[3:19] You can save him.
[3:19] Yeah.
[3:19] He's totally...
[3:20] He's totally wrong about that.
[3:23] And then they asked more about the fact that the president wasn't supported.
[3:30] He said, well, the president was then a candidate.
[3:34] But then he was on the other side.
[3:35] Now having served in the presidency and so forth.
[3:36] But particularly at this time, there's no time to have this.
[3:40] And also because the differences are so great between the two candidates.
[3:44] I think that's it.
[3:45] Look, the differences between these two candidates are so clear and so great
[3:49] and that no debate is necessary to point them up to the American people.
[4:09] The issues will be fully discussed, but that no debate is necessary to point up those sentences.
[4:12] And also, a second point, a debate would not serve the national interest.
[4:14] That's pastoral, and particularly at a time, as is the present time, when international developments are of a very, very high sensitivity.
[4:19] are going on which the President cannot and should not discuss in a debate.
[4:35] And the matters in which, of course, the opposition candidate will be briefed on which cannot be discussed in a debate.
[4:37] Okay?
[4:37] All right, good.
[4:38] Thank you.