Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 205-012
Date: Saturday, August 19, 1972 at 12:33 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Camp David Hard Wire
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/205-012

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:08] But he mentions the time that he...
[0:39] Here's the way he would do it.
[0:42] He says, when I spoke to the Soviet people last May, I recalled the story of Tanya's abduction.
[0:48] You see, remember I told you before that God damn it, they always screw it up.
[0:54] They picked a beautiful child with a picture I had seen the day before, as I later read.
[0:59] And a few words her diary told, one by one, the death of her man.
[1:03] And then the final words, smaller death, and Tanya remains.
[1:48] I don't want a lot of judgments on that.
[1:51] Yeah.
[2:16] What do you think?
[2:17] Am I wrong?
[2:19] I think that's what it does to me.
[2:24] No, no, no, no.
[2:28] He wants it used in a non-emotional way.
[2:49] It's cold and beautiful, but it's just, God damn it, you've got to put some work in it.
[3:01] I don't know why.
[3:03] Does anybody understand that over there?
[3:05] Any of these people?
[3:07] Or do they?
[3:07] I don't know.
[3:07] Maybe they don't believe in it.
[3:09] Is that it?
[3:09] Is it because of the press?
[3:11] Isn't that the problem?
[3:13] I don't ask Ziegler about this, but he'll be against it, too.
[3:16] He would be, obviously, because of the law.
[3:23] that was emotional and small-scale and all the rest.
[3:27] The point is, do we have anybody on the staff that believes we should do this or use this?
[3:32] I mean, I'm speaking to all the writing staff.
[3:34] Any of them?
[3:41] Yeah.
[3:42] And who is the PR staff?
[3:46] Or our writing staff?
[3:47] Sapphire?
[3:50] No.
[3:51] No.
[3:51] Well, he's writing this way.
[3:53] So go ahead.
[3:59] They said use it.
[4:13] You know, it's a funny thing.
[4:15] People like to hear stories.
[4:17] You know, when you go to church, how many times have you heard the parable of the prodigal son?
[4:21] Did they change it?
[4:24] No.
[4:24] They don't.
[4:34] Yeah, we're here in Easter, sir.
[4:36] Christmas, sir.
[4:38] I just don't know.
[4:43] It's what it is.
[4:44] It's the goddamn education.
[5:14] Probably Georgetown or something like that.