Conversation 232-008

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Hello?

George?

Hello, George?

You probably had a 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.

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

Dole is, Dole, I mean, putting it in Vicki Gooney's terms, he'd like to stay on three or four months because he likes the car and he likes, you know, the rent paid and all that.

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

that they need a full-time chairman.

I said, that's going to look as if you were portioned out.

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

He said, well, I said that.

And I said that I brought him around.

I said, I don't know.

How could we get him?

I threw a few names up, like Keith, and others, and practically drove him up the wall.

And I said, I don't know.

I said, I'll come to some people under the speculation about Bush.

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.

So I was not being, you know, devious.

You wanted to stay in the U.N., but I asked him to go.

So as and 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 said I had a problem with 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 to be for it, and he also told me that Jerry Ford was for it, just mention those two names.

Because I also talked to Ford, and you all will have known, and all of them will have called out Ford.

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

That's great that you should.

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

But the point is, all of us are going to say that it's done, that you're the choice.

That's the way it's going to be, and Dole is to work it out.

But you're here.

And although the timing is to be the day after the National Committee meeting,

Because I think that you should tell, though, because the line I took with him, and I know that Bob will take with him, is with the mini-situation there and so forth, we cannot have you lame-ducked, and that the moment that you know that you're going to be national chairman, and that you're elected national chairman, you cannot stay on at the U.S. And that, therefore, it must come on the 20th of January, period.

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

Well, if you screw around, you'd be very strong and they'll just say, look, you 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, that should come out very soon so that I can get my nominee, whoever he's going to be for the U.N., elevated up there in the doctrine before the 20th seat.

So find a line that we need to get it out fairly soon.

That is, the idea that he is for you, in other words, would be without preempting the National Committee.

And then, that way we'll preempt the people.

I'll get the word around it.

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

It'll be very easy until another year, all working on it.

And if all parties were faithful, then that's the man.

And that'll kill off all the opposition so that when the National Committee comes, they'll all get up and make a gracious speech saying, I think we don't have a choice.

unanimously elect you.

And that would be that.

And you would take over the next day.

That is my thought.

Kevin.

You've already been with Herman.

They're both on the same label.

You can keep it.

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

It depends on who we're working on tonight.

It depends on who's busy at the moment.

Yeah.

I am trying to get again

And I'm going to have him come to see me at the next 30 or so to sort of tell me that he's checked around the country and that he feels you're the best, you're the man.

And then I want him to make it public at that point so that then you can then start, you know, go through your round parties and all that sort of thing.

See my point?

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 me science.

I'm proud of him on with Johnny Rhodes and on with Buzz Brown, who I think, you see, for chairman of the campaign committee, Buzz Brown, well, he has more balls.

And, well, he's younger, too.

You see, Johnny is sort of parallelly a little bit to Goldwater-ish.

Don't you agree?

We don't know that we'll get it.

And if we don't, Barbara Connell's a possibility.

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

I told Ford in rather direct terms, I said, Bob, let me just tell you this.

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

I said, Bud Brown, I suggested a spider.

or to get a brand new face, or a barber combo.

I said, I guess, frankly, we're not working with Wilson.

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

He's got to get a new face in order to make this thing go.

And he said, I understand.

So Jerry is committed.

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.

So we go.

The thing is, I wait until you hear from Dole before you talk to anybody.

But remember, with Dole, hard line.

The president has offered it, and you've accepted it.

And now the president has said that you said that you would take the position, and that you greatly appreciate Bob, just sort of in the fact that he's supporting you.

And then if you get into the business, and Bob, all of them, have worked on it before, the timing of this business is hanging on.

Did you see it be a great mistake for you to stay in the United Nations?

Well, you might not be able to do it because for you as a potential candidate for national chairman, I mean, as a man to be national chairman, there is just 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.

Nobody's going to say that when you were tossed out at the end.

Everybody resigns after a great victory.

That's true, too.

Wouldn't you do it?

Yeah.

Anyway.

You say that we'll do it jointly.

I mean, basically, it'll be what happens.

Dole will say something, and then Ziegler will confirm from the White House that he's the president's choice.

You get my point?

That's the way we'll do it.

Don't worry.

I got up and I said, I'm sorry that this seems so tedious, but you're tedious enough, politician.

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

But you enjoy that, don't you?

Great.

I know that you're going to do a terrific job and so forth.

And all you give up is the apartment.

You still get the limousine.