Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 329-025
Date: Tuesday, April 11, 1972 at 2:08 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: Old Executive Office Building
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/329-025

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:04] Is your meeting all right at the Wessie today?
[0:18] Good.
[0:18] Is there anything new today at the Wessie?
[0:26] Is it bigger, the loss of lights, planes, if that's it?
[0:27] Maybe it can, but we're going to buy a little insurance.
[0:33] I know.
[0:36] What do you mean?
[0:39] This flight isn't going to go off?
[0:43] What distance?
[0:49] Exactly what do you mean?
[0:51] You're referring immediately above the DMC or way upward?
[0:57] Well, we've given them the direction.
[1:02] Well, we've moved you on a cable in my face.
[1:06] Why not Friday?
[1:19] I'm going to do it because I need to for other reasons.
[1:29] Larry can go to hell.
[1:30] I've tried to throw people around.
[1:40] With a little public opinion, we can work the North over again.
[1:46] Does Hay agree with you that this ought to be done?
[1:55] Well, well, anyway, when I suggest it, I think Hay's going to go.
[1:58] And that's that.
[1:58] Just say I want to go out there so I can have a first-hand report as to what the hell's going on out there.
[2:04] Okay.
[2:07] I'm giving him a hard time.
[2:10] You tell him that I'm giving you a hard time, Andy, after all these complaints.
[2:16] Because I have, anyway.
[2:17] Who the hell taught you all, you know, to be true?
[2:18] I've been calling night after night after night.
[2:19] Nobody's doing anything.
[2:24] It occurred to me, how about having the Navy move further up that road?
[2:30] They aren't afraid of you, are they?
[2:32] Well, how about having the cruisers particularly go up the road 75 miles, shovel stuff up the road further?
[2:40] All right.
[2:41] Can that order be given or has it been given?
[2:46] Give it a meeting.
[2:47] I want that to move up.
[2:48] And we can do that very dramatically and soon.
[2:49] Let's get that right up there at that number.
[2:54] Sorry, but lunch today is... Oh, yeah.
[2:58] You're going to have to see it next week, isn't it?
[3:01] With regard to Mansfield and Scott, I think I'll let you be able to talk.
[3:22] I don't know what you do.
[3:23] They've been briefed on it.
[3:24] We can just say that it was just discussed.
[3:26] We tell them we think they want one, and that it will only embarrass them.
[3:34] That's right.
[3:42] What about the attitude toward the Russians?
[3:53] Wouldn't you rather let Mansfield fervor out than let the Russians out?
[3:55] Or would you want it the other way?
[3:56] I won't say a word.
[3:57] Fine, I wouldn't say a word about that.
[3:58] Oh, I would say if the Russian summit comes up, yes, we'll go on.
[3:59] Yeah.
[4:04] And on the argument that we're afraid to lose pilots, that makes some argument to me.
[4:17] But if, on the other hand, the question is how we end this damn war, is that your point?
[4:27] You are a homologous.
[4:28] Basically, the fleet now is not going to be conscious.
[4:31] The B-52 is not going to be conscious, correct?
[4:32] That's true.
[4:32] But you want that?
[4:33] Yeah.
[4:33] All right.
[4:36] Yeah, yeah, but get the fleet up there.
[4:45] They can hammer it fine.
[4:47] And also, on the other thing, get Hague out there.
[4:50] He'll know how I feel.
[4:50] I told both, both Robert E. Gray and both Garrett Hague.
[4:58] Christ's sakes, now's the time that we've got to look forward a year.
[5:03] Good, good, good.
[5:06] You're going to talk to Gruber if we're deaf watching.
[5:16] Yeah, I think it's a good idea.
[5:19] And incidentally, I wouldn't mind going to Vienna.
[5:22] It's both better.
[5:22] There's Salzburg, and they have a lot of creeks around, and all the tourists and so forth.
[5:27] It's probably fine.
[5:32] I like Salzburg better, but I love Salzburg, especially the club in the summer.
[5:37] But anyway, let them pick the place.
[5:45] I don't care if you work.
[5:50] Right.
[5:51] But we don't, now we've got to avoid what we possibly can at dinner.
[6:02] All right.
[6:02] Right.
[6:02] Good.
[6:02] All right.
[6:02] All right.