On March 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William L. Safire, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:33 am to 9:45 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 465-002 of the White House Tapes.
Transcript (AI-Generated)This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.
Oh, right.
I was wondering, have you... Actually, it's a little shorter than the last draft.
It's about 3,100 words.
The last speech you gave, you gave it about 116 words a minute.
Well, I thought I made a couple of cuts.
Two questions.
What about the national history?
Has that reached you far?
Well, it didn't offend Chief Justice Krueger.
Basically, the missile didn't get thrown by the... Well, look at the way it's handled.
I know it's handled all right.
I'm just wondering if the lead was picked out.
Let's talk finally.
And if you...
National tragedy, I think, could have more sorrow than anger in it.
Disaster.
A deep national concern?
Deep.
And that reform, the years of neglect, have been the years of neglect.
The ones that made reform have been the years of neglect.
And now the demand for reform of the American system is going to be the first national crime in the United States.
That was a good kind of describing the problem there, therefore we should have .
That's striking.
How about using the first part of that as the lead to benefit?
Next page.
Lead to hard work and dedicated joy is something that's important.
It's just something that's in the news.
That's right.
Well, I would make it seem like this is the conclusion.
The next barrier is essentially one point.
I'd modify it by saying many hard work.
That puts, that leads entirely in terms of your idea of protecting the community.
That's what the hell we're talking about.
This paragraph was created by Patrick J. Buchanan.
Okay, let's just let it go now.
The only other thing, I know it's a nice balance, but I notice we break the eight-gallon law back here.
Do you... Can we really slow down?
Respect the law.
Respect the law.
Well, I know that it doesn't balance with your hate law.
I see what you're down to say.
We've got hate law and love law.
Respect is what I have to say.
Maybe we can get another balance then.
We live in a time of headlines and maybe we're those who show an act of disrespect for all institutions.
By those who show an act of disrespect for all institutions.
By those who
What's the matter?
Are we using these radicals as a ploy?
Well... My word is that we're mostly using the term, love the law.
We lawyers understand that, Bill.
I don't think people love the law.
They either love the law, or lawyers, or cops, or anything.
You know what I mean?
Right.
Is it within the professional term?
It's within the professional term.
You say, I love the law.
Well, I don't know.
You see what I mean?
Right.
That's what concerns me.
The fact that it's fine for lawyers, but not for folks.
What about doing both?
but only if accomplished by those who, by the people who respect the law, and the professionals who love them, or led by those who love them.
No.
I don't think we'll follow the law again at all, either use it like this or not use it at all.
I'd like to defy the law and respect the law.
Garment and Krogh will both want to add one sentence about legal services.
I think it will be criticized if you don't say something about, I approve in principle the idea of legal services.
I don't care.
All right.
You've got this new thing coming out with the spitting it off as a separate corporation.
And I thought that since you're going to do that, go in that direction.
You ought to say something about it.
I'm all for legal services for the poor.
I'm going to do something in that direction.
I'm going to do it at the right time.
It's not subject to this one here.
But I don't mind being criticized for that.
It's a good one.
Definitely in one way or another, you just put the whole pop over this.
That's fine.
That's fine, John.
That's good.
This photo I just received is...
I'll send this down to Helicopter Wicked.
This is the Berger and Mark for the same thing.
It's a dull speech.
He has to be going.
He's a remarkable man.
He really worked on this.
But I spent a lot of time in your speech on weighing every word.
Has this been the final line of the war?
No.
Do you want to last crack it this way?
No, that's just fine.
I did it last time.
Okay.
Okay.
Fine.
Fine.
Good.
Oh, yeah, that's right.
We did another one.
There you go.
I thought it was a, I thought it was a good initiative.
I thought it was, recently I did a little interview with you, but it's all very like, I've given them to various people.
I've had Stuart Alsop and,
various others and so forth.
And I thought he was doing one for the Times.
It's not a bad idea to take it with a sigh.
Because he's the only one that's got any damn balance up there, left, you know.
Well, everybody can make any balance with foreign policy.
He's balanced with foreign policy.
Scottie and the others aren't too bad at domestic policy.
He's not an optimist.
He's not the greatest genius in the world, but he's a bit of a solider for it.
I think you're right about the world, I'm sure.
I said to him, when he asked me, he said, do you mind if I use this?
I said, no.
I said, it's nice if you want to.
Yes, sir.
I want to sign it, then.
Where's that due?
Well, it'll be in two parts, and Mark Griggs is going to come in and just give you a...
I'm not going to do anything on television, so that's, uh... Well, what if he tells I'm on television?
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
This is a debate.
You have to come in for individual handshakes, with all the actors taking the photograph, and then signing over there.
I'll let you take a look for the photograph.
See?
I'll just...
I have to check.
I thought I was going to sign it.
Do you have the, uh...
Bring me the, bring me the talking paper, please.
I have it there.
Mail it to this man, I'm gonna say it.
He asked that question because he thought we'd be glad to submit it to you for correction.
I said, of course not.
You know, I can correct anything in my life.
He was surprised.
That's the foolish thing ever to do, though.
If you don't trust your court, and if your court isn't good enough, your court's your life.
I treated it as an enormous compliment.
I'm handling that sentence.
Is there?
Have you been writing the story yet?
No, we don't.
I never.
I never.
Any such story has been heard.
Just play along.
I just went off.
We're not going to bother much with this because I'm just going to stop it so you don't need to
It's a very simple setup.
It's just, you bring it right in, and I'll march it out.
I've got some people waiting here to speak to us.
We can enter the Rosenthal's office and Alex's office.
Well, I may not be safe in there.
There's a desk immediately to the left of the microphone.
And that when you finish, just pocket the pen, and Steve will pass out the ceremonial pens for people.
All right.
All right.
OK.