Nixon, Scott & Ford on Supersonic Transport (SST) and Vietnam War

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A lot of damn Russian planes.

Now we can't let this happen.

We're being, now these are not going to be the great planes, the great L.A. and the company there.

The Russians are going to go and undercut everybody.

Well, you know, they're already, you, they're already selling them.

They're already trying to sell them to Japan.

Can the Indians recycle them?

You know, you've got all the arguments.

You guys have done, Jerry just fought, the doctor just damned it in the house.

But if you and the Senate are not holding for us on this, well, we haven't had any choices.

I know the difference.

I'm indifference.

We have, you know, all those guys who have been glorified before.

Back here on this, you know, they divide both sides.

When they're going to come out, let's give them the, you know, the viewer won't, won't say anything against it.

I hope you get more reliable last-minute support than we did from three or four people.

We had three.

We needed two more.

We're going to get ready for it.

Is he one of the three you're counting?

No, we're not counting him.

Yeah, I said, yeah, as of this time.

I said, oh, you're going to get Dominic and Buckley with it.

We're going to get all close.

We don't know about Margaret.

She's not.

No, you won't know.

She's not.

I talked to Crabby, and Crabby said, well, that has both makes my nose look better.

All of a sudden, I saw that.

Well, that's a courageous candidate.

I think it's a moment.

Just got reelected.

He doesn't have any problems.

He's got six years.

Who's working with him?

I don't see anything.

He doesn't.

All right.

We had more timid souls, and some of them were in that room this morning.

Yes.

Most disappointing.

Well, I mean, Lyle and I are here with you.

I got our leadership together on Tuesday afternoon and made the damnedest appeal I possibly could, and they just wouldn't measure up.

Well, Jerry, it's not just your conceit.

We would expect this from our Democrats.

Sure.

Because, except for the Senate Democrats.

Jerry and Bob, we're going to get an extra job on comment on the night, sir, if they have four minutes.

Bob is going to be close to the rebuttal job on politics.

Jerry, is your hand up?

What is it?

Well, let's put it out there.

We lose the target, we run aside at the end.

You agree?

Yes.

Well, wait until those layoff slips come.

I couldn't be more convinced.

This is not something that I'm just doing.

I don't give a damn.

I'm telling you this.

It's kind of a relevant question here.

And we barely have the same problem.

The continuation of the state's first encounter.

We've gone to hell.

Right.

I thought that meeting this morning emphasized two of the most fundamental important things we talked about.

One, leadership, and two, change.

If we don't keep the leadership and if we don't change, the whole country is going down the damn drain.

Sanctuary has been received, if I can say, recently.

Yeah, there you go.

What do we say if we're asked to have a brief down the line?

No.

I would say what the President covered last night in the installation program, and all the members have seen that, and it was that there will be further briefings on the technical environment on bipartisan basis on the Department of Defense throughout the week.

I just lay it that way.

That's all right.

Thank you, sir.

I think that's the best way to do it.

I think it could be a hit or a miss.

I think it could be an inch I would pull out of it if you want.

I mean, it'll be the lead, but that's all right.

It could be an inch I would pull out of it.

I don't know if this is a success or failure or a challenge.

But if you're right on the line, you said last night, as far as this particular, as far as what's going on, and I'd like to say as far as the local operation is concerned, like the Cambodian operation, its success or failure will depend upon what happens in two key areas, three key areas.

One, America, two withdrawals.

Two,

The threat to the remaining American forces can be withdrawn in three minutes.

increase the ability of the South to defend themselves without our assistance.

We believe that the operating of the date has made, as the President has already indicated, has made substantial progress in serving all of those goals.

But the country will be able to judge.

That's basically the way it is.

I think that .

I think, too, I think that we've made up that line and .

And let's face it, we understand.

We do it with understanding and sorrow, and I agree with that.

We understand that people who are concerned about policies will point to justice .

Hey, uh, if you want to remember, it's nothing.

I should say, apparently, that you realize that every one of those off-Vietnamese that's going north, the Vietnamese that's going north, the Vietnamese that won't be going north, right?

And that's, that's blowing the whole offensive there.

all the ammunition that's being expended against the South, we have to be saying it's going to be expended against the Americans.

But I think that the other part is that we, that we, that we, that we, that we, that we, that we, that we,

that it was regarding this operation, which would be, they moved in, they would come to you, they're attacking.

Don't claim victory, defeat, and that kind of thing.

Just say, accomplish their duty.

Now, they're taking attitudes, but according to General Lee's report, they're putting fire on us, they're taking, as they move out.

the payoff of us, which we've seen in the months ahead, just as the payoff of Cambodia was not easy at the time, but now it can be seen afterwards, as casualties went down, as withdrawals continued.

And then use the whole line.

I think it's a good thing you, particularly if you have a very skilled dispute, use the line that the pictures don't lie, but they don't tell the whole truth.

There is only one side, the Congressional, allowing pictures of their enormous catchments.

We have pictures only of our side.

And second, we have pictures only of the four of eight of 22 battalions that have taken heavy catchments.

And not only 18, but General Abrams has come out and, as he said, with greater violence are out.

I think that's very devastating.

They make pictures of them a lot, but they don't tell the whole truth.

And the whole truth will come out in terms that Americans particularly appreciate.

Withdrawals, reducing the risk to our remaining forces, and increasing the capabilities of South Vietnam to defend itself without our support.

I think those are the three points that are going to be well-remained.

getting paid out of ROM or .

No, I'd like to reduce the risk, but I'd also like Mr. President to reduce the casualties because the Cambodian operation sharply brought casualties down.

The Laos operation will sharply bring American casualties down .

Yeah.

Yes.

We were on the ground on the purpose of our support of law, which was exactly the same as the purpose of us, our support of Cambodia, to reduce the, when I say the risks to America, much I mean, of course, casualties, you would say is to ensure our control over, to reduce the American casualties, to increase the ability of South Vietnam to defend itself,

and that all three purposes have been inserved to date, we believe, and that the record of the months ahead will so pass.

And we hope to die in heaven soon.

I think we will.

At least we know that on the withdrawal, we have a little top there.

And I had somebody say, oh, man, it's a very good movie.

It's got to be incredible.

What about Hanoi Radio's playing a great victory?

This is a retreat or a route, say, generally, but to answer that question, he said that this was a withdrawal.

of the units that withdraw in good order.

There was a plan to withdraw, as in all cases, the withdrawals have taken some heavy casualties, but have inflicted more casualties than they've taken.

There is no rout and no defeat.

That's the place to use the picture.

You don't see the 18,000 or the 22,000 hanging on all around you to the market out in New York?

Yes.

There it is.

A few hot days for you guys to check it out.

We've been taking him for a while.

I know that.

You both did a great job.

I appreciate it.

Jerry, I think we're going to, I want to keep talking about this.

Are we having a breakfast with you this weekend?

I'm going to have a breakfast with Gary and Carl Howard.

You know, I usually have one with the speaker, and I don't want Carl to get to know another.

And Vox, just the three of you.

I'm not putting less in because I'm losing the house with you.

Uh, Les Harris.

For the Democratic Party, it will need a building buy-in.

Well, there you are.

But now, getting us a chair, and now you, I think, you know, I have these little seances of mine.

I think they're important.

I think it's important sometimes to just get you in.

I am not with Monty Jackson.

He said, see, I don't want to get into that.

Well, maybe, or maybe if we said we could put Mike and Bob first, and you would be your second panelist.

Bob Griffin.

That's good.

Would that be good idea, yes, sir?

No, just a four-handed job.

We don't know if Mike Higgins wouldn't be good to have a four or two.

Oh, yeah, rather than just Mike and Bob next time.

Yes, and I think, frankly, Bob Griffin has a good job.

Well, he was here for a long time.

They heard the fact that maybe because they kept him asleep, he couldn't come down to his office.

He feels content to have the bird in.

Okay.

Maybe the door is open for him.

I don't know.

Tell, uh, tell Bob, and tell Mike, and tell, uh, Chris Bobby, that we're planning on, that I want to wait, since I just saw Mike, uh, he's, he's running, and also, uh, Dan Ryan is waiting for you down there, so he'll come back.

You set it up for a week, and then come back and tell me.

There's also, if you think of any way you can help Bobby, because he's a real... Oh, I guess there are a few...

I understand.

You know how bad it can be that we give this stuff in to those street people?

What do you have, 47 votes here?

Well, I thought it was 26, but if you've got Peter Donald, if you need him, it's like 47.

Peter's got to be with you.

He cannot have the United States be second, goddammit.

That's what's involved in this.

Peter, the little jingle is, Peter has to wear an Oscar dinner, and he's going to win a bridge.

But he said he'd go far, wasn't he?

It was for a very, very good reason.

And I take just a minute here to let you repeat one thing you know.

We all have a color, and you have Al-Qui, and you deal with it.

And you say, for you to communicate it, it may change your decision.

With respect to the very price of milk, he said, if I can't do that, sit down and roll it away.

And Al-Qui believes, and I share that belief, that it's unlikely that the Congress will mandate you to raise the price of pork to 85% of purity.

Even if the Congress should, it will be months away.

Well, I think our position is, as I understand it, we're not going to go long with that.

You've made a decision based on the best long-range interest.

They know this.

They should be told.

Yes, they know.

I think it would be helpful if you said that you made a decision based upon the long-range interest of the dairy farmers.

I don't know, Senator.

I think it was important to say that I delivered a very good movie.

hear from me, and I'm like a little slave to dust, you know?

These people have got a, I mean, they could stand up and be men.

Clark, what the hell?

I mean, Bob has his pay, and these other things.

You know the reason they're voting against you?

Because the goddamn polls are against you.

Is that true of anything?

What the hell did they sit down here for?

To follow the polls, or do what's right?

Yeah, it was a lot of fun at SST.

I think it was good this morning.

If you're not going to be all right, I'm just going to be very rude.

Nixon, Scott & Ford on Supersonic Transport (SST) and Vietnam War

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NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Transcript (AI-generated)

Also recorded on March 23, 1971

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Nixon, Scott & Ford on Supersonic Transport (SST) and Vietnam War

AI Summary

Audio

NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Transcript (AI-generated)

Also recorded on March 23, 1971

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Cite this conversation