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Conversation 475-006

TapeTape 475StartTuesday, April 6, 1971 at 12:20 PMEndTuesday, April 6, 1971 at 12:25 PMTape start time00:28:06Tape end time00:34:33ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Wright, Don;  Morton, Rogers C. B.;  Stevens, Ted;  Behren, Fritz;  Garment, Leonard;  Patterson, Bradley H., Jr.;  Kilberg, Barbara ("Bobbie") (Greene);  White House photographerRecording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon met with Rogers C. B. Morton, Ted Stevens, and several staff members to discuss the status and legislative strategy for the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The participants reviewed the challenges of moving the bill through the House and Senate, specifically noting the roles of key legislators like John P. Saylor and James A. Haley. During the meeting, which included a photo session, the President emphasized the historical significance of the legislation and encouraged the team to continue their efforts to secure its passage.

Alaska Native Claims Settlement ActLegislative strategyTed StevensRogers C. B. MortonCongressional relations
AudioNARA Description

On April 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Don Wright, Rogers C. B. Morton, Ted Stevens, Fritz Behren, Leonard Garment, Bradley H. Patterson, Jr., Barbara ("Bobbie") (Greene) Kilberg, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:20 pm to 12:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 475-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 475-6

Date: April 6, 1971

Time: 12:20 pm - 12:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Don Wright, Rogers C. B. Morton, Ted Stevens, Frank Bracken, Leonard
Garment, Bradley H. Patterson, Jr., and Barbara (Greene) (“Bobbie”) Kilberg; the White House
photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting

     [General conversation]

     Photo session

     [Alaska Natives’ Claim Bill]
          -Passage efforts
               -Request for President’s help in passage through Congress
               -Stevens
                     -Senate
               -Western Senators
               -House of Representatives
               -Uniqueness of “Eskimo Bill”
               -Importance of bill
               -Gifts to participants in preparing bill
                     -Paper weights
               -Bracken
               -Patterson
               -Kilberg
               -Garment
               -Prospects
               -House
                     -John P. Saylor
                     -James A. Haley
                     -Support
                           -Cost
                           -Denver, Colorado
                           -Constituent groups
                           -Locations

     [General conversation]

Wright, et al. left at 12:25 pm
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.

President?
Well, how are you?
How are you?
Mr. Bryan here.
Hi.
How are you, Mr. Bryan?
How's the big boy treating you?
Yeah, he has been good.
How's my friend Ted Stevens treating you?
Me?
Yeah.
He's working hard.
He's one of your great advocates, I know.
Hi.
Hi.
President, you're going to relax.
What's he going to do with it?
Work on the pipeline.
Work on the pipeline.
I just bring that mic to smoke.
I'll give you a start.
I'll give you a start.
All right.
Good.
I'm making sure of it now.
It's not very easy working with me.
All right.
Now, Rock, you told me that you got that English.
The little bureaucrats out in the pocket.
Well, I've had a hard time.
We read right through this one about 25 times.
I was about to go this one.
I had to call the dissenters.
Oh, I'm sorry.
You know what I mean?
That's right.
Thank you.
Yes, you're right over here.
You're right over here.
Yes, you're right over here.
That's it.
That's it.
That's it.
We're going to get it out.
We're going to get it out.
It's complicated, I assure you that.
But it's, this president really is a tremendous historic document.
He really is.
I think you can be very proud of him.
I'm proud of you, your department, and the president.
We've got so much paper and never given out paper.
This is the first time it's ever been made as the president.
Thank you, sir.
I appreciate it very much.
Who else worked on this bill?
How many of us in Bracken over here did the selection?
He rewrote it 40 times.
You worked on it too long, by the way.
I bet.
Oh, God.
Never turned to my dad.
I'll be there.
He's a lawyer.
He asked for it.
Not really.
We have a real lawyer here.
We've had a lot of fun with him.
He loves to work.
I think this is a very, very exciting piece of work.
Thank you, President.
He's got problems in the house and we know the problems and we know the problems.
Well, on our side, John Sabre.
He's all right.
I think he's all right.
And I think, strangely enough, Haley's in a lot better shape on this than I thought he would be.
And he'll have some influence.
He's done something.
Good luck.
Good luck with your job.
I hope you like your job.
I love my job.
I'm being sad that I haven't ran a little bit, but I'm glad.
I told you that just to prove it, I had to go to the dentist.
And I told him, I told you he got a hold of his checks.
And it's going to cost him money.
And you've got to get it.
It's going to cost him his wealth.
And he would be prepared to save you from your slurs.
Well, we are approaching, but it's a great idea.
You just, I was aware that, just say that I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I thought you didn't have to go hang out there, and then, having over an hour or so, I'd like to have them let the boat come in, the Indians, and the Rangers, and the Capitals.
We'll get on every park and every reservation here.
Great idea.
Good to see you.
It's going to be all right.
Oh, great.
Absolutely great.
All right.
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