Nixon, Haldeman & Ziegler on Presidential PR and Advance work

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They're all good people.

They don't want you.

All I've got to do is say, I've got a very hard time talking about this bullshit.

I've got a very hard time talking about this bullshit.

It's a lot of work, but hey, also provides some talk.

That's what you got to do when you got 20 people or two.

I'm stuck with it.

And this idea is really the best time to keep when we sit around, when we're closing in, and lunch and all that.

Let him make a little call.

Are you ready?

Sure.

We'll get to my center.

Hi.

I said to go to the center and pick one of these.

Hello.

I'm a guy that's stuck with this.

get all the Jewish messages, the anti-Semitic messages, and it must be around.

I was going to suggest that, Mrs. Lovie, for guidance in the future, that, I think here's one of our comments from Christ.

I don't know if somebody had one of those.

Thank you.

What's that?

That's the bottle.

Okay.

The art song.

Oh, hell no.

The art song.

Oh, for the three songs today.

We'll be over.

My point is...

that most of it is very, very useless.

Most of that, most of that is not Christ himself.

The thick part of it, that part, is the divinity of Christ.

That's totally useless stuff.

God, God, unless the whole point of IT actually is, above everything else,

There's somebody who wrote through the .net file like we do, Bob, when we go in a campaign.

I've got to see it in a couple of pages.

It's the things I really need to know.

And then to the backup material if I want to read it, see.

Now, let me say, too, there's a lot of material in here which may reflect on the staff people that is useless.

John, I don't know what his name is, and others.

Analogs this, analogs that, and so forth.

And he's got a political house.

And the client's got something in here.

But the problem is that we've got a lot of people working on something.

And I don't know if they all got to do something.

And I understand it, but I wonder if we might better advise and suggest

I really wanted the domestic council to research that.

I would have been the one to expand it, you know, to the safety work.

But it seems to me the bigger the goddamn staff, the more paper comes in and the more I have to decide what the hell to use, you know what I mean?

Unless you've got a house-truck editor who now and then can pick out kernels.

editor or manager or something like this.

Like, for example, it doesn't do me any good to know the political background of the mayor unless I'm going to really have a chance or who.

If there are 40 high school bands, I don't need to see all that many if I'm not going to mention it.

There really needs to be

recognizing that there's a limited amount of time.

First, you should just have about a page about the color and the field and so forth.

And these are the people that will be there.

Here, on the remarks, we would urge that you emphasize these three or four points.

All that long, long, long business, which I've seen time and again, either in this case that Evan, I mean, Evan's working early with the staff,

And so it is going through the tired old crap about revenue sharing, you know, which I don't think is, you know, I know what it is.

They're really making it work.

I mean, they're making it work by going through stuff that has all been prepared before.

I've read this at least a hundred times.

Well, not ten, at least ten.

I didn't take the time to read it in the night, unfortunately.

And again, this is no reflection on this.

Let me say that on the plus side, the advancing on that trip could have been better.

They did a beautiful job.

I mean, good God, I mean, would they handle an unemployment trip in exactly the right way and the way they finessed the governors and all the rest?

They really did do a hell of a job.

It was a hell of a job.

And the way they had the bands and everything and the way they got ahead.

You know, and put the, move the photo drug up at the right time.

The only one thing that we've got to do that you've mentioned from time to time is that the paramedic goes ahead and picks out three spots to stop in.

And if it weren't for the crowd in the front seat, you'd need somebody there to

that can tell me what, in the name of God, is about me.

And I may see a hell of a lot better stuff.

And they did say, well, I can come and get a hold of it at the very end.

At the very end, where they had a Statue of Liberty on a building or something of that sort, or someplace.

And the chief says, here's a place you can stop, and the crowd will surge around.

Well, it was the place, Bob, where the crowd was only two feet.

So I said, no, we won't move along.

You don't stop where the crowd is too deep.

Now, generally speaking, I mean, to have people search around, because that's a picture they would use.

But generally speaking, they pick very good spots, you know, cars and so forth and so on.

But here again, there is a need for me to have somebody in that goddamn car who I can talk to.

I don't know how you can do it, though.

I can't go back with me, though.

On the other side there.

Forget all that.

We do it so well.

We were buried by us.

There were a lot of things wrong.

We were going over that motorcade.

It could have been shorter.

Well, it could have been more effective.

that you have a terrible problem, always, with local police and all that.

They have closed the routes of the street.

On both sidewalks, they should have brought the crowd into the middle of the street.

They had to have drums out there with the ropes anyway on them, so they could have brought them right up close so that there was just barely room for your part of the photo cars to squeeze by.

You didn't get a crowd picture all day because of the fact that we, first of all, we were on the wrong side of the street.

That's where you got to be here.

Why don't they do that?

The police wouldn't let them.

Yeah, and they were supposed to have those so they'd break, you know, they could bust through those barriers so they could come out of the institution.

We did get some before they got out.

You need to let, let them, you got to let them come in.

See, you should have them get where it's meant.

See, my view is, you shouldn't have to do that.

Yeah.

Go ahead.

You want me to, I was pressed on it this morning.

It's a good idea.

I'll just announce it then.

Yeah, the press conference.

The press conference.

Tuesday.

What time?

Let's say Tuesday evening, so they know it's a Tuesday evening.

And this will give us a ride with the party.

Right.

Good.

Then, did you mention what was considered out there once?

No.

I'm going to attend the latest thing that is happening.

I don't know if we know what we're going to do at once.

I thought we were going to find him.

Well, the word is out that we are.

We've got all the other people now are saying they won't confirm it and all that.

Even for that job?

No, because it's dealing with flights and the armed services and also because of the county case coming up.

We've already got Richard Russell's administrative assistant or something as the head of the court.

Well, you have L.G.

Snow, and I'm gracious, this is Don Russell.

I don't know, this is Jimmy Burns, isn't it?

I'm sure it's Don Russell.

Oh, oh, oh, get Russell.

But aren't we going to fight a black man?

We can't house that.

We don't have to.

We can try to get a man.

Excuse me, but they want to kill the Johnson.

We'll try to get a block for the Watson one, but apparently they've now got another block they could put in that.

Maybe we ought to do that and try a Watson later.

Well, the point on the Watson thing that was made this morning is already coming.

I mean, they would use that as a... See, did you say we don't have it?

We haven't submitted the point?

I think you're right.

Right?

I'll say that all we heard may have been some random... All the speculative stories...

I was going to say that it's not a recommendation to come to the president.

We haven't made a decision.

There's no discretion.

Mr. Mason, I have to do quite a crime to get Watson a job in...

He doesn't agree.

They've got one at ICC in Brighton that they can give him.

Give him the ICC then.

And that seems to be over.

We've got a problem.

The problem is we've got a division.

We've got Jerry Ford and those people fighting.

And you've got to give Watson this.

We've got to give him the job, but we don't give him this job.

And does he want a 15-year job?

Give him the ICC and all of a sudden, we'll get Jackson off.

Or somebody.

That's it.

We've got seven years.

We've got the Jackson seat.

I think he's leaving.

He's expiring.

ICC is better.

Seven years?

You don't have any time to do that, do you?

All right, all right, all right.

The love just came up this morning apparently.

The Roscoe has now served other cities.

Oh, the Roscoe has served other cities online.

Confirming, confirming, so.

All right.

And Harry and Dad are getting the ICC fast.

They can do this together fast.

You know, right over there.

What I was trying to say in the motorcade is that I don't think you should have to get out of the car.

I think we should be able to create situations where the people who want to get out stop most of the car, then you don't have to get out.

You're above the crowd in the car, then I'm in the car.

You can't get a very good picture, and only a couple cameras can get close enough to get in the car.

I know, I know.

It's much better to let them than not get out of the car and let the crowd come up.

But the only way to do that is to get you close enough to the people or the people close enough to hire you.

The best thing to do is let the people be close.

Yeah.

There's no more of our ventures either.

It's a good idea to do that.

Yeah.

to just use the podium for everything, you know, everything.

It looks good.

It's easier for the other people in the program.

And it's fine picture.

And that means everything.

I think you're going to have to buy two in order to go buy another one.

We're going to, all right.

The second thing, when it comes to the podium, use it always in the state of Ramos.

Always in the state of Ramos.

Okay.

Because that's been a very hilarious indication.

Those poor sons of guns have to stand and hold their papers to read.

I mean, that's their business.

It's not just mine.

I mean...

What do you think?

Did I get it?

Yeah, I did.

Do you support it?

Yeah, absolutely.

It really looks better than anyone having it done.

You know, we proved the point.

I think we probably over-proved it.

And I can stand there and answer questions on a bare mind.

Well, that's a story that I've done.

I used it for you.

Yeah.

You know, I started the question.

It's obvious you're not using notes when you're standing up talking, but it's easier for me.

You know, I can fool around with your hands.

The last time I think it would be much easier for you as well.

It's really easier.

You can pledge your hands to what I do.

Yeah.

For that, in your pocket, those are all not good shots.

Just stand there and let them see you from the face up.

And you know how without that camera stand there, it's the worst angle you can get at the moment.

Give him a chance.

I think you're right.

Use the volume.

And especially, the point is so well made that... Yeah, that's right.

Yeah, somebody said, how come he's using a podium?

But nobody made any questions about it.

They just asked a question and he answered it.

You used it at the ASME and everybody thought it looked better, worked out better than just having a mic.

Well, it's better having two mics because you've got a little more freedom than if you're playing to one mic.

You've got something to look from.

But you'll be very, you'll be on the advancing the set.

You're absolutely right when the crowds come up.

I think they got some good crowd shots.

I hope they do.

It's god damn hard for me to get out of that car and work those crowds and I'm tired of it.

I haven't got the word yet.

I don't even want to touch the vents.

They say, go down here and work this way.

I don't want them ever to say that to me again.

I don't like to hear their microphones are off.

Everybody's got a microphone on.

Somebody's got to hear, work this way.

Don't even say that.

You say there's some people here.

I'll go over and see them.

I think it's very important for us to go over and do a little, get the hell out of them.

and don't leave as much time to, they don't need to leave all that time into the Earth for you to go up and down that fence because it's not dignified.

Particularly now that we've managed our time.

It's not being fun.

We've proved what we do about it.

We've proved it.

Don't you agree?

Completely.

Go over, shake him, and get out.

And that's another reason to bring him up in a car, for me to go into that crowd.

Well, I'm in the airport crowd.

There's no reason on earth not to run your car right along the fence, all the way out of the airport.

We'll take a loop around, try and stand up and wave at them, and they'll all get a good look at you, which they don't do when you're on the fence.

I told you before, I will never use the ballpark.

Sebastian, get rid of the goddamn car.

I hate that car.

I will not use it.

I'll either use my own car and close it, or we'll use another car.

We're getting a new car, you know, that we'll have eventually that's got the opening, automatic opening top, and then we'll have two open.

The one you used yesterday and the other one.

The only kind of really you should get out of a car is when there's somebody in a wheelchair or something out there.

You can do that.

There are things where there's a thing out there.

Are you dealing with road nuns or a little group of kids?

Or high school bands watching a song?

Or do you want to go over to that?

Don't get out there.

Just move.

Just to get mushed around.

It's not...

It doesn't serve your purpose.

But you had to do it yesterday.

You did the right thing getting out of this.

We wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

I don't want them to keep writing, you know, stupid shit about me and my appearances.

I am not going to datify any goddamn occasion by appearing as somebody who has blatantly dated a position against us.

on anything.

I want no excuses on this problem.

There are no excuses.

I wrote a memorandum to son of a bitch.

I know he's been against us before this.

He was on that program.

I'm not gonna, I mean, he'll say, well, I had gone in, that I could have counterbalanced him by coming out against him in the last marijuana.

And then he got a debate.

You see my point?

And the administration will point him out again, not me.

That's not what I made it for.

I just don't believe that I should have been put in that position.

Well, I'll tell you, I just want to be on that.

I don't like it.

It isn't right for us.

That note came in here just before where you were working in your notes.

They sent me that thing in.

You decided to go there?

Yeah, and that is the way for you to do things.

If we missed something that would be good to do, then that's too damn bad.

That's right.

There are plenty of opportunities, there's plenty of chance tomorrow to do something like that.

This is Charlie Daniels.

Brothers, he gave me that.

Somebody wants to paint my portrait.

He sure is an awful nice, he's probably a great artist.

He wants to be a great artist.

Give him a note.

So I appreciate it very much.

The president can't sit.

I will not sit for anybody.

The only thing I will sit for is that one guy who sits for two minutes to shoot a picture.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

But I cannot, but that we, that presently will, without, and when I, that I cannot arrange the time, that I will, will do it at, uh, at, uh, at this time.

I think it must be more impressive to have to sit here and think that I can do it.

God, you know, I saw Johnson's vice presidential.

Us, it's worse than mine.

Isn't that fantastic?

Is Johnson's that one that's there?

The library?

Incredible, that.

The one that came down the... Yeah.

Yeah, with the... Yeah, I love that one, too.

I don't know why, but do you think by the time the Vice President is complete, he could get another one made now?

I think he's got a king.

Anyway, I had this one, okay, five years ago.

Long after I was Vice President, too.

Why not this?

I think he did that in a photograph.

He had a photograph taken.

And then maybe, maybe, I'll give him a chance to cross a hell of a problem.

Plus, four trades.

Yeah.

I know, Bob, we have all sorts of, uh, of requests.

I'm hard to shoot, let's face it.

I'm going to stop you with ten.

Yeah.

Well, if I ask you not to look so great at Lincoln Town when I mention it, in his time, that was probably, he considered it just too Christ-awful.

My point is this, that I'm not going to take my time to sit for a bus trip or a trip.

I don't believe in it enough.

So they, because particularly in this day of photography, why should I?

But a bunch of that guy that took the pictures for local got a good picture.

I think he knows more about it.

He knows, but Ollie does not know camera angles.

He doesn't know him.

He knows a great news shot, but he doesn't know, he doesn't know the book.

Your face is better.

You should lift your head.

You should do this.

There are a lot of things that are terribly important to get the right type of picture.

This guy studies the face, and he says, you know, that's a bad picture, that's a good one.

I think all he thought then, that he's great at picking a group, he better than this guy.

This guy feels, I feel a portrait photographer, they have a certain gift.

No, no, all he's been trying to get a picture, and he can't do it right.

It's too high, and he doesn't know most things, and he just doesn't understand.

He doesn't study most things.

Boy, is he a great follow-on.

He's got some beautiful shots.

So his candid stuff is great.

You know, I must say, too, that I still say, as we go around, can you do this?

I'm a bit through now the experience of singing.

what that David and Julie thing does, can I, you're going to check with Connie to be sure that she understands that no more is she going to make the decision, I'll make the decision about who goes on television.

She doesn't understand these things, does she?

The answer she does, and she pushes hard to tell you.

But she thinks it's a question of Mrs. Nixon.

Maybe that's probably it.

But I don't know how she got it.

But anyway, it probably wasn't her fault.

But I want to say... One of our guys ought to do it.

Huh?

One of our guys ought to do it.

You know what I'm saying?

That's right.

I was going to say, don't you let us, in terms of pictures, and of appearances, and everything else, start to think more imaginatively.

I mean, I like down there.

The minute that I finished the little girl, and it got a nice stride, and I looked up and saw those two, I mean, we were standing there talking, I'm wrong, it may be somebody.

Remember, I said, here, we go out.

I said, oh, no, I'm not going to go out there.

They take me.

They took them.

That was a hell of a shot.

That was a couple of shots.

It ran all over.

It did.

So now I think... Now I think... Don't you think we ought to look like that?

Yeah.

We ought to look for shots like that.

Nixon, Haldeman & Ziegler on Presidential PR and Advance work

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

Transcript (AI-generated)

Also recorded on May 26, 1971

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Nixon, Haldeman & Ziegler on Presidential PR and Advance work

AI Summary

Audio

NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Transcript (AI-generated)

Also recorded on May 26, 1971

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Cite this conversation