The morning after

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HaldemanEverybody is basking in the—in the glow of the aftermath. [laughs]

NixonYeah.

NixonIt was a real do.

HaldemanThe whole weekend.

NixonOllie had a good point, though. He said, "The press is"—he said, "You know, their colleagues, the press is that they really cannot mar a wedding." It's true. Who the hell's going to read bad news about a wedding?

HaldemanWell, and that's why they focus so much. Well, actually, the wedding itself was so flawless that they couldn't have anyway. They couldn't have made it, but all such events work, uh, work all good. Something they they realized that nothing would reduce their credibility so hard, had they been nasty on this occasion. That's why I think the Post thing wasn't wasn't a little over, because they didn't gain any points for their story, because they were ticked off. People just don't buy that.

NixonNo, they did. That's right. It didn't wash. And it looks—and then too many people saw it on TV and saw the—you know, the

HaldemanYeah.

NixonThe atmosphere, the feel of it came through, the—you know, the—it was so upbeat, so positive, and so—and all the descriptions have been, like—

HaldemanEven afterward, the—

NixonI think you're right. I think that kind of explanation—Rather was the most positive guy of all. I think it's exact—that explains Rather, who—Rather, who [unintelligible] Rather had no purpose to be that positive. No, right. And I think the rea—reason is, that they are always sucking up to their audiences. That's why—that's why they suck up to the enemy, and suck up to the those long hairs when they come to the park. But if they thought this audience wasn't ready to listen to a very negative report, and he didn't give any.

HaldemanWell, and, he would have loved to, oh sure. I'm sure Rather would have loved to come on and say that it was a bad show, poor taste.

NixonPompous.

HaldemanPeople weren't in their place, and, uh, it was a motley crowd, and results. He would have loved to have that, but he couldn't.

NixonHe was afraid to.

HaldemanHe didn't dare.

NixonSo, he was smart enough to put it the other way, and went all out the other way and made some—made some mileage for himself out of it. Scali's critical, though. He did hit you later, see? Darn right.

HaldemanAnd part of it's one where he's got a free shot at being positive. He can't lose. Everybody'll be with him, and then he can turn around tomorrow—

NixonUh, other—a lot of other wedding wrapped, which we need to consider in files, too. And, uh, Ron and Liz really cheered, but, look at that's an angle for the four.

HaldemanLaird, uh, was very subtle to talk to, Ron said, and he's really a champion. Yeah, on the TV yesterday, he went just—he was

NixonIs that right?

HaldemanHe couldn't believe it. He said Laird just was down the line. The President did this, the President did that, he was just couldn't have been more for the President. There's a piece on him in The New York Times Magazine, which he was obviously aware of, that goes the other way, where he takes all the full credit for Vietnamization and—

NixonYeah, well, that kind of stuff, which is good.

HaldemanAnd, uh, he, uh, he probably, uh, hey, worked hard on the TV, and he probably that helped. He reacted to that by going

NixonYeah.

Haldemanthe other way on TV.

NixonI think he—he really goes for the—goes for the big charge. He's an incredible person. He's

HaldemanWell, he's learned, I'm sure, the same painful thing that everyone has, is that in his position that's the only way he gets printed. If he does an irresponsible job, if he says something responsible, you can get ignored.

NixonThose guys running around bubbling incredible disarray all the time. It's, huh. We all wonder how much they mean by it.

HaldemanWell, the other day, uh, almost fishes died in there.

NixonThe trouble with one thing on this farm thing, check again with, with Hardin.

NixonI don't know whether he's talked, I guess it's on the, on Whitaker's staff, isn't it? Yeah, you mean on the drought?

HaldemanYeah. Or on the general farm thing? Well, both. Both, both. I think Whitaker's on both of them, but whatever it is, I k- I think it's uh a question for our side to show concern about those things and go do the meeting then.

HaldemanI think it's I think there's justification in the sense that I don't think Hardin has bulldogged it enough, you know what I mean? We're doing a hell of a lot.

NixonSo, we have Would you look Well, we give him anything? We give him more off.

HaldemanThat he he gets uh

NixonWell, get Moore working with him on this, Bob. Yeah, maybe so. That's a channel, isn't it? The rep's on 30%, the tour is separate. Well, that's one that was one meeting.

HaldemanHuh? But, that was a committee. It was not the Council. The committee then issued a statement about it. Yeah, the committee can produce all kinds of stuff. This is a Council of Business and Industry. Yeah.

NixonKind of glad to see that machine hit our housing policy. I don't I'd let your liberals get worried about that, Harold, you understand? I don't mind. We want it that way. We want to be toasted out that way. That's one.

NixonAll right? Where we don't want to be uh found leading the charge.

HaldemanAlways be in charge on that front. You agree? We seem to have come out pretty well, I Oh, I think it came out extremely well. right right pretty much down the middle Pretty much down the middle, but also, the right guys are mad at us.

NixonYeah. That's the part that is NAACP says it's not enough.

NixonWell, I'm strange. That showed what he thought about the I was I think that story in the Times

Nixonshould cause everybody here great concern.

NixonThe damndest thing you ever heard, that people could do here. Yeah, it's just It's treasonable. Treasonable. That's Chuck Colbert's, but it We get into that. But, really, only short-term. None of it affects us later, for what's happened.

HaldemanYeah. They'll pull out, and drag all this and that, but most people just think it's swill around.

NixonOh, I bet the net of it, yet that shit is much crap. It hurts the other so-so.

NixonWhat's terrible about this is that's the most that's the most unbelievable thing on this, that's treasonable. Due to the fact that it's aiding an enemy, and it's a release of classified documents, highly merit a com- out of the history. If you go back and steal this, what did they blow us up for one guy a hundred years old?

NixonHuh? A attorney, turns over the enemy bullshit. This turns over the enemy, puts the whole damn thing right out there in the paper.

NixonWell, I'm concerned about Henry's staff. It's still full of them, isn't it? No. He don't have to confidence. No. But I asked him to check who's in there, who's just

HaldemanGelb's over at, oh, yeah, I mean uh Gelb Gelb. Yeah, no, at Brookings. over at Brookings. Because he's we Well, they do. He had all these files.

HaldemanThis is the thing, well, why did we go get them? Well, remember I talked to you about that a year ago? Tom Huston was all alarmed, and was in here, and said they have all this this file and everything. They've got it over at Brookings. They've moved it out of the Defense Department. They've copies out of the Defense and the Pentagon. Shipped the whole file over there, and he argued that we had uh

Haldemanwe had some discussions about it here,

Haldemanorders that what we should do is is send some people in on a routine. They've moved, they have a secure safe over there to hold this stuff in. Move some people in on a routine security check, find the stuff in it, and confiscate it and walk out.

HaldemanAnd uh like that, what do they want to do with the stuff, I don't know.

HaldemanAnd here this sure shows, I'm not sure as a matter of fact that this is precisely the same material. There is other material over there, too.

HaldemanNow there was a lot of copies of this one. There's some other stuff that there were only three copies of. One of which is over at Brookings, according to Huston.

HaldemanHuston is an alarmist, but uh, Dick Allen was an alarmist when he said we ought to go out, shut down the the investigation on Dickenson Farm. We didn't do that, and we've been hurt badly by it.

NixonWe have.

HaldemanHalperin is one of There's another one that's involved in this, is Halperin, you know. That's right.

HaldemanHalperin and Gelb have been working together.

NixonHow much does Halperin know?

NixonHalperin knows, you know, how the menus are made.

HaldemanI'm not sure.

NixonHenry talks to Halperin. God dang, you get to think Halperin tells people what he's doing. In poor judgement, Henry.

NixonThat's just four times as great an opportunity for leaks, because he's not classified anymore, you know.

HaldemanThe way to hit him on that is just to remind him who he took with him to Paris.

HaldemanLike, is he really happy that Tony Lake is functioning over there right now? Why?

HaldemanPlus, and it's more dangerous now, in my view, it wasn't as dangerous when he was working for Muskie, as it is now, because now he's out of a job.

NixonHe's [unintelligible] that, though.

HaldemanOh yeah, but they have Therefore, I'm sure he wouldn't leak it. He wouldn't use that information. Well, bullshit. You know, if you don't talk sometimes, then Bob-

NixonHe talks. He talked at the start.

NixonRemember?

HaldemanYeah. Remember he told us he was very bright and he thought he was honest. The brightest guy I've got. You can't make me fire him, but finally did, and tried to. And he was not honest. He was not honest.

NixonAnd there's Gelb, remember, Edgar Hoover put a wrap on him, remember? He wouldn't put the finger on the FBI. But, the books showed that the the taps had showed that. What about that?

NixonThe only thing I ever had against him was the fact that he's been at Brookings. He's been at Brookings for years, up until now. He got this stuff and hauled it. Watch that.

HaldemanMust have had it a long time. Klein says that the team that's on it has been on on He he's checked back now, that the team that's been on leave or or has been submerged for three months.

NixonYeah, yeah.

NixonBoy they've done a very clever job, Bob, it screams through in a very quiet way.

NixonThat's why it's top secret information.

HaldemanI don't understand why we don't. I I understand, you know, Henry's notion that we've got to not react and all.

NixonI'm not sure of that.

HaldemanBut uh what's the use of the classification system?

HaldemanWhy the hell do we classify anything if if a newspaper feels no compunctions about printing it?

NixonThat's the way we react.

NixonLet me say, they're going to have the mortar thing when we get it done. Then I think the thing to do is to just pursue it.

NixonJust go down and find out what the statute of limitations is on these first, I think it's funny though on this particular thing.

NixonAnd we can do much, right? What is the statute of limitations? A year? And we've got a year, unless I don't know whether it would be any shorter than that.

NixonAnd we just go ahead and subpoena all these bastards and run the case and just give them hell.

HaldemanThe New York Times is printing it, but-

NixonI am not sure of Henry's staff and his own and his own.

NixonWhy did he went over and talked to the Brookings people himself? I warned him about it, I said, "Henry, don't go over there." I said they're Those people, that's that's the Democratic National Committee.

NixonThey are! We don't have one friend in Brookings, Bob! Now, would you please remind George Shultz?

Nixonthat Charley Schultze is still over at Brookings.

HaldemanMm-hmm.

NixonYou understand? So that he still wants Charley Schultze around.

HaldemanRight.

NixonSee, they play the game that way, Bob. They are bastards. They'll lie, cheat, anything.

NixonAnd then squeal when somebody else does.

NixonSee basically, that's what gets back to the whole Hiss syndrome.

HaldemanMm-hmm.

NixonThe intellectual The intellectuals all defended Hiss because, basically, they have no morals.

HaldemanWell, this thing too, it's curious, it seems to me it it hurts us in that it puts the war back up into a higher attention level, but the facts in it hurt the other side. Don't hurt us, politically,

NixonThey hurt the other side.

Haldemanso much, they hurt the other. But what they really hurt, and this is what the intellectuals and why the motivation of the Times must be, is it hurts the government. What it says is, Rumsfeld was making this point this morning, what what it says

Haldemanis to the ordinary guy, all this is a bunch of gobbledygook. But out of the gobbledygook comes a very clear thing, which is: You can't trust the government, you can't believe what they say,

Nixon[unintelligible]

Haldemanand you can't rely on their judgement. And the the implicit infallibility of presidents, which has been an accepted thing in America, is badly hurt by this, because it shows that

NixonSure.

Haldemanpeople do things that the president wants to do even though it's wrong, and the president can be wrong.

NixonAnd are wholly corrupt, and Bob, it's false all the way. Roosevelt's fault that Goddamned World War II ever came on.

HaldemanRight.

NixonHe knew hell, he knew what was happening. He did it deliberately.

HaldemanPearl Harbor thing was undoubtedly, but you had that one one article by that admiral, what's his name, that that uh, U.S. News carried that that told that whole story, and and there was But it was never official, it was and it could be discredited because it was just one guy's testimony.

HaldemanThis stuff is out of official files. You can't discredit this stuff.

NixonWell, so much for that. The story's out there, nothing you can do about it. That I guess so.

HaldemanKissinger said we shouldn't, at least Haig's urging was that that we shouldn't do anything about it

NixonWhy?

Haldemanuntil we know what, let's see what we've got, and then by doing anything we would only escalate it more.

NixonI think he's right.

HaldemanIt would be interesting to see now how the the other papers and the TV and all pick this up, but I can't imagine they won't seize onto it.

NixonHe's right, though.

HaldemanI would think they'd be doing white papers on it, and everybody leaping into having crises. It's just grist for the mill that that uh-

NixonRight.

Haldemanwon't quit.

NixonThey have to see, they don't know who we are. It's another surprise, because-

HaldemanThe other issue, it'd be interesting to see what the Times decides to print and what they don't out of They picked an interesting time, and chronologically, they didn't start at the beginning. Chronologically, they started at Tonkin, and and it's interesting to

Haldemancontemplate why.

NixonHm.

HaldemanBeginning stuff is all there.

NixonYou mean the Kennedy time?

NixonThey don't think Kennedy ought to be covered, with regard to what with regard to our situation with Congress.

HaldemanI guess to be, well, very strongly.

HaldemanI guess they feel that they've got a paper that will be a service also. Goddamn, don't give him anything.

NixonHenry talked to that Damn, Joe Kraft was there, God he's bad news, you know, don't give him anything.

HaldemanYeah, yeah, sure.

NixonI want I think that ought to be I want I just want to cool with those damn people because of their their disloyalty to this country.

Nixondo that. Tell you what I want done. You get this story out on the on the wire, the way to get a columnist. That's way to kill that other You understand how to do that? You say, I mean get Huston. to get all the facts together, and get Buchanan to get the story, get Lasky to write it, right?

HaldemanRight.

NixonOr anybody else who's interested. It'll be a great most of us. But you know, anybody that makes it you can get that story out now. That's that's what and and charge Brooking's Get Brookings involved in this. Get Brookings involved.

NixonAnother way to do it rather than having to do that is to have a senator make a speech, Senator Dole He's privileged and uh and charge the whole thing, see?

HaldemanMhm.

NixonThat might be better. And have a column.

HaldemanHave a senator with the guts to do it. Goldwater.

NixonAnybody that's all right can do it, except Goldwater. Remember, Goldwater could do it.

HaldemanYeah.

NixonDole Well, let's see. Why wouldn't Dole? Uh Dole shouldn't be used, or anybody else.

NixonLet's have a little fun. A congressman are all right on this one. Doesn't have to be a senator.

NixonI just wanted to do it because they make themselves a nuisance. It has to be done.

NixonLet's Let's blow Brookings up. Blow them up. And the way to do it is to give a speech. Probably better than an art than a column.

NixonAnd let them see. See, talking on the floor is privileged. They can't be sued. Charge that they have Huston's name, and the information, anything you want.

NixonHow did you brought it in?

HaldemanSee.

NixonDo you think Huston's still around?

HaldemanYeah, Huston's around.

HaldemanHe's in another law firm.

NixonGood.

NixonNow uh, on the other hand, will you talk to uh today about yeah, what the staff situation was there? He's gotten rid of that watch, and we've got all of our main leaders, you know.

HaldemanWell, we have. They run reruns of the wedding up there, if you can get in here. Can that be done at Camp David?

HaldemanSee, that's where it is because Saturday that's all that's on.

NixonSpecial channel, does that? I don't know, but we'll find out, yeah.

NixonProbably not. Probably not. This must be a While they're up there this week, they can run If not, we'll have it We can have it done in the White House when they come back.

HaldemanYeah.

NixonCould be good. That would be, that'd be fun.

HaldemanYeah, and the other day, let's stand for an hour, and half.

NixonWe've got to make it so the whole thing, or some part of it, whatever they want to see.

HaldemanWell, we'll we'll have a great NBC, of course, hasn't helped put together on the wedding. But but it'd be fun for them to see the news coverage. That's what I was wondering about.

NixonYou see if we can do it.

NixonGood god. I get a feeling, [unintelligible] you know, tough.

HaldemanAwful tough.

HaldemanLet me ask you, cuz we got to decide whether we're going to let them start this morning, whether you want to cooperate with on this uh ABC documentary on drugs.

NixonNo.

HaldemanWell, here's what they want to do. Let me just make make the argument for it. Because it's it's It's a hell of an opportunity, I think. Get an um an hour show on the Nixon drug [crosstalk] initiative.

Nixon[crosstalk] What what do you call? It doesn't mean we have to give any interview.

HaldemanNo.

NixonWhat are they [crosstalk] I don't want them in here taking and taping and all that.

Haldeman[crosstalk] What they're asking they don't want you to do anything. What they want is permission to film and record

Haldemanbehind the scenes meetings, starting with the ambassadors' meeting this morning,

Haldemanand to let them into things like the bipartisan leaders' meeting, and that sort of thing,

Haldemanto uh document the staff activities, all focused on you,

Haldemanall focused on that the presidential drug initiative.

HaldemanIt'll be a program that will be a one-hour special which they'll run in September, which will be after we get all this stuff going and need to jin it up.

HaldemanWe would have control in the sense that

Haldemanwe can delete anything we don't want used.

HaldemanThey intrude on the meeting. You have a camera and a microphone in the meeting. You do.

NixonThere's no lights?

HaldemanThey do without lights. Yeah, with handheld 16mm.

HaldemanIt's the technique, it's a

Haldemanodious comparison, in a way, but the technique is the same as they used in that Kennedy documentary

Haldemanon the uh Wallace school decision thing. They did an hour special later

Haldemanthat uh was the same kind of thing.

HaldemanShowed the meetings in the Attorney General's office and the White House, and and uh

Haldemanyou know, it's it's the handheld camera and all that is very uh sort of dramatic because it is behind the scenes stuff.

HaldemanWe don't have We can't tell them what they have to put in, but we can't keep out what we want out. The guy who's doing it

Haldemanis uh I I know he's a superb producer.

HaldemanScali assures me that he is a very honest guy who is very friendly to us, and

Haldemanvery receptive to any ideas and suggestions.

HaldemanThat he will work closely with Scali.

NixonAll right.

HaldemanLet uh Let Scali

Haldemanhandle it. It will, I know it bugs you to have uh them kind of recording the meetings and some and, you know, obviously have to was other things, obviously not in others, but these are not meetings that you'll have to show.

HaldemanAcross the board. There There are plenty of meetings that seems to me it will do us good to get some of this stuff on the air.

NixonToo much of the other stuff. This is necessary. Well, once you bring them in, have a little gabfest with them here.

HaldemanYeah. Well, it doesn't need to be as long as you did before.

NixonWhy don't we just shake their hands, Bob, and say we're glad to have you, and get the hell out? That's because I don't think that, you know, to stand here and chat for [unintelligible] we need to do that.

NixonDo it on their own.

NixonI just, I don't think Mel, I don't think I can really do what I, you know.

NixonAnd then they're going to come over, somebody else is going to chant at them.

HaldemanYeah, you've making them so that they have to feel they know the President when they're out doing it. That's, for my own, for it helps the awkward situation,

NixonIt helps it.

HaldemanAnd I don't think it's worth my time, to be frank with you. I don't think it's worth my time, considering all the other people that I might charge up and charge ahead for the President.

HaldemanWe'll try then, on the just a handshake and and and then you kind of just stand here, informally jab with them for a minute, and give them some cufflinks and let them go.

NixonAll right, because that's really all I can do. Then you just say, you met us and we appreciate their work, and so forth, and so on, and stand and get the hell out. Because, you know, it's just like me, and and, you know, there're other things can be nicer.

NixonYou know, it's really 9:00, it's like my meeting with the Assistant Secretaries.

NixonWould be great if I had time, but I didn't have.

HaldemanMaybe it's a little better, I don't know.

NixonIt is a little better, but it's some of them stayed, though. That's right. You're trying to charge up people, and I'm all for it, if that's the best use of time.

NixonI guessed too that we should could start cutting off just a little bit of on the business organizations, here. The National Association of Real Estate Boards. Why the hell they're coming in, I don't know. Just big bunch of voters.

HaldemanOh, no, they're we talk about that?

NixonOh, sorry.

HaldemanSo, there is one that could run, what it is.

NixonThe Real Estate, don't get uh real estate folks are so hostile. Finally, don't you so that the whole country, isn't it? Business is not particularly

Nixonpopular anywhere, anyway in this country. And we are strong for business in spite of hard

HaldemanIt's not popular, and we are strong for business, in spite of hard.

NixonWell, they got to be here, damn it.

HaldemanSo.

NixonWell, let's look for many entertaining [unintelligible] that's that.

HaldemanAll right.

NixonYes.

HaldemanWhoever has to.

HaldemanIt's a great comment, so advice

Nixonand then at 4:00 on the 22nd.

NixonWell, I don't move. I have a slight desire to hear what [unintelligible] is about.

HaldemanIt's fine if there's something they want to talk about, but they're not

NixonThe only thing is that maybe it's something that we I kind of I don't want to get into a discussion.

HaldemanWell, we have the Minot Island, that our best bet is to come back here to Camp David,

NixonCamp David, yeah.

Haldemanthat's going to be a long enough weekend for you, because Florida, and you will be going then to California not long afterwards, a week later.

HaldemanActually, a week later. And then wait, then,

Nixonmaybe maybe I would like to do this, I mean after this, not to move it to California. Too damn much going on.

HaldemanAll right, well, we've got Johns and Seevers will be coming in, but

NixonOh, that's fine. Mind that for Johns and Shultz is fine.

NixonLet me say, I don't think those need to be as long as they as they have. I would talk to Well, that that's too long. I've sat through those meetings, Bob, with these people. And their attention span, not theirs, not mine, but theirs,

Nixonby god, is ended in about two and 1/2 hours.

NixonAnd, you know, I mean it really is. You start gassing around and they want to go all day long. They want to, then come back and gas all day long.

NixonAnd I'm just not sure that it means that much, and I I don't know, I'd rather have a couple snappy two-hour meetings.

HaldemanAnd then And then, I will go to Camp David. The The couple that we do have there, it seems to me we ought to schedule at 10:00 in the morning with the idea that they end around 12:00, 12:30, something like that.

HaldemanAnd then you break, and that's it for the day, for them.

NixonAll right.

HaldemanThey are concerned, see, they have to have their first budget cut, the economy and budget meetings before that period, and we had Oh, and if we put those down for the 30th and the first, they think that's a little late. And if you went to Camp David, if we could do start that on the 27th and 28th, Sunday and Monday,

Haldemanthey need a couple sessions with you. Maybe you one Sunday afternoon and one Monday morning. Just do them all Monday.

HaldemanTake a solid day. They don't They think there's too much to put into one day.

NixonWe can do it. What's wrong with that?

NixonIf they can't do that in one day, then then god damn it, they're not fit. Of course they should do it in one day. Or maybe they can't, Bob. They can't, I know, they can't. They go on, and on, and on, and on. If you grab them, they won't stop.

HaldemanWhy don't we do Why don't we give them Monday at Camp David, and then, if there is more stuff, they can do a little bit on Tuesday the 29th?

NixonThat's good.

HaldemanThis gives you Saturday and Sunday off up there.

NixonI could take all a couple days off, fine, just as well.

NixonI'll just do Monday here. Hell with Camp David. I'll come down here, or I can do it easier here than there, either place. I'd rather just come down and they come up and do it there where you don't get interrupted.

NixonWe're not uh are they going to make the announcement on Rochester today, or when?

HaldemanThey may have already made it, because it was leaking up there. And uh Are you just going to announce the Minot Island trip?

NixonAnnounce Minot Island for the weekend.

HaldemanI'm doing that speak quick because we're going to have some questions. To what?

HaldemanOh, who would wanna- who announce it to try to get a group out through the airport?

HaldemanAnd, then

Nixon[unintelligible] work, work is going to be done then, isn't it? Did you move it by any chance?

NixonWell, I doubt that she would be up there. She wouldn't want to go, for sure.

NixonSee, up here you can Pat, Tricia, the whole group can just stay here. That's fine. It'll keep her off of this flying. She won't have to fly, that's what, trouble. Try as hard.

NixonYeah, it will be this. It's next.

NixonSo, uh I don't have to to be Johnson.

HaldemanNo, well I hope so, because get any more than that, then they will start being problems. Well, on this budget thing, I know how anxious those, and then, if they they think they got to have three days on it or something it is.

HaldemanThey think they have to have a day and a half preliminary session.

HaldemanAnd, in other words, they need one four-hour session, one two-hour session. Then they need a couple of days down the road, in California,

Haldemanto go over the domestic you know, the specifics, programs, goals, and early school and that, that's something else.

NixonOh, that's what we talk about in California. Yeah.

HaldemanThe key thing The reach for the early is the budget for the later one, their goal thing. That's the one that should not be long.

NixonYeah. It's too long. That's down there.

HaldemanTh- This th- The first meeting's the one they want to do the- before th- the 30th are relative to veto topics.

HaldemanAnd they feel like, have to be done they won't be ready for until the 24th,

Haldemanand they think the 30th is too late. So, it boils down to doing it Monday the 28th.

NixonAll right.

NixonLet's see, what we'll do is, Chicago's Thursday?

HaldemanThursday.

HaldemanFriday afternoon.

NixonFriday is the In the morning, they had scheduled to have the afternoon off.

HaldemanWell, seeing seeing it's 8:00, you can have a session Saturday morning and then have do the rest of the Monday.

NixonI'm not going to come back Yeah, either one, yeah.

NixonDo it Sunday then. All right.

HaldemanSunday at 11:00?

NixonSunday at 11:00 and then and then on Monday. Sunday at 11:00 till 1:00.

NixonRelax in the sun. Take the afternoon and take the rest.

HaldemanThat gives them time to come up there in the morning, too. Yeah.

HaldemanAnd you can do the same on Monday. That's, 11:00. Up there, or why don't we just come

NixonRight. There's no advantage for me up there, is the thing. Today, there's some advantage. The advantage for them is that you're

Haldemanyou can kind of settle down, and also that you you can The advantage for you is you can you you can stay there, do that, and then cut out, you know, take you a couple hours, and then take the rest of the time off.

HaldemanThey like it because it keeps you not on that

NixonAll right. Sunday's fine, and Monday, fine.

NixonJust around 11:00 until until 1:00.

HaldemanGo up Sunday morning, do that 11:00 session Sunday, stay over. Sunday, get their stuff reworked from your meeting then, and be ready for the next meeting on Monday.

NixonFlorida Florida's better than I would have thought not for Florida be better.

NixonIt's wedding anniversary, and what do you think? Do you think the rest

HaldemanIt's a damn good time to go to Florida, because you you can get you can get down there Friday night and not come back till Tuesday, when you do, you know, go right to Atlantic City.

HaldemanAnd it is the wedding anniversary.

HaldemanYou've had this It's It's the ideal time to do that Minot Island thing,

Haldemanwhich you had in mind, and there's there's-

HaldemanI don't know how much whether there's anything out on it, that's the other thing we gotta find out. But,

NixonIt is ideal, and you can do it another time, Bob. Oh, you can do it anytime. You know what I mean, you can do it in August, September, October, anytime.

NixonIt's uh I just I've just been thinking that maybe I don't want to Florida and Minot Island, then you're fooling with

HaldemanI just don't know how that place is going to be, but I guess, you know, they've done their concern Castro out there it's so damn cold.

NixonSpent out there in that sun, [unintelligible] the cold.

HaldemanThat may be very good, that gymness, comparatively.

NixonYeah. What is that?

HaldemanWhy don't you talk, oh, well find out. Rochester, New York. I'll be right back.

HaldemanWell, we have eight.

NixonYeah. We had a lunch right here, eight people.

HaldemanYou want to have it with Pat?

NixonYes. It's harder to move into the police car. It's a strange place, because whatever he is, 24th, it's just difficult for us to move around.

HaldemanThis won't be that, because it's you and then there's yourself, sure isn't. I know, but I mean I haven't even physical facilities in the place.

NixonOh, this is not, you know, top class physical facilities, it's nice. It's an apartment, but it's, uh, rustically.

HaldemanThe problem with me and it's big. We've had enough advance notice, I guess, they've got well-staffed, as far as, far as [unintelligible]

NixonWell why don't you see if we can switch it then. All right? Switch it to Rochester and here's four o'clock Rochester and four, but if it creates any more problems with the drums, I guess not.

HaldemanOh hell no. I would never let the group go. All right. I'll see if we can do the drumming, I'm just going to Don't tell, don't tell these fathers, just we had other plans for shoot every weekend.

NixonYeah. All right, we are either with the drummers, or not, Bob.

HaldemanThey want to move her out, actually. If she wants to be out there, and so forth, just so she's not here.

NixonI got this, uh, what kind of pictures did Scali point out that we did?

HaldemanWe, the, the the ABC feature story. We had total control over the film, I wanted you to know that.

NixonSure, good. Who did it for them?

HaldemanGod, who did it for ABC? Sound like Farmer.

NixonGood.

HaldemanRon's sending it over.

NixonI thought playing him as an adversary, Scali's so, so for this that I told Ron to be against it, you see, and, and play, you know, and be sure we we're getting what we want out of it.

HaldemanNow, now with regard to Pat, there isn't anything, I don't want anything scheduled in July. I want her to just, to hibernate. [laughter] Is there anything else that she has to attend? I mean there's nothing big, is there?

HaldemanMonth of July, uh,

NixonOutside, there is nothing that we have on?

HaldemanCovered by Solitaire. We have scheduled nothing for you in July, really, we haven't scheduled anything for yet. We've got some idea, a couple of ideas, but any of the things that we even have in mind does not have all of her concern at all. I don't know about her office. You better have a word on. Have Alex get a hold of her office to see that she's free that month. Totally clear the office.

NixonExcept for Hawaii, where Pat deserves, my, my, looking back on it, myself.

NixonGot to go light in the summer anyway, obviously. I've been thinking, too, about the our, our, our thought about doing another press conference on the 24th.

NixonI'm wondering if maybe this isn't a pretty good time just to skip our period, our, our turnaround.

NixonJust leading in, after the wedding, if you do a Q and A afterwards, oh, I, I would, I wouldn't mind doing it right afterwards, but obviously they's talking of the July 8th, I don't know. But, I, it is, it's just, it's just the fact that, and I'm not so sure that, uh, I don't think the timing's right to which this is in order.

HaldemanWell, that's not to what I, I think that's right. I think you've come off, you can hold off a while. And in the summertime, now, you aren't going to get the ratings that you get anyway.

NixonWell, I was thinking earlier just whether people want to see it. You know, they've been seeing a lot in three of their programs and so forth.

HaldemanWe've had one. A couple weeks ago, we had the wedding, and this was the wedding was, the wedding was dominated the press, much more so than a wedding, probably, than any press conference. We're going to get quite a bit of TV out of this drug business because we're pushing it. And that gets onto this week.

HaldemanNext week you won't, you probably did, but it won't matter. Well they're, they'll call the AMA and they'll cover, they'll cover the retired people.

NixonMhm.

HaldemanAnd they'll cover the retired people. Yes, it's practically a local trip.

NixonYeah. We always, we can always go along on this thing if we want to, on the 24th, see what I mean? That I wouldn't even hesitate to let an awful lot stand on the 24th, all right?

HaldemanAll right.

HaldemanI think we keep it open, you know. That's one, we've got the, we have to decide. Yeah, it could be scheduled. I don't think we're, we're not bound to it now either.

NixonNo.

HaldemanSo, we can keep the facts.

NixonYou remember that stand by Mitch Miller looks, looks this way, you get to the point where I mean it's good, they may, they need good, you got to hear the point, they want it. Well, that's all that, sort of you can't hear, but

HaldemanYeah.

Nixonuh, that they may see enough of, they see enough, funny,

HaldemanI think so, and I think that, I think there is something, I get back to the, you kind of have to go back and forth on this, that there is something to say that while we do get good reactions when we go on in a press conference,

NixonIt's just the world going on.

Haldemanyou needn't go on quite that often, you know what I mean? The events, you kind of talk the events down, can't you?

NixonThat's it, you can't really calm them down, Bob. You can explain them. Some, they probably need to.

HaldemanYeah.

HaldemanIf you do that, skip that one, then you should do one in California, and it's good, I think it's good to do one out there and get the excuse for doing it at the, at the better time for them.

HaldemanJust slap it right through at 8:00, Western time.

NixonWhatever it comes. Yeah.

HaldemanNow the other question we had, all right. The textile people, as you know, are disturbed about the negotiations and all, and Roger Milliken wants to see you. We have arranged, no, we diverted him, bastard, would have knocked the stand. We've diverted him to the Attorney General, he's seeing Mitchell this afternoon and he's, he's accepted that.

HaldemanPeter Flanigan and Dan want to see you for a couple minutes this morning to get some guidance on how to handle that, so you know that where we are now.

NixonWell I didn't think Peter should see this panel again, where conditions didn't take him. He could have been told that this entity couldn't do it. Fair enough.

NixonSo,

Unknownthey they've come home very disappointed. Kennedys just know what to do now, whether it would be more generous, or whether we break off the talks.

NixonAnd

Unknownand we got the

NixonThe fact today did they win their test for [unintelligible]

Unknownthe common

NixonWe're having problems with come off shot. They'd be here until about one o'clock.

UnknownThey should have I feel they heard the calling when they were trying to put this together. They should have

Nixon[unintelligible] they thought these kids [unintelligible]

Unknownpretty tough this morning.

NixonYeah.

NixonWe'll get Alex to get us get a hold of Pat's schedule for a few folks.

UnknownSure will.

NixonNothing needs to be done. Like you said, not a damn thing, so tell her from now on, is it?

UnknownWe're all clear. Brandt dinner, Friday night.

NixonHuh? The Brandt dinner, that's fine. I mean, she'd got We haven't got anything that requires her presence except the Rogers reception.

UnknownOh, that's right. The Brandt dinner is Saturday night.

NixonRogers reception. Is she required to go to the Old Folks?

UnknownNo.

NixonShe just shouldn't.

UnknownThis is less I'll give a speech in back. She should not go to Chicago.

NixonShe, the Brandt dinner shall act cool. When the hell is that, 29th?

NixonAll right, I'll tell her that and uh, that, so she'll know what the schedule is and that's that. So that she'll know there's nothing on it.

NixonThen till August the 8th.

UnknownI mean, happy with that.

NixonYeah.

UnknownAnd she could do just the time also to pretty good.

NixonJust stay there. The month try to be calmly there before we go to [unintelligible]

UnknownOh, for sure.

NixonAnd the other one is pretty two weeks Midway.

UnknownMidway's going to botch it up. What What if, if we do the press conference, that's going to botch it up.

NixonOkay.

UnknownAnd I think we might work something out of there.

NixonYeah.

UnknownWell,

NixonI could do a year.

UnknownHere's light.

NixonHere we go to beat this.

Unknown[unintelligible]

NixonWell, we have no problems with cards so long as you take care of it now.

UnknownNo.

NixonNone at all.

UnknownYou got to be you got to be a little less sharp. I put a field of bees to be kind of this way. I tried to be good with

NixonUse

UnknownReal, soaking in that hot water. It's really a relaxation and not being in a strange place frankly. And I think that's, ah, bad. I really don't think that Pine Island is going to be much of a relaxation for you, cuz they're staying at either,

NixonNo.

Unknownwell they may be not that open [unintelligible]

NixonOkay. What does Helene think?

WoodsNo, she couldn't ask for.

NixonYeah.

UnknownJack's sitting in the Embassy told this other guy, told the jury that, you know,

NixonWell,

UnknownOkay,

Nixonlet's see.

NixonI've got the I'll get the whole schedule [unintelligible] tell her there is nothing off until July the

UnknownUntil she's in great shape now.

NixonNot to August the 8th or so. We got a whole herd at home and

WoodsAlex

UnknownTomorrow,

NixonHe'll have the whole slip. She's got There's nothing on it, so you telling this you can go, you can do whatever. Absolutely.

WoodsWell, take the whole month of July.

NixonWell, July and piece of August, nothing on it, piece of August, see?

WoodsWell, there's nothing of hers on cuz with this fact, that's not on.

NixonFind out over there frankly just what is put on. Then get it get rid of it.

WoodsWell,

Nixonwe have nothing. Absolutely nothing requires her. The thing, if you put on the the the last event that she must do, she's got to come back to the dinner with Brandt on the 19th.

WoodsFriday night.

NixonThat's it.

NixonI also keep up with the schedule, the our schedule, so you can see it.

NixonI go out to speak to the old folks, but I do that alone.

UnknownChicago.

WoodsOne thing that you're talking with her again, if she brings up

NixonMhm.

Woodsthat you could have like, like last month the night.

WoodsWhen she says all she wants, you know, is that like two weeks or even one week to that effect,

NixonYeah.

Woodsthat's all you're asking for. But you don't even get two days up there, you see? But you must tell her that, say that's what you want, too.

WoodsIf If In one week or two weeks, or whatever you can get, or every time you're up there, without the Drowns.

NixonThat's what I mean.

WoodsAnd let them be in a tower, or let the

NixonThe other thing is that I mean, today's another day. They always will be up again.

WoodsYeah, because they're they're supposed to be, they're supposed to check out of the hotel today.

NixonYou know, they're not heavy, but uh, but you see Jack,

WoodsMhm.

Nixonand of course Pat didn't know. I mean, that don't know Jack was going to hang around too.

WoodsThat's it.

NixonHe's going to hang around here. He's expecting, they're both expecting just to land right over there and sort of cheer us up.

WoodsMhm.

NixonThat's what he really feels like. And see, she she Pat said he was the last to go, and said,

Nixon"Well, we're available if you want us to come out." They really feel that I that I kind of depend on

Nixonfunny thing for even infections again.

WoodsI think they just want to be in. They just want everybody to think

NixonAnyway, Pat played the fox yesterday, she didn't call him.

NixonOn this thing of Helene's,

NixonI think that now,

Nixonout there, I mean, when I go to Midway, that's when you should see Helene.

WoodsThat's right. Because she Helene Helene is at her

NixonAnd Helene should be out of that house, like in the

WoodsNow, if you're only going to be gone for two or three days, or even two days or something, you know she won't be out. Takes longer than that to unpack.

WoodsLook at that plate, I mean you have to say to Pat that you you really understand her feeling of wanting them. Then she must understand that that that's barely what you want,

NixonYeah.

Woodsthat you do not relax around Helene, and and Pat knows that, she isn't dumb about that.

NixonNo.

WoodsAnd I think instead of saying, "Well, no, she doesn't bother me," you should say, "Yes, I do not relax around her and I'd like to have a wide period out there without them."

WoodsYou know, she can understand that, too.

NixonFind ways this week to give her a call once, you know what I mean? Yeah. If you could do that with folks, and uh, [unintelligible] nobody over there to talk to her.

WoodsYes.

Nixonall the time [unintelligible] And, I mean, Pat was all and then she says, "You know, they're always will be," and then she,

Nixonso How about that? She sees you could have never

NixonAnd, and I want to run right back, told the ranch [unintelligible] in the White House.

WoodsOh, yeah. Yeah.

NixonWhat if they're

Nixonover there all the time?

WoodsYeah.

NixonI think the both of you got Do they even bother about you not being on the phone?

WoodsNo, they've they've all made they call up had at uh,

WoodsThat's good. They really shut off that.

NixonYeah. Fine.

The morning after

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The morning after

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

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Also recorded on June 14, 1971

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