Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 656-007
Date: Wednesday, January 26, 1972 at 7:52 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Woods, Rose Mary; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/656-007

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:05] Hello.
[0:06] Hi, Rose.
[0:07] Yeah, how are you?
[0:08] Fine.
[0:08] How'd the party go last night?
[0:11] They...
[0:13] They got good.
[0:14] That's good.
[0:15] Well, I thought that would give them a different subject.
[0:18] They didn't have to pitch so much.
[0:20] Yeah.
[0:21] Yeah.
[0:22] Good.
[0:23] What is the...
[0:24] I was wondering... Tonight, are you free to come over?
[0:29] I thought the school was out of town.
[0:47] I'm trying to tell you that I assume you're working with me.
[0:50] It's very important to re-equip the troops hard on the reaction stuff because it's predictable.
[0:58] I don't believe it.
[1:00] I haven't seen it.
[1:03] I'm hoping the Times, the Times says reaction is next.
[1:09] It's a quiet story.
[1:10] It says no converts were made.
[1:12] If you read the stories, aren't you mad?
[1:16] The headlines are wrong.
[1:17] On the other hand, Chuck, we can't sit back and think that that doesn't affect people.
[1:23] They've done it deliberately.
[1:24] And I think you ought to get the line off his ass and get him to raise it.
[1:30] I can say, Bob, I like one of those leaders' meetings.
[1:33] I want you to get Chuck all the bomb jurors.
[1:37] You can't emphasize too strongly how the thing I said to both of you last night, individually, that you can't just assume you're going to get this reaction story across.
[1:50] Because you struck a raw narrative.
[1:54] You know what I mean?
[1:56] But as I pointed out this morning, we'd like to sort of cross over
[2:13] Well, there were.
[2:14] There was John Cameron Cooper.
[2:19] I mean, when I say conquerors, I meant to think of the college.
[2:26] That's true.
[2:33] My point is, I think we have to really get in line with people like that.
[2:39] They ought to be really great to help on this sort of thing.
[2:47] And that they should tell the truth.
[2:50] Or do you have any comment?
[2:52] Or do you see the necessity for this?
[2:54] Or do you agree with me?
[2:55] My point is, in certain armies, are we doing things?
[2:57] That's the point that I would make.
[3:04] At the outset, it's pushing the positive side, which is obviously what you want to do.
[3:08] Then you watch what kind of bounce you get.
[3:11] Most of what we've gotten has been about what we want.
[3:15] Some of it has been what you'd expect.
[3:16] I mean, the San Duran opiate types are going to squeal, and you're never going to get enough water for testing that.
[3:23] I mean, someone else has got to take them on.
[3:27] And now what we need, which is what you were talking about last night, that we've got to get
[3:33] The attacker touches on our side to attack the people who get the points on the other side.
[3:39] In other words, to attack the divisiveness, to make the point that the president called for going together on this so that we could get something done.
[3:48] They have attacker divisiveness, but also polishers.
[3:56] You've got to be really, you can't get away with this kind of crap, you know what I mean?
[4:02] It's like, it's like the November 3rd thing in a very different way, but I mean, where you've got some public opinion rolling for you, not other things, Bob.
[4:08] You've got to generate it, you know what I mean?
[4:10] You know, I assume that you're generating stuff.
[4:12] Yes, sir.
[4:13] We are.
[4:13] You're, you know, and then put it out, so to say, whatever it is, it's got something to put out.
[4:19] Yeah, we can hold back, sir.
[4:21] last night with the story of this malady and just running down the list with an enormous reaction and so forth from across the country.
[4:30] Do you understand what I mean?
[4:32] Sure.
[4:32] Don't just... You've almost got a spoon full of cigarette or anything like this, so he's got...