Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 667-003
Date: Tuesday, February 8, 1972 at 5:13 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Woods, Rose Mary; Sanchez, Manolo
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/667-003

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:19] I didn't raise it.
[0:28] It's funny, he talked to John.
[0:33] And he made a point of saying, you know, it's his house.
[0:36] I didn't have any quarrel with the White House staff on that.
[0:39] He said, it's the president that's kind of been talking about value-added tax.
[0:42] He said, I didn't think your boys were talking about it.
[0:47] So...
[0:48] He's not talking about what he said to Jim.
[0:51] That's a lie.
[0:54] I haven't used the word.
[0:57] You know, I really haven't.
[0:59] He was just, you know, he didn't want to get it.
[1:02] You know, in some cases, people probably are trying to suggest that.
[1:07] Well, they are.
[1:08] There isn't any question about that.
[1:10] The technique was wrong, but the substance was wrong.
[1:13] There are people, and some of them, there are people without that.
[1:23] I, uh, I, uh, I think they're asking me about, uh, you know, I don't know.
[1:28] And I just said, no, I said, uh, but, uh, I said, I've seen no reason, I mean, to, uh, to raise something together.
[1:42] I mean, uh, let it go.
[1:43] See what happens.
[1:45] You've got today, you've got tomorrow.
[1:48] Scalise, I mean, yeah, that's it.
[1:50] It's still rising from all you did.
[1:52] Maybe you decide you want to do it.
[1:53] Scali's argument was that that would sort of clear the air so that you wouldn't be bogged down with it if, you know, if there were any questions anybody would ask you.
[2:07] I think what I'm going to say is a lot of the figures covered that.
[2:12] I really haven't anything to add.
[2:14] What is the question that Peter just made about it?
[2:20] See, that's the only scandal I want to say.
[2:23] The personality is, I think he's over-sensitive.
[2:26] I think the reality is over-sensitive in my opinion.
[2:38] But also, looking at the leadership, reading the Hughes-Cotton-Jerry Ford thing, they ask them to
[2:47] So, in other words, you agree with Baldwin that they are aiding and abetting the enemy, and Scott said, I don't join anybody else's statements ever.
[2:55] I've known him a long time with it.
[2:57] You people take statements out of my text, and I don't know what the whole statement is.
[3:01] So I would not join that, as I never would join a statement.
[3:06] And then he repeated what I said.
[3:08] He said what he thought, which was, you know, made his point solid.
[3:11] And then he said, and I would repeat what I said yesterday,
[3:15] People make strong attacks, they've got to expect strong declines.
[3:21] And then they didn't pursue it much.
[3:23] They went on to the substance.
[3:25] I'm not so sure it's going to...
[3:26] It's going to get obsessed with each day's story.
[3:30] I don't know.
[3:30] I've misjudged this one all the way.
[3:32] I didn't think it was as big a story as it was to begin with.
[3:36] Well, look, they won't make anything of each story anymore.
[3:42] One of the things that they're, as they do with him, they'd love the chance to get out one of us, but they think they're hurting.
[3:51] I frankly don't think they are.
[3:56] Well, I'm giving a bunch of those, God bless you, telegrams like you get.
[4:01] Thank God you have the courage to hit them.
[4:08] It's long from okay.
[4:10] What do you say?
[4:12] We have to keep standing up to these people that are trying to sell our country down the river.
[4:16] Stay with it.
[4:16] Don't back down.
[4:17] Well, that's the reason why I can't do it.
[4:20] I mean, obviously, I'm just going to say that I think I'm just going to say that because I kind of wish many of you agreed.
[4:30] I said, Mr. Secretary, I'm going to say that my views are going to change.
[4:36] I'm going to tell you what I'm going to say.
[4:38] We don't want to go to.
[4:45] No, but I don't.
[4:50] We sent a military aid to them.
[4:55] I think we should.
[4:59] You know, sure.
[5:03] And the reason.
[5:06] Well, I think.
[5:09] Oh, I see.
[5:10] Uh huh.
[5:16] Yeah.
[5:53] Do you do that as well?
[5:55] Oh, thank you.
[5:56] Thank you.
[5:57] Thank you.
[5:59] Thank you.
[6:04] Thank you.
[6:06] Thank you.
[6:06] Thank you.
[6:21] Uh, bring, bring, uh, don't hurry, don't hurry.
[6:28] Uh...
[6:29] They really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
[6:55] I don't want to hurt that person.
[6:56] I'm pressing down.
[6:57] I'm still trying to get it back.
[7:06] Oh, it's much better.
[7:35] He's coming tomorrow.
[7:36] He's coming tomorrow.
[7:38] He's coming tomorrow.
[7:42] Oh, yeah.
[7:42] And I've got my arm flat, so my collar's up.
[8:08] Did you have any free to come over and have a drink with us?
[8:11] No, I promised not to continue.
[8:12] All right.