Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 718-010
Date: Wednesday, May 3, 1972 at 12:14 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/718-010

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[2:19:20] I want the speech, or I haven't prepared the speech, because getting the speech and writing it will help me get my own thinking in the right time of day.
[2:19:20] And so I want the speech or copy of it by, uh, well, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday.
[2:19:33] Well, let us say, let us say, could we have a copy of the speech rather than tomorrow?
[2:19:39] Could we have it tomorrow at 7, after dinner, 7 o'clock?
[2:19:42] That gets all day tomorrow.
[2:19:44] Fair enough.
[2:19:45] And you just put it in there, and we'll, we'll, we'll, we'll do it.
[2:19:50] I'm sorry, we'll do it.
[2:19:56] This will be one real surprise.
[2:19:58] On the edge of that, there will be absolutely no reason.
[2:20:02] It will make you look very strong.
[2:20:05] For a moment.
[2:20:07] For a while.
[2:20:08] But on the other hand, on the other hand, we will definitely serve.
[2:20:14] And frankly, it's the only choice we have.
[2:20:18] See, that's the way we have to look at it.
[2:20:19] If we had a better choice, we'd make it, wouldn't we?
[2:20:22] Well, you can do the two-day strike.
[2:20:24] I think if we wait with that too long, if we wait just, they'll think we're flanking.
[2:20:29] I mean, we can't be any mad.
[2:20:30] Well, the two-day strike, it could still go.
[2:20:33] If it went by Tuesday, we wouldn't be waiting too long.
[2:20:37] No, but... No, but...
[2:20:41] That's about it.
[2:20:42] Partially, we've got to go one way or the other.
[2:20:45] That's what I meant.
[2:20:47] So that's why you've got to decide.
[2:20:49] I've got to decide to go, uh, on this thing.
[2:20:53] If you can't do this on it, you can do it on the two-day strike for a while.
[2:20:58] Well, I can hold that.
[2:21:01] Okay, I'll, I'll get that done.
[2:21:04] But I agree you can't hold up the decision until, uh, the weekend at play.