Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 725-013
Date: Tuesday, May 16, 1972 at 9:48 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/725-013

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[1:52:14] I mean, you need the guys for assistance.
[1:52:18] First, this is the most enthusiastic gung-ho that they ever saw.
[1:52:21] Everybody was ready to say, thank God we're doing something.
[1:52:24] These guys, these bearded wolves, bearded wolves, now they're scared in the name of these things.
[1:52:31] It was terrific.
[1:52:32] These were the best that I've listened to in a long time.
[1:52:34] That's right.
[1:52:35] Well, let's say that.
[1:52:36] As you were speaking, they all knew from the beginning of the speech the way it was going to come out that they knew you were going to take strong action.
[1:52:43] And he just sat there, and the minute he was asked, he said, the barracks just exploded all over the whole campus.
[1:52:48] In fact, they exploded the cheering, yes.
[1:52:53] And the cheering went on until 3 o'clock in the morning.
[1:52:56] The kids, nobody went to bed.
[1:52:57] They all just had total rejoicing.
[1:53:02] That's great.
[1:53:03] Yes, sir.
[1:53:03] Because they liked the actions of the strongmen.
[1:53:07] They liked the speech, and they liked the decisive action.
[1:53:13] You know, these kids, that's been a hell of a problem for them over the years, to keep their morale up.
[1:53:17] They knew what the...
[1:53:18] I wonder whether the United States is still going to face up to its problem or whether they're going to crawl.
[1:53:28] That's right.
[1:53:28] So, it was a very... Oh, hell, he was just elated.
[1:53:31] That's where we're doing the whole thing.
[1:53:37] Good.
[1:53:37] All right.
[1:53:39] I'm going to get this back up in a minute.
[1:53:41] Yes, sir.
[1:57:21] Could I ask you this?
[1:57:22] There's one thought.
[1:57:24] You give Bill Rogers a call to tip him off and say that the president will announce him at the conclusion.
[1:57:29] That would be very thoughtful.
[1:57:31] If he, Bill, would make the first statement and send him off to the secretary, would you be sorry to see him go?
[1:57:35] He's probably a job to be done.
[1:57:39] Just tell him, tell him that you're not passing this to anybody else because we don't know how the others handled it.
[1:57:45] The rest of us like him to take the lead and then if others want to say something, fine.
[1:57:50] The meeting will be recorded.
[1:57:52] The other thing is with regard to this thing, when would you think that I could go to a creation meeting?
[1:57:58] It can't be right at lunch hour.
[1:57:59] But we've got to go when the crowds are out here.
[1:58:01] Right after the announcement.
[1:58:02] But after they get out, walk over with the three of them.