Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 725-035
Date: Tuesday, May 16, 1972 at 4:58 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); MacGregor, Clark; Hoopes, David C.; Bull, Stephen B.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/725-035

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[4:22:11] This morning, the pressure they got in terms of personal business from delegations in the United States was absolutely unbelievable.
[4:22:21] And I said, well, it was a pressure to tell the press, but what about the people?
[4:22:25] Good God, the polls and so forth, you know that.
[4:22:28] That isn't the way, that isn't the attitude of the country.
[4:22:31] They're just hearing the rants.
[4:22:34] I gave each of the senators that I was worried about a copy of the Harris Poll in case he missed it.
[4:22:39] I will.
[4:22:40] I will.
[4:22:43] I will.
[4:22:44] I will.
[4:23:07] No.
[4:23:07] Well, here's what we're hearing about, Mr. President.
[4:23:11] There's been a whole series of feature stories.
[4:23:15] I haven't read a time in this week.
[4:23:17] I haven't read a news summary of what time in the news we get to say it.
[4:23:20] And the bureaucratic problem about the Senate's spineless and its, you know...
[4:23:24] They should make a foreign policy.
[4:23:27] Well, how can they?
[4:23:28] How can the Senate negotiate with Matt and Bill?
[4:23:32] Yes.
[4:23:36] I ask you to put in a gentleman's side of this.
[4:23:39] He asked for the United States to enter into an agreement with the NLF.
[4:23:44] For what?
[4:23:45] Well, Mr. President, I hate to be perplexed because it did not get out of the point of being absolutely ridiculous.
[4:23:52] By then, we would have appealed to the minister to call for an agreement for a verified ceasefire between the United States forces and the NLF.
[4:24:00] which leaves the North Vietnamese with a chance to romp over Cambodia and Laos and South Vietnam, see?
[4:24:05] Which makes no sense at all.
[4:24:07] The NLF ain't fighting now, you know.
[4:24:08] They're done.
[4:24:08] It's straight as well for me, Mr. President.
[4:24:16] Thank you for going through the audience.