Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 737-005
Date: Friday, June 16, 1972 at 12:33 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.; Coffey, Vernon C., Jr.; Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.)
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/737-005
National Archives Catalog: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/417181495 (NAID 417181495)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:02] Excuse me, Mr. President.
[0:05] With regard to the ceremony, you know, I don't have a chance to deal with it before this time.
[0:18] The people are here.
[0:20] That's good.
[0:21] All right.
[0:21] Stay right here.
[1:03] Oh, they want remarks, it is true.
[1:05] Well, they provided you with some remarks, as it might happen, and it helps to keep you, you know, wishing you'd be fine.
[1:13] His wife is not going to be here.
[1:14] His wife is here, sir.
[1:16] She is a new gentleman.
[1:17] Oh, I'm sorry.
[1:17] Or presents.
[1:18] Yes.
[1:18] I can be here.
[1:18] I can talk.
[1:20] Oh, there, I just picked up.
[1:24] This is about an exchange.
[1:25] His wife is here, sir.
[1:45] I just don't want the goddamn crescent here.
[1:48] That was all optional.
[1:51] But I might suggest that if you'd like to have to really .
[2:30] I'm here to introduce people and to be presenting this to John Hayden.
[2:33] After you pre-lit one, where are we going to stand?
[2:38] So you'll stand right here, so pre-lit, and I'll get the family, put them all over here in center service.
[2:44] Larry and Rogers, Joe Hudson will be here also.
[2:47] Yeah, right.
[2:47] He's over here.
[2:49] He's over here.
[2:50] He's coming from the county.
[2:51] He has to come out by now.
[2:52] He has to represent us.
[2:54] All right.
[2:55] And then we'll get to John A. Mann and the rest of the family, just as you read the citations and present the medal.
[3:01] And as soon as you've given that to John A. Mann, the son, let's get the rest out of here.
[3:09] What is this?
[3:23] Well, the rest of the family doesn't want to be a part of it.
[3:27] Well, if this is the case, you can't have a son that cares when he presents a draft card.
[3:34] Any of that, sir?
[3:52] I would imagine that if the press is here, people will do it in front of the press.
[3:57] Of course, of course.
[3:58] So we're not going to have them either exclude the son or exclude the... Have they announced this to the press?
[4:03] Yes, yes, yes.
[4:04] I don't think it's excluded, Sonny.
[4:05] That's the question, too.
[4:06] I don't think the press would think that.
[4:10] Well, if you like the press, the thing we should do is exclude them.
[4:14] No, no, no, no, no.
[4:15] The best thing to do is to have them all come in and give you the card, and then I'll have the press in.
[4:20] I'll talk to him first.
[4:21] We can have the son come in by himself, because I don't think the rest of the family wants to be associated with it.
[4:27] All right.
[4:27] If he wants to hand you his draft card, then we can go along with this.
[4:30] I'm not going to let him come in.
[4:32] If he can't come in and hand it, I can give it to you.
[4:35] All right.
[4:36] Because otherwise, we're going to make that the incident.
[4:48] No, he's not going to come to this office.