Nixon, Haldeman & Connally on IMF Speech and Campaign Strategy

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Haldeman[unintelligible] [laughter]

HaldemanUh, yeah, that, too, but I was just talking to Howard Baker, and you got a real problem with Tennessee, he says. [laughter] He just got a poll from the 6th, the 6th district, which is uh

Haldemanwhich is the one in the middle, which is the one his his opponent's home district, and it's his toughest area. And he just got a poll, which he says it's a very valid poll in that district. And he said,

Haldeman[laughter] He didn't tell me where he stood, but he said, "It's It's Nixon 65, McGovern 5." [laughter] He said, "Pretty good."

HaldemanAnd he said, the guy who gave him the poll, he said, "Well jeez," he said, "I think Norman Thomas ran better than that in that district, didn't he?" And the guy says, "Yeah, but he wasn't liberal." [laughter]

Nixon[laughter] [unintelligible] I wondered what you thought we ought to do because uh Shultz and John Connally are both coming this evening, listen to me, I mean,

HaldemanI had [unintelligible] I talked I talked have a long talk with him earlier, and uh he's personally in good shape, and so uh

NixonHow about a half talk, a half hour and then come in and meet all of his people?

HaldemanLet's bring in picture taking and then have a chat with them, right? And that's all right, too? Yeah. And he's looking forward to that, and uh he uh

Haldemanhe has some points he'll he'll want to raise with you, I think. Well, that's he's concerned that uh

NixonWell, that's just a talk.

Haldemanthe only problem he had, which he I think will raise, is uh a Colson problem on being pushed too hard to do something.

NixonHe's been pushed?

HaldemanYeah, his people were over the weekend, and and he said it's It's not His point simply is, and he raises it not on that problem, he dealt with that fine, but his point is

HaldemanWe talked. He says, "We just be awfully careful about overkill." But, he said, "I've changed my view completely." Yeah. Uh he said, "I've seen change gradually, and I'm now completely changed. As I told you, I I thought this whole thing was going to shift." He says, "I don't think so anymore." He said, "I think the guy is is he's done."

NixonYeah, but he's coming up, I mean. He's coming up in his crowds and everything now.

HaldemanYeah, but the packing hits it. But, then John says, "Yeah, but he's doing it wrong. He's attacking too hard and too harshly, and uh not uh He isn't making the right points." And and he said, "I just am very concerned that you all over there don't don't uh

Haldemanget the thing, you know, these whole thing that comes along that you got to react to it." That's

NixonWhat is the situation here on, let me ask one small thing, about calling later to California, did anybody follow up with him on the social role?

HaldemanUh yeah, but I will again. Well, I'll call him tomorrow myself, and while you're here tonight in order to be sure. I want everyone to realize how important it is being the polls [unintelligible]

HaldemanYeah. That's right. The second half of your so-called And uh

Haldemanthey said the reason Baker was calling is was to make a to make a hard pitch for uh about 20 seconds of silent television film with you,

Haldemanand said he and John Tower both are just just, "I don't care." badly need it. And, while we've been doing it that we wouldn't do television for them like that, we would stuff, you know. These are incumbents.

NixonOkay, well, we've said we weren't going to do television for anybody.

HaldemanHow about a silent The silent isn't too bad. He said, "I don't it doesn't have to be sound." He said, "If I could just be walking around the Rose Garden with him or something, you know, or" Well, do it for them. but don't tell them. How about the other one? I think I can do that.

NixonIf you can tell on the calls. We've gotten We've got 100, I mean, we've got a lot of candidates. We can't do it for House candidates at all, but, gee, you know we can't tell them.

HaldemanYou fellows get it, put it in the can and use it. Now is that a problem with Tower in Texas with as far as Connally's concerned at all?

NixonNo, no, no. He knows I'm for Tower.

HaldemanIf you don't talk, it doesn't seem to me you create any problem anyway because it doesn't show the guy working. You aren't endorsing him, you're just with him. There's no audio.

HaldemanIt just proves his relationship with the president. Nobody's had audio. Cuz you see I don't I will not go with [unintelligible], for example.

NixonThat that damned [unintelligible] somebody said he was coming. Do you hear that?

HaldemanYeah. A few areas. He's up. He's only 10 points behind or something, where he was He could win. 30 points behind.

Haldeman[sighs] Now the Shultz thing is uh and this Yeah. Shultz would like you to raise this question with Connally. Did Henry raise it with the speech? Yeah, Rogers this, there's the stuff on it.

NixonRogers thinks it's a good idea. Yeah.

HaldemanWell, Shultz says Rogers says it's a good idea. Except for the It wasn't this morning. Except for the last paragraph, or something. He's Rogers still wants you to make a speech though. Me make a speech or else I'll tell him to make a speech. Well, Shultz is going to make a speech, anyway. What Rogers does

Haldemanthe last thing they suggest you say is that "I've outlined the broadest of guidelines. I've asked the Secretary of Treasury to lay before the specifics of a U.S. proposal." That's what Rogers doesn't Rogers doesn't, that's my point. That's what Rogers wants me to make this speech, but he doesn't want me to make the

Nixonproposal.

HaldemanHe doesn't want Shultz to make the proposal, that's what he's Connally better, that's the key one, how do you get in with that?

NixonThat that's it. Good.

NixonSo, that's what, is the shudder down?

HaldemanThat is the speech. It's a uh It's an outline.

HaldemanIt's a paper It's points to be covered in a speech. It's got to be rewritten as a speech.

NixonOh God, who can you get to write it? Got to get somebody.

HaldemanYou don't think Safire can do that?

NixonOh, you can give it to Safire. It seemed to me that he's the one who understands it. He understands it, and he's totally He's always worked with these people.

NixonMonkeys.

HaldemanSo I guess you do need to see Shultz then. Yeah. Uh if you don't Colson was done, well of course, whatever you want.

NixonColson saw, this is the the irritating part for Rather, he said, Rather and called mine [unintelligible] partisan attack, and he called the Labor Day speech a bitter attack, slashing.

HaldemanA slashing, a slashing attack.

NixonDid you hear?

HaldemanWell, no, but we've got to keep on bitching about it. Does it do any good?

NixonYeah. No. A little bit. He does it for political reasons. Shit, who knows what the Christ he's up to. No question.

HaldemanThere's no point getting upset about it.

NixonIt wasn't that tad. It wasn't slash. Damned if it they didn't treat that damn responsible. Well, no, not really, it's the way I wanted it.

HaldemanNo, it was a good, a good, hard-hitting, blunt, straight-on speech. Right.

NixonIs there, Jesus, why did they do that? They're tired of that. Has anybody picked up the tricky dick business and hit the right thing?

HaldemanOh, yeah. McGovern? Yes, sir.

NixonWho?

HaldemanThey all They They've played that Hitler thing back to Tricky Dick. Tricky Dick from yesterday and they all say that.

Nixon[unintelligible] Probably made that point, didn't he? Yeah, they made it.

HaldemanAnd of course, Connally this, that won't work either. Ted John, did you figure out what to say?

HaldemanHe said, "Well, this, it was over the weekend. It wasn't a very smart thing," he said. [laughter]

Nixon[laughter]

HaldemanHe's just He He I can feel it that this guy

Haldemanis is done. And he also, he was talking about the problem they're going to have with Shriver. He says he's totally convinced that Shriver is is going to be a disaster. All his insight is that that O'Brien isn't running things, if they're still in complete shambles.

NixonUh-huh.

HaldemanCampaign. I'm through with it. I feel Well, like I felt this morning, all pretty good for a couple of hours and then we had to go out, Saturdays, and pick up, the reason is I don't, I slept for four hours last night and it was damned annoying.

NixonYeah.

NixonI just just going back and forward, but when we do this when we do this one the California that's one reason why I came right back.

HaldemanYeah, then you'd, uh yeah. Well, I'd suggest this though, maybe rather than doing another stop in California.

HaldemanI mean, in line with that, we'll make a pretty good whoops with that dinner and so forth, and I don't know that the other evening will get that much, but it maybe we hit Ohio on the way back or something, like I don't I don't think there's any harm.

NixonYeah, the point is, if we're going to get blamed on this trip for politics, and for the not a Texas trip, I don't want to get in that way, back. Wouldn't you agree?

HaldemanMhm.

NixonOr do you? Yeah, I do. That's That's California. If you go up If you go to California, you're clear across the country aren't that far.

HaldemanWell, or what would you What would you say? Would Ohio be the place to hit it, hit it in the South somewhere?

NixonWell, yeah, that's too far.

NixonHe's still good then, huh? Yeah, it'll be about 5:00.

HaldemanIt's three hours flying, three and three is six, six o'clock, you leave at 6:00, yeah, that's 2:00.

NixonNow, I didn't mean really to have a, maybe it's not, maybe we don't want to have a motorcade.

HaldemanI sure wouldn't try and obligate anytime that then. Maybe we don't want to have a motorcade. We're not going to have one in San Antonio.

NixonI don't think we should. I think we should just go to the Alamo. The Alamo'll have a crowd there. Yeah. Why do you Why did Waterbury kill a crowd there? What do you think about that?

HaldemanThe motorcade is such an obvious campaign thing.

NixonI kind of like that format that you talked about last night of the of a motorcade and a press conference.

HaldemanIt It combines all the things you want. It gives you the crowd and the excitement factor without getting out and making a political speech.

NixonOr a stump speech, or you know, in a in a cavernous stadium. And yet you still get the the same kind of really more hoopla. You reach a lot more people in a motorcade than you do in a in a speech crowd. Enormous.

HaldemanAnd you give they're just as excited at seeing you go by in a car for a couple of seconds as they are to stand there for three hours and listen to a twenty-minute speech.

NixonMake stops along the way. Better pictures. Much better pictures.

HaldemanAnd then in, get cleaned up, go down to a press conference,

Haldemanwhere you call it a regional press conference and you you almost could consider a a segregated press where you let the travel press come in

Haldemanon one side and sit there and you have the regional press in that on the other side and then take

NixonTake half and half, half and half. Or just alternate. Take a question over here, then one over here and just go back and forth between the two sections. That's right. Then nobody, the regional gets their chance to play in the big And I'd go 40 minutes on it.

NixonFigure so that that'll do 20 minutes a side.

HaldemanYou got to realize you expose yourself when you go to these through press conferences, though. You've got to go into every standing issue, but you see if you're not doing it on television

NixonYou just have the news thang. That's it. I'll just stand up there and take the damn thing, you know, we don't have a problem with questions. I don't think exposing, and it answers the thing of, you know, Nixon's not accessible. Oh, hell, no.

HaldemanWell, that's the other thing Connally says, "Don't, for God's sake, get in the answering these people like on the tax thing. Don't" He says, "I hear that the White House staff is anxious to put out a tax program." He said, "Don't rush out a tax program. If you don't ever get around to one, it'll be plenty soon enough.

HaldemanInstead of rushing a tax program, talk about that you've already reduced personal income taxes more than anybody, raised corporate taxes by, shut off, cut through the surtax.

HaldemanBe specific in that way. Say here are the specifics. Where are McGovern's specifics? His agenda's Don't give him keep him on the defensive.

NixonAnd Howard, the uh How about our new pictures? Have you got them processed and so forth? You've got Ollie in line and is there any bickering on this?

HaldemanThe problem, the only problem this is uh I just talked to Rose is the uh what? Question of backtrack producing it, which Mrs. Nixon wants to do, and I I don't know what the problem is on that. I've just got to get a technician in to find out what the

NixonWhat will happen then? Just have it done. Yeah, well, you understand. It's It's You get into a problem for instance money at some point. Well, backtrack doesn't No, I mean, have it done by somebody else.

HaldemanYeah, buy them. Yeah.

NixonBuy the things. Well, I've got to get better pictures out, Bob. We're using these horrible pictures every place, you know. I haven't noticed, but they're awful. That goddamn that guy with all of them hanging. It's not a good picture.

HaldemanEvery night. It's not a good picture. I know. We need a good smiling picture.

NixonRight. Yes. John, how are you? Hello, John. How are you?

HaldemanAre you the guy who took over as McGovern's secret advisor? [Laughter]

ConnallyI am. How is everybody? Good. Did I hear LBJ?

ConnallyI get so pissed at funny that, that from when I worked with him, it even irritates me. Did you know all of my kids You replaced him. That's the thing. But they had the Frank, and they wanted frankness, they kept the bastard honest, you bet. He had the bastard, and I kept him honest.

ConnallyAnd I never bitched at all when he was there. That's right.

HaldemanI just He now, Johns flaws are no one more, they were not Nixon's, taking away from, he nodded him, [laughter] that's nice.

ConnallyWell, it is some sort of relief. And the first point is that the people are not dumb. You don't think so? No, I don't. After all these years?

ConnallyNot at all. Good. We see more dumb ones than uh than not. But the these plain people out in the country, simple people, have a sense, an instinct, and chastised by they know who pointed that bastard, and they know who kept him there.

ConnallyAnd hearing Charlie throw the main point, number one warmonger, and this It's Replaced. Replaced as a number one. How about some iced tea?

ConnallyYes, sir. Thank you. How about those some iced coffee? Iced coffee, very sugary, cream, with it, please. Half and half.

ConnallyIt's a good thing, but Shriver, serious trouble. I think he is already in Spain. So kick his backs off. He's got, you bet, this guy Shriver's got, he always has called for it. He's just like, back to the book. He's just always with it.

ConnallyHe just makes more noise. He doesn't have any depth to him at all.

NixonLet me uh Let me take uh a little time to tell you how that could work. First to do, it's uh number one, substantive matter. Uh uh I understand you believe I should make a speech to the IMF, and you do believe that Shultz should make a proposal.

ConnallyFor Shultz, on both counts.

NixonGood. All right, how would that go forward? I don't know the the proposal Rogers raised a question about this morning. There's two congresses going on to resolve the international monetary Affairs of Warsaw. And I don't give one damn, do you?

ConnallyNo.

NixonNo, you think it's good for Shultz to do it. Fine. Now, do you I should say, can you think uh does he has he talked to you about? Do you know what the proposal is? Is that what it is?

ConnallyBasically, I uh What I What I understand of it, it is, yeah. I don't want you to bother it, then it's all right. I told him he pressed me hard yesterday to go over it. All right, all right.

NixonBecause it's complicated and, believe me, don't tell me about it. I don't want to know about it. Yeah. Don't tell me, don't try to explain it. It's done, we'll do it. I'll make the speech, and Shultz, tell Shultz to get it, and don't don't ask me about it.

NixonHe says, I I know that he leans so far against Rueff that he will protect me on that line, and, therefore, this naturally will move a little in that direction. It'd be all right, right?

ConnallyYeah, I think it's fine, and I do have one very strong feeling, and I told him, but I'll tell both of y'all, one of the reasons I want you to make this speech is not just to speak to these representatives of foreign nations, but this gives you an incredible forum,

NixonYeah.

Connallyto talk about what you're doing here.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyYou can say to the world through this forum we're fighting inflation, we're going to keep fighting inflation, we're uh you know, we're we're increasing our productivity, we're going to continue to increase our productivity. We're going to We're going to insist, we're going to provide the leadership,

Connallyour share of the leadership, of reforming the the structure, so that we can all live, so that we can have equality, because we must insist upon equality uh for the preservation of jobs, just as you want to insist upon equality for the preservation of your own economic wellbeing.

ConnallyBut it just gives you a hell of Be sure that's all in the outline.

NixonAll right. Fine. What is this, though? The reaction? You see any problem in announcing your staff coming into the the secretary's staff coming into the delegation to that party?

ConnallyNo, they got the list. They put it out.

NixonI see. It's cleaned up, and all they wanted to Sure. That's right.

HaldemanBecause you see we're going to follow this up tomorrow, trip to Williamsburg. Fine. But, I said, "What are we talking about?" "Well, he gave us a report on the on on on how they're uh on the progress that's being made on the campaign transmission, etc." She said, "That's fine."

NixonAnd so the very rich blonde Hannah, he knows how to deal with us. [Laughter]

HaldemanHow's that? Fair enough?

NixonI'll keep the needle in here, John. [laughter]

ConnallyOkay. Well, we may need it again. [laughter]

ConnallyThe other problem that [unintelligible]

Connallyis so-

NixonIt's with regard to the, you know, our general momentum on the campaign.

NixonI thought we could talk a little about that, where we sit now, and what we do

Nixonin the whole area. Now,

Nixonuh let me begin it by saying that uh,

Nixonsince we talked in person before,

Nixon[unintelligible] that uh,

Nixonwe had this, rather surprising

Nixonholding in the polls, uh which uh now sits

Nixonjust about [unintelligible].

NixonSo, anyway, that's- Up to this point McGovern's not starting to move. The second point

Nixonis that uh, uh, on the other hand, this past week,

Nixonhe has at least begun to show,

Nixonas Salinger's, probably O'Brien's hand is showing in here,

Nixonto attack, attack, attack, which is what he's got to do.

NixonUh, the, the the basic,

Nixonpressure we will be under now, here on in, for instance, he gets out [throat clear]

Nixonand a few half-assed crowds and so forth, the media, of course, will blow them up.

NixonThat's the big difference between Johnson-Goldwater versus Nixon-McGovern. We have some advantages

Nixonthat, that Johnson didn't have, but he had something here,

Nixonwhy wasn't Goldwater having fantastic crowds, huge, arrogant, enthusiastic.

NixonJesus, it's unbelievable.

NixonPress didn't report it. But they're all anxious to report it. With this son of a bitch,

Nixonuh, he can get out there and they'll, they'll save him if they can. So they blow it up.

NixonIt fucked in my mind, the crowds. The crowds do not mean anything

Nixonat all in these days, either for him or us, saying, for that matter. But,

Nixonthey do affect your own troops. Our own troops, I imagine, in a week or two,

Nixonwill start to say,

Nixon"President's got to get on his ass and start getting down, he's got to go to Canada, he's got to go to Alaska, he's got to start to go,

Nixonmaybe even Tennessee,

Nixonmaybe even Wisconsin,

Nixonmaybe even Texas."

NixonSeriously. Now, it's my inclination to resist all that.

NixonIt's my inclination- Let me put it this way: if we were talking about our lead in the polls, what we had in 1968,

Nixonwhich is 14 points in this period. It was, wasn't it?

NixonBut 14 is a hell of a lot [unintelligible] hell of a. Did you know that Eisenhower's lead, John,

NixonI look back, I was amazed to find this, in 19

Nixon56, when he won by a- well, we thought the big majority was, up to then,

ConnallyMhm.

Nixonhis lead over Stevenson until the last week, was never more than 10 points.

NixonAnd then he ended up 15 points, because of Suez.

NixonFifty-seven and a half, 52, 42.

NixonSo we're talking about numbers that are just incredible, it's not- You, you can't find anything, touch you, touch you back to Johnson, who ended up about 61-39,

Connally[unintelligible]

Nixonand it works about the same as we have now. But my point is,

Nixonuh, nobody has been elected president in this country in our whole history except George Washington who won unanimously,

Nixonwith a, with a 2 to 1.

NixonNot even, not even, not even Landon lost by that much. It was 37 to 16,

Nixon62-38. Correct?

NixonSo we're in a position that is historic.

NixonAnd it, and so we expect that to change. But my point is,

Nixonwe got- see how we got where we are.

NixonThe interesting thing is that, which the idiots who try to tell you to get out and bust your ass don't realize,

Nixonfrom the time, John, of July 15, 1971, when we announced the China thing,

Nixonand August 15, the economic thing,

Nixonthe trip to China, the trip to Russia and all the heat, and then to the Republican convention, do you realize

Nixoneverything I have done

Nixonhas been as President?

NixonI have not really- I haven't made one partisan speech in that whole period of time.

NixonI haven't gallivanted around the country. I haven't made appearances in the country. I resisted it almost totally.

NixonSee my point? Except for an appearance in the AFL-CIO convention.

NixonAnd the one-

NixonNow, if we got where we are, and of course the Republican convention, convention. But that was still telling- It's all on the television.

NixonIf we got where we are doing that, the question is,

Nixonwhether we now, because of the pressures of our people to say, "Gee, you got to keep it up,

Nixonor he's gaining a lot,

Nixoncan't take this for granted," and so forth, "Get out, get out, get out."

NixonWhere- What do we do? So I, I just wanted to get, I know you've followed all of that,

Nixonyour view earlier was that we ought to be doing some things, this was before the convention.

ConnallyRight.

ConnallyWell, Mr. President, obviously, you know,

Connallyyou know that he's on the ropes.

ConnallyNow, I was telling Bob earlier that

ConnallyI thought that three weeks ago

Connallythat he would close this gap, and close it very substantially. I now question that he will.

NixonUh-huh.

ConnallyClose it some, but not substantially. He'll close it some, but not anything like as much as I thought.

ConnallyNow, assuming that everything goes as we sort of anticipate,

Connallyand that is that we don't make any serious mistakes and that he keeps making them, and I think he's going to keep making them, because I think he's dumb.

ConnallyHe's disorganized, it's pandemonium over there in his headquarters, there is still is no question about that.

ConnallyAnd, uh,

ConnallyShriver is going, going to keep himself and McGovern in hot water, in my judgment, because he talks too damn much.

ConnallySo, I just don't really think- He's, he's going to improve as he goes along, he's going to improve his technique,

Connallyhe's going to improve his- His pitch is mean, because somebody's going to finally get to him

Connallyto, to attack you.

ConnallyUh, at the same time,

ConnallyI don't think we ought to panic, and I don't think you ought to loose, you or any of us, ought to lose perspective of where you are.

ConnallyAnd how you got there. Just as you say, you got there by being a responsible,

Connallyreasonable person.

ConnallyNow,

Connallyyou're where you are not, not alone because of what you've done,

Connallybut you're there to a considerable extent because of what he's not.

ConnallyOr what he is, depending on how you look at it.

ConnallySo, he has no well, or store, reservoir on which to draw. He doesn't have any goodwill.

ConnallyHe's already being too mean. He's stepped himself-

NixonIs that your interpretation?

ConnallySixty days before this campaign, he's already being too damn mean.

ConnallyAnd he, instinctively, is going to be meaner.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyThat's going to be his natural reaction, and I think all we-

NixonHe's mean by Nature, isn't he? Sure.

ConnallySure, and all we have to do is goad him.

NixonYeah. That's good.

ConnallyWe just have to goad him, we have to needle him, to get him to be mean, to keep these attacks up.

ConnallyNow, it's going to be hard for you to take, it's going to be hard for your people to take, all like this, but, uh,

Connallybut, nevertheless, that's what you ought to do. But now,

Connallyour, our fear,

Connallyat this point,

Connallyis overkill on our part combined with sympathy in his behalf.

NixonThat's all.

ConnallyNow, we can control the overkill.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyAnd we ought to be able to control it, and he's going to destroy the sympathy, because of his method of campaigning.

NixonHe is not a sympathetic character up to this point. That's correct.

ConnallyHe's been in the past.

NixonNow, but people were, people began to feel sorry for Goldwater.

ConnallyThat's right, but they don't feel sorry for this son of a bitch.

NixonYeah. Okay. Yeah.

ConnallyAnd he can't make them feel sorry for him. We can't.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyWhile Goldwater was an honorable guy. You could think he was nuts, and you could totally disagree with him, but goddamnit, you had to admire a guy that would go say the things he's said,

NixonThat's right. And in a manner-

ConnallyAnd, so I just think- McGovern doesn't deal with he says.

NixonYou think he- In terms of specifics-

ConnallyI just think we ought not to get lose sight of the ball.

ConnallyYou're going to be importuned, I'm sure, by everybody in the country and everybody in the staff, and I hear, "Let's do something, let's do something, let's do-

ConnallyWhy don't you come out with this idea, with that idea?"

ConnallyFor what?

ConnallyUh, what improvement can you get?

ConnallyThere's not any one thing in my judgment that you can do now that would add 1% more

Connallyto your vote. Could, could distract-

NixonAnd probably would distract.

ConnallyEverything has a, has a biting edge, both ways.

ConnallyAnd I just think at this point you play straight. Let's, let's play it just like we have been.

ConnallyJust keep him on the defensive.

ConnallyTalk about his welfare expenditure.

ConnallyDon't ever let him forget the $1,000. Don't ever let him forget the 52, 32 billion defense cut. Don't forget the isolationism. Brand him as an isolationist.

ConnallyNow, there's only one other element that we're touching on.

ConnallyAnd, and we ought to start saying that this nation is, is fed up

Connallywith those who constantly degrade it.

ConnallyThis nation is fed up with people who constantly degrade it.

Connallyan imperfect people in an imperfect nation in an imperfect world.

NixonWell, we're damn, darned

ConnallyWe're the best there is, and we're trying constantly to improve. And our our efforts are of a constructive nature. And we're not trying to tear down, to belittle, to berate, to destroy. And that's what our opponents are doing. They constantly run down everything. Just listen to them.

ConnallyThey run down, they run down the the institutions of government. They run down the institution of business. They run down this institution, and that institution. Good. That's good. That's the whole

NixonNow don't hesitate. Don't hesitate. This is a That's a hell of a speech.

ConnallyOh, that's Sir President Johnson's point. That's not a bad that's not a bad speech for Texas.

NixonThat's right. That's a good speech for you. That's a good speech for you, uh, yeah. in some form. Oh yes.

ConnallyUh, and you do that without being mashed. You do it in a As a matter of fact, you could do it

NixonYou can touch it on the You might You might get that in the Alamo speech. That is kind of a part of when you're talking about the spirit of America, what made it great.

ConnallyRight. Yeah, and how they keep talking about the I mean, I made that Alamo speech a couple of times. It's a great part. Are you going to be there?

NixonOh yes. That's the plan. That's why we're going to fly off and do the Alamo thing. That's right.

ConnallyWe bought it. That should be great. What I thought you can do is fly off, yeah, fly off and do the Alamo thing and then come here. Do the Alamo, and then in the in the afternoon at the hotel meet with some of our, you know, the guests Texas

NixonTexas titans, right, great, Texas titans. Yeah, and then after that It's got to be private things. And then after that's all done, why, that would be in that would be a private thing with our own people. Then we can go over to the reception, and it is my plan not to do anything on the way back. Uh, having in mind the fact that I think that the one event a day, one event when we go out and there's nothing, otherwise like barnstorming, and it's too early for barnstorming. Do you agree that it is, John?

ConnallySo we just come back then next morning. That's right. Go back to Washington.

ConnallyOh, fine. I, I just don't I don't think you're that vulnerable yet. You're not that vulnerable on price controls, on economic conditions. To sitting prices, and he's hitting, well, some, but not He's not selling. He's not selling anything right now.

ConnallyAnd so you don't want to you don't want to start selling specifics right now. What you want to sell affirmatively is faith, is statesmanship, is responsibility, is decency, leadership.

NixonAnd where that according to this Harris poll, that's all right there. All we got to do is hang on.

ConnallyThat's all. It isn't It isn't It isn't something that you got to build up. It's there, we got it. You just go into the hotel room. It'll throw us off. Harris's poll covers your strong, yeah.

ConnallySo, so, let's don't lose that, you see, because the minute you start running off on specific issues, then you take it out of and put it into a completely different context.

NixonWell, I believe we've we don't have we don't have to stay any longer on Come on. Right. We've already got them. Right. And the

NixonThe only thing we've got in the life rank is taxes. And damn it, it's such a tough one. I think we've got to be very careful. We might well brush something about property taxes, but I'm not going to be damn specific about it.

ConnallyThat's probably You don't want a candidate out there, one that raises prices and raises taxes. No, and say tax reform, who did it? Yeah. I did. Let's be specific.

ConnallyThey want to talk about specifics? I have taken 9.5 million people off the tax rolls since I've been president, poor people of this country. I have reduced personal income taxes by $19.5 billion since I've been president. That's being specific.

ConnallyWe have reduced excise taxes, that the poor people of this country pay along with everyone else, $3.5 billion since I've been president. That's being specific. We've raised corporate taxes $4.5 billion since I've been president. That's being specific. I've said we're going to reduce property taxes. That's being specific.

ConnallyI've had two reform bills. I've had two reform bills, 1969 and 1971, the most sweeping tax reforms in this century, since the passage, the income tax uh measure itself in 1913. That's being specific. Yeah.

ConnallyNow, and all and all this does is give you an opportunity to say, "Sure, we're not through. We're not through. But when my opponent tells you that he's going to he's going to give you another $140 million worth of $140 billion worth of government services without any new taxes, he's leading you down a blind alley. You can't get that kind of money except

Connallyby imposing it upon the average working man in this country, cause that's where the tax comes from. And I'm not for it. I want to reduce taxes. I've already done it, I want to do some more, but I've got to reduce spending first before I can. And we're sure we're going to have tax reform, but it's going to be it's going to be responsible tax reform, it's not going to be political tax reform,

Connallythat really says he wants political increases so he can spend more money because he don't think you got sense enough to spend your own.

NixonGood. But that'd be that'd be my approach. Good, that's all you need, huh?

ConnallyYou, you, you get a chance to drag home again the 22 billion tax reductions, and the fact you increased taxes on corporations. Right.

ConnallyAnd uh Right. you can't go out and defend, now, 106 cases, you know, people who made over $200,000 paid no taxes. You can't do that.

ConnallyUh, if if you start talking about corporations, let's get Bill Safire or somebody give you, I told George Shultz this yesterday, "Get you a dozen cases of these tax perquisites."

ConnallyOr if you really want to later on, you can talk about you can talk about casualty losses, and say that's a tax perquisite. But if your home burns down, you're out in Keokuk, Iowa, and if your home burns down, I think you ought to be able to take advantage of it on your tax return, so you build it back. Right, here in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

ConnallyYeah, washed away in a flood. And just say that's a tax perquisite. But I think it ought to be retained, I'm not for changing it.

ConnallyNow, take the city, the city bond issue. Just say now the all will pay, your city will pay 9% interest to build your sewer facilities, and your streets. And they raise your taxes. And raise your taxes to pay for it.

ConnallyWell, that's all right. I'm not for it. My My opponent is. That's what he wants you to do. But that's one of these perquisites that he's talking about. Interest to personal personal

NixonAll they done is raised taxes at the local level and reduce them at the federal level. That's all. That's all it does.

ConnallyAnd just say now, the truth of the matter is, this great tax reform bill he's got, is is warmed-over hash that Stanley Surrey concocted and put on the stove, and served up to President Johnson,

Connallyand he wouldn't even submit it to the Congress, and they leaked it to the Congress. It was all considered in the 1969 tax reform bill, and the Congress has gone over every bit of it, and rejected 95% of it.

ConnallyThat's all.

ConnallyThat's the way I'd handle his tax reform

NixonWhat is uh because what is the situation is uh, John, what's your analysis of this uh When we say this fellow is dumb, what the hell is the What is it here, that's

NixonHow did he get where he is then? What's your analysis? Pure horse power. Hell,

ConnallySure, chance. Now, look at his life. What's he done? He was a history professor.

Nixonno and and disorganized and, no organization.

ConnallyAnd they turned over a defunct uh operation up there in in uh South Dakota. And the Democratic Party that nobody wanted to fool with. So he kept working, and working, circumstances, luck,

Connallyand perseverance, made him a political figure, because nobody else wanted it. Yeah.

ConnallySo, he got elected to Congress, got defeated for the Senate. Kennedy bought him back, made him director of Food for Peace, everybody thought he was as dumb as hell then.

ConnallyThey wouldn't give him anything that had any substance to it. So, they made him

NixonHe didn't say he would run then.

ConnallyWell, Food for Peace. What was it?

NixonHe was awful.

ConnallyHe was, and nobody feed him around town. Nobody gave him They thought he was a two-bit operator. And uh, so then he goes back and fortuitously gets elected to the Senate.

ConnallyAnd uh then he starts out last year. Nobody gives him any, any chance. Why? Because nobody paying any attention to him. Everybody in this in the Senate knows he's dumb, everybody in the press thought nothing of him.

ConnallyBut, my God, compared to the Harold Hugheses, and the Harrises, and Vance Hartkes and and this crowd, anybody could look pretty good. And the Sanford

Connallythe Terry Sanfords, and the John Lindsays, and they just fall by the wayside. Muskie acts like a damn fool, so he falls by the wayside. Humphrey never got started. Neither did Mills, nor Jackson. Well, Humphrey's the best of them. Humphrey's the best of them, but

ConnallyIn the meantime, In the meantime, the McCarthy group captures McGovern. Yeah.

ConnallyI sure, solely need it to win that

NixonThat's right.

Connallyprimary. But beyond that, they have no basis upon which to operate to get a 50 percent nationally instead of 20 in the state. Now, in that connection,

Connallyand nobody knows this, but, but you two, other than two other people, that's strictly between us, Gene McCarthy dislikes McGovern very much. He's very disenchanted with

NixonYeah.

Connallywith McGovern. He would be interested in some government position,

NixonDecent.

ConnallyHe would be interested in the FCC, or more interested in this, Is he a lawyer?

ConnallyNo, don't think so. FCC, Well, it doesn't have to be. For, FCC? No, he doesn't have to be. No, he does not. He's more interested in this uh Communications uh

NixonYou got a new man, John Macy's leaving. Yeah. Public broadcasting, isn't he? Public broadcasting. Uh-huh.

ConnallyYeah. Uh, but he'd like to do something of that sort.

ConnallyThose were the two things he mentioned. You may not want to give him either. But, you should give him something. He said,

HaldemanBe first class.

NixonYeah. He's twice as smart as McGovern. Well, he's, and he's got he's got some class.

ConnallyOh, he's got some class. He's a he's a jerk. He's a He's a He's kooky, like he's got He's kooky. But he's smart. He's interesting. Hell, folks, McGovern's a dull man. He's nothing there.

NixonWell, McCarthy's smart. He's just a he's just a professor type. That's all. Poet.

ConnallyYeah.

NixonHe's a poet. That's what he wants to write.

ConnallyNow, this is uh this is something that he wants handled extremely discreetly, obviously. Uh,

NixonIt all has to be handled that way. Why would we give him the FCC? John Macy's leaving Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

ConnallyThere's nothing paying there, Bob.

HaldemanAll right, I've got to Check on what's paying. the Macy job.

ConnallyNow, Macy You know they filled this public broadcasting job, and he uh, but by the 15th of October, I think,

HaldemanMcCarthy wants a job with, what do they earn?

ConnallyOh, yeah. He's pays in it. He's [unintelligible]

HaldemanIs there an FCC vacancy?

ConnallyYeah, he'd be good on the FCC, get rid of that goddamned Johnson. Oh, I'd trade, I'd trade uh I'd trade Johnson for McCarthy any day in the week.

NixonBoy.

Connally'Cause that guy Johnson's an idiot. Aw, he's terrible.

NixonMcCarthy, you need another avenue, McCarthy's a responsible, decent man.

ConnallyThat's what that's what, yeah. Absolutely.

NixonCheck the FCC, Bob.

HaldemanCheck if there are any Democratic vacancies.

ConnallyWell, it doesn't have to be before the uh Yeah.

HaldemanWell, I'll see when they're coming up anyway.

NixonSee when they're coming up.

ConnallyThe thing that triggered it, frankly, was this was Macy leaving the public broadcasting job.

HaldemanSee, they've got, there's a commitment made there. Is there?

ConnallyI didn't think there was. Well, he didn't know whether there might be.

HaldemanWell, and the

Connallyparticular job, does that pay, could it be,

HaldemanSome,

Connallysome tied into the, a lot of on-the-board, uh, on that board it doesn't pay anything.

HaldemanHe wants a paying job, obviously.

ConnallyOh, sure. He'd have to have a paying job, because he has really nothing to do. Now, he, he told this, very frankly, to Leonard Marks.

HaldemanNo, they, we're the only people that know it. Good.

ConnallyAll right. He told this to Leonard Marks, that uh and asked him, frankly, he hinted at that, but he wouldn't want to be an ambassador.

NixonI don't know that he can afford it.

ConnallyExcept being, John [unintelligible] doesn't take money.

NixonWell, they might, there are some, some are does not, don't have to, he wouldn't have trouble, you know. Why?

HaldemanNo, what I mean except for the big you get away with the big ones except for the big posts, ambassadors do not have to have money, and they do very well. They come out pretty well.

NixonThe only thing you have is southern chair for early off-days,

ConnallySure.

Nixonevery night with it.

ConnallyI'm not appalled, Does he have a woman, does he have, is he married?

HaldemanNo.

NixonUh-huh.

ConnallyThat would be, he either drinks or whores.

HaldemanThat's 20, FCC will be perferable.

NixonFCC would be perfect.

HaldemanOr there might be another board.

NixonNow, he likes communications. All right, get to work on that.

HaldemanCheck with, check with Garment. If there's something there, you know, we might have something in the arts.

ConnallyYeah.

HaldemanWhich would be good, you know. We have forty million dollars this morning in on that. And, uh, he's good at this, he's, uh,

Connally[cough]

NixonAnd I think in return for this, is a public endorsement of us by McCarthy.

ConnallyListen, everybody Oh, you want to You want anybody Listen to that this business did to that.

ConnallyThey told me we didn't want the endorsement of the Teamsters, the truckers. I said, bullshit. [laughs] I said, I'll take the endorsement of anybody, wouldn't you?

NixonThat's right.

ConnallyI mean, the only one I would ever send, I will, I'll never take the endorsement of the Communist Party. [laughter]

ConnallyWe all say that.

HaldemanYeah.

NixonWait, McGovern, does he say that?

ConnallyLike, uh, but of course McCarthy would help. You know why?

NixonIt would put, strike terror into the hearts of those lefties around the other camp, because they don't trust each other anyway.

ConnallyOh, wouldn't he cut? That's right.

HaldemanAnd the kids would shake him.

ConnallyOh,

NixonMcCarthy could do it on the basis of uh he said, "Now, look, I disagree quite outside. Disagree on the war. I I disagree with the President on many this and that, but I cannot take this clown."

ConnallyThat's what he'd say. Sure.

NixonThat's all he could say.

Connally"I've got to put my country first."

NixonWell, now getting back to what we do now, John. Is uh your feeling at the present time is that we stay on course, right? Yes, sir. And don't go gallivanting around the country now.

ConnallyNo, no, right.

NixonAnd uh now look at, dad. I've got, I kind of decided that until the 1st of October Between now and the 1st of October, here's what we've got. What I have planned is a very busy schedule here at the White House. I'm going to be, well, I have the IMF, and I'm going to be receiving ambassadors, and I'm going to be meeting with cabinet officers and the leaders, and I'm going to get down Albert, and I'm going to get down, you know, you know, White and all that sort of stuff. We will, we'll, it gives you sort of the feel of a that the man is busy being President, and, at the stern, so on.

ConnallyRight.

NixonSecond, I'm going to go, my first appearance, my first swing will be yours. I'll do the Alamo. I'll do yours. I think that has a nice touch to it, because three days after that, I will then go and do the the the the the the next swing, I have to do those finance dinners. All right. That was the 26th. So, you see,

ConnallyYeah.

Nixonso, we do the we do we do the we do the Democrats first, when I do the political ones. I get it all out of the way within the space of 5 days. And I do the uh I do that one, and I do do that one night in New York, and the one in Calif- two in California the next night, and then back here. And that's, and that finishes September. Now, that's what I had in mind at the moment.

ConnallyI wouldn't do any more than that.

NixonWe can add, the only thing, we could go up to Providence, Rhode Island, have a regional press conference. Uh, high reception there. I uh I just don't know that any, I think I just think the idea of starting out, so called, what, I mean, is campaigning as such.

NixonAnd, first, like you say, they'll all understand coming down to meet with the Democratic leaders. I mean, this is a very important group. They'll understand my doing that, and also, that'll be a low-profile in a way. It isn't one of those things where I'm off making a big, damned speech.

ConnallyRight.

NixonUh, and and doing the Alamo thing is a is is it's always sort of above politics. It will be totally nonpartisan, you know, country-first and all that sort of thing. Then, they all understand I've got to do the finance dinners. Do you agree?

ConnallySure.

NixonI think it's a lousy forum, but I have No, but you have to go. I have to go, and, also, our committees, our Republican people in the Committee, other people have got to know that I care. And, that's part of the job.

ConnallyThat's right, yeah. I think you have to go.

NixonSo, I'll do those, but then that carries us then into 8, 10, or, I don't really need to be out. That carries us then to the 1st of October.

ConnallyI think that's good.

NixonThe other trips into 26th

ConnallyYes, sir.

Nixonand 27th, which is two nights. I'll get that I won't have to answer. Now, uh, that's about what we planned now. Does that sound, does that sound good to you?

ConnallyIt sounds good.

NixonNow we can always change, but my view is this. Uh, John, assuming that you've got What you will have, there'll be a lot of McGovern activity, and the press will start to pinch. Uh, he'll uh So, let let us suppose, let's just take this. Suppose, suppose that it suppose the polls change by 10 points.

ConnallyYeah.

NixonSuppose instead of instead of a 30-point lead, you got a 20-point lead. You don't change anything. Not necessarily. For the reason that, 20 points is,

ConnallyYeah.

Nixonis optimum.

ConnallyRight. That's true.

NixonAbsolute optimum. I mean, that's basically Johnson over Goldwater.

ConnallyCorrect.

Nixonwant to have three, and they have three. Totally accurate. So we have to realize we're in this, we're in an extended position here, John.

ConnallyRight.

NixonIt's just unbelievable that there, but it can't get better.

ConnallyIt can't get any better.

HaldemanUh, Howard Howard Baker talked about his-

ConnallyHow can he lose it?

NixonHe would take, took his coat off, Mr. President. You want to talk about Baker. How about Baker? [unintelligible]

HaldemanHoward Baker. He said he had, he was just tired as he said, well, he got, just got a poll report from the middle district of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee's nation, which is, he says, is my opponent's home area and his heartland area, it's the one we have trouble with East and West, we know-

ConnallyAnd where you hit the low background.

HaldemanBaker has trouble there.

ConnallyWhere Jimmy Stahlman, his paper, and Nashville.

HaldemanRight.

ConnallyYeah, Jimmy Stahlman, who was all our heart, who's constantly on Jimmy's heart, but the Nashville Banner. The Nashville Banner.

HaldemanNashville Banner.

ConnallyAnd that's why Jimmy had, so go ahead.

HaldemanOkay. This is, then that we got the, got the poll report from that area. It showed, shows the president at 65, the governor at 5, and the undecided 30. [chuckles]

Connally[laughter] And the guy, Howard said that the guy that gave him the report, said: "Well, by god," he said, "Norman Thomas ran better than that in that district, didn't he?" He says, "Yeah, but he wasn't as far left as McGovern." [laughter]

NixonWell, it's, why, you've had an Iowa poll. That's right, yeah. That that they're 70% or something.

HaldemanSo, somebody's ball rings, or somebody's not just, I don't know, it's just, it's going over the brink, or they're just, and almost it gets down to there isn't anybody there, except for hard core funny.

ConnallyThat's right, funny McGovern people, but it's, but this, that do mean-

NixonYou know, the thing that, think about Goldwater, John, '64, and you recall it very well, Goldwater had his hard core. And, by God, there was no way Johnson could shake that. No way, because Goldwater had those four Southern states, and he had conservatism, which is about a third of this country in his pocket all the time, and they were for Goldwater and, by God, they'd shoot for Goldwater.

ConnallyThat's right.

NixonWell, this fellow, this fellow, at the present time, has made, is lacking the hard core. What is his hard core? He's, he lacks the Democratic hard core, the Hubert Humphrey. He doesn't have labor, that's, that's gone. He doesn't have the Democratic party establishment, that's gone. His hard core basically is the South.

ConnallyAnd that is, and that is South that's gone.

NixonNow, what is hard core is, John, is it fair to say, is his, is this rabble-youth, it's the blacks, and it's a few goddamned intellectuals.

NixonNow what's he going to build on? That's the point. Do you and I know this as a fundamental rule of politics, you must not cut the umbilical cord with your hard-, uh, with your, with your hard core, like uh, with your passion, what you're based support. Like, I, the, the the whole uh, the whole business, I mean, the here's your, here's your umbilical cord, see? Here's your basis support.

NixonRepublican's over here, Democrats over here. Each tries to stretch that umbilical cord as far as he can, to get the center. And the one that stretches the furthest, wins the election. But if he comes so far, that you break the cord, then your hard core goes spinning out here, and then you're out here in the middle, suspended in te- terr-

ConnallyRight.

Nixonright? That's the thing you all got to remember. Like I told you about Finch in California. Finch, Finch, Finch, if ever get nominated, would win in the center. But he's talked too damn liberal, and the result is the Republicans may not nominate him.

HaldemanYeah.

NixonSo you're, then you get the bloody chump.

ConnallyIt's back to ruling your politics that you always followed.

NixonThat you've got to get your hard core first, but you mustn't do so much to get your hard core, that you can't stretch that cord [unintelligible] this fellow's made that mistake. Terrible mistake, and I don't think he could rectify it, frankly.

Connally[unintelligible] can't bounce back. We have a better hold on a, a bigger hard core than we've ever had.

NixonThe whole damn, wait-

ConnallyWell, it's huge, because we've got not only the Republicans, but we've got a lot of Democrats and independents.

HaldemanAnd, you got all the Republicans really for you. You've got, you got-

Nixon98, 99-

HaldemanWould you believe, I mean even the Javits Republicans are for you. Really for you.

ConnallyWell, also, all that in our Democratic force, right? And, now you have an enormous chunk of Democrats.

HaldemanThat's right. And they're leading that way.

NixonExcuse me, go ahead.

ConnallyWell, you've just got, you see, he's irretrievably lost the Jewish vote, or a substantial portion of it.

NixonHe can't get it back. He's You know what? That failed. He called Rabin today, did you know that? He called him, and said, and said that McGovern would like to go to this funeral for these athletes.

ConnallyUh-huh.

NixonAnd, and, and, and Rabin said, "It's all nonsense." He said, Rabin, Rabin told him, he said, "Why don't you just call, why don't you just call the [unintelligible] see what they say?" He said, "Tell him that you called to propose it." I said,

Nixon"Don't come. I will say you shouldn't come."

ConnallyWell, it'd stop you to death when he got there. He'd probably be stoned.

HaldemanOh, yeah.

NixonOh, that'd be awful. That'd be terrible. But, why did he have him in that? Well-

Connallywhich is fair, isn't it? But, he overplays his hand, see? That's what-

NixonWell, I didn't even know, I called the woman, I thought that was all right to express concern, but to do that? No, that's overplaying it, yeah.

ConnallyWell, this, this fellow is really, why the tourists didn't even look like him. He, he had great strength, but he's lost a large segment of the Jews. He's lost a large segment of the Catholics.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyIrretrievably.

HaldemanCatholics even more than the Jews.

NixonFar more.

ConnallyAnd, it's not just the Jews about Israel. Do they've got money. Well, of course, they've money. It's inheritance taxes, it's the estate taxes, it's the capital gains-

HaldemanEven though he's changing all that now.

ConnallyThat's right, see? I'm saying the reason they know, they're not for him, is because he's advocating all these things. And, hell, they know they're the people with the money in this country. They don't want somebody for him that's going to take it away from them. Now, they're not they're not saying that's why they're against him. They're saying they're against him because of defense, Israel, and so forth and so on. The truth of the matter is Jews are against him because they think he'll, he's going to take their money away from them. And, they work generation after generation, century after century, to pass it on for God's sake, huh? But, he he can't get it back. He can't get the Catholics back. He's too liberal on abortion and so forth.

NixonRight.

ConnallyHe's not going to get them back. He's not going to get the South back. I'll tell you-

NixonRight.

NixonNo way.

ConnallyWhat can he say to the South?

HaldemanNo way. Because, every time he turns around, he takes the blacks with him.

ConnallySure, and, and he's not going to give up the blacks. So, he's not going to take labor away from you. The blacks are about all he's got. He's made, George Meany an enemy.

HaldemanWith Meany Meany threw the sword on him on, Meany after what he said Sunday can never, never let him get away.

ConnallyWell, I didn't read the story, just as I got out of the car coming in here, it was afternoon Star. A huge headline on page two, I think, uh: "Let Somebody Else Explain Meany," said McGovern, or something like that. So, he finally took a crack at Meany. Well, he he put his feet to the fire, he'll keep doing this all night.

HaldemanYou see, for me to take a crack at Meany helps Meany. Remember when we hatched you're up in here, like for him to take a crack at Meany he's cutting his hard. It's cut the cord, and free difference is that's great.

NixonSo, and another group he's got to get back. Now take the Midwest. You know, the farmer types, the rural types, and first of all farm prices are going up. We had a Japanese grain deal. We had a Russian grain deal. We're even going to sell some to China. There's going to be a Russian trade agreement that's announced before the election, a damn good one too, by the way. Great one. That's really what the business got to be in Congress, because Henry and Rogers are already, you know, fighting about who's, whose jaws been, uh, they've already worked it out. We're going to have one hell of a deal announced about the 15th of October. Big. Big.

ConnallyFine.

NixonBut, my point is, my point is that take the Midwest, the farmers, the mountain states, and so forth. Here he is, uh, as they would put it, but we've done pretty well with that, you know, and, and also basically, those people out in that part of the country are patriotic. They're god-fearing, it's Bible country. And also, they're people that believe, believe in basic values, John. Now, those people cannot take this new lifestyle, John.

NixonI mean, you know, of course you know these figures well, but you know I campaign them all, and really, I I like those people, they're my kind of people. I've been to Wyoming, I've been to Montana, I've been to North Dakota, South Dakota, I've been to Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc. There are a hell of a bunch of people out there. And you say, "Well, they're just a few votes in each state." Well, they add up to, they add up to two big states. When you get that all the Plains and the Mountain states in there, Colorado, they can never get those people. You think, John?

ConnallyNo.

ConnallyNo, and whatever happens, we, we really need somebody to be hours spending more time, uh, maybe uh, thinking about things that you go over, that you can put in these speeches. When you talk about your parks for that, and you talk about that you, the land that you've set aside for parks, for the great parks, for the

ConnallyGreat beaches. All right. You want to preserve. You want to preserve them so that people might have a chance to walk

Connallyin quietness and solitude and tranquility and see the wonders of nature. You don't want to preserve this so some some sun-burned, some nekkid boy and girl can get get out on these beaches, and and put that right in this line.

NixonSure.

ConnallyAnd that and that these permissiveness, I see where they, MacGregor just brought a peach out there were all these kids were going nekkid. Well, he's, you see, people think

NixonYeah.

Connallyof him in those terms. They think of him in terms of being associated of all the permissiveness, the abortions, the nekkidness, because his people are that way.

NixonCourse. Course, they're that way.

ConnallyAnd and and his hand-picked candidates, his delegates.

NixonHuh?

ConnallyHe is associated. He's associated.

NixonOf course he's associated with it.

ConnallyAnd, but you can, and you're right. There're there're many ways that you just throw in a sentence here and there.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyAnd just constantly keep up promoting people's minds that they, and you may be a square, but you're for that you're for the essential and basic values of this country, what's good in this country. And

NixonWell, and that happens to be that I can say it with great sincerity, because, I mean, hell, I am square.

ConnallySure.

NixonAll right, and you are, too, John.

ConnallyWe believe in these things, Mr. President.

NixonWe believe in these things. So why not say it?

ConnallySure.

NixonListen, let me say one other thing before the others come in. I would like to set this thing up where,

Nixonon a regular basis of the uh you know, the either the the day that John is most likely the uh the weekly meeting,

Nixonwhere John, MacGregor, you, I, and Mitchell,

NixonI think that should be it.

ConnallyMm-hmm.

NixonUh if you want to add anybody you can, you can add anybody on occasion you want, where we sit down and evaluate the week.

NixonI think we've got to do this every week. Does that meet with your approval?

ConnallyYes, sir.

NixonEvery week. And we'll sit down and spend an hour. It's something you want to want to do like go to Camp David for dinner on Tuesday night or something like that?

ConnallyYeah.

NixonI'm happy to do it. Well, pick the night that John's John is the one whose schedule is important.

ConnallyPick a night. I can be more flexible. I just shuffle Charles around. But, I don't care what night of the week. Yeah.

NixonYou're You're Every Tuesday night would be great. You're likely to be up at Camp David Tuesday nights. And and it's uh How about Tuesday?

NixonIt's kind of a good idea to go up. It's sort of a get-away. We'll sit around, have a high, relax a little, and everybody stay or go to bed, or whatever. Come up and have dinner, and go and get back. Most of them probably rather come back.

ConnallyCamp David is nice.

NixonEither way. Stay up there Tuesday night, or you come back Tuesday evening. It's so fast, and so convenient.

ConnallyFine.

NixonAnd uh why don't we set the next one for next Tuesday night?

ConnallyGood.

NixonKind of shoot for that on a regular basis. That's fine. You're kind of at loose ends up here anyway, aren't you?

ConnallyOh, yes.

NixonI mean the evening isn't a problem for you.

ConnallyNo, no.

NixonJohn, whatever we can do. You can go up. Why don't you go up with me?

ConnallyWell, thank you. I'd love to go. That'd be fine.

NixonSure.

ConnallyYeah. Good. Okay.

NixonNow we'll go up around let's see, here around 5:30. Yeah.

ConnallyHave they seen those new cabins? Have they seen Laurel and aspen?

NixonMacGregor doesn't, though, maybe, but Mitchell hasn't.

ConnallyMitchell hasn't. Laurel is wonderful.

NixonOh, boy! All right, sir.

ConnallyHi.

NixonWell, John. How are you?

UnknownHow are you, [unintelligible]

Unknowna lot of consciences were appreciate that.

ConnallyHow are you, Earle? This is a great supporter [unintelligible] [laughter] Oh, I know. I heard [unintelligible]

UnknownYeah, that's what [unintelligible]

Nixon[unintelligible]

UnknownIt's got more than that. [laughter]

Unknown[unintelligible] That can't be wrong.

UnknownThat's had that's right. You know [unintelligible]

NixonHis name is Alabam. Isn't that right? [laughter]

UnknownYeah, big man, you know. Yeah. Yeah, President.

NixonHow do you do? [unintelligible] Nice to have you on board, my friend.

UnknownHow are you, Mr. President?

NixonHow you been, Senator? A little more grey hair than the last time we were back here, but uh [crosstalk] That's great.

Unknown[crosstalk] [unintelligible]

UnknownRight back at you.

NixonVery soon. Well, thank you, sir.

Unknown[unintelligible]

UnknownI believe in that.

NixonRight.

NixonAll right, well, that's good. Glad to hear it. Well, that's very shot in the arm. Really appreciate it.

UnknownThey tell John, for some time we gotta get into policy. Well, now just wait a little while [laughter]

UnknownWell done. Pretty well. So uh plenty to do. Appreciate very much.

NixonWell, we've got enough on that.

UnknownAll right.

Unknownon policy. Well, you've got uh

NixonAll right, deal.

NixonPresident. Yeah.

NixonOh, yes.

Nixonmany years [unintelligible]

NixonI don't think I don't think that's needed. [crosstalk] That's fine.

Unknown[crosstalk] [unintelligible] Well, that's tough.

NixonAll right.

NixonYeah, I saw it, yeah. Yeah.

NixonYeah.

NixonYeah, and the other

Unknown[unintelligible] that's right.

ConnallyGood. That's a good one, John.

Unknown[laughter] [unintelligible]

NixonGood, Earl. All right.

NixonI know that.

NixonHow are you, buddy? All right. Terrible.

Unknown[unintelligible] Yeah.

NixonRight. And with what the other bunch have filed for, it's uh All right, my friend. Thank you, sir. Good luck.

NixonI hope so.

Unknown[laughter] [crosstalk] Probably so.

Nixon[crosstalk] A lovely audience, yeah. [unintelligible]

NixonAll right. [laughter]

UnknownWatch the black guy. [Laughter]

UnknownGood, how are you doing, all right? All right.

UnknownI must say that this is [unintelligible] Well, [unintelligible]

UnknownRight. Yes, sir. Mr. President [unintelligible] Sure.

Unknown[unintelligible] I won't have that too.

Unknown[unintelligible] I'll respond then, sir.

UnknownI'll straighten up a little bit with a smile, isn't it? Come on, George. Don't get too close to our dark big [laughter] man. [unintelligible]

UnknownDon't get up ties. That's, that, not at all.

Unknown[unintelligible] if you want to buy a 39 [laughter] Good price, too. [Laughter]

UnknownThe speaker's been there a year now. This is a weapon. Yeah. That would help. Really, if you want to get something, [unintelligible] Don't tell [laughter]

Unknown[laughter] [unintelligible] don't tell [unintelligible]

UnknownDon't tell her, I can't afford a new Buick, now. [Laughter] When I sell out my team in '63 Buick, I'll go up there.

Unknown[laughter] Yeah, yeah.

UnknownI thought he's one of [laughter] our people. [Laughter]

Unknown[unintelligible] If those two get kids, you have an important one.

NixonWell, I want to say that we'll all meet again, John, but I guess it's tomorrow, isn't it? The party. We'll all be together down here.

ConnallyYes, sir. That's at Floresville, Floresville, out outside of San Antonio, right. Start at first, which is

Connallyuh, speech chat time along that day, and be on home. That country, of course, will be, you know, it's country is colder than true. But,

NixonI want to say that, which of course, John's fine with you, really grateful to you for your support. I know how difficult it can be, because it's very difficult for people who are, are members of one party, and you're all loyal members of your party,

Nixonwhich, by God, being on my mind, and to, to take a stand which, which, uh, will, uh, with some quarters, the, the, you might actually be charged with you turned on your party, disloyalty, and so forth and so on. In our hearts, it's so forth, but the, the fact that you have done this, I realize,

Nixonindicates that a certain dedication and principles that, uh, we have, we all believe in. That's what it really comes down to. It doesn't have to be a party, but it has to be with, has to be the principles. Why, is this a tranquil majority? Not a coalition of people just get together and pull together by our common dislikes, but pull together by what we believe in. And, uh,

Nixonand when you really start to think of it, I, I was even thinking, John, if you had, if you had a situation, right, today where, where, uh, uh, say Johnson were running, or Kennedy were running, or Stevenson were running,

Nixonuh, the, uh, McGovern could be against all of them, because the, each of them took positions in the international end that were basically the same as mine. Is the same. I mean, there's a big party. He is departed from the traditions of the Democratic Party, the bipartisan tradition, which we have, three Vandenberg, and all the rest.

NixonAnd that person is the rest of you. You've got these, uh, certainly, uh, they are, well, they say they're Jeffersonian Democrats, but that isn't really come close to it. The, uh, the, way out ideas of, in Congress, redistribution on a massive scale, does not represent the heartland of the Democratic Party.

NixonThat's just how we stand. So, at any event, that, that's what we believe. Appreciate that. The other thing I want to say is, and which I've said to a group before you, and you've heard John say it to me, I was just saying this happened. We are not opening this door today and have, uh, have each of you sort of thank you boys, thank you very much for what you've done. Now, we're going to go in that way.

NixonWhat I see here is a necessity to take the best brains and the best talent from this country for this government. And we want you, your brains, your ideas, your recommendations wherever you want your services in the administration and people who who we join with our Democrats or Republicans, whatever you want to call it.

NixonSo, John, we're we we not only welcome your support, but we the door's going to be open after the election, too. It's just that way, and I want you to tell people what you've heard directly from me. It's very important. I said this to the media guy when they were in here, you know. Now, this, this doesn't go too well with some of my partisans, you know,

Nixonbecause, frankly, they suffer from the belief that party politics that are nice to you back and back.

ConnallyYeah. Yeah.

NixonSo a partisan party could win an election. You cannot take 25% of the people and run the country. You can't build a majority on that, not, that's all, but the party today. 45% Democrats and the rest is independents. But this is what we're going to do. This is what we're trying to build. We're not just building for an election. We're building for an administration.

NixonI appreciate your advice, your support, your recommendations. Finally, then, I'm, I wanna say, just this and, uh, which is quite obvious, as, uh, political men, I know that if I can get every Republican vote and even half of the independents, we still lose.

NixonIn order to win this, first, naturally, we're not negating Republicans, we're going after all the Republicans, we hope to get them, 10 1/2 of them anyway. But we've got to have Democrats. That's the game. That's the game. So,

Nixonthe name the name of winning this is really in that basket, and, uh, uh, the trouble with John Connally, of course, is that he can become a little soft in that direction. [Laughter]

ConnallyWell, I'll try to, [laughter] I'll try to improve. [Laughter]

UnknownWhen he can afford to be soft, he's, uh, he's hard on himself. [Laughter] We just can't worry about that. That's right.

NixonWe always try to give people the same issues that come in here a little tracker, too. These are the new presidential cufflinks. Uh, as you know, the mark, all of you, virtually, well, George virtually and Mark and all of you have been in here before, that the marker will, it's been traditional, that's the seal with the-

Nixonand the floral, which is, all this is a new cufflink, always looking in there, which,

Nixonof course, duplicates on either side. I mentioned over 40-some odd starts in that one,

NixonSo here's the seal with the living color for the man.

NixonI guess that you all are the first one that thinks otherwise.

Unknown[laughter]

UnknownLooks like a [unintelligible] ice cream.

Unknown[laughter]

UnknownYou can rest assured that your bags are fully packed for that this time.

Unknown[laughter] Frankly, we believe in you, we believe what you're doing, we've believed in you for a long time.

NixonGreat. That's, I uh, we believe that too, we believe you're gonna win.

ConnallyI believe they are too, Mr. President. Each and every one of these men have open head in the organization and they've contributed extraordinarily.

UnknownWell, let's keep it going.

NixonBoy, that's wonderful.

NixonWoody, Woody has been working on California.

NixonThe thing about California is that you know, I guess see what he can do there, really. San Diego, Orange County,

UnknownLos Angeles.

NixonUp in the Valley, the Central Valley, which of course is heavily Democratic and heavily, could swing, carry the Valley and you carry the state. San Francisco is turning at this point, we could be much better. We had a poll with some of the Democrats,

UnknownDid you?

NixonYes, sir.

NixonAnd uh and California will, I think, come along. Ohio and Illinois.

UnknownYeah, don't forget the South.

ConnallyWell, we got Gino that uh Gino has uh Minnesota well-organized and they're getting started up there and uh

NixonIf you carry Minnesota, you carry the whole Midwest. Minnesota, by tradition, runs 5% behind for any Republican candidate, it did with Eisenhower, it did with me, as compared to Illinois, Ohio, uh and Indiana. Those that the general, Minnesota is 5% tougher to carry, so if you carry Minnesota, it means you're going to carry all those, so if we can do that, it would be great.

ConnallyWell, they've never touched Chinatown, either.

NixonNo. I'd just love to carry Minnesota. You know, Hubert Humphrey. Actually uh, actually uh, Humphrey is, I feel, heartbroken. [unintelligible] will be part of that, you know. He's hearty at this time, it's gotta be pretty tough.

ConnallyHe asked us to stop over tomorrow, so we're going to allow it.

ConnallyI think, underneath it all, he'd be very happy to knock off McGovern.

NixonOf course. Well, well, of course, that President Johnson should be very, very much in my debt, at the present time, because the writer said is, result of my being here, I that he was no longer the number one war-maker, now I am. [laughter]

Unknown[laughter]

ConnallyI'm sure he appreciates it. I told him he burned out his [unintelligible] there.

UnknownI did. I had a quick briefing from John on this, about what went on.

NixonNo, but about the warmaker part.

UnknownYeah, yeah.

ConnallyWell, President Johnson doesn't like to be number two.

Unknown[laughter]

NixonOh, look. Let me show you one new thing. John has just seen this, but this is, was not here before. This is Walter Annenberg, ambassador to Britain, had this made by the students, and it's it's made, the seal, isn't it, isn't it neat?

UnknownBeautiful.

UnknownBeautiful. This office is a beautiful color, it has it's very reminiscent, of Longchamps.

NixonJohnson, not going to get that.

NixonThey um, the little trees here are uh, and there they were brought from China. They're 50 years old.

UnknownBonsai.

NixonAnd that is the old print we found. That's, that's a print of the White House done by a British, about the river [unintelligible] river was much closer and, of course, before the wings were put on, back about a hundred years ago, or before the Civil War, before the Civil War. That's the British idea of how the White House used to look. Looks rather odd, doesn't it?

UnknownYes, it does.

NixonThe wing that had, it's so much bigger than it did to them.

UnknownIt's changed.

UnknownWell, when you build your library, to duplicate this office, do it to scale. One of the things in the LBJ Library—

NixonDid that?

UnknownI saw it. I went up, I went up there, sure to see it. He had everything down, but he's had it down to uh 2/3 scale and it's cramped. That's right. It's a terrible mistake, particularly for him, huge man in a tiny room.

UnknownIt was an afterthought. You see, I was on his committee all this time and only at the last minute, after the contracts had been let, the blueprints pretty well fought out, did they think about it. And it is a great disappointment, because it's such a beautiful office.

NixonYeah. What I think you know, he took five flags. They look, they look cramped in that office. In here, they seem about right.

UnknownNo, he had the uh

NixonHe had a lot of [crosstalk] in the back [unintelligible]

UnknownWell, you've all done well here. Politically, and decoratively.

NixonWell, thank you. Thank you. We'll clean up and we'll come back.

UnknownAnd that is the second time [laughter]

NixonThank you, bye.

Unknown[unintelligible] old speedway going.

NixonNo, sir, I'll keep it in mind. We're glad to have you with us.

NixonHave we covered everything, John?

ConnallyI think so, Mr. President.

NixonAll right.

NixonI was glad to get Connally's idea. The, they're really, they're a good bunch. What impressed me about them was that they're, gosh, they're all good heavy, I mean, they're Democrats, they're not a bunch of [crosstalk] Yeah.

ConnallyI spoke to Ben Heineman today. And Heineman says, "John, you know how happy he is," he said, "I can't go for McGovern." He said, he said, "I've got a lot of students, all my life I've been in this Democratic party." He said, "I am, what were you doing? I can't figure it out, but" he said, "I just can't do it." He said, "I must support the President, but I just can't do it." Say it publicly.

NixonMcGovern is just too radical.

ConnallyOh, yes, sir.

NixonYeah. Did you tell, did you hear about Burns, the governor of Hawaii, this morning?

ConnallyYes, sir.

NixonI didn't talk to him, but

ConnallyWell, he's, he's publicly for McGovern.

NixonPrivately, he told Arthur Burns, "I can't take this on a McGovern thing." He said, "They send some uh" He said, "They sent a clown from Berkeley, [laughter] some guys from Berkeley. I drive him in here, he's came in office, 'I'm here to run you now' [laughter] said to the governor, "for McGovern for the campaign." He said and Burns says, "I get him by himself," said, "fine, you go right ahead."

Connally"You can call me the honorary chairman if you want to, but don't come back here." [laughter]

NixonYeah. Brought that monkey, that head governor, Southern governors, he struck out, didn't he?

ConnallyYes, he did.

NixonOf course, you see, John, I hope people say, "What about the Southern strategy?" I said, "What the hell is wrong with that?" What was anything wrong with Roosevelt having the South? I think it's great to have the South. We've got to bring the South back into the country.

NixonAnd he has no support down there, none at all.

ConnallyOh, Texas, Carter crossed up, Mandel Mandel was all he had.

NixonAnd Mandel, they I saw that picture in the paper in California. But what's Mandel supposed to be?

ConnallyWhat's he doing playing a double game?

NixonYes, sir.

ConnallyHe's head of the, he's head of all of them, the whole gang.

NixonThe choir boy.

ConnallyBut Mandel did a, he did a beautiful maneuver down there, because he he pretended like he was trying to put a coalition of Southern go-

Unknowntried to get it for him, and then he flopped it, then he went out and said, "Well, I've tried to [laughter] do business with nobody for it," you see. [laughter]

UnknownYeah, which was worse than not doing it at all.

NixonOf course you got Mike Strite. Do you think that one hates like H Strite does? You're a damn H, wouldn't you?

ConnallyAnd

NixonThat's trouble, isn't it?

Connallyhe said he just crapped all over it, and Dale Anderson

NixonDale Anderson, yeah.

ConnallyThey were on the boat with Mandel, on the yacht with Mandel, and put him on the phone, for God's sakes, I talked to him. So,

NixonGee, he has some fighter over there, doesn't he? What about Hearnes? What about Hearnes?

ConnallyI have not talked to Hearnes, and I think we ought to leave—

NixonLeave him alone, yeah.

ConnallyHearnes is basically, he's an awful smart fellow. Oh, a strong person, that's right. He had that like, like

NixonConservative. But he can't go to the Democrats or something.

ConnallyHe can't, but he will. He'll do more if you leave him alone.

NixonYeah.

ConnallyBut if he kinda sucks him into our orbit, let me put it this way,

NixonHowever, if we get revenue sharing, I think we ought to invite Hearnes up. Why? Why, not because for that reason, you see.

UnknownSure, one governor, because he was a former chairman of the Governor's Conference.

NixonWe can invite all the former Democratic chairmen.

ConnallyYeah.

UnknownWell, or anybody

NixonInvite chairman that were chairman while you were in office, right?

ConnallyRight. Any time you get a chance to invite Mandel here, because he is chairman of the National Governors

NixonOh, we'll have him for revenue. He'll be there for revenue sharing. We got to stand behind that.

ConnallyJust invite him, so because this beat Maryland for us. We're going to take Maryland, you see.

NixonBecause all these County Sheriff like the other day when Herb Cook just left my office. Oh, I can't believe it. And we're going to get them all.

UnknownWe should probably invite all the governors.

NixonYeah.

UnknownTo that thing, regardless.

NixonYeah, yeah, yeah, if they want to come.

ConnallyWhy not?

UnknownMake a special thing out of Mandel and Hearnes and a couple of the others, because of their position.

NixonSure.

ConnallyInvite them in. It's a historic thing. It changed the whole attitude toward the government in this country, the first significant legislation.

NixonAnd, and, what we can do is make a, a signing ceremony, but then have a reception and, and Oh, yeah.

ConnallyI think what we could do is put a sign, signing ceremony with a, with a with not just booze, but a nice buffet thing,

Nixonso they have a feeling of participating in a great event, because it is going to be a hell of a thing.

ConnallyHave you thought they, they thought they're going to accomplish, Right. which I don't want to. Well.

NixonThat's well, that's well, well. I just wanted to get this [laughter] [crosstalk] out. Nice dang stuff.

ConnallyWell, it's uh, no words, a governor, oh Mr.

Nixon[unintelligible] I talked to him about welfare [unintelligible]

ConnallyYes, I know, but he saw that uh, McGovern signed for by $4,000 welfare for, for every, everyone on welfare, which

Nixonthey quit, they don't work no more. [laughter]

ConnallyHell, I can't, I got to watch my expenses. I get, I get $4,500 [unintelligible] if that's it, go through the ceiling, beautiful.

NixonAnother, I don't think [laughter] I want this opportunity, like you ought to see the news. Here, you just take it. Go on. You're the one who told me that you wanted it. All right, I'll just follow it.

ConnallyWell, I don't see why I talked to Texas today. Yeah, don't talk to

NixonOut of sight.

ConnallyThey, they I think right now we're going to slaughter them. What is the

NixonWhat's the situation [unintelligible] down there uh I Papers,

Connallypapers are very important to Texas.

NixonMy recollection [unintelligible]

ConnallyHouston, yes, Houston and Fort Worth both. Houston Post and Chronicle both. Even the Hobby's?

NixonYes, sir.

ConnallyPost,

Nixonit's unbelievable. They may be any, any, is the as the, the Enthusiastic, because of the they may not be openly uh Uh, just charging, but, you have a Chronicle. Ah, you have both, the Hobby's with both of them, both.

ConnallyBut we'll be very strong in Dallas.

NixonBe very strong in Morning News and Herald, both. You will in San Antonio.

ConnallySan Antonio, the Light uh, the Light? Light, they already have a strong

Nixongood

ConnallyExpress will be for you. How about those Those country papers are very important. Well, I think you'll have all of them. I love that.

NixonNow, we get every paper in Texas. That would be, I uh

ConnallyThey carry a lot of, lot of stuff.

NixonThe only thing that worry, when I say worried, when I say worried, I sleep good, but we got to have Texas. When you think of Texas, we got to have Texas. But we will have Texas. I'll stake my life on it.

Connally[laughter] If you don't have Texas, if we don't have Texas, we're in real trouble.

Nixon[laughter] We'll have Texas, John.

ConnallyHow about Oh, it's another thing. You should speak, you should make it clear, don't feel that you that Texas is a personal commitment [laughter] to me.

NixonLet me put it this way, I talked to, somebody was in California. The situation is much better, much better. Well, the economy's moving up, I know. It's an Orange County, which is, you know,

Connallystarts early.

NixonEven the registrations turned over there now. For the a daughter. But they uh, the attitude out there is upbeat, strong,

Connallywhich is another, Absolutely. And

NixonI will take it, charges out of property, out of the cave, you know, and you go go at your own leisure on time. And, boy, when they go, they'll come charging out of that cave. It's a place, though, where

Connallyyou really can be effective. Well, I'll go, on a on a

NixonI want you to go.

ConnallyAnd the other thing, see, California's uh is a ticket splitting state, brother. It's traditional for Democrats to split. It's, it's traditional.

NixonThey, they did it for Warren, of course, going back to Did it for me in 1950. Did it, did it for Eisenhower. Did it, did it for Knowland, Knowland won both primaries, I won both primaries. Still cross-filed in those days, weren't you?

ConnallyIn 1948, I ran on both tickets, and won. You see, so it's a perfect place. In other words, the, the theme in California is: "Vote for the man, not for the party."

NixonAll right. I think it's terribly good, John. I'll go to California.

ConnallyOne of the things, and it's just been this week, we've gotten Warren, and Mike, and Paul out, and they're going to be here on that phone. They're all smart, have lots of background, and experience enough to handle stuff on the phone. And this what I've been tied down. I just had way too fuck, people call in and want something to do.

NixonThis crew now, will be able to handle that kind of stuff for you. Yeah, right. So, I can be out. In other words, make sure your people here of your service, so to speak, right? There is. There is, they're yours.

ConnallyThey're yours. Well, they can act on their own, oh yeah.

NixonNow, the only one we've got to build for in shoes, yeah, is this redneck Wallace man. How to settle with that damn, we'll get him.

ConnallyYeah, but, but like he, Wallace, look, in California, there's a redneck Wallace vote, that, that make that a hell of a difference. [laughter]

NixonThat's right, well we've got it. All right, I see. Gino, Gino's father is a mad man, but he is a mad man, and all he wants is to get in the paper. It's actually a church, and that's the trouble.

ConnallyAll of them are dying to get in the paper. Typical. Typical little rat. That's right.

NixonWait a minute.

ConnallyJohn, and family, used, and the pictures do wide, they all get trumpet, so, they want some of them around, so, they invite Felucci might want to, you might not. Oh, he'll, he'll use it to promote. [laughter] Felucci'll have one just, of lifesize.

Nixon[laughter] He'll put it on all of the frozen pizzas, probably.

ConnallyWe don't mind. We don't mind. I talked to Joe Barr, in Pittsburgh.

NixonJoe against the Barr of mail.

ConnallyYeah, former mayor, he said, "I'm not going to come." He said, "My wife hates it." And said, "I might, I might, but I don't think I can, I know, but my wife's not." And said, "She's going to be for us." Said, "She wants to come out and help us." But, he said, "We just better not." He said, "We just—" he said,

Nixon"The light's all turned off, and said, I'm sick." Said, "I just don't want to get into a fight." He's a good man, by the way.

ConnallyYeah, he is. But he's going to He may vote for you. His wife, definitely, is going to vote for you. She won't do one thing for McGovern. Everywhere you talk,

NixonYeah.

Connallywe get the same story. You really do?

NixonOh, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So, you can have

ConnallyHow do you have an enormous [crosstalk] see? That's what is happening in the polls.

NixonWell, sure, that's I talked to Tommy Corcoran. He called me last night, in Maine. And he talked

ConnallyHell, John, one thing that I, that I suggested, ought to be done, and I should have thought of it. I did not know him. I hate, shaking his hand, once. Better, better than they are.

NixonMay be 50%, but after all, he was one of those trees. And I'd like to have him in sometime, Just say hello. What do you, what do you think? Ah, I think he

ConnallyHe's actively campaigning for us. Well, if he's doing that, yeah. Oh, he's going all-out for you.

NixonI'd like to have him in just to say hello to him. And I may get him publicly in support of you. Bring him in because after all, he knows this room and, and I'd like to do it.

ConnallyWe had a press conference yesterday, university in California. Woodrow Wilson's granddaughter,

Nixonuh, lives in Santa Barbara and volunteered to work in our headquarters out there, called Rose and told Rose that she was, that Wilson's daughter, I mean

Nixon, Haldeman & Connally on IMF Speech and Campaign Strategy

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Nixon, Haldeman & Connally on IMF Speech and Campaign Strategy

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