Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 773 › Conversation 773-014

Nixon, Sikes & Cook on 1972 Presidential Campaign and National Defense

Friday, September 8, 1972 · 12:14 PM–12:18 PM ET · Oval Office ·5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Sikes, Robert L. F.; Sikes, Robert L. F. (Mrs.); Cook, Richard K.; Nidecker, John E.; White House photographerConversation773-014 onTape 773StartFriday, September 8, 1972 at 12:14 PMEndFriday, September 8, 1972 at 12:18 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 773-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Representative Robert L.F. Sikes and his wife to discuss the political climate of the 1972 campaign and the importance of maintaining a strong national defense. Sikes expressed his support for Nixon’s policies, particularly regarding defense spending, while criticizing the platform of Democratic challenger George McGovern as potentially damaging to U.S. global standing. The brief meeting also included a photo opportunity, the presentation of presidential gifts, and casual conversation regarding White House history and the administration’s views on wealth distribution.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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How are you?

I think you want to make sure you want to go to the letter.

I have to say, I'm proud of you.

That's a strong Republican heritage.

That's great.

President, can we do one thing with the congressman?

Yeah, we'll have this for you.

The congressman is right here.

You look great back there.

That's right.

No, I think it's going to be very good.

We've got to hear something.

Your people are just about sold in the old bus.

They're out.

Oh, well, I reckon we're kind enough to know.

Well, I assure you, it's been a great pleasure to spend time with you.

Spent time, I know, because you've got me, Carl, and I know that there's a lot of people who say that you're a blessing to all of us, but on the other hand, we're the superior countries of all.

Just like that.

Exactly.

Thank you.

It would make us number two.

It certainly would.

But out of Vietnam.

But out of there.

And every day in the world, they lose confidence in you.

Right.

Well, I have, even in my campaign down there, and I've got, when I run a Democratic district, you're going to carry it over.

Well, you're going to carry my district over.

You're going to carry Florida over.

But even in my district, I support your program.

And on every one of these points.

I'm proud of you, man, particularly on defense.

That's the thing, man.

I understand the domestic issues in all our defenses and what matters.

I wish I had that platform.

You want to go take another platform?

I'm very good.

I can't deal with that, Mr. President.

I can't deal with that.

There's your president, Mr. President.

Right off the flag.

Thank you so much.

Same for you.

We're in trouble today.

This is an interesting thing.

Probably you're right.

Everybody knows this.

This is a semi-crisis stone.

I'm sorry, but it's beautiful.

Very.

My wife... Well, there's sometimes... That is the mentality.

I had an old friend of us, a friend of the White House, and I had radio service before, before they built the wing 100 years ago, when the river was much higher.

The river used to run very close to the ground.

That's what he used to look at.

Well,

They work hard.

One daughter is at the end of the day, and the other one is at the end of the day.

You mentioned the military.

We're not going off on that.

No, I don't.

Thank you very much.

We don't want to redistribute the wealth.

You know what that means?

That means naked from the people that work and naked from the people that don't work.

That doesn't make any sense.

And the poor people don't need poor.

Somebody's got to do the work.

But even if they sound good to some people, I'm sorry.

I know.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On September 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Robert L. F. Sikes, Mrs. Robert L. F. Sikes, Richard K. Cook, John E. Nidecker, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:14 pm to 12:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 773-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 773-14

Date: September 8, 1972
Time: 12:14 pm - 12:18 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Robert L.F. Sikes, Mrs. Robert L.F. (Inez Tyner) Sikes, Richard K. Cook

                                         (rev. Oct-06)

and John E. Nidecker.

[The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting]

            Greetings

            [General discussion]

            Photograph

            Sikes family
                -Republican heritage

            Health

            Congressmen
               -Democrats
               -Primary

            The President's conversation with Carl B. Albert

            George S. McGovern
               -1972 campaign
                    -Security of US
                        -Possible defense budget cuts
                        -Position of US
                    -Vietnam

            Sikes
                -Campaign
                -Support of the President's policies
                -1972 campaign
                    -Florida
                        -Results for the President
                -Support for the President's programs
                    -Defense
                        -The President's analysis
                              -Importance

            Presidential gifts
                -Flag

                                        (rev. Oct-06)

                   -Pin

              Walter E. Annenberg
                  -Ambassador to London
                  -Steuben Glass
                      -Base
                      -Semi-precious stones
                      -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

              White House
                 -Unknown British artist
                 -Additional wings
                 -Potomac River
                     -Course of river
                 -War of 1812
                 -Oval Office
                     -Tree
                          -Peking

              The President's family
                  -Schedules of daughters
                      -Vienna
                      -New York

              US military

              Wealthy
                 -Rich people compared with poor people

Sikes et al. left at 12:18 pm.

Also recorded on September 8, 1972

773-009 11:32 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John G. Tower, Howard H. Baker, Jr., William E. Timmons, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:32 am and 11:39 am.
773-010 11:44 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:44 am and 11:49 am.
773-011 11:44 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:44 am and 11:49 am.
773-012 11:49 AM · 20 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:49 am to 12:12 pm.
773-013 12:12 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:12 pm and 12:14 pm.
773-015 12:18 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:18 pm and 12:22 pm.
773-016 12:18 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:18 pm and 12:22 pm.
773-017 12:25 PM · 28 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:25 pm to 1:05 pm.

All 44 conversations from September 8, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 773-014, September 8, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/773-014 (accessed September 18, 2026).