Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 783-026
Date: Tuesday, September 19, 1972 at 3:42 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Timmons, William E.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Connally, John B.; MacGregor, Clark; Christian, George E.; Bull, Stephen B.; Butterfield, Alexander P.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/783-026

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:30] Thank you.
[2:48] somebody, somebody who's a Jewish background in the United States is going to be shot or something.
[2:53] And there was a 20-month-old man being raised when he was killed.
[2:58] Now, I know that they wouldn't pick you for that purpose.
[3:02] But the point is, I am concerned.
[3:05] I think that Bush was in there.
[3:07] You know, he talked about there.
[3:10] I am concerned about the fact that you are a logical target.
[3:13] You're just a hell of a logical target.
[3:22] that if I stop paying attention to the intelligence reports, I'll never move out of this building.
[3:28] Don't worry about it.
[3:29] They're going to get me, too, because I'm not the president's closest Jewish advisor.
[3:38] But what I am saying is, don't be a victim.
[3:43] You can't be.
[3:45] But you have a security manager.
[3:48] He has secret service protection.
[4:37] I...
[5:16] Yep.
[5:16] So they're in an awkward situation.
[5:18] Well, and they're handling it, and they're asking for it, and all the rest.
[5:24] And, of course, their shameful way of trying to exploit this Jewish and Russian, of course, is unbelievable.
[5:33] Max Rackle was at Sapphire last night, and he said that he's been traveling with the government for a week.
[5:40] And he said it's totaled, but only to say he's gaining.
[5:46] sort of getting a phony enthusiasm in these crowds, but he said he'd go out of these crowds in the neighborhoods and ask questions and they won't touch it.
[5:57] And, you know, Frank would like to come at the beginning.
[6:28] The key thing is not to get into big, if it opens things where you're not, you shouldn't go to a thing that, you know, where they drop.
[6:39] Yeah.
[6:41] Yeah.
[6:42] Anyway, that's all I just wanted to cover.
[6:44] Right.
[6:45] As long as Bill is here.
[6:46] Right.
[6:48] I had a call from Bryce.
[6:50] Has he gotten killed?
[6:52] No.
[6:52] Bryce, I said, Albert tried to talk to Morgan.
[6:54] Morgan wouldn't have anything.
[7:26] Yes, Mr. President.
[7:28] They want to change some other things, too.
[7:29] They want to make it an agreement rather than a treaty, and the language says the word treaty, and the House guys don't like that, because in the Senate, they don't want to mess around with the language, and so it's not going to be a simple conference on the road.
[7:45] We will have a massive problem with the Russians if this thing doesn't get ratified soon, because they do not believe.
[7:51] And there, you have to put their name on something.
[8:07] I can listen to the days over.
[9:44] They go over there.
[9:45] I tell you, when you go again, they allow them to begin to wear clothes that show them off better.
[9:51] You'll come back and give me anything.
[9:54] I'm looking forward to that.
[9:58] Well, here's the thing.
[10:15] Absolutely.
[10:52] I disagree with Kev, and I would go along with him.
[10:56] If we win this election by anything,
[12:16] I agree 100%, Mr. President.
[12:17] I just can't do it.
[12:18] My leaders have got to understand that.
[12:21] I wish there were solid guys up there that would recognize that.
[12:24] They said we'll get rolled on that.
[13:03] We'll sign it anyway.
[13:38] that why we're going
[14:24] kept it in the mandatory.
[14:26] But this is the authorization,
[14:54] Can I tell the leaders that the only reason you're signing this is because they wanted you to?
[15:01] You might as well.
[15:03] But y'all may expect their support to be to the water bill.
[15:05] And I must tell them to get an opinion on that.
[15:11] We have to spend the money and be detailed.
[15:14] And I've got to go all out to sustain that.
[15:18] Okay.
[15:18] And then maybe the other bill.
[16:30] You got your damn bill.
[16:31] That's not my bill, but I'll have it.
[17:46] Well, let's just go in here to John.
[18:49] Well, it's hard to say what is the most effective issue.
[18:53] But to me, the most effective issue is getting Democrats and Democrats, in particular,
[19:30] Thank you.
[20:18] Now here they find this one.
[20:20] Moving on from that.
[21:22] Now, what do you think about the Navy?
[21:25] Would you run them next week?
[21:28] Do you still think you'd like to slow them down?
[21:31] No, I have a lot of excited pride in the Navy at that time.
[21:36] The only thing I'm, the only ads I've seen are three.
[21:42] The defense, the welfare, and the press life.
[21:45] I think the defense is a positive in a way.
[21:48] It's just a positive.
[21:49] It's a superb ad.
[21:49] I would run it every day.
[21:59] I would not run into him.
[22:46] Thank you.
[23:30] The Russian one shows the president, starts out the president addressing the Russian people on television, and it carries his voice, giving his speech to the Russian people.
[23:39] But the picture goes to sort of a recap of the whole trip to Russia.
[23:45] And what it does is it capsulizes the president's trip to the Soviet Union.
[23:48] It tells about, you know, we signed the trade agreements that they took with the Americans.
[24:01] I think that's particularly good if Dr. Kishman is going to be in it all during the election.
[24:09] Well, let me tell you what, there's a tie-in.
[24:13] Yeah, well, that's where I go.
[24:17] Maybe it ought to be run next week for that reason.
[24:20] If you run it too late...
[24:33] there will be a major trade announcement.
[24:57] uh... uh...
[25:41] The next day, we're going to sign.
[25:59] We're going to have Moscow up front and center.
[26:58] It's not bad.
[27:03] Is there a China ad?
[27:04] Is there a China bug?
[27:06] Yes.
[27:06] That really is an enormous satisfaction for people.
[27:12] Of course, it's for young people.
[27:13] I'd like to see that.
[27:18] That's not too bad.
[27:19] I'd like to see that.
[27:42] I think it would be very around the world in China, while they are having a problem with the Russians, too.
[27:49] The Russians might be good.
[28:20] I have a feeling myself that
[28:59] Thank you.
[29:01] Thank you.
[29:05] Thank you.
[29:30] Thank you.
[30:02] There is...
[31:51] Tuesday or Thursday, whichever is the best day.
[31:53] Thursday, you're in Atlanta.
[31:55] No, not Thursday.
[32:12] Thank you.
[32:53] Thank you.
[34:24] Thank you.
[35:02] I know.
[35:26] I'll cut this tape, but I don't want to do it too far in advance because most of these stations will leak everything you say in the script or anything else from the opposition.
[35:34] So I don't know where we'll cut it.
[35:52] I really wonder maybe if he doesn't have a point here.
[36:16] one that's interested in it.
[36:18] I've been secretary of the Navy.
[36:19] I've been a supporter of the election.
[36:22] And I speak to you about national women.
[36:25] And just make a straight-out speech as if you were speaking to the country.
[36:29] That's what I think is more effective.
[36:32] Not so hard.
[36:32] I don't think it's a little change.
[36:34] Well, I'm sorry.
[36:35] I just wanted to say, I thought maybe we were going to be saying something that's brand new to a political broadcast like this.
[36:41] No.
[37:15] Right.
[37:43] And when I say high level, I mean high level in terms of nonpartisan appeal to Democrats and everything else, just to all Americans.
[37:51] There's no thought of that being that way.
[38:13] Thank you.
[39:14] Thank you.
[39:43] Yeah.
[40:18] Thank you.
[40:39] I was with him then, and I still think he was right in 1972 or 72.
[41:09] I will be glad to talk to you.
[41:38] you can, as far as the easiest way, where you know where to tap everything.
[41:42] If you tap, and you just talk back and run it through,
[42:12] Right.
[43:07] Go ahead.
[43:13] I think we'll need perhaps Chuck's assistance.
[43:17] He's bringing my glasses.
[43:18] He's bringing my glasses.
[43:20] I'll figure it out.
[43:21] Go ahead.
[43:22] The upset that he expects, which is to the Democrats' version of the government, is so important that there is always a return of the vote.
[43:31] I think we'll avoid the Democrats' break.
[43:32] It's been justified by both of us.
[43:36] I think one of the significant things before mentioning Senator is Lou Harris has found in the poll he took on the 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st,
[44:06] uh, a very relaxed around a lot of very, but very significant to me.
[44:13] Now, 52, it's all coming together by 52 to 34.
[44:19] I believe that we are no longer in a session.
[44:21] Last August, that was 2014.
[44:42] I don't think any president has been hired just before his election than he was just after his inauguration.
[44:53] That's what
[45:16] But the outlook is good in comparison.
[45:19] A year ago, people said, when I asked if there would be a recession next year, and I said, this is their optimism quotient for the future.
[45:29] When I asked if there would be a recession next year, a year ago, 47 to 29, I said, yes.
[45:34] Now, 44 to 22, say no, and two to one, say no.
[45:38] And there is, we have, and there's a completely negative answer.
[45:42] At one place, the negative is 53%.
[45:44] Still, the prices are rising.
[45:46] too fast, but that was 60% in his pool.
[45:48] Do you realize they're going to be saving that until the hell of a reason?
[45:52] Oh, yeah.
[45:53] Well, I was going to think prices are rising.
[45:56] They are.
[45:56] It happens to be true.
[45:57] Even if they're going down, people said they're rising.
[46:01] I think they're rising.
[46:02] I think they're rising.
[46:03] I think they're rising.
[46:14] I think they're rising.
[46:14] I think they're rising.
[46:16] go with that opportunity to finish on the way to the rest of the United States.
[46:19] Senator is very brave, and I'm sorry, but you know, I do not feel that this is your capacity.
[46:22] We are at this stage.
[46:22] No, I'm not going to do that.
[46:23] But he said, I'm not going to do that.
[46:24] He said, no.
[46:24] I don't need to have to do that.
[46:25] He said, no.
[46:26] He said, no.
[46:26] He said, no.
[46:26] He said, no.
[46:27] He said, no.
[46:27] He said, no.
[46:49] trying to have it, they've made up their minds.
[46:50] They've answered the question of discrimination.
[46:51] A lot of time, you know, I like this, this, and I like this.
[46:53] People are very, very, very well-edited.
[46:54] To reverse any of this difficulty, it's a large part of the problem.
[46:55] You have to give them a pretty good reason to turn around, and that doesn't actually happen.
[46:57] So he said, don't give them that reason.
[46:58] Whatever it is.
[47:19] Thank you.
[47:37] President Nixon staying on the job, being president, is the best policy.
[47:40] He's leaving the job in the Senate to be a politician.
[47:46] He can't.
[47:46] He's right.
[47:46] He's right.
[47:47] He said that he didn't.
[47:47] One question I want to ask you is whether just the president staying on the job is enough.
[47:50] Maybe, maybe.
[47:52] Maybe our cabinet.
[47:53] Maybe our cabinet ought to be staying on the job.
[47:54] Maybe our congressman ought to be back in Congress.
[47:56] Maybe the president's standing out.
[47:57] Maybe he won't put him in office.
[48:18] So what is he showing here is that if you get into it, you can't force it.
[48:20] The government is under pressure.
[48:23] He's not against it.
[48:23] That's what we can't see in people because he feels under pressure.
[48:27] Well, I just don't think the government's going to do it.
[48:37] I just want to be able to show you.
[48:40] I want to show you.
[48:40] She had a letter on the truth.
[48:44] That's definitely public.
[48:44] Isolation is also a little bit of a problem.
[48:51] Yes, sir.
[49:21] That will be a powerful thing.
[49:32] It really is.
[49:34] Isn't that great?
[50:17] There was a young congressman from Texas, a young congressman, I'd say it was a young congressman from Texas, a young congressman from Massachusetts.
[50:26] Two were Democrats, one was from the Republican Party.
[50:29] There was a Republican, and there was a Democrat.
[50:32] All three of them, all the two presidents of the United States, all the two presidents of the United States, all of them had critical issues.
[50:42] Their main support for the president
[50:47] My person.
[51:17] Did you realize?
[51:46] It was the first big board.
[51:48] No, we had one before that, which was basically a giveaway.
[51:52] It was just food, you know, food from the start of the year.
[51:54] I don't know what the last year was.
[51:55] But Johnson had been through the rubbish.
[52:02] He had been in the right.
[52:03] That's where he had the worst service.
[52:43] You know what you might find?
[52:49] I don't know.
[52:52] You might find that you can't give him that and tell him to read the debate.
[53:03] He might find a couple of less quotes in that debate.
[53:13] You know, I don't think, I don't think he was going to be around the spoke, because that's two years ago.
[53:17] But you might find a couple of very good, I'm sure Joe Martin spoke, because he told the story, and I'm sure Sam Rayburn spoke.
[53:25] That would be good, if you want to do that.
[53:28] Well, I didn't, of course, testify before.
[53:32] We're going to be dealing with that in a little bit.
[53:36] We might find some, we might find some clue in that.
[53:40] It wouldn't be a surprise if you have it.
[53:47] Thank you.
[53:51] Thank you.
[54:19] Thank you.
[55:25] I don't know if you're right.
[55:30] I don't know if you're right.
[56:46] All right.