Nixon, Baker & Byrd on Busing legislation and Cloture

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Let's see, Bob will sit here.

Thank you.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you.

all right um

Okay, we're going to start wrapping it up, gentlemen.

Thank you.

That's it?

Yeah, that's it.

Okay.

Yes, sir.

You can always share.

Okay, how do you do?

You're on the air.

Yeah.

First, of course, you know I'm more in favor of equal execution opportunities.

Second, the main thing I'm for is action.

Now, I'm lacking more in favor of the Equal Execution Opportunity Bill.

It's what we got, right?

It's the only change we got for action.

And, all right, then, therefore, it is

One of the reasons we said it this morning, and I think you may have said it after the meeting before, that I'm a citizen.

I thought I'd noticed that.

But when you all speak to the press, you're flat out.

The main point is, and my own position is, I'm against busing, period.

The only question is, how and what is the fastest and best means at this time to be the first available vehicle assistance?

If we don't get action on this one, then we're going to leave many areas, school districts in this country, with the disaster of the Lusignano Accord.

I recall that.

That's what I did.

That's how many of you all did.

We let you be one party, two parties in the effort.

As you say, this is the only vehicle we have for the rest of the time.

I think it's going to be a strong build through.

All right.

Yeah, the problem, not that you have a problem, you have a problem, because they are on the first or fourth or fifth highest priority in the next Congress meeting.

It's a match.

We all know that.

It takes a long time.

Although, I would imagine that the next Congress would be more susceptible to actions like this, because these guys will be running against this even here at home.

The other thing is that the Constitution has come to mind because it's been the quickest way is the legislature.

And speaking to the people in the crowd, as you all know, if you can't get the votes for the legislature, you've got to get the votes.

But be that as it may, the question is, where are you from?

This is where I'm from.

This is

What I'm leading up to is this.

Having done that, if I were free to go before the press here this afternoon and say that we're all glad that now it is the time to do this, but after all, what you wanted and what we all want is to get to a vote on the merits, and that we aren't getting a vote yet on the merits.

Therefore, we would hope that at some point we do get a chance to vote on the merits, and that we, if you're asking for that, we can vote it.

How about it?

I mean, there's issues in Florida Congress and Florida countries for a number of months that no votes are going to be changed in this time, this period of time.

There is a need for, quote, an education of the senators in Congress and the country on the police status quo.

And so I don't think it would get particularly good.

I, Congress, plan to get out of here Saturday.

Time's elation.

And if everybody could go, do you mind if we say that even, that it was your view, that even in the case of those who may not support the bill, that there's support of closing the filibuster, getting to the merits of it, getting to the merits of the decision.

You see, I'm in a very solemn position on this anyway.

Who's in the Senate?

I'm just presiding.

But you may not remember, but I am in a solemn position.

I am in a very solemn position.

I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been I have always been

And therefore, on an issue like this, coming up here, you bet your life.

In other words, my position is whether I would be for or against this legislation, the time has come for this Senate, this Senate to stand up and be counted on very good.

How's that sound?

That's great, right?

In other words, for or against, that would be, as a former presiding officer of this Senate, of course, I took that position for eight years.

Bills eat away at your dollars and cents.

Having taken that position now, I tend to reiterate it.

Now, as far as me, it's what each of us would prefer.

I think you would prefer a constitutional amendment.

You would.

You would a constitutional amendment.

Yes, well, I do.

All right.

I have heard a moratorium quote.

I haven't, because that was my proposal.

Moratorium.

But there's this one.

Whatever approach you're for, but then there's an issue with what you're saying to me.

whatever it was for, whether it were for or against, let's decide it so we'll know what else, what it's like to be done.

And the Senate, somebody should drag along and should return without having to up or down vote on

One of the principal things is the air uncertainty that's thrown over school boards because they can't program and plan and they don't know whether they're going to get lost in busing or what have you.

And how is it, just without getting into the merits of the proposal, I have a lot of time.

What is the proposal worth then?

So I'm not against reopening.

I am for reopening.

and uh is there anything exactly if you don't move on the educational office every Sunday yeah there's uh yeah there's a half a million dollars of uh funds for that that's the president of the CRI and now we were a two to five and your bill was the five best bills that he had

in the direction, you've been following this in the direction of what we're doing.

You can support this even if you have to hold your nose a little bit.

This is important, it's all right to say that you support this proposal.

Yes, because this item, I want action on busting.

And just as I hinted, the majority of the members of the Senate and House want action on busting.

We may differ as to what action and what method.

But when you need action, then the important thing is to use the vehicle which is available for action.

And the vehicle that's available for action now is this one.

The moratorium thing has no case right now.

So why can't I?

I can sit here and say that it isn't like it's covered, say, on the HR1, which probably was a pretty hard and poor and all that sort of thing.

But it isn't like that.

There are three different proposals.

Each of them would be bad in the present situation.

That's what I'm looking at.

How does the legislative situation ?

There will be an effort to add the consumer protection agency.

But I don't think there's a .

That consumer protection agency was thrown down the house.

More liberal did not prevail.

And Percy and Rick, I guess, are planning to offer this if we get closure.

That's what I'll have them on.

If you get closure.

If you don't get closure, they're out of business.

They're out of business anyway.

If you're on, we're out too.

Mr. President, what I would like to add to you, sir, at the end of the interview, what I want to say when I'm queried out there tonight, and I won't take much time just to make sure I don't snap here, just as a follow-on from my previous conference with you three weeks ago,

You reiterated your support for the proposition and decided to take up this bill.

Considered you support the bill and thought it ought to be exposed to the courts and the Congress and the jury.

That you reiterated that support and therefore felt that debate ought to end so that we would have a chance to vote on the merits.

And that you support this bill.

Thank you.

very wrong versions, but it's a matter of practicality.

They aren't available at this point.

And that we can't postpone relief from the hazards of investing any longer.

We have to pay extra on people we have met.

Now, that's what I want to hear.

That's what I want to hear.

Do you see any objection to that?

No, sir.

No, I think that's a very good position.

All of you can...

You can say if what you call a representative is a viewpoint.

They voted at the end of this jury business about closure and rescue to make the point that I made previously that I would be the man if I was against the bill.

Well, you know you might do it because the progressives are organized as they want.

I have always taken the position that the Senate should move more expeditiously on Senate business.

So as a matter of fact, I will vote for cloture after a reasonable amount of debate to get it over, up or down.

I can take that position.

I'll vote for my position on cloture.

I used to be for the 22 that it did, and now I'm going out for 60%.

Thank you very much.

And this is something which I wouldn't give up the ground now.

I wouldn't indicate any idea to expect to lose.

But on the issue, I can assure you that if we don't get it now, there sure as hell is going to be a mandate in this election for it.

Because I'm against busting any other fellows for it.

And the country is going to have

Congress actually would refund the country's sun.

You're going to have to carry a mandate after this election on that issue.

I always look at the current situation.

I always look at Bill and the government in terms of black voting.

I get it.

Did you notice that there were a piece of the vote that I really didn't know about?

Mac.

All rest.

Right?

You're three times right.

The sounds that you... Don't take the heat off me.

The sounds that you're using, I don't want to get to if you tell me to.

I'm a gas-pressing period.

Oh, right, right.

Wait, you've got to get your... You've got to get your mid-cup legs.

Ron, are we going in with you first?

Yeah, yeah.

This will give you time, Ron.

Be sure you get the press at 4.30.

Right.

Some of those jackals take off and get drunk.

And we can watch all that.

Just quote me on that.

Wait a second.

I'll give you a break.

Wait a second.

I'm going to break you in.

Thanks.

Well, we have some beautiful balls here.

I'm going to talk a little on crying on Saturday.

That's right.

The speech on tomorrow.

It's not so often.

And it comes up.

It comes up by many.

It's the other area you remember when you said.

I think that we've done something in this administration not so good, something for good.

I mean, everybody has done something.

But one thing that I think we have done that's right is the appointments to courts.

Now, when people said, now you've appointed four conservatives in the Supreme Court, isn't it time to balance it?

My answer is no.

Because a president should appoint to the court people who share this legal philosophy.

And my philosophy is representative.

They don't all agree all the time.

But if I get another chance, that's one of the issues with the campaign.

If you want to take the four that we have down there and not wash them out with four people voting the other way.

So if that comes up, I think Powell's a little liberal.

These are the ones that the new president needs to see.

One of the Virginia editors is getting me a title talk.

He wants me to help him write an editorial about you.

Well, you know one thing I would think a Virginia editor would do, and this is exactly where it could work in your state.

It's not bad in your state.

But what you think of the effect a president can have on the future of the country, particularly in the domestic

Mr. President, Supreme Court particular, and I have strong convictions.

I know something about it, and we're looking for it.

Let me just add an addendum to that.

I had a morning one who issued a bussing order.

I asked my staff what I ought to do.

And one of them said, well, I'll tell you what.

Find a good tattoo partner.

And have somebody right backward across your chest.

No more judges.

So you'll see it every morning when you get out.

You mean no more judges?

No more judges.

I'm going to nominate no more judges.

I don't do that.

That's the other problem.

They're coming home.

on this issue, and I've got to be right on all orders before they are put down there.

It's got to be written to the government.

And I don't know what's wrong with it.

I think the other group, the reason I have to go there, they're having the National Association of Big Paper Executives.

This is an association of 200 or something like that.

Mostly small papers, you know, the executives.

The other thing I have is a great paper.

I tell them I saw you.

I always tell them I'm a bird.

Or a fucking lizard.

Whatever it takes to win.

Thank you.

Win now.

Okay.

Nixon, Baker & Byrd on Busing legislation and Cloture

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Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on October 10, 1972

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