Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 799-010
Date: Monday, October 16, 1972 at 10:13 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/799-010

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Well, I think maybe I'd better do it, but I think you'd better do it with the one that's going to be asshole.
[0:06] It's not going to be us, you know.
[0:09] I mean, let me tell you the problem.
[0:11] You've got the problem.
[0:13] You've got the problem.
[0:14] You've got the problem.
[0:15] You've got the problem.
[0:16] You've got the problem.
[0:20] I have a few jackasses, you know, that are going to be negative.
[0:29] It doesn't make any difference.
[0:30] If I do, that'll be the news.
[0:31] That's right.
[0:32] You boys haven't thought of that, have you?
[0:34] Yes, we have.
[0:36] That was just the point I made, that you may have some negative on that.
[0:41] You never know.
[0:42] It's a problem.
[0:43] The groove is totally what it is, but individually...
[0:48] Okay.
[0:48] They'll leave one...
[0:50] They'll take you.
[0:51] They want you.
[0:52] It's a time right now when they can do it in the presidential ballroom.
[0:56] I think you ought to do it.
[0:57] Me?
[0:58] Henry.
[0:59] Well, unless you can be ready and go right over and do it.
[1:03] See, they've pulled it together with Henry now.
[1:06] But he's not.
[1:07] Yeah.
[1:07] Yeah, but I think it'll be... You can run a substitute if you do it now.
[1:10] Or, you know, within the time frame.
[1:13] We'll let you know.
[1:16] Well.
[1:16] Yeah, I'll...
[1:20] Well I think that
[1:52] The disadvantage of not doing it is that I might feel that it's a political move.
[1:58] But I'll do it.
[1:59] I'll...
[1:59] This isn't a political thing.
[2:04] You bet I'm going to move forward.
[2:14] The way I...
[2:15] Wait a second.
[2:17] The way I would do it when Henry was trying to get in my way...
[2:21] They were going to say I left, and on several occasions that way you get the politics of this is not just the election year.
[2:28] And I told your board in the spring I was looking forward to meeting with the group when you left this fall.
[2:32] Which is true.
[2:34] What is the situation?
[2:35] Who has checked to see what the situation is?
[2:38] We haven't got views anymore.
[2:41] Who spoke up?
[2:43] Who?
[2:43] Who spoke up?
[2:46] I think you'll probably get a hell of a reception.
[2:47] For most.
[2:48] That's true.
[2:49] That's right.
[2:58] You go ahead.
[3:00] I'll wait.
[3:01] No, you don't need to wait.
[3:03] You go ahead and concentrate.
[3:04] I feel like you're doing the right thing.
[3:06] Now, let me just say one other thing.
[3:11] There'll be other things that are going to develop in the campaign.
[3:13] Please don't do that.
[3:15] It's not a smart thing.
[3:17] I know you want to knock this story out.
[3:19] It's a good idea to knock the story out.
[3:21] But you mustn't use the big gun, right, to try to piss on some story that's coming out of the ground.
[3:28] It just isn't worth it, Bob, right?
[3:29] It isn't worth it.
[3:34] Incidentally, it's fine with the radio on Thursday.
[3:37] I don't tell if you don't have a crisis, somebody told you about the fact, well, salt is the story.
[3:42] The next radio is no story.
[3:43] Do you comprehend what I'm saying?
[3:46] You know, it's the asshole one, you know?
[3:49] paternalism and the rest of their energy.
[3:51] And that's great.
[3:52] So I think it's a good time to run that.
[3:54] Don't you agree?
[3:55] You have to argue that Wednesday you don't have a soul.
[3:59] You don't have any.
[4:01] You don't have my memory, but I don't think I have
[4:05] The problem, my God, is that I can't.
[4:07] I don't know about spending.
[4:08] I just don't want to spend two days and can't dig it.
[4:10] And I want to go.
[4:11] You see what I mean?
[4:12] Yeah.
[4:13] Let's just do it Wednesday.
[4:14] On my way.
[4:15] I like that.
[4:15] I think that's fine.
[4:16] I mean, just do it Thursday.
[4:17] And Wednesday, we don't have a story.
[4:19] Right.
[4:19] We don't have to have a story every day.
[4:21] Right.
[4:22] I agree.
[4:22] You know.
[4:24] My God, maybe they didn't figure something else out here.
[4:27] I suppose.
[4:27] I don't know.
[4:31] But anyway, I'm going to do it Thursday.
[4:32] That's my decision.
[4:41] And you're definitely going to go on everything, right?