Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 827-023
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 1972 at 4:25 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Chotiner, Murray M.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/827-023

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] First of all, I have to be that sharp with respect to money.
[0:05] I was 71 for nine months.
[0:07] I've had 50,000 pound of taxes this year out of the affordable living.
[0:12] Really, yes, but four taxes.
[0:13] Four taxes.
[0:14] And the only one that I can hope to take this year is without compensation for the family that's left with me.
[0:23] I'd like you to pray and have a good prayer.
[0:25] It's time to start the practice of my prayer.
[0:27] I beg you on that night, let us all pray.
[0:29] Let us pray.
[0:29] Let us pray.
[0:30] Let us pray.
[0:30] Let us pray.
[0:39] Republicans and Republicans, and I say Republicans, are political communists too.
[0:43] You know, he's a lawyer.
[0:44] He's got a view on the issue of this.
[0:48] He said, well, you know, if you go to the same market, the lawyers, I say, you know, this is very good.
[0:58] I say, yeah, what was the deal about that today?
[1:01] I don't know.
[1:02] The second point is, I've been commissioned by Neville Younger to let you know about a certain situation.
[1:07] Things are getting very, very messy out there in California.
[1:11] It looks great, but it will be much more difficult.
[1:19] if Reagan is appointed to be the governor, and so forth.
[1:24] Now, if he is going to be appointed, these people have to know he does, otherwise they make different plans, and so forth.
[1:30] So there's a situation.
[1:31] But let me tell you something.
[1:33] Reagan and Lou Cesar, the second, third, and fifth prime ministers, wanted to be on the team together.
[1:38] And for now, they're going to be on the team.
[1:40] I don't know what they're going to do.
[1:46] Just so these guys can take a plan, and a very vague plan, but the word, I don't know, I won't give it up.
[1:52] I won't give up the honor.
[1:54] Maybe I'll have to listen to you.
[1:59] I don't know.
[2:01] I don't know.
[2:01] I don't know.
[2:02] I don't know.
[2:04] I don't know.
[2:24] Well, I spoke to her.
[2:27] I spoke to her.
[2:29] I told her this time.
[2:32] I told her this time.
[2:35] The government would kill her.
[2:44] He can win.
[2:45] He can beat Prince.
[2:46] He's afraid he can't beat Prince.
[2:49] He's taking polls all the time.
[2:52] I'm fully honest with you about that.
[2:54] And Murray, he had a race.
[2:56] If he gets into this race, Bob will simply let me die.
[3:00] He's a back-looking man of friends and friends.
[3:02] He's smart.
[3:02] He works hard.
[3:03] He's fed back-to-back companies.
[3:06] He's a punch to the face.
[3:09] He would be back-to-back.
[3:11] He would be back-to-back.
[3:14] He's the member of the board.
[3:17] It carries him on heart.
[3:19] He'd be a magnificent senator.
[3:21] He's a very subtle activist.
[3:23] I had a long talk with him about him.
[3:25] You must know him.
[3:26] But Murray decided to get off his ass and decide.
[3:29] He had all his cow pox in his bag, and I went over and I held their hands.
[3:34] And everybody said, Bob, Bob can't decide.
[3:38] I asked him.
[3:38] He said, it's very important that we go out.
[3:42] I don't know.
[3:43] Here's why I felt worried about the horrible news.
[3:45] Indeed, you've got me in a position to give you the spoiler.
[3:48] I said, if you announce first, Bob, that anybody else who announces is running against you, don't place yourself in the position of running against X, Y, or Z.
[3:56] Who else wants to be Senator?
[3:58] Well, there's still a talk about Reagan.
[4:00] Oh, shit.
[4:00] But, uh, I said, if Reagan announces first, then you are running against Reagan.
[4:04] I said, I said, I said, I said, I said, I said, I said, I said, I said,
[4:10] The third thing is, Mr. Sandhya sir, is this.
[4:13] To make your administration a success, you have to have a Republican, House, and Senator standing for.
[4:20] Otherwise, I'm going to cut the administration to ribbons, because I feel that most of the people that I see in the South now is the time to move on to things that I can be helpful to, like the guy in the chest, like somebody you always kind of just... Well, let me tell you, I do know you can be helpful, but...
[4:37] I have three of them.
[4:39] You read the writer.
[4:41] I have two of them.
[4:42] The first, not most, but four of them.
[4:44] I said, go.
[4:45] I said, go.
[4:45] I said, go.
[4:46] I said, go.
[4:46] I said, go.
[4:47] I said, go.
[4:47] I said, go.
[4:53] But the chances of winning the Senate were low.
[4:56] The chances of winning the House were high.
[4:58] Did you see the Republican candidates?
[5:00] What did you think of them?
[5:01] Well, most of the candidates didn't have a lot.
[5:03] But no, they were awful.
[5:10] And Wilson doesn't have a fire release.
[5:13] We're going to get involved now.
[5:15] That's the point.
[5:17] Bill Rock, I'll have him talk to you.
[5:20] Bill Rock is going to be the senator.
[5:24] Sure.
[5:25] But he's not going to be the rest.
[5:29] Then I'll be the other one.
[5:33] I have told you, I told George Bush this story.
[5:37] If the fire was this time, it would pop.
[5:40] I said, by that time somebody else is going to be here.
[6:01] I'd love to have a good conversation.