Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 838-017
Date: Thursday, January 11, 1973 at 10:05 AM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/838-017

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] All right.
[0:03] All right.
[0:03] All right.
[0:04] All right.
[0:41] Well, on the whole situation of Vietnam, no comment.
[1:13] There's really no other way to say it.
[1:18] Just let them all wank around.
[1:19] If they had any brains, they'd figure that something might be going on.
[1:26] You know what I mean?
[1:26] The vines have got Henry Buster in the way that he is saying it.
[1:34] There's nothing digging out of there, thank God.
[1:37] And we're not telling them that wasn't digging out of here.
[2:05] Watergate.
[2:07] Well, you can't.
[2:08] There you go.
[2:09] No need for stability.
[2:12] It's not our problem.
[2:14] It's not our problem.
[2:15] It's not exactly a need.
[2:34] It's a non-story because they haven't contributed.
[3:02] It's a non-story because the story's based on the fact that he asked them to do that.
[3:07] And they didn't.
[3:07] I just simply say it was a non-story.
[3:10] That's what I asked them to do.
[3:13] If he did it, he says it's a non-story because he did not make a contribution.
[3:18] Well, did he?
[3:18] I don't know.
[3:19] I don't know.
[3:23] I don't know.
[3:26] I don't know.
[3:26] I don't know.
[3:30] I don't know.
[3:52] in the money in return for a position term.
[3:58] It's not worth getting into them now.
[4:00] People know that people that, after all, they're unions and so forth, support the government's campaign because he supported their view.
[4:11] This is who supported our campaign because they believed in our views.
[4:15] That's the way it goes.
[4:19] How did it find the...
[4:21] This is not a bellwether, but the New York Times had it on the front page two days because they ran the war story.
[4:54] interview, U.S. News, for example, to run it, and it's tiring.
[4:58] I instantly have the notes, and Fran took very good notes, and I'm getting help, too, from your files.
[5:06] Sure.
[5:06] They were pleased.
[5:10] Oh, yeah.
[5:11] It played great.
[5:13] Saul Pett's article is now being distributed and will run.
[5:30] The interview with the wires got excellent newspaper play, got good radio play, and TV play.
[5:38] Oh, sure.
[5:40] Well, they used the thing, the main thing, the president said.
[5:46] Or becoming the bottom board of the presidency.
[5:49] You don't face that problem, as you said.
[5:51] The people should keep their, you know, active and their spirit alive and their mind active.
[5:56] Let's look forward to that.
[6:03] Well, quite the great thing that raises is that it's worked on this occasion.
[6:07] Sure.
[6:08] That's right.
[6:08] It's a very easy way to get something out, to get credit for anything, which we need from time to time.
[6:15] So, I mean, it is true that Preston is strong-feeling.
[6:19] They have strong-feeling.
[6:21] They have to be with somebody.
[6:23] And if one of their colleagues sees you, I think that helps them.
[6:26] Don't you think so?
[6:27] Sure.
[6:28] And the others, of course, even if one of their colleagues comes in and gets a story, they don't know.
[6:37] Sometime now, after the inauguration, Mr. Miller, the February will come back at some occasion, which we'll see at the time it comes up.
[6:46] We'll come back with the PI thing to balance out.
[6:48] Oh, sure, sure.
[6:49] They should be told they can have something.
[6:51] The PI should get something to balance that.
[6:56] They've got to figure out what it should be.
[7:00] Why don't they do this?
[7:02] Why don't they have the...
[7:08] I'm having my lunch today.
[7:45] What time do you go upstairs to tell them the word?
[7:48] 1 o'clock.
[7:49] And I'm usually out by 2.
[7:50] I'm out by 2, 2.15.
[8:09] Now, today I may go a little longer.
[8:11] I may go a little longer.
[8:12] It takes plenty of time.
[8:14] You've got a lot of things to talk about.
[8:17] And I'm very candid about that.
[8:21] It's more sorrow than anger.
[8:22] I've got to block down all the notes.
[8:24] Yeah, why not?
[8:29] Okay, come on.
[8:30] I agree.
[8:30] Yes.
[8:35] I told Baldwin to have his family at that park.
[8:38] Did you see it?
[8:39] I didn't see it.
[8:40] I'm going to see it today, but I had my secretary, you know, go over and get a rundown on it.
[8:45] Did she see it?
[8:47] Yeah, she saw it.
[8:48] I thought you needed to see it.
[8:51] If you like, you could have a few members of the press see it.
[8:54] You know what I mean?
[8:55] Right.
[8:55] It's just one of those things.
[8:57] We cannot use it commercially.
[8:58] We would want to, but I think it's the funniest thing.
[9:01] Right.
[9:06] and because of the football super bowl coming up but they might like to see it okay