Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 869-019
Date: Tuesday, March 6, 1973 at 12:48 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/869-019

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Yep.
[0:02] Yep.
[0:06] Yep.
[0:29] We've just been doing a little press plan.
[0:31] He's going to announce that the president's giving him a broader assignment on a national scale.
[0:35] There's all sorts of things.
[0:38] I want to say, you know, you see these suggestions by Scott or the rest of the president.
[0:44] We spent half an hour with each member of the House and Senate.
[0:50] And you look at the schedule like this.
[0:52] Yeah, please.
[1:01] I don't know why I don't know how we control it I must say
[1:26] You take them all, John, like Carl Curtis.
[1:29] I haven't had a man for Curtis yet in years.
[1:32] He has always been a lousy candidate.
[1:35] I've saved his ass time and time again.
[1:37] He gets didged four percent of the vote.
[1:39] We get 75.
[1:39] What in the Christ is he complaining about?
[1:40] What are you telling me?
[1:43] It's as if they're in menopause.
[1:45] They're cranky and bitchy and, you know.
[1:48] If we ever get into a position, I totally don't call them.
[1:54] I think there are some target individuals that we can tie in with other kinds of things.
[2:03] And we'll watch for opportunities.
[2:26] The reason I thought we were doing these huge social attacks was that you and Anderson thought that was a good idea.
[2:33] It is.
[2:34] But I didn't think it was a good idea.
[2:36] No, no, it is a good idea, and it is fair to do it.
[2:37] We need to come back.
[2:38] We're running them in.
[2:40] Well, we're getting far more seats than State and Anderson.
[2:43] We're going to let it go.
[2:43] We don't want to fail.
[2:44] We're going to get a goddamn fit in Anderson.
[2:51] We've been with Bush, McGregor, and Harlow.
[2:54] Yes, I heard you.
[2:56] And we got a report back from them on that.
[2:59] And they say that it is paying real substantial dividends.
[3:04] And they all get their readings, of course, from a different standpoint than we do.
[3:09] But on the other hand, they all say the president can only
[3:13] Well, you know, that's the old story.
[3:16] That's the old story.
[3:17] Well, it can't be done.
[3:19] And it would not work.
[3:20] All right.
[3:21] And we don't have to do it.
[3:22] I have brought it.
[3:24] I wanted to throw it at Scott.
[3:40] We'll be right back.
[4:01] And as I said, also, I think some of these songs, I think there's this to be said, this goes totally against what Harlow would say, probably very early in the Bush.
[4:10] And they gave this land to the Stuyvesant army within 56 elections.
[4:17] The poor man we got down there killed him and he finally had a stroke.
[4:21] It's been working around him too much.
[4:24] more than you've done previously.
[4:26] That's an important point.
[4:28] That's an important point.
[4:30] These guys are a rubbing place and the attrition on you of those kinds of contacts, unless it could be proved that there's some payoff, it's just out of the question.
[4:43] I want to do the job well.
[4:45] If four years is a hell of a lot of attrition, you've got to upload these
[4:56] Well, really, they said, how the hell would you do it?
[4:58] They wonder.
[4:59] I don't know.
[5:02] But one day, something will happen.
[5:04] Just as sure as hell.
[5:05] If you get a district choice, you'll come up with all these miners and pictures in here, including that head of the American Bank Association.
[5:21] I got awfully good readings from that New York physics crash there.
[5:26] about until they get a letter from home
[5:54] There are at least 100 lobbyists...
[6:22] earning $100,000 a year or more, who in one way or another are against a bigger government and more tax benefits.
[6:29] Sir, the tax foundation is there.
[6:31] And what did the chamber of commerce in Indiana, what in the name of hell are they doing?
[6:37] Are you talking?
[6:37] I can't say, but I'll find out.
[6:39] Have you heard of the cartel in Indiana?
[6:40] No.
[6:41] Not much, not much.
[6:44] But I haven't had an education.
[6:48] Let me tell you how I see this congressional thing.
[6:51] It's evolving now.
[6:53] We're beginning to develop some ideas that don't involve text here.
[6:58] But I think that's great.
[7:00] But that's trade-off.
[7:01] You see, if I don't do that, then you have to do it.
[7:07] And much better, I think, than this.
[7:21] Pretty tight this afternoon.
[7:24] I'm sure the State Department and I can see that we're not over time yet.
[7:33] My thinking is that...
[7:36] I really would like to just come in and say, these guys are going to talk to you about your problem and get the hell out.
[7:43] I don't want any conversation with them.
[7:45] Can we go it that way?
[7:46] I'm not in that position.
[8:11] so that you can just pop in and out.
[8:14] Would you just come in and thank them for their support?
[8:16] They've said very supportive things.
[8:17] That's right.
[8:19] And just acknowledge them.
[8:20] Don't put those on the record.
[8:22] And I'll have that before everybody gets back.