On March 8, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:20 pm and 2:50 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 872-018 of the White House Tapes.
Transcript (AI-Generated)This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.
fit in but they're they are yours those are those guys they've come around a lot of things came up to me a lot of them started either way we've talked to someone about taking jobs and a couple of them came up and he said i you know i wish i could move up i just can't
So you've got to help us get some Democrats, because we want some.
You guys have to understand your problem.
You can tell Bill Casey that I want him to give Leonard Marks a call on something about getting more business and labor attaches in the State Department.
Because Marks was going to do that for Johnson.
And he said until Johnson decided not to run.
He was very strong.
I mean, he doesn't want to work, but he's going to need to have a grand job.
Right.
A Marxist real operator.
He's an able man.
He's a damned able man.
Yeah, he talked to me about the library.
He was talking to me about that.
Yeah, and I assume that you're going to...
I told him to talk to you, but...
This point is so right.
This is the point I've been making.
Now we've got to get...
But who are we going to charge?
He doesn't.
Before we... Before we...
They started in the library.
One here at the Johns was an office.
The poor guy didn't even realize it yet.
And they started the library.
Johnson was so passionate about building his record.
Now the point is, we want to really get going.
Would this be a good time to get, I guess the airspace is going to handle it, what committee is going to handle it, to get those people out there?
In other words, I could get the ride to California this time.
It should be a good time.
I'll put him on a plane and have him take a look at the grounds.
We should move on that, don't you think?
Or is it just that?
There's never a good time to say, well, you have a problem in Congress.
Screw it.
It doesn't cost any money.
No.
It doesn't cost any money.
That land is not being used.
It will never be used.
It's the only thing you can get on that is just me.
Somebody just decides to fight it just to be a son of a bitch, they can fight it.
It's probable, I don't know, but there's some commission that Abe Barry wants and we've got to get done for him, which we're doing.
And we've got done for him, but there's lots of FBI clerks or something.
But for an evening, the White House told me, Mark, since you're easy, they'd love to come.
Not an evening, but an entertainment place.
She dances, you know.
Right.
The band couldn't answer and he sings, you know, makes fun of the people.
It really is, to a state dinner audience, the older people, it would be a hell of a thing.
The thing about Tony Mark, too, he's met with us from the beginning.
He was still damn good.
He is damn good.
And he could even do an evening.
I mean, we don't have to, you don't have to be too concerned about things like that.
I wouldn't look right now, but staying in here, we've got to have people.
If that's getting down there, one of our friends who wants to come.
By God, he comes.
Before we get Lena Mazzella here, whatever her name is.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right, it'll be good.
Well, I get along.
Good.
A lot of folks out there with this car.
Driver.
She's telling jokes.
I wonder how the plants are going to break down.
Well, and I also achieved it, too.
But, see, we never denied this.
In other words, in terms of ever lying about it, we never lied about a thing.
We just—but it was great for me because I stood behind the ACLU.
Well, the ACLU had written a letter and raised hell about the FBI releasing the raw data.
You know, they're opposed to the FBI law.
And then it's right in the center.
So they said, oh, we completely concur.
The ACLU's view of the abrogation is not going to come here.
It's raw and unevaluated data.
This FBI raw data is written by a person who is a fellow with a clerk mentality.
That's right.
And it just rattles on in its own conclusion.
It's hearsay at its worst.
Anybody who reads FBI files, all you have to do is read one or two files.
But the ACLU, who were you to bring in those things?
We had a brand, the dullest goddamn thing to ever run.
But a lot of it is awful stuff, too.
You know, you get to the Charlie and, you know, what did he ever do?
We couldn't clear the hard case.
I know it's time, but we've got to face the finals.
You know what I mean?
You also couldn't clear a single gun in that pressure.
I told you what I was going to say.
You ought to say all that.
Because basically, he was screwing his secretary, or he wasn't screwing his secretary, so that meant that she was screwing him.
Well, it's a lot worse.
He gets through all this.
I know.
He's got a scene here and there.
He's been made known to do this.
He's been known to have psychopathic fits.
Go ahead.
But the ACLU letter to the Judiciary Committee really takes him on.
Well, I don't know what Irvin playing the game is.
I hope that little fellow Baker actually starts behaving a little bit.
Well, their committee hasn't started.
I know, but Irvin's playing all sorts of games.
Yeah, but he's doing the judiciary.
Everything he can say.
What else?
Just before you see people in noise, I'm going to tell him before he meets with you that you will not be able to do the AP speech in New York on April the 23rd.
He may raise it with you.
I've already told them that you won't be able to do it the first time again for us.
I don't think you should do that.
But as they said, they needed a tenant advisor from us.
Do you think this next week we would be better advised, maybe this next Thursday, to do the press club down here and do the press thing out here?
No, I don't think so.
I like the press club idea, but not at this point.
As a matter of fact, if we need a president, we ought to do the goddamn thing at night.
We could do that at night and let him cover the red chair and all that bull, you know, because most of them are not press people.
Yeah, I wouldn't do it at night.
What the hell?
The president of the United States, they ought to be in charge of it.
I mean, he's our friend, you know, anytime we go to the night.
Don't worry.
He's our good friend, you know.
Whether they can play it or not, I don't know.
They'd have to.
They'd have to, don't they?
Sure.
I'd have to carry it.
Sure.
Does it be a press conference?
Well, I wanted you to be aware that he may raise that.
This wasn't in your talk.
Maybe.
That's good.
That's good.
The more we talk about it, the worse it seems to get.
We're going to drop the 4 o'clock.
He said he would much prefer you spend the time on the stage.
And, uh, he didn't have anything pressing him.
Master, why don't you follow us?
Now, we've got a hell of a bunch of those kind of stuff.
We're, we're passing the point.
Janet Johnson, why don't you follow us, Master?
Well, Janet Johnson, you have to do it at some point.
If you do her, get her done, then.
Well, I have a breakfast tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
No.
Sure.
Oh, the CDA breakfast.
Oh, that's next week.
That's next week.
Well, good, good, good.
That's next week, isn't it?
Yes, sir.
Well, I thought it was next week, too.
It is at this point that we have it.
wrong that dennis can't be the problem it should be clarence the cea breakfast outside yes
He did a good job last night.
I was fascinated to see how he would, you know, just what you said, whether he can, whether he can do it.
I saw you sent John over to
tell him at the end of the scene that you were going to call him.
And I wondered if he could do it.
But he obviously dredged up some of his routine material about airlines flying and stuff like that while he was thinking.
But then he had some pretty good fresh stuff.
Like his Agnew Conley.
That had to be.
And that Conley was there when I saw he was there.
That's right.
Yeah.
Well, and it's good to let someone else talk, because all those people want to say how they feel about you and what a great job you're doing and stuff like that.
And yet, like I was sitting next to Art Wood, and he said, what's the protocol in something like this?
Is any of the guests allowed to make a toast to the president?
Because there should be one.
If there were a group here, the leader of the group would respond, but in an informal group like this, there's no leader.
Well, actually, if they wanted to have a toast, I thought about it.
I don't think it's necessary to have a toast.
I'm not so sure.
I think, and sitting through that last night as a guest, I was watching it that way, I think it leaves a void in their minds, because
They don't just, they don't expect to come and just have you explain what you're doing.
They, there was a very strong feeling, and they did it by standing in a plot.
Yeah.
But there was a strong feeling there of wanting to say, thank you.
Now, Hope didn't.
But he didn't really do it as well as, because he had to do it in Hope's time.
Yeah.
He had to mix it up with the, the gags.
Yeah.
It's around, but.
Well, probably at the end of such a meeting, I mean, I'm always afraid that he'd ever get a chance to gas on too long, you know.
You never want to have them.
Frankly, you never want to have them.
After, after I finish, that should be it.
Because it's always in that climate.
You have people get up and gas on and on and on about, we're so proud.
What the time to do it is before, is after the singing and before you get up.
It's not protocol, I'm sure.
Oh, yes.
Properly.
But I don't know why a guest can't rise and say, Mr. President,
If I may present, I'd like to speak for all of us and then say for about, you know, our great pride in what you've done and our satisfaction in having been a part of helping this administration and all that.
Gentlemen, I ask you to join me in a toast to the bread of the United States.
All of them will obviously make that much difference.
No, it doesn't.
They have such a big time on our
They really do, and they're breathing people out.
They get a hell of a lift out of it, you know what I mean?
They all feel that it was all worthwhile, and that's what the degree is for.
They're both nice, I think.
Well, here?
They were.
They were.
That was just great.
I think it sort of moves them.
Oh, I used 1190 for it.
Yeah.
I mean, it gets in that moral that everybody wants to hear about the spiritual thing, which they deeply feel and don't know what the hell to do about it without my having to preach about it.
Well, then they all afterwards, you know.
You guys made a point of coming up to me and just saying, how can we get that on television?
People of the country, I hear that.
It's a shame to waste that with us.
It's all right.
The president at his very best and all that.
But it was a good thing.
Steadicam is a good thing.
I was thinking when the building went you and his wife was not coming, I hope.
No, we don't know.
Henry doesn't know.
She doesn't.
She doesn't.
I'll give her the truth.
She doesn't.
I think you're wrong.
I'm having some women there.
But not wife.
Not wife.
I would not have spouses.
No spouses, right?
I'd have an archon.
I have a few people, I have that black woman that's over in Chulalongkorn town, and just a few women in their relationship.
That really will stick.
And maybe I'll impress S. Orwell so you can pick one of the women that's on our side.
I don't know.
That's right.
Just get somebody straight up, straight flat up on our site or call from outside the city or anything.
Just say these are all just representing certain people.
And Bay Wells probably wouldn't mind being known as being a friend of ours.
That's the whole thing.
These people are so goddamn sensitive about saying, well, we don't want to do it.
It's going to reflect on the other people's crew what they don't want to do about it.
I want that list of characters in a little time.
And it's gonna be, because Cole's the back when he came back.
When did he come back?
Just came back today.
Just came back.
Today?
He may have gone back last night.
He's currently coming in there at his end.
He called and said he was gonna be over at the office this afternoon.
Okay.
You should have a little talk with him.
Yep.
Before I leave.
Yep.
I can come back all the time.
I'll run his character thing.
I'll also get him launched on some of it.
I talked to both Captain Denton and Colonel Reisner, and they're both pressing themselves.
Just in talking to them on the phone, Denton is a much more articulate guy, he seemed to be, than Reisner.
Both of them said that the idea of waiting until June was exactly right.
I said, you shouldn't push it.
But get the word out immediately.
Because they said they were both very disturbed.
I mentioned the fact that two POWs had already been there, and that you had a chance to see them.
And they said, who was it?
And they were immediately.
And I said, I didn't know.
There was a couple of folks that their congressman had brought them in.
And he said, Denton.
No, Reisner.
I said, did they pull out on the president?
Did they maneuver that to get in there?
And I said, no, not at all.
The congressman called and didn't ask to see the president.
He called our visitor's office and asked if he could bring them on a White House tour.
And we, of course, said, yeah, I've got an office over there, St. John's.
Oh, yeah.
I did tell both of them that you would like to talk with them.
And they both very much want to talk with you.
I feel that would be very useful to you and to them.
And that would be a very good idea.
And they're both like, that's OK. Yeah.
As long as it's off the record.
Right.
And as long as it doesn't get into a thing, you know, where you're not doing it, where you're not being attractive.
It's at your initiative.
Neither of them asked for it.
But I said, you would ask.
And they said, well, if the president wants it, that you would.
And I said, you thought that it would be helpful to you just to have a chance to talk to one of them and get a general feel of what you ought to know that you can't get from the official reports.
Well, I think you should.
And that's what they, they're both available on call.
They very much want to come.
probably better not to have them on a weekend because of their kids being homeless.
The one thing they both, it's obvious they're just spending every second.
One of them said, I would hope I wouldn't have to come on March 28th because that's the day my son graduates from college and I've missed so many graduations.
I'd hate to miss that.
He said, of course I will.
I said, good Lord, if you have anything.
They think it's a suit.
Yeah.
I think you should.
I think you should.
I think you should.
If I had to give it the other day, I hope you only had this really good once.
What's his name?
One officer.
Well, there was one enlisted man that was.
I remember him.
That was just ridiculous.
But then there's this one officer that's out today.
But it's got to be so cleanly overwritten by the others.
I couldn't actually see them up there.
I can't get one up in the morning.
In research, it's a long, long time.
In other words, it's unfortunate.
So we can stop up here and see.
I'll tell you, they're so anxious.
They would be, they're, Jesus, they're, you know, they, especially again, it's so, I just can't tell you the feeling I have for the president.
Are you able to read more of what would come of this office?
Pretty fair shape next week.
Yeah.
The more I think, well, I'm thinking of the press thing, though.
We've got to get that done.
I want to do that tonight.
We're taking that day on Thursday.
Well, we've got to clear it so we can.
Yeah.
One thing is our second meeting.
I don't want to say we can't, but...
I think that's beyond fail.
Do you agree?
Paul Keyes and his new consultative role, I have asked to come to the evening at the White House and to the Sinatra.
Sure.
So he can see how these things, he's never been to them.
Well, right.
Okay, they're pretty well set on those two, I think, but we'll see.
Have you come on the same day?
On the morning of the afternoon.
I'd have somebody have an hour of each one.
I need to just get the feel of the whole thing.
Have you had one come Monday morning and one Monday afternoon?
Are you ready?
Unless there's something else you want me to do.
Let's plan the press thing then.
You would have the vote ready at Tuesday night.
Fair enough.
That's good.
Keep Wednesday clear.
How about that?
Okay.
Did you do it in the morning?
Thursday?
Yeah.
And get Denton and Reister in on Monday.
Yeah, I should talk to them myself.
But they're, uh, they're really ugly, aren't they?
Huh?
Oh, just total suck.
Yeah.
They all like the dreams of Jesus, because you don't imagine why.
Yeah.
They say he's marvelous for the wise.
I didn't raise the question against him, because we didn't want to do it.
And when did we start getting worried out there?
It felt very strongly it should not be before the 14th.
That was an ideal time.
Reisner said, maybe it could be a little early.
And they said, no, it's better to hold it off, if you get it announced.
And he said, I'm concerned that we start getting a piecemeal type of stuff.
That's right.
And he said, I don't want to get it.
Like Billy Ray went to something down there, and all the rest.
I don't want them to use, everybody wants them for their conventions.
Everybody wants them to trot them out of this and that, and that's going to kill the whole thing.
And they're starting to do that, and you can't stop them.
I don't see it.
I don't basically have the right to do it.
Everybody's going to honor them for finding who's going to do it.
Well, like Rudinger said, though, he said, I've got, of course, a lot of requests to do things.
And he said, the only thing I'm doing, I have a very strong feeling towards children.
which I want to do."
And I said, but I'm not going to do anything else.
And then the Middlesex Club in Boston has gotten ahold of him and said that they're presenting Hugh with their Super Beastmaker Award or something.
And they want him to come up and make the presentation and say, you aren't going to be able to be there, but they're hopeful that
some member of your family or ranking member of the administration will be there.
And they said Chuck Colson, senior member of your staff, will be there.
So they're peddling that.
They must be used.
We've got to find out how to talk to them as to how they should be used.
Well, that's one of the, yeah.
They'll have subpoenas on that, because they're, it's those two.
Maybe have one at 3 or one at 4.30, basically.
Okay.
Catch a little burner.
Most of the guys.
Those two, go ahead.
Those two plus Stockdale.
How about Casper?
Well, apparently he's not one of the leaders or something.
These two plus Stockdale.
Stockdale was a senior Navy man.
And Reisner, I guess, was a senior Air Force man.
And for some reason didn't serve as the section senior Navy man or something.
They're planning a meeting to go over some of these things, the three of them.
You call them back.
If you call them back, you might ask them, I'd like to see each second of it.
You might tell them you want to see the other, that I want to see that.
I told Reisner because I didn't want him to talk to them and find out I already talked to them.
I want to see these two only, and I want to know, and do we think that after I see each second of it, that I want to talk separately, we should talk to the three?
Or just not to work the plan?
Okay, plus talk to them.
Oh, I like that stuff.
You might want to see Denton or Eisner again.
They're both here.
I'd stand separate, though.
I like the separate things.
You get more out of the person.
You get much more out of them.
And each of them is going to be much more free without the other guy there.
You know, it was an interesting thing.
You looked up the Congress thing, didn't you?
I didn't want to get him in trouble, frankly.
I didn't want him to say it himself, but I didn't want him to get in trouble.
But nevertheless, I left out the Superman.
That whole letter has a powerful impact on people, particularly coming at the end of that kind of remark.
It's a beauty.
They'll all remember that.
Far more than beauty in the White House.
Far more than it ever will be.
Yep.
And because it's personal.
They felt it was personal.
They thought they had an insight into what you were really trying to do, what you thought.
I had a long talk with Conley, and he is all set to switch.
Yeah.
And he says, I made a mistake.
I should have done it two weeks ago, but I got all screwed up on some other things, and I just didn't get everything in place, and I didn't make the move.
I said, I'm too late now.
I said, you're not too late, but you're getting down to the point where you're getting to be a problem.
And he said, I've got it set up, and then George Christian's going to come with me.
Good.
I said, well, I know you're talking to Jeff, and he looked a little surprised.
I said, Jeff could be very helpful to you, but let me suggest that we've got him over here.
the Commerce Department thought now that you should openly get him involved with you until after all these hearings are done.
Because I said, don't let any of this crap scrape off on you.
I thought of that later, that I don't want him to go to you because I would want him to let you go.
Right.
That's why I said, we've got Jim taken care of.
He's in Commerce.
And he can make any commitment he wants to you down the road.
But for now, just steer clear.
I also said steer clear of Colson.
Because he just...
He can't be old and Colson can work for him privately.
That's what I said.
But he's in good shape.
He's going to Jamaica today.
They're opening their house.
They're going to take D.B.
down.
So he was very, he thought that, he thought the whole talk last night, but the letter in particular, he was, he thought that was just superb.
But he, I finally, it just sort of fit together.
So I said, John, I just, you know, with all the talk about you and everything, I purposely never raised a question.
I don't want you to think by silence that in any way I have any different view than what you know my view is.
And he said, oh, I know that.
I said, I realize it's better if we don't talk about it.
We can both say we haven't.
But he said, then he immediately started into it.
He said he'd been debating on that.
He said, I've decided the way to do it is just call a press conference.
He said, what I'll do is I'll call it for about two or three days ahead.
He said, let him sue.
And he said, you know, I don't expect this press corps ever to turn out.
And when Texas comes up with a problem, he may come up here.
He's smart enough to come up here.
Oh, I think he'd come up here and be great.
I think that's what he'll end up doing.
He ought to call a press conference right up here, and the whole White House press corps can urge him to do that.
But I think he must do it, because he's going to have three minutes of press here.
And there's more controversy about it, too.
He said, he said, I wondered about that because of all the damn questions and everything.
He said, but I've thought it all through and I've talked to George and I think I can handle any questions.
And I said, Jesus, you have no problem at all with any questions.
You know, it was significant that last night, because he was there, they had all the Democrats, including three of them at my table, which were four.
So I'm 15 or 20, so that means they don't fit in very well, doesn't it?
Yeah.
About there being a guest recovery.
Although a lot of those are just for us to now remain.
There's no question for our Democrats.
I'll tell you, they're so anxious.
They would be there.
Especially again,
And it's so, I just can't tell you the feeling I have for the president.
What are you able to mean more for what would come of this office?
Pretty fair shape next week.
The more I think, well, I'm thinking of the press thing.
We've got to get that done.
We've got to clear it so we can.
Yeah.
One thing is our second meeting.
I don't want to say we can't.
I think that's, that's beyond fail.
Do you agree?
Paul Keyes and his new consultative role, I have asked to come to the evening at the White House and to the Sinatra.
Sure.
Evening, so he can see how these things, he's never been to a .
Well, right.
Okay, they're pretty well set on those two, I think, but we'll see.
I can come on the same day.
Monday morning, Monday afternoon.
I can have it so that we have an hour of each one.
I need to just get the feel of the whole thing.
I have one come Monday morning and one Monday afternoon.
Are you ready?
Unless there's something else you want me to do.
Let's plan the press thing then.
You would have the vote ready that Tuesday night, fair enough.
I think that's good.
Keep Wednesday clear.
How about that?
Okay.
Did you do it in the morning, Thursday?
Yeah, I think we did.
And get Denton and Reister in on Monday.
Yeah, I should talk to them myself.
But they're, uh, they're really helping me, aren't they, Will?
Huh?
Oh, just totally something.
Yeah.
They all want you to join them in Jesus because you told them that and why.
Yeah.
They sometimes be marvelous for the wise.
I didn't raise the question to kids.
We didn't want to do it.
And when did we start making the word out?
Denton felt very strongly it should not be before the 14th.
That was an ideal time.
Reisner said, maybe it could be a little early.
And they said, no, it's better to hold it off, if you get an answer.
And he said, I'm concerned that we start getting a piecemeal type stuff.
That's right.
And he said, I don't want to get it.
Like Billy Graham, when there's something down there, you know, and all the rest.
I don't want them to be used.
Everybody wants them for their conventions.
Everybody wants them to trot them out of this and that.
That's going to kill the whole thing.
And they're starting to do that.
And you can't stop them.
I don't see it.
Basically, they have the right to do it.
Everybody's going to honor them for the fine thing that's going to happen.
Like Rutgers said, though, he said, I've got, of course, a lot of requests to do things.
And he said, the only thing I'm doing, I have a very strong feeling towards children.
which I want to do."
And he said, but I'm not going to do anything else.
And then, the Middlesex Club in Boston has gotten ahold of him and said that they're presenting Hugh with their Super Beastmaker Award or something, and they want him
come up and make the presentation and say, you aren't going to be able to be there, but they're hopeful that some member of your family or ranking member of the administration will be there.
And they said, Chuck Colson, senior member of your staff, will be there.
And they're peddling that.
They must be used.
We've got to find out how to talk to them as to how they should be used.
So that's one of the, yeah.
Don't have subpoenas on that, because it's those two.
Maybe you have one or three.
430, basically.
Okay.
Catch a little burner.
Those two, go ahead.
Those two plus Stockdale.
How about Casper?
Well, apparently he's not one of the leaders or something.
These two plus Stockdale.
Stockdale was a senior Navy man.
And Reisner, I guess, was a senior Air Force man.
And for some reason didn't serve as the section senior Navy man or something.
They're planning a meeting to
to go over some of these things, the three of them, at some point.
You call them back.
We need you to talk with them first.
If you call them back, you might ask them, I'd like to see each separately.
You might tell the gentleman to see the other, that I want to see that, and see Rosner.
I told Rosner because I didn't want him to talk to you then.
I want to see these two only, and I want to go.
And do we think that after I've seen each separately, that I want to talk separately, we should talk to the three?
Why don't you ask them that, to work the plan out?
Okay, plus Stockdale.
Oh, I like Stockdale.
You might want to see Denton or Eisner again.
They're both here.
I'd see them separate, though.
I like them separate.
They get more out of the person.
You get much more out of them.
And each of them is going to be much more free without the other guy there.
You know what's an interesting thing?
Yeah.
You looked up the Congress thing, didn't you?
Yeah.
I didn't want to get in any trouble, frankly.
Well, I didn't want to get in trouble.
So I didn't say it in itself, but I didn't want to get in trouble.
But nevertheless, I left out the Superman.
Yeah, well, I can see that I am error-free, and you didn't need the superman anyway, and I'm error-free together with him, where he said that I needed brains, and so he was grateful, and he said more than that.
Maybe that older has a powerful impact on people, and particularly coming at the end of that kind of remark.
Yeah.
They'll remember that far more than he did in the White House, far more than they did in the White House.
Yep.
And because it's personal.
They felt it was personal.
They thought they had an insight into what you were really trying to do and what you thought.
I had a long talk with Conley, and he is all set to switch.
And he says, I made a mistake.
I should have done it two weeks ago.
But I got all screwed up on some other things.
And I just didn't get everything in place.
And I didn't make the move.
And he said, I'm too late now.
And I said, you're not too late.
But you're getting down to the point where you're getting to be a problem.
And he said, I've got it set up.
And then George Christian's going to come with me.
I said, I know you're talking to Jeff, and he looked a little surprised.
I said, Jeff could be very helpful to you, but let me suggest that we've got him.
he should openly get him involved with you until after all these hearings are done because i said don't let any of this crap scrape off on you that uh right that's why i said just don't i said just we've got jeff taking care of he's in commerce and he can make any commitment he wants to you down the road
But for now, just steer clear.
I also said steer clear of Colson, because he just- He can't be old, but Colson can work for him.
That's what I said.
He's going to Jamaica today.
I know this one.
They're opening their house.
They're going to take Phoebe down.
Yeah, I know this one.
I looked over at him.
Boy, he was leading the chair.
He was proud of himself.
He thought the whole talk last night, but the letter particularly, he thought that was just superb.
I thought it just sort of fit together.
So I said, John, with all the talk about you and everything, I purposely never raised a question.
I don't want you to think by silence that in any way I have any different view than what you know my view is.
And he said, oh, I know that.
I said, I realize it's better if we don't talk about it.
We can both say we haven't.
But he said, then he immediately started into it.
He said he'd been debating on that.
He said, I've decided the way to do it is just call a press conference.
He said, what I'll do is I'll call it for about two or three days ahead.
He said, let him sue.
And he said, you know, I don't expect this press corps ever to turn out.
And Texas is going to do it.
Probably.
He may come up here.
He's smart enough to come up here.
Oh, I think he'd come up here and be great.
I think that's what he'll end up doing.
He ought to call a press conference right up here and the whole White House press corps can urge him to do that.
I think he must do it because he's not dead.
There was more controversy about it, too.
He said, I wondered about that because of all the damn questions and everything.
He said, but I've thought it all through, and I've talked to George, and I think I can handle any questions.
And I said, Jesus, you have no problem at all with any questions.
You know, it was significant that last night, because he was there, they had all the Democrats, including three of them at my table, which were four.
So I'm 15 or 20, so that means they don't fit in very well, doesn't it?
You know, about there being a guest recovery.
Although a lot of those are just for us, too, now.