Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 874-011
Date: Friday, March 9, 1973 at 12:31 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Hart, Thomas; Bauer, Doug; Baxter, Robert; Bostic, Jim; Carroll, Joseph; Fryer, John; Gross, Jim; McConahey, Steve; McGlashan, Bill; Mumford, John; Nogales, Luis; Nunn, Lee, Jr.; Powell, Colin; Ramsay, Ann; Schrempf, Bill; Stukel, Don; Yasinsky, John; Loeffke, Bernard; Benziger, Joan
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/874-011

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[2:46] Well, I wanted to say that before you completed your year here, how much we appreciate what you've done for me.
[2:58] I'm so delighted you got to take that trip.
[3:01] Because, you know, you get to that great capital that you feel that the opportunities will attract you.
[3:06] We tend so often, as you came through, and I heard your various remarks, you get so
[3:19] And you will miss this.
[3:27] You'll even miss this, what you've been doing.
[3:36] We've got to live it up and see the whole world.
[3:37] And I don't mean that everybody has to travel to Japan and see it, but it helps.
[3:41] We're not going to do that deal.
[3:47] In fact, what we do here, what we do in each one of the bureaus, what we do in each business in this country, in each educational institution, has an effect not only on that institution, on that town, on that state, on this nation, but it affects the world.
[4:07] I was thinking, for example, of the people who've been in his office before.
[4:13] Even T.R., he was the first president to be in his office.
[4:17] As a matter of fact, he was designed to be his president until he was the first to serve the world leaders.
[4:24] But it really didn't matter that much what the United States did in that order.
[4:27] Not really.
[4:27] Sure, you have a treaty of courts, but...
[4:47] But now, of course, we all know it's all changed.
[4:52] And now, nothing matters anyplace else in the free world.
[4:56] Because, despite Europe's economic movement very strongly in the economy market, despite the fact that Japan is our major competitor in the free world, they're military enemies.
[5:08] And they can play global, and they know it.
[5:13] what we do, not only militarily and diplomatically, but particularly economically as a government.
[5:22] I say the latter because you cannot build a foreign policy, you cannot build a strong military defense, an anti-military defense, unless you have, as we do have, a very strong domestic economy and a government responsible for that.
[5:41] So...
[5:42] What I want to say is that everything you did helped.
[6:03] And any part of the government doesn't work effectively.
[6:19] That's why
[6:30] So with that, thank you.
[6:52] I want to urge all of you
[6:56] After I had this particular point to action, it's obvious we continue your political matters.
[7:03] You've got some of them.
[7:07] It's a pretty good chance.
[7:11] Pretty good judgment, too.
[7:12] I campaign for enough turkeys to know why.
[7:17] I hope you run.
[7:20] If you run wrong, I hope you participate in it.
[7:24] Needless to say, because the country needs people that are responsible, that can get back on good business, make a decent living, balance the math and budgets and so forth and so on.
[7:36] These people can raise the whole level of competence of government at all levels.
[7:43] And that, of course, is what our new policy should be all about.
[7:51] And all the argument about the budget is interesting.
[7:53] And the budgets eventually have to be, in their curious way, come out with outspending more than the full-blown revenues will produce.
[8:02] Or otherwise, you read terrible consequences.
[8:05] And this will, in the end, it's going to be tough.
[8:07] Well, what is more significant about this budget is not the fact that it's
[8:13] It's the first time since this republic began that the president is asking for a huge divestiture of power.
[8:24] In other words, rather than having the decisions made here about cities and states and counties, we're saying, you may.
[8:32] Here's the devil.
[8:32] You may.
[8:34] And so they've got to grow up.
[8:36] They've got to get more honest.
[8:37] They've got to get more efficient and all the rest.
[8:41] quality of government at the state level is going to be at the district level and county level.
[8:51] The state level is going to be substantially increased.
[8:53] Well, hey, and you wonder what you're going to get out of all this.
[8:56] It took a few words, and the answer is not much.
[9:00] You get a picture.
[9:01] I have a secret.
[9:02] All I make is one up.
[9:03] And we also give, for the White House falls, we give each a pair of presidential cufflinks with a little pin.
[9:12] if you don't wear cuffs.
[9:15] I'm getting into the business.
[9:17] That's right.
[9:17] I didn't think you'd wear cuffs.
[9:19] Why haven't these women come in such get-ups that they wear almost anything?
[9:23] You're not.
[9:25] You take care of it.
[9:27] You take care of it.
[9:30] That's all we have for today.
[9:34] Thank you very much.
[9:49] So what I want to say is that everything you did
[10:11] And any part of the government doesn't work effectively.
[10:28] That's why.
[10:38] So with that, thank you.
[11:00] I want to urge all of you
[11:04] After I had this particular point of view, actions that ought to continue your political matters, the government, or some of you.
[11:18] It's a pretty good chance.
[11:20] Pretty good judgment, too.
[11:21] I campaigned for enough turkeys to know why.
[11:25] I hope you're not wrong with some of you.
[11:30] I hope you're dissimilarity.
[11:32] uh people should say because the country needs people that are responsible that you can get back and not only run a good business make a decent living balance the man's budget and so forth and so on these people can raise the whole level of confidence of government at all levels
[11:52] And that, of course, is what our new policy should be all about.
[11:58] And all the argument about the budget is interesting.
[12:03] And the budgets eventually have to be, in a very curious way, come out with outspending more than the full-fledged revenues would produce.
[12:11] Or otherwise, you read terrible consequences.
[12:13] And this will, in the end, it's going to be tough.
[12:16] Well, what is more significant about this budget is not the fact that it brings power to the president,
[12:21] It's the first time, really, it's the first time since this republic began that the president is asking for a huge divestiture of power, special remuneration and stuff.
[12:33] In other words, rather than having the decisions made here about cities and states and counties, we're saying, you may.
[12:40] Here's the devil, you may.
[12:43] And so they've got to grow up.
[12:44] They've got to get more honest.
[12:46] They've got to get, of course, more efficient and all the rest.
[12:50] quality of government at the same level as we get in this room, at the county level, at the city level, is going to be substantially increased.
[13:02] Well, hey, and you wonder what you're going to get out of all this.
[13:06] It took a few words, and the answer is not much.
[13:09] You get a picture.
[13:10] I have a secret.
[13:11] All I make is one up.
[13:12] And we also give, for the White House falls,
[13:21] I'm getting into the business.
[13:23] That's right.
[13:23] I had these women come in such get-ups that they wear almost anything.
[13:43] All right.