Watergate Trial Conversations Page #4

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CONNALLY:
And don't overlook the Speaker, Mr.

President.

PRESIDENT:
And do the same with the Speaker. But, I

mean the point is, when you do something for

these fellows, remember, don't just let them

think that we're doing it for, uh, turning

our back on policy. Get a picture to them.

UNIDENTIFIED:
True. Right.

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

PRESIDENT:
You have that point, now.

UNIDENTIFIED:
Yes, sir.

PRESIDENT:
Fine.

CONNALLY:
I could maybe suggest a better way. If you

tie it in uh, keep in mind that Wilbur

called me twice about this.

PRESIDENT:
Uh huh.

CONNALLY:
And I think Jerry called him about this.

HARDIN:
Did he call you about it?

CONNALLY:
The Speaker called me, which is very

unusual, and he just normally doesn't do

that.

UNIDENTIFIED:
Well, that's fine Dick, both talked to you

about it.

PRESIDENT:
All right. Fine. Well, all right.

EHRLICHMAN:
There is --

PRESIDENT:
I think that, I think that, I think what our

ploy should be here is basically, uh, uh, I

think maybe it's, uh, George and John --

What do you think? John Ehrlichman.

EHRLICHMAN:
I think that would be great.

PRESIDENT:
They, they're going to have to deal with

them on revenue sharing and all these other

programs. And, and you, uh, pass the word

to -- you of course handle all the -- Page

and all that.

UNIDENTIFIED:
Heh, heh.

UNIDENTIFIED:
If you give them cookies they, they'll love

it.

HARDIN:
Now look there, there are a few of those,

fellows -- Let's take them home with us.

[Several

voices] Oh, yeah.

HARDIN:
There are only a few. And, uh, I think we

got to give them a chance to holler back.

EHRLICHMAN:
I'll agree.

UNIDENTIFIED:
Now -- I'll agree.

PRESIDENT:
That's right. That's right.

HARDIN:
We may need them again.

PRESIDENT:
Yes, sir. They've been wonderful.

UNIDENTIFIED:
Wonderful.

HARDIN:
We're going to let you time the announcement

and see what we can [unintelligible)

UNIDENTIFIED:
We may need some hands.

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

PRESIDENT:
What would you like to do with the timing,

Cliff? I mean -- What are you suggesting?

HARDIN:
Well, I think it depends on George. Uh, you

know, uh, uh, we've got to accommodate -- I

think we ought to go this week.

PRESIDENT:
Good, I think the sooner the better,

HARDIN:
And, uh ---

PRESIDENT:
because, uh, let's don't have, let's don't

do it under pressure.

HARDIN:
And, uh, uh, uh, I think that if you can get

Wilbur and, uh, uh, the Speaker quickly,

UNIDENTIFIED:
Yeah.

HARDIN:
uh, then, uh, uh, you get a hold of Page and

these other fellows, uh, also, but, as soon

as they know what we are thinking about, uh,

it will leak out pretty fast.

SHULTZ:
Well, I don't think that there's any

problems about the thing and, uh ---

PRESIDENT:
But be sure you get to Page Belcher.

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

PRESIDENT:
He could get Wilbur.

UNIDENTIFIED:
But you're going to have to [unintelligible]

UNIDENTIFIED:
Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

SHULTZ:
If you wanted to, you could do it. At the

same time, of course, you get different

people doing it so they don't get crossed

up.

UNIDENTIFIED:
All right.

CAMPBELL:
It, it, it -- it's going to have to almost

be done simultaneously because just as soon

as they've talked, it's so important,

everybody is going to know it. The first

one that knows -is going to get on the phone

and call the dairymen,

UNIDENTIFIED:
You, uh ---

CAMPBELL:
and soon as one of the dairymen knows, all

of them will.

PRESIDENT:
I'll say.

SHULTZ:
Uh, but aren't you and somebody going to

want to talk to the dairymen about it so you

can set up a

EHRLICHMAN:
Make a two year deal.

UNIDENTIFIED:
A two year deal.

SHULTZ:
two year deal.

PRESIDENT:
I think first you have got to -- Well, then

and they ' re going to know - They're,

they're --

CAMPBELL:
But no, Mr. President, you could ask, you

could ask if we're able to do anything would

you be satisfied to leave this alone next

year. They'll come back promptly and you'll

get a way out if you do. They'll never,

never listen to the Secretary. We've found

that --

UNIDENTIFIED:
Um huh.

CAMPBELL:
But I can tell you --

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

CONNALLY:
May I suggest?

UNIDENTIFIED:
And I know --

CAMPBELL:
I suggest just as quick I can get them on

the telephone.

PRESIDENT:
All right.

CONNALLY:
May I also suggest --

PRESIDENT:
Make sure you got the deal to present to me.

And, uh ---

UNIDENTIFIED:
[Unintelligible]

CAMPBELL:
No. I'm not notifying them anyway.

PRESIDENT:
No, no, no, no, no. [Unintelligible]

EHRLICHMAN:
His idea is that he'll say, "Look we were

able to do this. Will you pledge this."

See?

PRESIDENT:
Uh huh.

CAMPBELL:
No, no problem.

EHRLICHMAN:
Still hypothetical

PRESIDENT:
Yeah, yeah. Then that way the decision is

still open. And then, boom.

CONNALLY:
And you can pretty well seal this, John and

George, uh, when you talk to Wilbur and the

Speaker. The two year aspect.

UNIDENTIFIED:
You handle it.

CONNALLY:
You should hear that out and we'll talk

about it.

WHITAKER:
I just want to raise one point. The thing

that got that started is the concern of

over-production. If you don't think down

the line with me it will be more trouble in

the end.

CAMPBELL:
This -- if, if we do it'll be two years off

and not next year.

UNIDENTIFIED:
That's it.

PRESIDENT:
And John, what other problems does that

involve? Uh, uh [unintelligible]

[Several

voices] [Unintelligible]

HARDIN:
[Unintelligible] you may have overproduction

next year. And we may blame it

on this. But it will be for other reasons.

PRESIDENT:
Yeah.

EHRLICHMAN:
Actually it takes more -takes longer than

that.

PRESIDENT:
There's one thing about this, it's one thing

about this industry that is, uh, quite

interesting. It's that, uh, it's, uh, it's

a big business. From the standpoint -- you

know, they go into this business, you know,

and people say -- It -- As a matter of fact,

I get the impression, Cliff, and I'm not too

much of an expert on the farmer, but I get

the impression that -- For example, with

regard, uh, uh, regarding, regarding the

price of hogs. People who go into that

business, from what I gather -- it's pretty

easy, isn't it?

HARDIN:
Changing the par--when compared

PRESIDENT:
The dairy business, on the other hand,

requires an enormous net invest--,

investment. You know, you can raise more

pigs, right?

HARDIN:
Yes. And the, and the times get --

PRESIDENT:
Fast. Fast. And that's why the pig, po--,

the corn-hog ratio uh -- that business goes

up and down almost like an escalator,

doesn't it?

UNIDENTIFIED:
Right.

CONNALLY:
Mr. President, two litters per year and the

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