Posted on 12/10/2003 11:15:18 AM PST by GulliverSwift
Tapes: Nixon Called Reagan 'Strange'
1 hour, 7 minutes ago
By JONATHAN D. SALANT, Associated Press Writer
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - President Nixon didn't think much of fellow Californian and Republican icon Ronald Reagan (news - web sites), calling him "strange" and not "pleasant to be around," newly released White House tapes show.
Talking politics with White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman at Camp David in August 1972, Nixon switched the conversation to two Republican governors, Reagan of California and Nelson Rockefeller of New York. Both men unsuccessfully sought the 1968 Republican presidential nomination that Nixon received.
"Reagan is not one that wears well," Nixon said.
"I know," Haldeman agreed.
"On a personal basis, Rockefeller is a pretty nice guy," Nixon said. "Reagan on a personal basis, is terrible. He just isn't pleasant to be around."
"No, he isn't," Haldeman said.
"Maybe he's different with others," Nixon said.
"No," Haldeman said.
"No, he's just an uncomfortable man to be around," Nixon said, "strange."
The conversations are part of the 240 hours of White House tape recordings from the Nixon administration released Wednesday by the National Archives. Covering July through October 1972, the tapes are the 10th batch of Nixon recordings, totaling 2,109 hours, that the Archives has released since 1980. In all, there are about 3,700 hours of Nixon White House tapes.
Nixon installed a secret taping system in the White House. Some of those tapes later showed a White House cover-up in connection with the 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) headquarters in the Watergate office building. The release of those tapes, which Nixon fought all the way to the Supreme Court, eventually led to his resignation in 1974 rather than face almost-certain impeachment and conviction.
The popular Reagan later served two terms as president. But like Nixon, Reagan had a scandal of his own, involving trading arms to Iran for hostages and illegally aiding anti-government forces in Nicaragua.
In 1980, Nixon told Parade magazine that he had several good talks with Reagan. "I think he values my foreign policy advice," the magazine quoted Nixon as saying. "I will be available for any assistance or advice."
Reagan had corresponded with Nixon for years. When Reagan was elected president, he sought Nixon's advice.
The disgraced former president offered some suggestions for Cabinet posts and a strategy for Reagan's first few months in office, urging him not to travel abroad for the first six months of his administration so he could concentrate on the economy rather than foreign policy. Nixon also pushed for his former chief of staff, Gen. Alexander Haig Jr., as Reagan's secretary of state.
Later, Nixon said Reagan's economic policies were unduly harsh and cautioned against giving him too much credit for winning the Cold War. "Communism would have collapsed anyway," he told Monica Crowley, a Nixon aide in his last years, according to her 1996 book, "Nixon Off the Record."
I like Nixon for attacking the media and for having Spiro the Dragon Agnew do the same, and for 'peace with honor' in Vietnam, but domestically he was a liberal Republican. One of his brainchilds was the EPA. It's like what liberals said about conservatives attacking Clinton. "Why do you attack Clinton when he's the most conservative Democrat in years?" And yet the liberals hated Nixon with all the hearts on their sleeve.
Haldeman was a yes man, as certainly can be showed in this very, very small snapshot. As far as strangeness goes, Haldeman said later, after it was all over, that Nixon was one of the strangest men he ever knew. Many people didn't know it, but every one of Nixon's speeches were memorized completely, which came in handy when he wanted to appear like he was making up things at the top of his head. (Which he actually had no ability at all, improvisation).
When Nixon would make some bizarre order to Haldeman, like one time when on a particularly rough landing of Air Force One at an airport, Nixon exclaimed, "That's it! Now more landing at airports!" Haldeman knew to just wait and eventually Nixon would just forget about his foolish order, as he certainly did in this case.
I can understand that Reagan made Nixon uncomfortable. Dick was uncomfortable around most people, especially those who liked to have fun.
This is a very selective exchange they've chosen hear. There are probably other exchanges where he's speaking positively of Reagan, and then negative somewhere else, and then positive, and so on........
Well, they're government bureacrats, and liberals they are. Probably memebers of the federal workers union. They can at any moment release whatever they want from their files. Now that the Reagan movie's come out, they thought this one would be good to release.
Iran-contra ultimately arose out of differing opinions of foreign policy. The demoncrat-controlled Congress differed from the Whtie House. When Congress tries to micromanage the complex, ever-changing world of foreign policy, only disaster occurs. By the time something gets out of committee, it's probably not even timely anymore.
illegally aiding anti-government forces in NicaraguaTranslation:
(Just to keep the record straight.)
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