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President Nixon’s Call To Joe Biden

December 2, 2008 by John H. Taylor | Filed Under Richard Nixon 

Getting relatively little attention as new White House tapes are opened is a call President Nixon placed to Senator-elect Biden in November 1972 after the death of his wife and two of his children in an auto accident (I’ll repunctuate and also remove the “uhs”):

BIDEN: Hello, Mr. President. How are you?

NIXON: Senator, I know this is a very tragic day for you, but I wanted you to know that all of us here at the White House are thinking of you and praying for you and also for your two children. I understand that you were on the Hill at the time and your wife was just driving by herself.

BIDEN: Yes, that’s correct.

NIXON: So, I mean looking at it as you must in terms of a future, because you, you have the great fortune of being young…I remember I was two years older than you when I went to the House. But the main point is, you can remember that she was there when you won a great victory, and you enjoyed it together. And now I’m sure that she’ll be watching you from now on. Good luck to you.

BIDEN: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for your call. I appreciate it.



Comments

4 Responses to “President Nixon’s Call To Joe Biden”

  1. Carlos Echevarria on December 3rd, 2008 6:54 am

    Thanks for publishing this, I read through some of the transcripts yesterday and, quite obviously, you are an expert but I didn’t find anything there beyond the pale…

    Even giving the Left/MSM the benefit of the doubt, sure there are fits of rage but how about the JFK tapes which have NEVER been made public, the LBJ tapes (correct me if I am wrong) and imagine if Bill Clinton, particularly during his 1st Term, had been taped.

    Please…they continue to attempt to denigrate and impugn a flawed but patriotic man, giving a pass to others in an era filled with reprobates….

    Happy Holidays, Mr. Taylor and God Bless….

  2. John H. Taylor on December 3rd, 2008 10:40 am

    Thanks, Carlos. Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. When documents come out, I always prefer the coverage (James Rosen at Fox was a good example this time) who at least put the materials in their wartime context.

  3. Wow on December 30th, 2008 10:14 am

    I listeneed to this tape, and Nixon is so weird to call a guy who he does not now and say “Well, even if your wife is dead you are still okay and have a great future.” If you listen to it, you will know what I mean.

  1. CBS On TNN. Dogs And Cats, Living Together. : The New Nixon: News and Commentary about the President, his Times, and his Legacy

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