Presidential Recordings Program

President Johnson was meeting with George Reedy and Horace Busby at the time of this call. President Johnson was on speakerphone.

Operators connect the call. 

Dean Rusk^∇: Hello?

President Johnson: Mr. Secretary?

Rusk: Yes, sir.

Secretary of State Dean Rusk^∇ was meeting with Deputy Secretary of State George Ball at the time of this call.

The conversation has already begun when the recording starts. President Johnson is on the speakerphone.

Dean Rusk: [Unclear] down there, including us, of course.

The recording starts after the conversation has already begun.

The conversation has already begun when the recording starts.

President Johnson: --and I hope you had a good Christmas?

George Meany: Very good.

President Johnson: Are you getting ready to go down to Miami?

Meany: No, no, no. I'll be here.

White House Operator: Ready, sir.

President Johnson: Hello.

Joseph Keenan: Hello?

President Johnson: Hi, Joe.

Keenan: How are you?

President Johnson: [Unclear] thank you.

Robert Anderson: How are you doing, Mr. President?

President Johnson: Fine, Bob.

Anderson: I got to thinking about this new department you're going to set up for transportation.

The conversation has already begun when the recording starts.

President Johnson: --making some enemies on our appointments, and we've really got to watch it. Your poor old boss over here can't hire people to hurt him and--

John Macy: [Unclear.]

President Johnson: Hello.

Warren "Maggie" Magnuson: Hello.

President Johnson: Hi, Maggie.

Magnuson: Happy birthday.

President Johnson: Thank you.

The conversation has already begun when the recording starts.

President Johnson: --give you this other appointment.

George Meany: Yes.

Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara^∇ updated President Johnson on conversations he had had to bring the chief of the US Army of Engineers, Lieutenant General William Cassidy, into line on the White House's position on the Department of Transportation Bill.

Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt called LBJ to wish him well on his impending operation and to follow-up on LBJ's recent visit to Australia, the first official visit by a sitting U.S. President to Australia. Holt and Johnson had first met in 1942 in Melbourne when Johnson was stationed in the region.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Hello?

President Johnson: Yes?

King: Yes, President Johnson?

President Johnson: Yes.

King: This is Martin King.

President Johnson: Yes.

King: How do you do, sir?

In responding to Dr. King's suggestion for the appointment of African American to a Cabinet-level post, Johnson laid out his priorities on racial matters, particularly in legislation and in Cabinet-level appointments.

Editorial Note: The State Department Office of the Historian transcribed this conversation and published the transcript in: FRUS, 1964-68: 7: Document 38. The version published here has been revised and updated by the Presidential Recordings Program.

President Johnson: Hello?

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Hello?

President Johnson: Yes, Dr. King.

King: Yes, Mr. President, how are you today?