President Nixon: Yeah.
Ronald Ziegler∇: Yes, sir.
President Nixon: One thing: If you can volunteer a plant at the press conference is this: There was a story in the Washington Post that [Paul] McCracken was thinking of going back or some damn thing.1
Ziegler: Right.
President Nixon: I, of course—I suppose it's on your calendar, I don't know, that I met with him this morning. It should be—
Ziegler: Right. Yes, sir.
President Nixon: You could say that this speculation about the chairman of the council is completely erroneous—
Ziegler: All right.
President Nixon: Totally without foundation.
Ziegler: Mm-hmm.
President Nixon: That Chairman McCracken has—and his policies—have the complete confidence of the President.
Ziegler: Mm-hmm.
President Nixon: Just lay that that way. OK?
Ziegler: Yes, sir.
President Nixon: Good luck.
Ziegler: Right. Bye.
1 Paul W. McCracken, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. (↑)