President Nixon: Yeah?
Operator: Miss Marje Acker. There you are.
President Nixon: Marje? Have any calls you want to report about, or what?
Marjorie Acker: No, [White House Chief of Staff H.R.] Bob Haldeman∇ said, you know, he was taking the calls.
President Nixon: Oh, I see. You didn't hear any from the Cabinet people, because those are the only ones I have to return.
Acker: Yeah, Bob—
President Nixon: So none of them called?
Acker: Bob was taking those calls.
President Nixon: I see.
Acker: Oh, I'm sure they have called.
President Nixon: I haven't heard anything.
Acker: You were just great.
President Nixon: Well.
Acker: Just great. I don't know how you do it.
President Nixon: Well, what the hell. After what we went through in the Fund [Speech] when you were, you know, standing in your nightgown taking the call on that payphone, what the hell.1
Acker: Oh my goodness, [unclear].
President Nixon: You just continue to be tough, hon, you know.
Acker: [Unclear.]
President Nixon: Don't give into these jackasses.
Acker: Oh, don't worry, we won't.
President Nixon: All right. Thank you.
Acker: OK.
President Nixon: I tried to reach Haldeman. The point is that if a Cabinet officer called, I should call him back, so would you get a hold of Haldeman—
Acker: I will.
President Nixon: —on the radio phone and say if a Cabinet officer calls, I should call back. If they didn't, well, the hell with them.
Acker: Right, I'll check that right now.
1 What Nixon calls the “Fund Speech” is better known as the “Checkers Speech.” He delivered it during his 1952 vice presidential campaign in response to allegations that he was the beneficiary of a “slush fund.” He mentioned a free gift he had received and intended to keep—a cocker spaniel. (↑)