Presidential Recordings Program

President Nixon: Yeah.

Operator: [Presidential Military Assistant] General [James D. “Don”] Hughes, sir.

President Nixon: Yeah.

Don Hughes: Yes, sir, Mr. President.

President Nixon: Could you lay on a bigger plane for this trip to Texas? I may have to add two or three people to it. Have you got one available?

Hughes: Bigger than—

President Nixon: Bigger than Jetstar.

Hughes: Oh, yes, sir. What we plan to do was to take your backup plane.

President Nixon: Yeah.

Hughes: You know, 970, which is—

President Nixon: Yeah.

Hughes: —roughly the same size as yours, only carry more people.

President Nixon: You're going to take 970?

Hughes: I thought we'd pack up because I figured there would be a pretty big group going.

President Nixon: Well, my point is—then they will go in 970?

Hughes: That was our plan when I talked to—

President Nixon: Oh, fine.

Hughes: —to Ken. I think that way they're both presidentially painted and, you know, it's—

President Nixon: Well, have 970, which will look like Air Force One.

Hughes: Yes, sir. That's correct.

President Nixon: All right, take them in 970 and then I'll tell the [Agriculture] Secretary [Clifford M. Hardin] to add anybody he wants.

Hughes: Yes, sir.

President Nixon: But—

Hughes: Well, up to about 60 people.

President Nixon: Great. Fine. Fine.