Vance?[note 1] The Presidential Recordings Program revised the following section of text in 2021 for inclusion in The LBJ Telephone Tapes, a project produced by the Miller Center in partnership with the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library to commemorate the library's 50th anniversary.

Yes, sir?

Can’t you help me on this excise tax thing? You’re going to wreck this damn bill. We’re not going to have any. And they’re going to get together this afternoon and try to make a motion to keep all excise taxes in there, and we need your help.

Well, I mean—I suppose, that way started out—

I know it. And [Clinton P.] Clint Anderson [D–New Mexico] [unclear], they got all mad yesterday, because y’all screwed up that oil vote. And they’re after the oil companies, and [John J.] Williams [R–Maryland] and everything else. And those big oil companies oughtn’t to be raising hell [for] 40 million [dollars]. They got off with 400 million [dollars], and they ought to let y’all off the hook.

But, now, we’ve got it in a big screwed-up mess, and we—all of us are going down in defeat if we can’t operate any better than that. There’s no leadership in the committee, so, for God’s sakes, get in there. Clint Anderson says he’ll change, and you change, and get two or three more, and let’s . . .

[Unclear] my—one big thing in there, one thing I wanted, was musical instruments.

Oh, well—

This is—

—what’s important is the big credit to the Democratic Party, and let’s go on. The goddamned band and musical instruments—they won’t be talking about it next November.

Well, they will in Elkhart [Indiana].[note 2] The Selmer Company had a major facility in Elkhart, Indiana—Hartke’s home state—that manufactured musical instruments.

What they’re going to be judging us by is—they’re going to be judging us whether we can pass a tax bill or not and whether we got prosperity. And if we haven’t, we’re going to—every day, it costs us 30 million [dollars] in our economy. [Unclear comment by Hartke.] So get in there and try to help me on this thing.

OK, I'll . . . Can I save one vote out of there?

Well, we want to just have a general vote. One vote to put all the excises back. That’s the way we can get the majority of people [background voices speak] out of the bill.

Yeah. Well, let me try to get that done. I’ll—

You do that and get ahold of Clint Anderson. And y'all go together. And see if you can’t do that for me.

[Chuckles.] All right.

I’ll do something for you.

I know you will.

Good-bye.

All right. Bye.

Now, do it.[note 3] End of 2021 revisions.