Hello.

[Unclear.]

Yes, sir.

I thought you’d be interested by a little—I called [Charles B.] Rangel today [Garment acknowledges] right after making that announcement.[note 2] Charles B. Rangel was a U.S. representative [D–New York] from January 1971 to January 2017, and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. You know, you remember the [Congressional] Black Caucus meeting?

Yes. Yes, I do indeed.

And I said—I called him and, boy, he’s quite overwhelmed. He said—

Yeah, that’s terrific.

Of course, he said, “It was—well, that was wonderful,” and he said he was so pleased. And I said, “Well,” I said, “You—I just want you to know we didn’t agree with everything, but I want you to know that I was very impressed with what you said, and that we listened, and that as a res[ult]—we were trying already, but we tried harder as a result of your being there and we got it done.”

That’s terrific.

Then he went on to say a very interesting thing. He said, “You know,” he said, “I just wish my grandfather could have lived to see his grandson getting a call from the president of the United States. He wouldn’t have believed it.” [Garment acknowledges.] And I said, “Well,” I said, “Congressman, my grandfather wouldn’t have believed it if he’d seen me making the call.”

[Chuckles.]

He kind of laughed. Then, he went on to say, too, that he said, “I hope [Egil] Bud Krogh [Jr.] and your other people,” because he’s been talking [Garment acknowledges]—I guess Krogh had talked to him—“you know, just keep talking to us.[note 3] Egil “Bud” Krogh Jr. was U.S. under secretary of transportation from February to May 1973, and head of the Special Investigation Unit, commonly known as the Plumbers. You know, we’re not Democrats or Republicans when it comes to some of these things. We just want to talk.” But I thought you might—

That’s terrific. Well, that’s why—

I don’t know Rangel, of course.

Well, Rangel—

But I—

—you remember him at the meeting.

What?

He’s very bright. [President Nixon acknowledges.] He’s one of the ablest of the group.

He’s an awfully good-looking guy, I remember. [Garment acknowledges throughout.] He was very handsome and very intelligent. But—and, of course, naturally—hell, [chuckling] if I had been born in Harlem, I’d be a Democrat under those circumstances. But, anyway, I thought when we can do something for them, let them know and never get mad when they’re against us. [Unclear]—

Yeah, and, of course, they’ve taken a bit of a bruising from the Democratic leadership, who [President Nixon acknowledges] wouldn’t meet with them and—

He said that he was going to report to the caucus, and I said that’s fine. [Garment acknowledges.] I just want them to know that on—we didn’t agree with everything, but we did on some, and when we did, we follow up.

Well, I think [President Nixon attempts to interject] all these pieces—that’s terrific.

So, they used . . . I was, incidentally, very impressed with Whitney [M.] Young [Jr.]’s successor [Vernon E. Jordan Jr.].[note 4] Whitney M. Young Jr. was executive director of the National Urban League from 1961 to 1971. Following the death of Young, Vernon E. Jordan Jr. became president of the National Urban League and served from 1971 to 1981. Now, he’s naturally the new boy in town. He’ll be aggressive and he’ll knock us a few times, but he’s a very intelligent man.

Oh, he’s going to be a very [President Nixon acknowledges] good fellow for us to work with. Let me tell you this—

Very intelligent man.

—about Vernon—

You know what, an interesting thing—I don’t know whether you noted it, but did you notice if you just sat there and marked his color away how much he looked like my younger brother [Edward] Eddie [Nixon]?[note 5] Edward Nixon was the youngest brother of Richard Nixon. Did you notice—

That’s interesting.

Well, his face.

I really hadn’t thought of that. [President Nixon attempts to interject.] I mean, the very fine features and the—

Yeah. Well, he—and he sort of his—

—his bone structure—

—his eyes, you know, the way he kind of—

—around the eyes.

—his smile and everything. I was just really impressed.

Well, that’s interesting.

He’s got sort of the same attitude, you know, sort of that—really, very impressive.

And he dug out that picture. He’s a very, [President Nixon acknowledges] very sharp guy. But I—we’ve worked with him in the past—

Have you?

—including Harry [S.] Dent.[note 6] Harry S. Dent was a Republican political strategist. And—

On the [United] Negro College Fund?[note 7] Jordan had been executive director of the United Negro College Fund since 1970.

Oh, no, this was on voting rights. And he and Harry [President Nixon acknowledges throughout] did some business together. And he’s very practical, and I think he knows what we want to do here [unclear].

The thing that he has to—that as I told him—he, in order to keep his constituency, he’s got to complain about some things. [Garment acknowledges.] But, on the other hand, just give us our due where we’re right.

Mm-hmm. Well, I think—

That’s all we ask.

I think the pieces are going to—are starting to come together. The Wall Street Journal, I think is—may do a major piece on all of the civil rights programs [President Nixon acknowledges] and how this really is beginning to take shape, very quietly and very effectively.

Well, you might think this little Rangel story’s not a bad one to [Garment acknowledges] sort of feed in. Not blatantly, but it’s rather nice.

No, that’d be a nice one to place around.

OK. Fine.

Thank you.