390. Editorial Note

During a conversation in the Oval Office on April 18, 1972, between President Nixon and Clark MacGregor, President’s Counsel for Congressional Relations, the following exchange took place.

President: “You’d never know that the Senate could be so god-damned irresponsible. Look at that war powers debate. What they came up with, that monstrosity, why that can’t become law. You know that.”

MacGregor: “They know it too.”

President: “It’s terrible. And Republicans voted for the goddamned thing as well as Democrats. Where the hell is the responsibility in this country, Clark?” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Recording of Conversation Between Nixon and MacGregor, April 18, 1972, Oval Office, Conversation No. 712–6) The editor transcribed the portion of the conversation printed here specifically for this volume.