CNN Political Ticker
963 days ago

Nixon to Bush 41: Find 'attractive' women

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Richard Nixon believed one way to shore up the GOP in 1973 was by recruiting "attractive" women, but not because he was "for women," according to audio tapes released Tuesday.

In February of 1973, President Nixon called future president and then-Republican National Committee chairman George H.W. Bush, and recounted a recent visit to the South Carolina state legislature.

"I noticed a couple of very attractive women, both of them Republicans, in the legislature," Nixon told Bush. "I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people, God, let's look for some... Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not... So have you got that in mind?"

Bush replies, "I'll certainly keep it in mind."

The tape was among the approximately 154 hours of White House tape recordings and approximately 30,000 pages of documents released Tuesday by the Nixon Presidential Library, which is run by the National Archives.


Filed under: George H.W. Bush
soundoff (46 Responses)
  1. Enlightened Voter

    Typical republican shallow thinking. They care naught for the constituents, just for winning.

    June 23, 2009 04:50 pm at 4:50 pm |
  2. Larry

    TO MR. GEORGE W. BUSH:

    Q>>Who won the 100 Meters Track Olympic Gold Medal in 2008?
    A>>Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
    Q>>Who is the World Record Holder for 100 Meters ?
    A>>Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
    Q>>Names of some runners who did not even Qualify the Heats?
    A>>Fabio Cerutti – Italy; Desislav Gunev- Bulgaria; Uchenna Emedolu- Nigeria; Sandro Viana- Brazil;
    Q>>Now if these runners who did not qualify, start criticizing Usain Bolt and start teaching him how he should run a race, what will it be implied or construed?
    A>>It will be implied and construed that these guys are nuts, crazy, and idiots.

    Theme of the story: George W. Bush is like those runners trying to criticize Obama who won the race like Usain Bolt.

    MR. BUSH: STOP CRITICIZING OBAMA

    June 23, 2009 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |
  3. Julie

    I think that philosophy was still in practice in the VP selection of that party in the 2008 election.

    June 23, 2009 04:55 pm at 4:55 pm |
  4. windfall

    Nixon was never known for being classy.

    June 23, 2009 04:57 pm at 4:57 pm |
  5. What!

    Well the repubs have spoken........Women were just used as tools!
    "Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not..." The funny thing is that they still do the same thing and Palin is the perfect example. Wow!!!!

    June 23, 2009 04:57 pm at 4:57 pm |
  6. Joe in CA

    I guess McCain was in on the conversation when he picked dim wit Palin. Same 'ole Republican strategy, over and over. Go for "looks" not substance.

    June 23, 2009 04:58 pm at 4:58 pm |
  7. Open Your 3rd Eye

    ATTENTION OBAMA HATERS:

    You have been watching way too much Obama Deception!!

    LOL!!

    You believe EVERYTHING you see, hear, and read on the INTERNET!!

    LOL!!!

    June 23, 2009 04:58 pm at 4:58 pm |
  8. Mike Moderate

    Wellllll......the GOP has not changed a whole lot since then.

    At least with Nixon we only have some xxxx hours missing on tape and with Bush and Cheney we have zillions of emails "lost"

    Ahhhhhhh....the good old days of the GOP with "Tricky Dick".....not much has changed since then.

    Let's hear more from the recordings..........

    June 23, 2009 04:59 pm at 4:59 pm |
  9. Randolph Carter

    CNN, this is so obviously a setup for a Palin joke. It's just so easy it's not even fun. Have a nice evening

    June 23, 2009 04:59 pm at 4:59 pm |
  10. knock me over with a feather

    Anyone surprised?... Anyone?

    June 23, 2009 05:00 pm at 5:00 pm |
  11. David

    Yeah....just turn the red light on, and see what it attracts. No wonder republican politicians and their followers are not known for their thinking ability, but control issues, anger management issues, and they keep getting caught in sex scandals with anything that moves.

    June 23, 2009 05:01 pm at 5:01 pm |
  12. Moderate Democrat

    "Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women"

    And that, in a nut shell, sums up how Republicans all around the country feel about women.

    June 23, 2009 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |
  13. Susan from TX

    Discrimination at its' best. How sad.

    June 23, 2009 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |
  14. WhoCares?

    ""I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people, God, let's look for some… Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not… So have you got that in mind?""

    OMG...How many think this EXACT SAME conversation happened when the Republican Vice-President was being chosen last election.

    Wow..How some things stay exactly the same.

    June 23, 2009 05:13 pm at 5:13 pm |
  15. Liberals have Mental Disease

    Obama is spending trillions of dollars and people are talking about Nixon, Palin, Bush, and Republicans. Are all of you posting aware that your taxes are going up dramatically. Soda tax, beer tax, VAT, Cap and Trade. Wake UP America.

    June 23, 2009 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |
  16. RCasson

    LOL. This is so old school. Leave it alone!

    June 23, 2009 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  17. WhoCares?

    "Are all of you posting aware that your taxes are going up dramatically. Soda tax, beer tax, VAT, Cap and Trade. Wake UP America"

    Did you know that the President that raise txes the most was your savior Ronald Reagan?

    Sorry..back to your hate...

    June 23, 2009 05:22 pm at 5:22 pm |
  18. gary

    Everyone likes hot women.

    I think if the Republicans can find a few hot asian, hispanic and african american women to run they would take over the whole country....

    June 23, 2009 05:24 pm at 5:24 pm |
  19. J.P.

    What's that? Obama's approval numbers are dropping?!

    QUICK! QUICK! Run some anti-republican story! Quick get a Palin story up! Anything! ANYTHING!!!! Just change the subject of the drip-drip-drip melting of Obama's approval numbers!

    June 23, 2009 05:25 pm at 5:25 pm |
  20. Kirsten

    wow, i love how all these democrats are coming out and saying that this is how all Republicans feel. This tape was made over 20 years ago, I promise you there are Republicans that dont feel that way.

    And how would you know what the Republicans think? Seeing as how none of ya'll are Republicans. You would rather take the few nutjobs that the media portrays as the face of the Republican party, than do any of your own research.

    June 23, 2009 05:25 pm at 5:25 pm |
  21. Cnn please post my thoughts! 1 love!

    Republicans have done nothing to advance Womens rights!Women are second class citizens in the republican party!

    June 23, 2009 05:25 pm at 5:25 pm |
  22. top news story

    This is the first and top piece of information reported on from the Nixon tape release?

    This is the best reporting available?

    I would hope the thoughtful reader sees this as the obvious attempt to stir things up that it is.

    June 23, 2009 05:26 pm at 5:26 pm |
  23. Change_Has_Begun

    such a sad thing...but i am not suprised...the GOP was always about rich old white men and will remain like that...all we can do is crush it...and the crushing has begun...

    June 23, 2009 05:26 pm at 5:26 pm |
  24. cbc

    Okay, so Nixon says to find an attractive woman, and the GOP comes up the Sarah Palin?!? Maybe the word 'attractive' has different meanings, but she is the least attractive female I can imagine (and I have a pretty good imagination)!

    June 23, 2009 05:27 pm at 5:27 pm |
  25. donttreadonme

    Ok if we are looking for political skeletons CNN lets post some quotes from the Anti-Segregation Dems like Strom Thurmond.

    The dems supported both slavery and segregation in their past.

    The Repubs ended both!

    June 23, 2009 05:27 pm at 5:27 pm |
  26. Tom Paine

    For all of Nixon's "Shallowness" (liberal term) or lack of "class," , he wasnt the least classy or most shallow president in recent memory.

    Unlike Clinton, at least Nixon didn't force oral sex on any of the women in the story....or try to destroy them afterwards.

    June 23, 2009 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |
  27. for comparison

    Are the readers seriously hoping to imply that the Democratic party is completely free of persons who treat women poorly?

    Does anyone even remember, for example, the husband of the current Secretary of State?

    June 23, 2009 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |
  28. Just Me

    You liberals talk like you care about women and minorities and equal rights blah, blah, blah. We all know now that you only care about women and minorities when they're on YOUR side and share that same looney left mentality......

    June 23, 2009 05:31 pm at 5:31 pm |
  29. Denise

    It reminds me of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or Mark Levin calling feminists "feminazis" or "ugly". Have you morons looked at yourselves in the mirror lately? No wonder you have to resort to drug or alcohol induced stupors.....

    June 23, 2009 05:33 pm at 5:33 pm |
  30. Dawn in Pa

    Now, now are we picking on Nixon, he left the Oval office in disgrace, because of Lying to the American people that he knew nothing about the breakin at Watergate... All the Presidents Men, Great movie...

    Lying to the American people, Mmmmm, does sound familiar....

    June 23, 2009 05:34 pm at 5:34 pm |
  31. Denise

    Too bad most of their male following has to "pay" for it.....

    June 23, 2009 05:34 pm at 5:34 pm |
  32. DawnL,CA

    WOW! Who knew? Somethings never change.

    June 23, 2009 05:34 pm at 5:34 pm |
  33. I hand out crying towels for republicans daily

    Always putting on the false face,like uncle Mike and aunt Sarah.

    June 23, 2009 05:35 pm at 5:35 pm |
  34. Will

    Sure that was not Clinton instead of Nixon?

    June 23, 2009 05:41 pm at 5:41 pm |
  35. Terry, Butte, Mt

    Sounds like Fox News.

    June 23, 2009 05:42 pm at 5:42 pm |
  36. The Party of NO is only “pro-life” to save a zygote now, so it can then kill the “babies” 18 years later as soldiers in an elective religious war.

    That would explain silly Sarah.

    Doesn't look like the repubs have advanced much in 36 years with regards to women.

    June 23, 2009 05:42 pm at 5:42 pm |
  37. Dan

    @@@ Liberals have Mental Disease June 23rd, 2009 5:14 pm ET
    Obama is spending trillions of dollars and....
    __________________________________________________

    1. We don't mind paying more taxes, as long as we have jobs, health care and homes to live.
    2. Have you ever read economics? If not, read.
    3. Some times Government has to spend to "GENERATE GROWTH".
    4. You Republicans need to know and understand the meaning of Socialism, ask your genius Rush Limbaugh, he is a Professor in Political Science.
    5. What did the Republican party do in 8 years, lied Americans into Iraq war.
    6. 4300 US Troops have died.
    7. Now you guys just need to shut up, because you guys have failed, when you had a chance.

    June 23, 2009 05:43 pm at 5:43 pm |
  38. Just Me

    @Denise: Sounds like you're jealous of those Fox "bimbos"! From what I've seen, not only the Fox "bimbos" look better than most of the CNN liberal women but also speak more intelligently instead of just ranting and raving about being victims and bad republicans did it blah, blah, blah.....

    June 23, 2009 05:44 pm at 5:44 pm |
  39. Bob in Pa

    Heck Larry,
    GW ain't done no critizizng yet, It's all us rednexs out here speking for him.

    What does your post have to do with Nixon and Bush 41 ?

    June 23, 2009 05:46 pm at 5:46 pm |
  40. HJA

    And this is suprising..Because.........................?

    June 23, 2009 05:47 pm at 5:47 pm |
  41. reason it out

    Presumably, apointing Condoleezza Rice to the Cabinet was another example of the Republican hatred of women.

    As was the nomination by then President Bush in 2005 of Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen for seats on the Supreme Court.

    The nominations of these women were fillibustered by Democrats in Congress out of fear that the Republican party would not only add another woman to the Court, but indeed the first black woman.

    These well-qualified women were denied the chance to be considered – even considered in a public Senate hearing – by many of the same voices who will now use 50-year old quotes from an already dead and disgraced man to attempt to make themselves look progressive and fair..

    June 23, 2009 05:47 pm at 5:47 pm |
  42. Oregon calling

    CNN – I am neither LEFT or RIGHT in my political stances yet you won't publish what I write 95 % of the time. At the same time I see others from both sides with multiple foul-worded posts on here, what's the deal? By the way, you can cancel my home subscription for the paper.

    Peace :-)

    June 23, 2009 05:51 pm at 5:51 pm |
  43. Cnn please post my thoughts! 1 love!

    Also according to the same pollobama hgher approval numbers this time in his presidency than both bushses and bill clinton and look at all the challenges he has to deal with compared to what they had! so if Obama had the kinds of issues they had (instead of the monumental challenges he is succesfully tackling) his approval rating would be at 85%

    June 23, 2009 05:55 pm at 5:55 pm |
  44. Sniffit

    Hilarious...and the funniest part? Nixon was right. How's that for holding up a mirror to US society? EVERYONE can chew on that for a while.

    June 23, 2009 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |