(President Johnson): I don't want to debate it with you, my friend. I love you. But you know goddamn well that when I ask them not to make me notify them publicly so it wouldn't be in the papers...
(Albert Thomas): Well...
(President Johnson): You know I know what I'm doing.
(Albert Thomas): Frankly, I-
(President Johnson): You know, and we screwed it up. This damn fool, this damn fool Humphrey put that paragraph on. I told Albert to get it off, cut it off.
(Albert Thomas): I think it's your partners over on the Senate side. Now, old Otto played ball. He told me he was going to do his damnedest to take it out. Have you got the language in front of you?
(President Johnson): Yes, sir, I've got it in front of me. And it oughtn't to be in there. It's just a damn-
(Albert Thomas): "Agency or national in connection with the purchase..."
(President Johnson): That's right.
(Albert Thomas): "Or national except when the President determines that such guarantees would be in the national interest."
(President Johnson): That's all right, period.
(Albert Thomas): "And reports each"-
(President Johnson): No! No! Period after "national interest."
(Albert Thomas): I know, but read your language further. "And reports each determination."
(President Johnson): Why should I want to report to everybody that I screwed a girl? You screwed one last night, but you don't want to report it.
(Albert Thomas): I wish I did.
(President Johnson): Well, you know what I'm talking about. That made it come home to you, didn't it?
(Albert Thomas): Well, it ain't going to-
(President Johnson): Well, don't you think I'm a damned idiot, now.
(Albert Thomas): Now, well, now, now, now. Of course not. But I don't think it's going to hamstring you a bit on-
(President Johnson): It doesn't hamstring me. It just publicizes that I'm pro-Russian right when Nixon's running against me. That's all it does.
(Albert Thomas): Well, he ain't going to run, because he ain't going to... he ain't going to get...
(President Johnson): Well, listen, Albert. Listen, Albert. You and I are buddies now. You understand politics, and I do, too. And I'm telling you that we're working with the Republicans up there 100 percent.
(Albert Thomas): Well, I'm on your side.
(President Johnson): Well, all right. You just don't ever agree that's a good clause, because you know goddamn well it ain't. Don't try to shit me, 'cause I know better.
(Albert Thomas): Here's the speaker. Well, I've worked with it in the...
(President Johnson): Yeah, you've worked with it, but you've been working with it under Republican presidents, not under Democrats. When a Democratic president has to report that he makes a determination that it's in his interest to go with Russia, it's not good when you're running for office. Now, you know that, don't you?