Nixon in '73: Jews must realize they're Americans first
Latest tapes to be made public by Nixon archives reflect former US president's strong views on ethnic minorities
This week additional tapes from the Nixon White House were released and on them – as with previous tapes – the late American president can be heard making anti-Semitic and racist statements.
For example, in a conversation with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, on the eve of the 1973 US-Soviet summit, Nixon expressed concern that US Jews would try to steer the talks to the topic of Russian Jewry. "If they torpedo this summit — and it might go down for other reasons — I'm gonna put the blame on them, and I'm going to do it publicly at 9 o'clock at night before 80 million people,” Nixon said.
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Kissinger replied, “I agree completely. They brought it on themselves.”
Nixon continued, "I won't mind one goddamn but to have a little anti-Semitism if it's on that issue. They put the Jewish interest above America's interest and it's about goddamn time that the Jew in America realizes he's an American first and a Jew second."
A day earlier, in another conversation, Nixon came out against the pressure that American Jews were exerting in order to help their brethren in the Soviet Union. “Some of the Jews picket can raise hell, but the American people are not going to let them destroy our foreign policy — never!”
In yet another conversation, Nixon yelled, “Goddamn his Jewish soul!" in regard to his advisor, Leonard Garment.
When he heard that comedian Danny Kaye was scheduled to perform at a White House event, Nixon is heard repeatedly saying, “He’s Jewish!”
The blacks, too, came under Nixon’s scathing tongue, “Blacks can’t run it (Jamaica). Nowhere, and they won’t be able to for a hundred years, and maybe not for a thousand. … Do you know, maybe one black country that’s well run?"
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