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On South Viet Nam. If we fail it will be because the American way simply isn't as effective as the Communist way in supporting countries abroad. I have an uneasy feeling that this may be the case. We give them the most modern arms, we emphasize the material to the exclusion of the spiritual and the Spartan life, and it may be that we soften them up rather than harden them up for the battle. On the other hand, the enemy emphasizes the Spartan life, not the material, emphasizes sacrifice and, of course, with the enormous Soviet technical help on missiles, guns, etc., they have a pretty good advantage.
On secretaries. We discussed work habits, and he [Brezhnev] told me he did not use a Dictaphone. I recalled that Churchill had told me that he much preferred to dictate to a pretty young woman. Brezhnev and the others agreed, and Brezhnev jokingly added, "Besides, a secretary is particularly useful when you wake up at night and want to write down a note." They all laughed uproariously.
On Brezhnev's driving. I presented him with a dark blue Lincoln Continental. He got behind the wheel. The head of my Secret Service detail went pale as I climbed in and we took off down one of the narrow roads that run around the perimeter of Camp David. At one point there is a very steep slope with a sign at the top reading, "Slow, Dangerous Curve." Even driving a golf cart down it, I had to use the brakes in order to avoid going off the road. Brezhnev was driving more than 50 miles an hour as we approached the slope. When we reached the bottom, there was a squeal of rubber as he ... made the turn. After our drive he said to me, "This is a very fine automobile. It holds the road very well." "You are an excellent driver," I replied. Diplomacy is not always an easy art.
On Rockefeller. I had a rather curious dream of speaking at some sort of a rally and going a bit too long and Rockefeller standing up in the middle and taking over the microphone on an applause line.
On Congress. I was a man of the Congress and I was proud of the fact. But by 1973 I had concluded that Congress had become cumbersome, undisciplined, isolationist, fiscally irresponsible, overly vulnerable to pressures from organized minorities and too dominated by the media.
Tricia on the last day. I took three consciously deep breaths to clear the light-leadedness that had struck me. One ... two ... three. I said aloud "Take three deep breaths." Mama, Julie did so. The Hall seemed overcrowded with humanity.
Platform ahead. Step up onto platform.
Find name marker. Do not trip over wires.
Stand on name marker. Reach for Mama's hand. Hold it. Applause. Daddy is speaking. People are letting tears roll down their cheeks. Must not look. Must not think of it now.