President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and John Ehrlichman discussed administrative coordination, including the editing of a housing statement and managing Amtrak-related scheduling concerns. Kissinger briefed the President on the administration's defensive strategy regarding Senator W. Stuart Symington’s presentation on Laos, focusing on efforts to counter negative press coverage. The conversation concluded with instructions to use record-low Vietnam casualty figures for public relations purposes and the decision to reschedule Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird’s upcoming Asia trip to avoid complicating sensitive diplomatic initiatives.
On June 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone from 7:59 am to 8:02 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 004-066 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 4-66 Date: June 8, 1971 Time: 7:59 am - 8:02 am Location: White House Telephone Henry A. Kissinger talked with the President. [See Conversation No. 514-4A] President's schedule The President conferred with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time after 7:55 am. Editing of housing statement National Railroad Passenger Corporation [AMTRAK] -President's schedule -John A. Volpe -Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr. [End of conferral] W. Stuart Symington's Laos presentation -Laos military operations -Disclosure by administration -State Department statement -Clifford P. Case -Kissinger conversations with Charles W. Colson and Clark MacGregor -John F. Lehman, Jr. of National Security Council [NSC] staff -Kissinger meeting with Richard M. Helms, John N. Irwin, II, Melvin R. Laird -Laird’s recommendation -Washington Post, New York Times -News coverage on television Vietnam casualty figure -Use by John A. Scali -Public relations effort concerning figures Laird's forthcoming trip to Asia -Taiwan -Kissinger's schedule -People's Republic of China [PRC] -Spiro T. Agnew
This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.