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Conversation 018-080

TapeTape 18StartThursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:45 PMEndThursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:47 PMTape start time03:48:15Tape end time03:50:00ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the media reception of the latest U.S. troop withdrawal announcement and accompanying favorable coverage regarding the President's birthday and his recent meeting with Alexandria schoolchildren. They evaluate how the press is handling the Vietnam withdrawal announcement alongside related supplemental stories and intelligence concerning Soviet activity in the region. Nixon explicitly directs Ziegler to ensure that photographs of the school children are prominently featured in local newspapers.

Vietnam WarPress relationsTroop withdrawalsSoviet UnionPublic relationsMedia coverage
AudioNARA Description

On January 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 2:45 pm to 2:47 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-080 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 18-80

Date: January 13, 1972
Time: 2:45 pm - 2:47 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 314-1D]

     Press relations
           -Announcement of US troop withdrawals from Vietnam
           -The President’s recent meeting with Alexandria, Virginia school children
           -The President’s birthday
           -Troop withdrawal announcement
                 -Press handling
                 -Melvin R. Laird
           -Soviets in Vietnam
                 -Photographs
                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                       -John N. Mitchell
                 -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                 -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                 -TASS

          -The President’s meeting with schoolchildren
               -Photograph
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hello.
Yes, sir.
Well, how is the press handling the news today?
Well, of course, the announcement is a lead thing, but they're moving sidebar stories on the kids and the birthday thing.
Right.
I mean, but as far as the announcement, that's what I was calling about.
Are they doing it well?
Oh, yes, sir.
They're playing it straight.
They're moving, of course, with your lead on the announcement of the new levels and the reduction.
Go into your remarks, and then they pick up on the Laird material.
Yeah.
Hilarity material pointing out that we expect some bombshells.
The speculation, I mean, the spectaculars and so forth, yes.
It's playing in basically the scenario I gave it to you earlier.
Playing, all right.
Yes, sir.
In your opinion.
All right.
We're getting pictures taken of the Soviets over there.
Good.
So that'll be a nice story.
I want that out.
They're interested in that, aren't they?
Well, we're turning up interest.
The vice president is doing something with the attorney general, so we're having to grab him off from that.
But I think we'll force something out of it.
It's hard to break through your announcement today, you see.
Oh, I understand.
Well, just see that somebody...
But there are CBSes over there now.
Oh, yes, we have.
Oh, yes, we've got the wires there.
It's very well covered, yes.
And give it the tasks and things like that.
Second point...
With regard to the kids, they're going to run a little story on that, though.
Sure they will.
The wires are already moving something.
The press were very excited about it.
They thought it was great.
They got a little picture.
Oh, sure.
And your comments and so forth were very good reading the poetry.
I want to be sure that the kids, the main thing is that they see their picture in the paper.
Right.
We're going to call the Alexandria paper just to make sure.
All right.
Fine.
Okay, sir.
All right.
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