Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 243 › Conversation 243-012

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on POWs and Laos

Saturday, February 24, 1973 · 6:10 PM–6:16 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation243-012 on Tape 243StartSaturday, February 24, 1973 at 6:10 PMEndSaturday, February 24, 1973 at 6:16 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 243-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss current press coverage and ongoing geopolitical tensions. The two men reviewed the positive reception of returning American POWs, noted the effectiveness of recent military strikes in Laos, and expressed frustration with critical media reports. Furthermore, Nixon criticized the Israeli government's lack of diplomatic flexibility in regional peace negotiations, contrasting it with more favorable recent developments in other international discussions.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 19% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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In New York?
Yeah.
Well, how do you find things up there?
Well, I was really so, frankly...
It was great, but I mean, at times to do that, you know, by this old Hirsch is a son of a bitch.
You know, he's probably a communist agent.
And I just thought it was shocking that New York Times would run that.
What do you think?
I mean...
He was beating it, having it right out of the full cloth.
But didn't you really think the POWs did well?
They smashed it, didn't they?
Perfect.
Bill Hurst had told me about it, I saw him yesterday.
Tell me about China.
Well, we'll take it in together.
What a situation with regard to, I think, our Laos camp.
The strike seemed to have been quite effective, wasn't it?
Uh-huh.
That's good.
Well, I'll tell you, that's the only thing that we, you know, I'll be how it is.
We, we, and it's not, we get away with these.
I mean, it's the network people try to whine and bitch around or a bit, but nobody cares.
I don't give one damn.
But if you know one of those executives, you, you, they don't care.
They don't care.
because really the last time they all basically got off the land, we saw it all.
Now this time they're rather wandering off the land.
Oh, yes.
Oh, good, good.
Well, we can... You're going to meet tomorrow, and I'll always be polite.
You don't know what went on with their meeting in Staten Island.
Well, their line couldn't possibly be harder than the Israelis' line.
I mean, the Israelis, Henry, you've got to realize, haven't budged even a third of an inch.
These people at least have said they'll recognize, you know, they'll make a peace treaty.
Yeah, I know, I know.
But being objective, the Israelis haven't moved.
And they're being objective.
I mean, the way they've handled this airplane thing is just, I mean, it's worse than the way Laird handled the bombing of that goddamn French embassy.
Unbelievable.
I know.
Well, that's right.
Yeah.
All right, I understand.
Well, that's their deal this year, and then it's next year ours, but this is our year to really do something, so...
Okay, well, hope you enjoy it.
What are you going to say tonight?
Is it a good one?
That would be good.
Okay.
Okay, great.
Give her our best, will you?
Okay.
Okay.

NARA Description

On February 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:10 pm to 6:16 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 243-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 243-12

Date: February 24, 1973
Time: 6:10 pm - 6:16 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.
                                            -8-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 243-13 (cont’d)

[See Conversation No. 162-8]

Also recorded on February 24, 1973

  • 162-005 1:36 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 1:36 pm.
  • 162-006 1:36 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:36 pm and 6:10 pm.
  • 243-010 1:45 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:45 pm and 4:57 pm.
  • 243-011 4:57 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 6:10 pm.
  • 162-007 6:10 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:10 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 243-013 6:16 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.
  • 243-014 6:16 PM · 12 sec — Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.
  • 243-016 6:16 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.

All 20 conversations from February 24, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 243-012, February 24, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/243-012 (accessed October 1, 2026).