President Nixon met with Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to coordinate White House messaging on domestic policy, the upcoming busing decision, and the ITT controversy. Following Ziegler's departure, Henry Kissinger joined the President to discuss foreign policy strategy, specifically addressing ongoing frustrations with Secretary of State William P. Rogers. The two leaders explored the potential for replacing Rogers and debated the political risks of personnel changes within the State Department during delicate international negotiations.
On March 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:35 pm to 3:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 322-028 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 322-28
Date: March 7, 1972
Time: 2:35 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Press briefing
-The President’s schedule
-Congressional leadership meeting
-Busing
-Meeting
-Timing
-Camp David
-Purpose
-Meeting with Cabinet
-Timing
-Possible message
-Timing
-Ziegler’s talk with John D. Ehrlichman
-Decision
-Timing
-Florida primary
-Influence
-Domestic issues
-Foreign policy
-William P. Rogers
-Meeting
-Testimony
-General topics
-Domestic issues
-Revenue sharing
-George W. Romney
-Dinner
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Award to Dr. Thomas E. (“Doc”) Morgan
-Bipartisan foreign policy
-New Hampshire primary
******************************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/10/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[322-028-w001]
[Duration: 33s]
The President’s schedule
-Sleep schedule
-Bring news to residence
******************************************************************************
Press briefing
-New Hampshire primary
-Press coverage
-Timing
-Gerald L. Warren
-The President’s previous conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Questions
-Primary
-John N. Mitchell
-Press referrals
-White House press practices
-Comment on the primaries
-Economic matters
-Herbert Stein
-Previous conversation with Ziegler
-Progress report
-Wage and price freeze
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Press briefing
-White House response
-Television networks
-Dita D. Beard
-White House response
-Memorandum
-Hugh Scott’s statement
-Rogers
-Revenue sharing
-Busing message
-Timing
-Price, Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz
-Rogers
-Washington story
-Time for foreign leaders
-Mao Tse-tung
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Mao Tse-tung
-Chou En-lai
Ziegler’s schedule
-Disney World
-Orlando paper
-Miami Herald
ITT
-Press coverage
-Washington Post
-Washington Star
-New York Times
Ziegler left and Henry A. Kissinger entered at 2:46 pm.
Meeting with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Rogers
-Press conference
-White House position
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
John B. Connally
-Kissinger’s meeting
-Communiqué
-Criticism
-Taiwan, Republic of China
Rogers
-State Department
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Trade
-Conduct
-Differences
-Azores
-President’s work habits
-State Department
-November 1972
-Vietnam negotiations
-Perception of the President
-Politics
-State Department
-PRC trip
-Hangchow
-The President’s efforts
-Concessions
-Foreign policy
-Connally’s view
-Possible replacement
******************************************************************************
[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 10/10/2019.]
[Unintelligible]
[322-028-w006]
[Duration: 2m 10s]
William P. Rogers
-Possible replacement
-Timing
-Briefing
-Department of State [DOS]
-Unknown person [Alexander M. Haig, Jr.] [?]
-Ability
-Henry A. Kissinger’s opinion
-John B. Connally
******************************************************************************
William P. Rogers
-USSR trip
-Timing
The President’s schedule
-Quadriad meeting, March 8, 1972
Kissinger’s schedule
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
Meeting
Kissinger left at 3:00 pm.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.