Conversation: 827-021
Prev: 827-020 Next: 827-022Start Date: 20-Dec-1972 3:05 PM
End Date: 20-Dec-1972 3:49 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Pett, Saul; Burroughs, Henry; White House photographer; Monzon, Zosimo T.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On December 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Saul Pett, Henry Burroughs, White House photographer, and Zosimo T. Monzon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:05 pm to 3:49 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 827-021 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 827-21
Date: December 20, 1972
Time: 3:05 pm - 3:49 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Saul Pett
-Ziegler’s schedule
Pett and Henry Burroughs entered at 3:05 pm. Members of the press and the White House
photographer were present at the beginning of this meeting.
Greetings
Photograph session
The President’s schedule
New York
-46-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
Pett’s attire
-Mrs. Pett
[Photograph session]
-[General conversation]
-James W. Gallagher
-The President’s relationship with John L. Lewis
-Saul Pett’s article
-The President’s health
-First term
Ziegler left at 3:06 pm.
Zosimo T. Monson was present at an unknown time after 3:06 pm.
Refreshment
-Coffee
-Saul Pett’s previous trip to White House
-“Little office”
-Lyndon B. Johnson [?]
Monson left at an unknown time before 3:49 pm.
The President’s health
-Physical examination
-First term
-Lack of a sick day
-Harry S. Truman
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Age
-Lack of exercise, recreation
-Doctors
-The President’s experience as Vice President
-Golf, tennis
-Physical makeup
-Inheritance
-Spartan background
-Lack of headaches, stomach problems
-Medical television [TV] shows
-47-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Marcus Welby, M.D.
Presidency
-Battle metaphor
-Campaigning
-The President’s schedule
-Trips to Florida
-Spartan lifestyle
-Eating, drinking
-Moderation
-Socrates
-Campaigning
-Discipline
-Physical, mental, emotional aspects
-Oval Office
-Cleanliness
-Johnson
-Johnson
-TVs, ticker
-George Christian’s press conferences
-TVs
-Bedroom
-TV
-Trips to Florida
-Football games
-Decision making
-Crises
-Personal qualities
-Balance, objectivity
-Coolness, decisiveness
-Vietnam War
-Cambodia invasion
-May 8, 1972
-US mining, bombing north of 20th Parallel
-Coolness, objectivity
-Press relations
-TV commentators
-Newspapers
-The President’s reading
-News summaries
-48-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Contents
-New York, Washington, DC, Rapid City, Los Angeles, San
Antonio
-New Republic, National Review
-TV
-Commentators
-The President’s viewing
-White House staff
-Politics
-Frank Cormier
-Helen Thomas
-Associated Press [AP]
-Peter Lisagor
-Detachment
-The President’s experience as Congressman
-Herbert L. Block cartoons
-News summary
-Criticism
-Issues
-Vietnam War
-Welfare
-Congressional relations
-House of Representatives, Senate
-J. William Fulbright
-Relations with the President
-Leadership meetings
-Emotion
-Criticism
-Arrogance
-Elections
-Second term
-Press relations
Vietnam negotiations
-Settlement agreement
-Problems
-October 8, October 26, November 20, 1972
-Prospects
-US military policies
-May 8, 1972
-49-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Settlement agreement
-Peace
-Basis of the President’s decisions
-Christmas, 1973 Inauguration
-Continuation of war
Presidency
-Perspective
-The President’s reading
-TV
-Sports
-History, biography
-The President’s conversations with Henry A. Kissinger
-Press and media relations
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Unknown person
-Richard (“Dick”) Wilson
-Howard K. Smith
-Decision making
-Effect of public opinion
-Demonstrations
-Media relations
-Mining of Haiphong
-World War III
-Joseph C. Kraft
-Second term
-First term
-Crises
-Subjectivity
-Compared to objectivity
The President’s health
-Physical examination
-Eating, drinking
-Excessiveness
-Press relations
-Relaxation
-Public appearances
-Speeches, press conferences, conversations with newsmen
-Washington Redskins
-50-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Dallas Cowboys
-Balance
-The President’s law school experience
Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 3:06 pm.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Pett
-Duration
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 3:49 pm.
The President’s health
-Relaxation
-The President’s law school experience
-Press conferences
Presidency
-The President’s experience
-1969
-Defeats
-“Wilderness”
-Gen. Charles A. J. M. DeGaulle, Winston S. Churchill
-Money making
-Unflappability
-Politics
-Difficulty
-Combat
-1960 election
-The President’s age
-Work habits
-Hours
-Quality of work
-Delegation
-Details
-Grover Cleveland
-Bill reading
-Decision making
-Domestic and foreign
-Reaction
-51-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-The President’s schedule
-Appointments, mail, meetings, speeches
1972 election
-The President’s reflections
-Reaction of young people
-Voters
-Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-1960 and 1962 election
-Women
-1968 election
-1968 election
-Circumstances
-Third party
-Victory margin
-Vote counting
-Mandate question
-Social unrest
-Vietnam War
-The President’s popularity
-Press relations
-Hostility
-Washington, DC
-Commentary
-The President’s victory
-Margin
-First Family
-Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Mrs. Nixon
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Politics
-Edward R. F. Cox
-Results
-Lincoln Sitting Room
-Telephone calls
-Statement
-The President’s schedule
-Shoreham Hotel
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Results
-California
-52-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Reaction
-Emotional drainage
-Vacation
-Trip to Florida
-Elections
-Presidency, Senate, House of Representatives
-“Let down”
Presidency
-Learning
-White House staff
-Second term reorganization
-Departures
-Retentions
-The President’s conversations with Cabinet, White House staff
-Landslide victory
-Effect
-Cabinet
-William P. Rogers
-Power
-Reelection
-Restraints
-Doing great things
-Second term
-Personnel
-Cabinet
-Leadership
-Football metaphor
Politics
-The President’s future
-Campaigning
-Congressmen, administration
-Caution
-Polls
-Presidency
-Congressmen, Senators, Cabinet, White House staff
-Statemanship
-The President’s future
-Responsibility
-53-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
-Republican Party
-Campaigning
-Decision making
-Elections
-Parties, ideas
-Details
-Airports
-Appointments
-1972 election
-Massachusetts
-District of Columbia
-Massachusetts
-Harvard University
-Administration
-Compared to Johnson’s [1964] victory
-National results
-New York, California
-South
-The President’s future
-Leadership
-Travels to the country
-Policies
-Congressional relations
-[Democrats]
-1972 election
Regards to Mrs. Nixon
-The President’s trip to the Soviet Union
-Moscow
-Gosudarstvennyi Universal’nyi Magazin [GUM]
-Ice cream
Saul Pett’s gratitude
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with George P. Shultz
-Federal spending
-Inflation
-Budget ceiling
-54-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)
Conversation No. 827-21 (cont’d)
Photograph session
-Window
-Contemplation
[Photograph session]
-Decision making
-Past and future
-Press relations
-TV
Saul Pett and Burroughs left at 3:49 pm.