Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 003-075
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 1971 at 7:55 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/003-075

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Henry, I think you should go forward and invite Jerry Smith and the other members of the delegation to a cocktail at 6 o'clock tomorrow night.
[0:09] Okay.
[0:10] And, well, of course, I'll have Rogers and Laird there, too.
[0:16] Can you tell me if it's a good idea?
[0:17] Well, I frankly... No, this is a private thing.
[0:20] No, but the only thing that worries me, Mr. President, is, and I'll tell you frankly what my concern is, these guys...
[0:28] we've been sitting on them up to now and holding them on a very close range.
[0:34] Now suddenly the floodgates are open, and I'm afraid they're going to think they have license to run wild in the negotiations.
[0:43] But is it purely social and it's nothing?
[0:46] No, no, it's purely social.
[0:47] We'll just have a drink and thank them all and their wives, invite their wives to, you know, just stand around and thank them all before they go back to Vienna for these very important negotiations.
[0:57] Okay.
[0:58] That's what I mean, on that basis.
[0:59] I think that's a good thing.
[1:02] And call Haldeman, have him ask Bill if he could come, and naturally Laird and Moore should come, too.
[1:10] We'll get those invitations.
[1:11] Where is it, in your office or in your residence?
[1:13] Oh, we'll have it at the residence.
[1:15] We'll have it at the state dining room.
[1:18] Right.
[1:19] We'll get it done immediately.