← 005-038005-040 →

Conversation 005-039

TapeTape 5StartSunday, June 13, 1971 at 10:05 AMEndSunday, June 13, 1971 at 10:10 AMTape start time00:53:28Tape end time00:57:18ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the media coverage surrounding Tricia Nixon Cox's wedding, evaluating the performance of various television networks and the print coverage in the Washington Post. They express satisfaction with the overall quality of the televised event while criticizing a negative newspaper article. The conversation concludes with a strategic recommendation to improve future White House event coverage by adjusting camera angles to capture the faces of guests in receiving lines.

Tricia Nixon Cox weddingMedia coveragePublic relationsTelevision broadcastingWhite House operations
AudioNARA Description

On June 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 10:05 am to 10:10 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-039 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 5-39

Date: June 13, 1971
Time: 10:05 am - 10:10 am

The President talked with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Tricia Nixon Cox's wedding
           -Television coverage
                -American Broadcasting Company [ABC], National Broadcasting Corporation
                      [NBC]
           -Washington Post coverage
                -President's conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Post's access to White House Telephone news events
           -Television coverage
                -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]

     TV coverage of White House Telephone social events
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

We saw that at 10 o'clock.
Very good.
It really was.
Very good.
They have some of the news, too, I suppose.
Oh, yeah.
And, you know, they're going to wrap up stuff this March.
It just couldn't be better.
I mean, you've probably seen the paper.
It's a spectacular color picture.
Fine picture.
I suppose Dick left there just to be expected.
He wrote a nasty story.
I haven't read that, but I told him.
He was worried about the whole story.
And I kept him.
I kept him out of the White House.
Yeah.
I don't think you need to worry about what the picture is.
It's really a problem.
The wires are... Yeah, for the TV.
The TV for...
Yep.
Yep, relax.
It did, and Ron got a lot of good playback from that.
They appreciated the thought.
Oh, good.
That was part of it.
That's the only thing the weather did.
They could have gotten it in at the end, maybe, to knock off the fence.
But they didn't in the NBC.
But it's, uh...
But the other stuff is different.
They don't need that.
Yeah.
Well, I said, yeah, it was really, it was fascinating to watch because there were so many events.
One thing I would do in the future is, if that'll lay on the receiving line, I'd just watch this line and put it on the floor.
You know, the receiving line is always bad because of the position of the cameras.
The cameras just simply show the backs of the people going through the line.
You never get a picture of their faces.
The cameras should really be set up and set on the side so you see the people coming through because they're a marvelous expression of the people coming through.
You can see their faces.
Yeah, we could, or they might have to do it with two cameras.
Maybe we ought to let them have two.
Yeah, well, you know, you could do it.
That's much better than just having a lot of cameras shooting the back.
Right.
Well, the receiving line was fine, but I just thought that you'd have to see the faces again.
That's right.
You really do need that expression.
Right.
Okay.
That would be great.
Okay.
All right.
← 005-038005-040 →