Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 017-151
Date: Sunday, January 2, 1972 at 7:09 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/017-151
National Archives Catalog: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/417192065 (NAID 417192065)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:02] Mr. President.
[0:02] Yeah.
[0:03] Dr. Kissinger.
[0:04] All right.
[0:07] Hello.
[0:07] Mr. President.
[0:08] Yeah, Henry.
[0:10] I haven't been able to get views, but from the report, these are the standard questions with which these ladies always begin.
[0:22] They always have the idea that if we only set a deadline, and that somehow we just aren't doing enough.
[0:29] And I have in the past always been able to turn them around on it.
[0:34] I have not noticed.
[0:35] I'm in correspondence with the board of directors, and I was in correspondence with them as late as two weeks ago.
[0:42] But this has nothing to do with that, Henry.
[0:44] This has to do with the relationship with the bombing, you see.
[0:48] Yeah.
[0:49] See, that's what his questions were about.
[0:52] Yeah.
[0:52] And that's what...
[0:53] I'm just speaking about their general mood.
[0:56] Uh-huh.
[0:56] Yeah, well, you see, that was before the bombing, and that's what Wallace was gigging them on, that the bombing delays.
[1:05] See, the theme, it's a very subtle question and pretty effective that...
[1:09] Well, by reason of the bombing, that's going to make them more intransigent.
[1:12] You know, the same thing on Laos, that kind of argument, see?
[1:15] Yeah, well... And then they may get through with some of them on that point.
[1:19] Well, Mr. President, I believe that the sort of line you took to the ladies, I think the average person doesn't understand what the details are.
[1:27] If they see a president who is dedicated to bringing them back, he can make all these others look like cheap shot artists.
[1:38] Yeah.
[1:38] With regard to the idea of saying now, if he says, will you take it up with the Soviet and the Chinese?
[1:46] Is that a safe thing to say yes?
[1:48] Yes.
[1:48] I mean, is that not going to put them on a spot where they come down and... Well, they may come back and say no, but then that's another way of taking it up.
[1:57] That's right.
[1:58] I think it's perfectly all right.
[1:59] What the hell?
[2:00] I would say yes.
[2:01] We have already taken it up, and we will continue to take it up.
[2:04] You mentioned it to Joe and I, did you?
[2:06] Absolutely, on each occasion.
[2:07] Good.
[2:07] All right.
[2:08] And I mentioned it, of course, to the other characters.
[2:10] I mentioned it to Gromyko, and I've mentioned it to Green in a dozen times.
[2:14] Oh, and Tito.
[2:14] That's right.
[2:15] That's right.
[2:16] Okay, thank you.