Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 18 › Conversation 018-056

Nixon phone call with Scali on People's Republic of China

Monday, January 10, 1972 · 5:35 PM–5:36 PM ET · White House Telephone · 41 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Scali, John A.Conversation018-056 on Tape 18 (tape position 02:01:25–02:02:06)StartMonday, January 10, 1972 at 5:35 PMEndMonday, January 10, 1972 at 5:36 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 018-056 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with John A. Scali regarding the utility of Scali’s recent preparatory mission for the President’s upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China. Scali, alongside Alexander Haig and Ronald Ziegler, confirmed that the experience was highly productive and provided essential insights into the diplomatic landscape. The President expressed satisfaction with the progress made in organizing the visit and encouraged Scali to rest following his return.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. Scali, Mr. President.
Hello.
Yes, Mr. President.
I was just sitting here with Al, and I said to him that you and he and Ziegler now must realize that coming to the White House isn't as worth it after all.
Well, it was a great experience.
Wasn't it really something?
Yes, it was.
The best part was knowing that it is a well-prepared year for a forthcoming visit here, sir.
Yeah.
Was it useful, you think, for you to go out?
I thought it was.
Oh, I thought it was enormously useful.
Yeah.
And you got a good feel of them and us and what we're going to do and so forth.
And I'm very encouraged.
Well, get home and get a little sleep.
Will do.
All right, John.

NARA Description

On January 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John A. Scali talked on the telephone from 5:35 pm to 5:36 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 018-056 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 18-56

Date: January 10, 1972
Time: 5:35 pm - 5:36 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with John A. Scali.

[See Conversation No. 313-30C]

     Trip to the People's Republic of China [PRC]
           -Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Scali, Ronald L. Ziegler
           -The President’s forthcoming trip to the PRC
           -Value

Also recorded on January 10, 1972

  • 313-027 5:24 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:24 pm and 5:27 pm.
  • 018-052 5:27 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 5:27 pm to 5:28 pm.
  • 313-028 5:27 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:27 pm to 5:28 pm.
  • 018-053 5:28 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:28 pm and 5:29 pm.
  • 313-029 5:28 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:28 pm and 5:29 pm.
  • 018-054 5:29 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked on the telephone from 5:29 pm to 5:31 pm.
  • 313-030 5:29 PM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., White House operator, John A. Schneider, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:29 pm to 5:53 pm.
  • 018-055 5:31 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:31 pm and 5:35 pm.

All 83 conversations from January 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 018-056, January 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/018-056 (accessed October 12, 2026).