Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 018-080
Date: Thursday, January 13, 1972 at 2:45 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/018-080

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] Yes, sir.
[0:02] Well, how is the press handling the news today?
[0:06] Well, of course, the announcement is a lead thing, but they're moving sidebar stories on the kids and the birthday thing.
[0:14] Right.
[0:15] I mean, but as far as the announcement, that's what I was calling about.
[0:17] Are they doing it well?
[0:18] Oh, yes, sir.
[0:18] They're playing it straight.
[0:20] They're moving, of course, with your lead on the announcement of the new levels and the reduction.
[0:25] Go into your remarks, and then they pick up on the Laird material.
[0:29] Yeah.
[0:30] Hilarity material pointing out that we expect some bombshells.
[0:34] The speculation, I mean, the spectaculars and so forth, yes.
[0:37] It's playing in basically the scenario I gave it to you earlier.
[0:41] Playing, all right.
[0:42] Yes, sir.
[0:42] In your opinion.
[0:44] All right.
[0:45] We're getting pictures taken of the Soviets over there.
[0:48] Good.
[0:50] So that'll be a nice story.
[0:52] I want that out.
[0:53] They're interested in that, aren't they?
[0:54] Well, we're turning up interest.
[0:57] The vice president is doing something with the attorney general, so we're having to grab him off from that.
[1:01] But I think we'll force something out of it.
[1:04] It's hard to break through your announcement today, you see.
[1:08] Oh, I understand.
[1:09] Well, just see that somebody...
[1:10] But there are CBSes over there now.
[1:13] Oh, yes, we have.
[1:14] Oh, yes, we've got the wires there.
[1:16] It's very well covered, yes.
[1:18] And give it the tasks and things like that.
[1:21] Second point...
[1:22] With regard to the kids, they're going to run a little story on that, though.
[1:25] Sure they will.
[1:26] The wires are already moving something.
[1:27] The press were very excited about it.
[1:29] They thought it was great.
[1:30] They got a little picture.
[1:31] Oh, sure.
[1:31] And your comments and so forth were very good reading the poetry.
[1:34] I want to be sure that the kids, the main thing is that they see their picture in the paper.
[1:39] Right.
[1:39] We're going to call the Alexandria paper just to make sure.
[1:42] All right.
[1:42] Fine.
[1:43] Okay, sir.
[1:43] All right.