Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 19 › Conversation 019-051

Nixon, Kissinger & Safire on Vietnam War and Speechwriting

Monday, January 24, 1972 · 4:05 PM–4:20 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.; Safire, William L.; Nixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation019-051 on Tape 19StartMonday, January 24, 1972 at 4:05 PMEndMonday, January 24, 1972 at 4:20 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 019-051 ↗

AI Summary

Henry Kissinger informs speechwriter William Safire of final edits to the President's upcoming Vietnam address, noting that several clever wordings were removed to ensure effective translation. Kissinger conveys that the President considers the draft finalized and decides against further review by Secretary of State William Rogers, despite Rogers's expectations. Rose Mary Woods is tasked with typing the final version for delivery to Safire, signaling the end of the drafting process.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Hi, Henry.
Phil, I've been talking to the president, Rose, and you'll see a few changes that were made in your text.
Right.
One or two sentences that read very cleverly in English were taken out because of the problem that will arise if you try to translate them and get the same play on words.
Really?
But otherwise, it's the same.
In other words, the only two good lines have been knocked out, right?
And also, we don't really think it needs to be run by Bill Rogers again, because it incorporates about 90% of his changes.
Well, I just, you know, I'm taking the boss's guidance on that.
Yeah, well, that's his view now.
Okay, well...
It's just what you do if he has more suggestions.
And because we just like to put it to bed now.
Just tell him we took all of his changes.
And it's been cleared by two, and it's really basically...
He wouldn't remember every word in it anyway.
However...
He expects to have it run past him again.
Yeah.
But, look, that's not my decision.
If the boss wants to tell me to do it, I'd do it.
If he tells me not to, I don't.
Yeah.
Well, that's the way the president feels now.
Okay, fine.
Good.
Now, what's next for me?
Do I work on it some more?
Tell me you'd call him about it.
No, we're getting a clean copy typed up now.
And Rose is going to get it to you.
And...
Uh, the president considers it locked up now.
You know, if you have a major point you want to make, you can of course raise it.
Uh, did he knock out any of the stuff you want to knock out?
I beg your pardon?
Yes.
He knocked out both of them?
Yes.
Yes.
Good.
Okay, Bill.
I'll call you later when he leaves.

NARA Description

On January 24, 1972, Henry A. Kissinger, William L. Safire, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:20 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 019-051 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 19-51

Date: January 24, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:05 pm and 4:20 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Kissinger talked with William L. Safire; the President can be heard in the background.

[See Conversation No. 317-15F]

     The President's forthcoming Vietnam speech
          -Kissinger's conversation with the President
          -Rose Mary Woods
          -Changes
                -Translation
          -William Rogers's possible review
                -Changes
          -Nguyen Van Thieu's clearance
          -Rogers's expectations
          -Typing
                -Woods
          -Preparation
                -Editing

Also recorded on January 24, 1972

  • 317-015 3:35 PM · 42 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Frank T. Bow, Adele (Langston) Rogers, Rose Mary Woods, White House operator, William L. Safire, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:35 pm to 4:20 pm.
  • 019-048 3:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Frank T. Bow talked on the telephone from 3:36 pm to 3:38 pm.
  • 019-049 3:46 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Adele (Langston) Rogers talked on the telephone from 3:46 pm to 3:47 pm.
  • 019-050 4:05 PM · 8 sec — Henry A. Kissinger and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:20 pm.
  • 019-052 4:20 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:20 pm and 4:27 pm.
  • 317-016 4:20 PM · 9 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 4:20 pm and 4:27 pm.
  • 019-053 4:27 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell talked on the telephone from 4:27 pm to 4:55 pm.
  • 317-017 4:27 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:27 pm to 4:55 pm.

All 54 conversations from January 24, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 019-051, January 24, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/019-051 (accessed October 12, 2026).