← 023-051023-053 →

Conversation 023-052

TapeTape 23StartThursday, April 20, 1972 at 2:46 PMEndThursday, April 20, 1972 at 2:48 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate logistics for an upcoming meeting with Bob Hope, ensuring photographer Ollie Atkins captures images in both the Oval Office and the Rose Garden for a commemorative album. They also review the political fallout from a recent Democratic caucus vote on Vietnam, with Nixon emphasizing the importance of highlighting low attendance and partisan dynamics. To counter the narrative, they discuss leveraging Republican allies and staffer Charles Colson to amplify support for the position from loyal Democrats.

Bob HopeVietnam WarDemocratic PartyWhite House PhotographyPublic RelationsCongressional Relations
AudioNARA Description

On April 20, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 2:46 pm to 2:48 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-052 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-52

Date: April 20, 1972
Time: 2:46-2:48 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.
[See also Conversation No. 332-16]

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
               -Length
               -Photographs
                      -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                      -Oval Office
                      -Rose Garden
                      -Album

     Vietnam
          -Democratic caucus
              -Resolution
                    -News reports
                    -Vote
                         -Attendance/absentees
                    -Vote on floor
                    -United Press International [UPI] story
                         -Changes
              -The President's supporters
                    -Republican praise
                         -Charles W. Colson
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hello.
Hi.
Hi, Ron.
How about Hope?
Did you work it out?
415.
Fine.
He's delighted.
He doesn't expect more than two or three minutes.
Oh, no, no.
I'll spend 15 minutes with him.
Fine.
What I want is Ollie there to take a picture inside.
You know, we've had one before, but then I want Ollie to walk out with us and take some out in the rose garden.
Oh, that'd be great.
Tell him that I'd like to, then we'll make up a little album for him.
Good.
Don't you think that
That's a good idea.
He'd really appreciate that.
For the photographer's thing, because the pictures outside would be extremely good.
Does he have anybody with him?
Bob does.
He just sat down alone.
We took the caucus on, and it's moving.
Oh, that's good.
Particularly the line, words and resolutions are very inadequate.
You know, inadequate weapons stopping a brutal armed aggression.
That's playing.
Good.
What was the vote in the caucus?
135 to 66.
It was a very low vote.
What I meant is they didn't have many members there, did they?
They must have 60 absentees, that's what I mean.
At least that, right.
Yeah.
The same percentages they've had all the time.
Well, and it's the same percentage as the vote on the floor.
That's what I mean.
Right.
Which was ranging anywhere.
I think the high they ever had was 137 on the floor vote.
And I pointed that out, too.
And the U.P.I.,
early lead mentioned that it was a lopsided boat and they took that out later leads after this had been pointed out to them.
Well, hell, it's no more lopsided than it's ever been.
Well, of course, it'll be hard for you to get that across, I guess, but it's really... Well, I think it was pretty well accepted out there when the past voting, you know, the floor figures were given to them, which I did.
And I also referred to it as a political caucus.
Partisan.
Partisan caucus.
Democratic political caucus.
Yeah.
Okay.
So I think we're in good shape.
How about...
Some Republicans ought to get up and praise the loyal Democrats.
Well, Colson has a lot of things working, he told me, in terms of Hill reaction.
Good, good.
Okay, sir.
All right.
← 023-051023-053 →