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Conversation 023-100

TapeTape 23StartMonday, May 1, 1972 at 7:11 PMEndMonday, May 1, 1972 at 7:13 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to evaluate the reception of a recent administration announcement regarding high-level diplomatic channels. Ziegler confirmed that the networks successfully grasped the significance of confidential exchanges between Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev, as well as Henry Kissinger's facilitating role. Nixon expressed frustration with negative press coverage, specifically targeting Howard K. Smith, before directing Ziegler to summon Kissinger for a follow-up meeting.

US-Soviet relationsLeonid BrezhnevHenry KissingerPress relationsWhite House communicationsDiplomacy
AudioNARA Description

On May 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 7:11 pm to 7:13 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 023-100 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 23-100

Date: May 1, 1972
Time: 7:11-7:13 pm
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Ziegler's announcement
          -Networks
                 -US-Soviet relations
                      -Confidential exchanges with Leonid I. Brezhnev
                      -Henry A. Kissinger
                      -Questions about Kissinger's trip to Moscow
                      -Exchanges with Brezhnev
                           -Network coverage
                                  -Howard K. Smith
                      -Gerard C. Smith
          -Press reception
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Uh-huh.
Yes, sir.
How'd your announcement go?
Did they understand it?
No, it went just fine.
I think they got the point.
They've used it on the network, so...
Refer to the fact of progress that they referred to this question.
Confidential exchanges that you had with Brezhnev.
That was really the... That's the heart of it, sure.
And they all gathered that this was a Kissinger Channel, too, didn't they?
Well, I said yes.
I said yes.
Yeah.
They asked you?
Yes.
They said it was one of the things that is a major subject.
Then I referred to your ongoing
We had said before that you had had ongoing communication with Brezhnev.
You got it off in time even for that effort.
Yes, sir.
They read it.
They didn't do it.
Oh, no, no.
We were so late.
What did you think of it?
Well, it was a very...
I mean, and that Smith, that crappy thing, you know, language.
It was a very interesting meeting for me, though.
Yeah.
I think the announcement came out all right.
Call Henry and tell him to run around here.
Yes, sir.
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