Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 24 › Conversation 024-050
Nixon phone call with Rush on Vietnam War and North Vietnam blockade
Tuesday, May 9, 1972 · 11:53 AM–11:56 AM ET · White House Telephone ·1 min
AI Summary
President Nixon calls Deputy Secretary of State Kenneth Rush to commend his recent television performance defending the administration's decision to blockade North Vietnam. The two discuss the administration’s peace proposal, emphasizing the generosity of the offer to withdraw troops in exchange for a cease-fire and the release of American prisoners of war. Nixon dismisses political criticism from the Democrats, asserting that their position is contrary to national interests and that the administration will remain committed to its current strategy.
- Vietnam War
- North Vietnam blockade
- Prisoners of war
- Foreign policy
- Political opposition
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On May 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and [David] Kenneth Rush talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:53 am and 11:56 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 024-050 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 24-50
Date: May 9, 1972
Time: Unknown after 11:53 until 11:56 am
Location: White House Telephone
The White House operator talked with the President.
[See also Conversation No. 338-21]
Thomas H. Moorer
-Location
-Meeting with John C. Stennis
Request for a call to [David] Kenneth Rush
The President talked with [David] Kenneth Rush between 11:55 and 11:56 am
Vietnam
-Blockade
-Rush's television appearance
-The President’s view
-Impact
-The President's peace offers
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Cease-fire
-Democrats' stance
-Rush’s viewAlso recorded on May 9, 1972
- 338-018 11:42 AM · 40 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 11:42 am and 11:50 am.
- 024-048 11:50 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:50 am.
- 338-019 11:50 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 11:50 am.
- 024-049 11:53 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:53 am.
- 338-020 11:53 AM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 11:53 am.
- 338-021 11:53 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and [David] Kenneth Rush met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:53 am and 11:56 am.
- 024-051 11:56 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:56 am and 12:05 pm.
- 338-022 11:56 AM · 47 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 11:56 am and 12:05 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 024-050, May 9, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/024-050 (accessed September 18, 2026).