← 034-066034-068 →

Conversation 034-067

TapeTape 34StartWednesday, December 13, 1972 at 8:51 PMEndWednesday, December 13, 1972 at 8:54 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  Sanchez, ManoloRecording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler regarding a strategy to secure increased television coverage for the White House Christmas decorations. Nixon directed Ziegler to arrange a tour of the festive displays, led by either First Lady Pat Nixon or Julie Nixon Eisenhower, specifically requesting that the broadcast feature the decor rather than include a presidential interview. Ziegler agreed to coordinate with NBC and Barbara Walters to facilitate the filming, aiming for a segment that would capture the aesthetic of the decorations while excluding the President from any on-camera dialogue.

White House Christmas decorationsMedia relationsPublic relationsTelevision broadcastPat NixonJulie Nixon EisenhowerRonald Ziegler
AudioNARA Description

On December 13, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez talked on the telephone from 8:51 pm to 8:54 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 034-067 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 34-67

Date: December 13, 1972
Time: 8:51 pm - 8:54 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       The President’s recent conversation with Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon and Julie Nixon
       Eisenhower

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 8:51 pm.

       Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
            -Meeting with the President

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 8:54 pm.

       Media relations
            -White House Christmas decorations
                   -Television coverage
                   -Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Mrs. Nixon
                   -Barbara Walters
                   -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                   -National Broadcasting Cooperation [NBC]
                   -American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
                                              -54-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Dec.-07)

                                                               Conversation No. 34-67 (cont’d)

                   -Viewing
                         -Contributors
                         -Tours
                   -NBC
                         -Timing
                         -Camera crew
                               -Windows
                                     -Versailles
                   -Walters
                   -Interview with the President
                   -Tour with Julie Nixon Eisenhower or Mrs. Nixon
                         -The President’s involvement
                         -Timing
                               -Reception, December 14, 1972
                                     -The President receiving guests
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.
Yes, sir.
Oh, I thought I wanted to tell you that I talked to
And I think you made a sale of it.
I think it's all done now.
Well, I think it's the right thing to do.
And I think it's the right thing to do, so we'll go on that score.
The second thing I wanted to tell you, though—come in in just a minute.
When Mr. Peloso spills, could you have him come down, not rush him down?
The second thing is, Ron, that I should have thought of, but everybody's so busy they haven't thought of these things.
There should be some sort of a television
coverage of the White House Christmas decorations because they're quite outstanding.
Each year they're very outstanding.
I know there was a 30 Seconds on the network last night.
But my point is we can do better than that.
Now what can you do tomorrow on that?
Now we can have Julie or Mrs. Nixon.
Either one will do.
We'll go on it.
Now who do you want to use?
Are you going to use Barbara Walters or do you want to try it on CBS or NBC or—not CBS, of course—NBC or ABC or what have you?
Because it's a hell of a good show, you know.
We have a few clowns that come in, you know, that have contributed a few bucks and they see it.
And a few people that go through the candlelight tour, so we show ten thousand.
And with the minimum audience of around three on the Oprah, maybe three million see it.
What are you going to do?
Well, let me talk to NBC tomorrow, and I think maybe the time to do this would be Friday, when you have your...
I don't want two minutes, you see.
I know they'll want me saying something.
No, no.
That isn't what I want.
No, that's what I want.
I want an NBC crew to go through and then take pictures, you know, showing the Versailles kind of window, showing, you know, with that, showing the beautiful decorations, getting the feel of the whole place.
See, that's what we want around.
We don't want me yakking to a bunch of people.
No, no, no.
I don't think you.
But we can, let me call NBC and maybe we can have
I'll suggest Barbara Walters here, who could do a—but there must be no interview with me.
I will not give an interview.
No, absolutely not.
No, that's— What I want is—but if they want a tour of the White House, the Christmas tour of the White House with Julie, she'll do it.
Well, what I'm thinking— Far with Mrs. Nixon, but not with me.
And I will not even give one minute, because I tried it once before, and they took too much of the time for that.
I don't think that's good.
But let me call, and we could maybe do it before—just before—
Let's say a half an hour before the reception tomorrow night where Julie, for example, could take them through and do the thing.
Then they could get some cutaway film of you receiving, and this is no interview, but just pictures of you receiving the guests coming through as a part of it.
But it's an exclusive thing, a half hour.
Okay, you work on it.
I'll do that in the morning.
Okay, fine.
← 034-066034-068 →