Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 036-060
Date: Monday, January 22, 1973 at 8:03 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-060
National Archives Catalog: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/417194563 (NAID 417194563)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Mr. President, I have Mr. Ziegler calling you.
[0:05] All right.
[0:05] There you are.
[0:06] Mr. President, I'm sorry to bother you, sir.
[0:08] In reading this last paragraph, Mr. President, I had the reaction that by saying he was so profoundly dedicated and which we shall soon achieve, I had a feeling that that
[0:22] would be focused on the lead and almost at its peace.
[0:26] I checked it with Haig to get his view just before...
[0:30] I would just strike out, soon achieve.
[0:32] Well, there are two ways to do it.
[0:33] One would be to say, I am confident we will soon achieve, which is more a prediction than it is a flat statement of fact.
[0:40] Why don't you just leave it out?
[0:42] Al's feeling is, and I tend to agree with him, is that... Just leave it out.
[0:46] I don't think you need it.
[0:47] This paragraph would be better to say perhaps at the time of the speech...
[0:51] because tomorrow night there's going to be, you know, a lot of rundown on LBJ and so forth.
[0:58] And then we can – and there will be probably a little criticism on his role and so forth.
[1:02] But then at the time of the announcement, particularly if there's a 24-hour slip, then we could hit him with a statement like this.
[1:08] Okay, fine.
[1:08] So I'll leave it out.
[1:10] Fine, sir.