Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 36 › Conversation 036-065

Nixon phone call with Kennedy on Vietnam peace negotiations

Tuesday, January 23, 1973 · 9:10 AM–9:14 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kennedy, Richard T. (Col.)Conversation036-065 on Tape 36StartTuesday, January 23, 1973 at 9:10 AMEndTuesday, January 23, 1973 at 9:14 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 036-065 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Colonel Richard T. Kennedy discuss the status of Henry Kissinger’s schedule regarding the Vietnam peace negotiations in Paris. The President seeks confirmation on whether Kissinger intends to return to Washington as planned or delay his arrival due to the passing of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. The pair confirms that Kissinger is expected back by 6:00 p.m., and Nixon affirms his commitment to proceed with the scheduled Day of Mourning for Johnson regardless of the diplomatic developments.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yeah.
Colonel Kennedy.
Hello.
Good morning, Mr. President.
What's the report from Paris?
I haven't got it yet, sir.
As a matter of fact, I was just on my way down to the office General Scoprock was in, and I was on my way down now.
I see.
Oh, fine, fine.
I'll be down there in about 10 minutes and come by.
Fine.
I was just trying to get in my own mind.
I think he was supposed to call us by this time, wasn't he?
Right.
2 o'clock Paris time.
That's right.
My understanding is now he's going to leave immediately after lunch.
About now.
About now and due in here about 6 o'clock.
Right.
What I was trying to get at...
You don't have to.
I'll give Scowcroft a call.
I'll find out what...
I'll be along.
No, no.
Don't worry about it.
You handle it.
You handle it.
What I would just like to know is to when there was no, you know, there was a lot of banging back and forth for the Johnson funeral, but the latest that we heard last night was that he was still planning to come on.
Isn't that right?
To wrap it up.
Or had we heard that he was going to delay?
Had you heard anything later?
No, I think he was going to come back.
And he is... That's just as well with me.
Yes, he's due to come back, I think, about 6.
So we had this problem of whether or not we should go on with the Johnson Day of Mourning and the rest, and I finally said that the North Vietnamese felt any paranoia, get it done.
Well, sir, you know, I would think it could be a tribute to President Johnson in any event.
Which I'm going to do anyway.
All right, thank you.
You get in, just give me a buzz and let me know.
I just need to know what the plans are.
Right, I'll be there shortly.

NARA Description

On January 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone from 9:10 am to 9:14 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 036-065 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 36-65

Date: January 23, 1973
                                              -43-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                         Conversation No. 36-63 (cont’d)

Time: Between 9:10 am and 9:14 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Col. Richard T. Kennedy.

       Vietnam settlement

             -Kennedy’s location
             -Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
             -Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule
             -Lyndon B. Johnson’s death
                   -Kissinger’s schedule
                         -Delay

Also recorded on January 23, 1973

  • 036-063 8:55 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William S. White talked on the telephone from 8:55 am to 9:03 am.
  • 404-001 8:55 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. White met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:55 am to 9:03 am.
  • 036-064 9:03 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:03 am and 9:10 am.
  • 404-002 9:03 AM · 11 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 9:03 am and 9:10 am.
  • 036-067 9:14 AM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:14 am to 9:15 am.
  • 404-003 9:14 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 9:14 am.
  • 404-004 9:14 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:14 am to 9:15 am.
  • 404-005 9:29 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:29 am and 11:55 am.

All 94 conversations from January 23, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 036-065, January 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/036-065 (accessed October 1, 2026).