Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 041-041
Date: Friday, June 22, 1973 at 1:45 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/041-041

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Yes, Mr. President.
[0:07] How are the press reacting to this thing?
[0:08] Are they playing it decently, objectively, and so forth?
[0:13] What's the situation?
[0:15] Well, I think they're...
[0:17] Hold on just a second.
[0:19] You had somebody there?
[0:20] Someone's leaving, Mr. President.
[0:23] That's all right.
[0:24] All right.
[0:25] They're playing it very well, I think.
[0:28] The discussion...
[0:30] They have to play it in an upbeat way because they've got to think in terms of...
[0:37] sort of thing four and a half years ago would have been absolutely unthinkable.
[0:41] Even last year, it was impossible.
[0:44] This year, we have an agreement from these people that they're not going to use force or the threats of force against any country.
[0:51] That's the biggest thing.
[0:52] And these guys have got to realize how important this is.
[0:55] Yes, I think they do.
[0:55] Henry made that point very well in the briefing.
[0:58] And also, the fact is it isn't an agreement, but the will of the parties to keep it, Henry or you should emphasize it.
[1:06] that it's quite clear that Brezhnev and Nixon have the will to keep the agreement.
[1:10] Yes, sir.
[1:12] It's a good line.
[1:13] The will of the parties to keep it, but what is more important, perhaps, in the words we've all signed, is that the two men have shown a definite will to keep these agreements and to move in this direction.
[1:23] Right.
[1:24] And that's, therefore, it isn't every war starts by breaking a treaty.
[1:28] That isn't the important thing.
[1:29] The important thing is that we have a will to keep it.
[1:31] Right.
[1:33] I think Henry, you know, he's so convoluted, he doesn't see it.
[1:36] He ought to go back and tell the press and the plane that that's the key point.
[1:41] It's the will of the parties to keep it.
[1:43] Right.
[1:45] Very good.
[1:45] As I say, the leads are excellent.
[1:49] Yeah.
[1:51] Well, there ought to be good television out of that.
[1:53] There will be.
[1:54] Those people up here when the damn thing was signed.
[1:57] Yes, sir.
[1:59] It's bound to play in that direction.
[2:00] It's going to play very good.
[2:02] Okay.
[2:02] Yes, sir.