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Conversation 043-068

TapeTape 43StartTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 1:49 PMEndTuesday, February 13, 1973 at 1:50 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  Nixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinated the administration's messaging regarding potential hijacking negotiations with Cuba, emphasizing that Secretary of State William P. Rogers would address the topic at an upcoming press conference. The two also discussed the protocol for lowering the American flag to half-mast in light of recent inquiries, noting that senior staff members including Alexander Haig and H.R. Haldeman supported the move. Nixon instructed Ziegler to bring relevant documentation to his office at 2:45 p.m. for final review and approval.

CubaHijacking AgreementWilliam P. RogersPress RelationsFlag ProtocolWhite House Staff
AudioNARA Description

On February 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 1:49 pm to 1:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-068 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 43-68 (cont’d)

                                                                     Conversation No. 43-68

Date: February 13, 1973
Time: 1:49 pm - 1:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See Conversation No. 410-5]

       The President’s conversation with William P. Rogers
            -Cuba
                  -Hijacking Agreement
            -Rogers’s press conference

       Flying of US flag
             -Raising from half-mast
                   -Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
                   -Richard A. Moore
                   -David R. Gergen
                   -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                   -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

       The President’s schedule
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Yeah.
Mrs. Ziegler.
Yes, sir.
Just so you can have the rundown.
I mentioned my telephone conversation with Rogers.
You notice I said we were discussing the possibility of some kind of hijacking agreement with Cuba.
Right.
And that we were just discussing the possibility.
He's going to have a press conference, I think, on Thursday.
He's going to cover it then.
So you can say Secretary of State will...
announce the decision when it is made.
It's already covered.
We're talking to him.
He may move.
They had Thursday just selected as a date.
Oh, I see.
They underpin under this.
They're not stuck with it, you know, because I didn't say we had it.
I said, well, I discussed it with him.
No, there's no problem at all.
Yeah, but I think it builds it up a little if he, you know, he can now move on when he wants so.
In fact, he could announce it in Florida.
He's there.
I know.
No problem at all.
Okay, fine, fine.
Come over about 2.45 now, as it turns out.
You will, yeah, and then I'll look at the thing, and then you'll have to check it.
We'll see with Mrs. Johnson.
Right.
You generally found that most everybody thinks, this is a woman that I'm not absolutely sure about myself.
Well, Moore felt it was a good idea.
Gergen immediately thought it was a good idea.
Haig felt it was okay.
Haldeman, I talked to him about it.
He felt it was fine.
Bring it over at 2.45, sir.
Look at it.
Right.
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