Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 044-114
Date: Monday, April 9, 1973 at 6:13 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Keogh, James
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/044-114

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello.
[0:01] Mr. President?
[0:03] Jim, I'm just talking here to Colonel Flynn.
[0:06] He's now General Flynn, you know, the top man of our return prisoner to war.
[0:13] Yes.
[0:13] You probably follow him.
[0:15] He has some very interesting observations with regard to the kind of magazines that they gave them when they were there.
[0:25] One was called China and the other was called Soviet, and he said they were really excellent.
[0:29] and was wondering what we had as a counterpart and so forth.
[0:34] So I was suggesting that he have a talk with you.
[0:36] I think you'll find it interesting to talk with him in any event and to meet him.
[0:40] And second, he also has some observations with regard to our propaganda program, particularly in Latin America, and basically what his views are that the communists, as he sees it,
[0:55] The communist line is that there are just three things that they zero in on, education, land reform, and health.
[1:06] And he explains how important that is, for example, in the North of Israel.
[1:13] The reason he's interested in Latin America is that he, of course, has studied it, and he also sees it as a place of potential...
[1:22] communist propaganda, of course, a potential opportunity for us.
[1:26] So I think if you could...
[1:31] I'm going to have...
[1:33] Let me suggest that you call him.
[1:36] Let me tell you, just a second.
[1:37] Are you going to be here in town?
[1:39] Sure am.
[1:39] Fine.
[1:45] He will give you a call, Jim, at USIA.
[1:48] And I think you'll enjoy, well, you'll find it extremely interesting.
[1:52] And pick his brain about what they did and how they handled it, for example.
[1:57] the radio in every town, you know, that's blaring all the time, that damnable loudspeaker and so forth.
[2:06] But I don't know that USIA can do anything because you've got to be so incorruptible or objective.
[2:13] Well, I think I'd certainly like to talk to him and maybe get him to talk with some of the other people here, too.
[2:17] Yes.
[2:18] He would be glad to come over and talk to you.
[2:21] And maybe you might want to get in some of your fellows and let him give you a feel of
[2:26] you know, from what, as he said, he's sort of been, it's like being at the bottom of a cellar for seven and a half years.
[2:33] But you do a lot of thinking when you're in a cellar.
[2:35] Yes, indeed.
[2:36] Yeah.
[2:36] Very good.
[2:37] All right, Jim.
[2:38] Fine.
[2:38] You bring in your top guys and let them see it.
[2:40] We'll do it.
[2:41] And, oh, let me suggest this so that he won't have to get... You probably know these magazines.
[2:45] One is called Soviet.
[2:46] The other is called China.
[2:48] Do you have this?
[2:48] I know Soviet.
[2:49] He says, well, there's one China.
[2:51] He said that they're all done exactly the same way.
[2:53] If you don't have...
[2:55] And if you don't have each of them, get a hold of the Pentagon and get a copy of each so that he can show you what it is, okay?
[3:02] I'll need to get that China one.
[3:03] And I'll have him check to see whether he can get it.
[3:05] Okay, Jeff.
[3:05] Very good.
[3:06] Bye.
[3:06] All right.