Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 93 › Conversation 093-001

Nixon, Cabinet officers & Rogers

Tuesday, February 29, 1972 · 12:02 PM–1:20 PM ET · Cabinet Room · 1 hr 23 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Cabinet officers; Rogers, William P.; Connally, John B.; Laird, Melvin R.; Mitchell, John N.; Morton, Rogers C. B.; Campbell, J. Philip; Peterson, Peter G.; Hodgson, James D.; Richardson, Elliot L.; Romney, George W.; Volpe, John A.; Kennedy, David M.; Shultz, George P.; Bush, George H. W.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.; Flanigan, Peter M.; MacGregor, Clark; David, Edward E., Jr. (Dr.); Klein, Herbert G.; Price, Raymond K., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Scali, John A.; Malek, Frederic V.; Safire, William L.; Colson, Charles W.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Brown, Robert J.; Chapin, Dwight L.; Knauer, Virginia H.; Woods, Rose Mary; Hannah, John A. (Dr.); Helms, Richard M.; Shakespeare, Frank J.; Stein, Herbert; Weinberger, Caspar W. ("Cap"); Stans, Maurice H.; Sohmer, Arthur J.; White House photographerConversation093-001 on Tape 93StartTuesday, February 29, 1972 at 12:02 PMEndTuesday, February 29, 1972 at 1:20 PMRecording deviceCabinet RoomSourceNixon Library record for 093-001 ↗

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NARA Description

On February 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Cabinet officers and staffers, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Philip Campbell, Peter G. Peterson, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Herbert G. Klein, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, John A. Scali, Harry S. Dent, Frederic V. Malek, William L. Safire, Charles W. Colson, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Robert J. Brown, Dwight L. Chapin, Virginia H. Knauer, Rose Mary Woods, John A. Hannah, Richard M. Helms, Frank J. Shakespeare, Herbert Stein, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Maurice H. Stans, Arthur J. Sohmer, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 12:02 pm to 1:20 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 093-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 93-1

Date: February 29, 1972
Time: 12:02 pm - 1:20 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell,
Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Philip Campbell, Peter G. Peterson, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L.
Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, George
H. W. Bush, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M.
Flanigan, Clark MacGregor, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Herbert G. Klein, Raymond K. Price, Jr.,
Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, John A. Scali, Harry S. Dent, Frederic V. Malek,
William L. Safire, Charles W. Colson, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Robert J. Brown, Dwight
L. Chapin, Virginia H. Knauer, Rose Mary Woods, John A. Hannah, Richard M. Helms, Frank J.
Shakespeare, Herbert Stein, Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, Maurice H. Stans, and Arthur J.
Sohmer; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

     [Applause]

     Picture of group

     Presentation of gifts by President

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

     Presentation of gifts by President

     Refreshments

     People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
          -Expression of appreciation
          -Chou En-lai
          -President’s February 28th speech
          -Communique
          -Establishing relations with PRC
                -Getting acquainted
                -Understanding differences
                -Common ground
                      -Importance of personal contact
                      -Compared to President

     -Mao Tse-tung
     -Different points of view
Show the rest of the log (149 more lines)
     -Chou En-lai
            -Time spent together
                  -Meetings
                        -Style
                        -Kissinger
                  -Compared to other world leaders
                        -Winston S. Churchill
                        -Konrad Adenauer
                        -General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle
                        -Jawaharlal Nehru
            -Knowledge of subjects
                  -Presidents
                  -United States
                  -History
     -View of world
            -Philosophical
            -Meeting compared to other world leaders
            -Indian Subcontinent, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Taiwan
            -Issues
                  -Style of discussion
                        -Private conversations
            -Communist view
            -World view
     -Controversial issues
            -Style of speaking
-Relations between PRC and US
     -Communique
            -Use of force
     -Asia
     -Trade
     -Culture
     -Peaceful settlements of disputes
     -Past wars involving US and PRC
-Possible statements
     -By Peking radio
     -By Congressional leaders
     -In United Nations
     -Communist versus non-Communist nation
-Chinese
     -Soviets

     -United States
          -Wealth
          -Problems
          -Leader class
          -Compared to
          -Chinese and Soviet
          -February 28 speech
          -Common interests with PRC
                -War prevention
                -Independence
     -Chances for peace in the Pacific

PRC trip

Chinese way of life
     -Dedication
     -Discipline
     -Freedom in United States
     -Chinese people
     -Leadership
          -Chou En-lai
                 -Journalism
                 -Way of thinking
                 -Views on youth
                 -Questions and Answers during meetings
     -Peace
     -Success of visit
          -Talk sessions
                 -Compared with Soviets
          -Patricia R. (“Pat”) Nixon’s role

PRC and US relations
    -Trip
          -Content of communique
          -Policy of US and China
          -Impact of the two societies upon each other
    -Contrast between societies
    -Compared with Eastern Europe
    -Chinese Communists
          -The Long March
          -Motivation of Communists
                -Convictions

                -Living for the future
           -Judged by different standards
                -Peace versus justice
                -Compromise versus principal
                -Stability versus struggle
     -The communique
           -Importance
           -US view
     -Published in PRC
     -Chinese view
           -Taiwan
           -Vietnam, Korea
     -Signing with the US
     -Five principles
           -Trade and cultural exchanges
                -Diplomatic exchanges
                -Ping-pong players
           -Nixon Doctrine
           -Chinese ideology
           -Separation of US and China over the years
                -Meeting and talking
                -Plans for the future
                -Reliability of US
                -Differences
                -President’s meeting with Chou En-lai
                      -Question of trust
                      -US presence in the Pacific
     -Chinese society
           -Material status
           -Moral status
     -Establishment of communication
           -Expectations of all involved

United States and PRC
     -Wealth, power, and purpose
     -Strength of peoples
     -Belief in their own systems
     -Personal relationships
     -Revolutions and accomplishments
           -PRC questions about US

Effects of PRC trip

           -Political
           -Effect on foreign policy
                 -Nixon Doctrine
                       -Laird
                 -Chinese people
                       -Taiwan compared to PRC
                       -Russian, Yugoslavian, Hungarian, and Chinese Communism
                             -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
                       -Differences from Americans
                 -PRC aims
                       -Russia, India, Japan
                       -US relations
                       -Reasons for President’s trip
                             -Computers

     Swearing-in ceremony

     [Applause]

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

The President, et al. left at 1:20 pm

Transcript (AI-generated)

No transcript is available yet for this conversation.

Also recorded on February 29, 1972

  • 675-009 10:06 AM · 29 sec — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:06 am and 11:45 am.
  • 092-001 10:07 AM · 1 hr 35 min — President Richard M. Nixon and bipartisan Congressional leaders, including Allen J. Ellender, Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield, Robert C. Byrd, J. William Fulbright, John C. Stennis, Gale W. McGee, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Margaret Chase Smith, George D. Aiken, Milton R. Young, Barry M. Goldwater, F. Edward Hébert, Dr. Thomas E. ("Doc") Morgan, George H. Mahon, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, William S. Mailliard, Frank T. Bow, Henry A. Kissinger, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, Richard K. Cook, Thomas C. Korologos, Ronald L. Ziegler, William P. Rogers, Marshall Green, White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 10:07 am to 11:45 am.
  • 675-010 11:45 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:45 am to 11:59 am.
  • 675-011 12:01 PM · 32 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:01 pm to 12:02 pm.
  • 675-015 12:02 PM · 2 min — United States Secret Service agents, Manolo Sanchez, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:02 pm and 1:20 pm.
  • 675-012 1:20 PM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:20 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 675-013 1:28 PM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Peter G. Peterson, Jim Peterson, Holly Peterson, Michael Peterson, William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Rogers C. B. Morton, James D. Hodgson, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, James T. Lynn, Mrs. James T. Lynn, Brandon W. Sweitzer, Jean Braden, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald H. Walker, Gerald Reilly, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:28 pm to 1:37 pm.
  • 675-014 1:38 PM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Ronald L. Ziegler, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:38 pm to 2:42 pm.

All 50 conversations from February 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 093-001, February 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/093-001 (accessed November 2, 2026).