Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 157 › Conversation 157-042

Nixon phone call with Kennedy on Vietnam War and Henry Kissinger

Saturday, December 9, 1972 · 7:46 PM–7:48 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kennedy, Richard T. (Col.)Conversation157-042 on Tape 157StartSaturday, December 9, 1972 at 7:46 PMEndSaturday, December 9, 1972 at 7:48 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 157-042 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Colonel Richard T. Kennedy discuss a communication strategy regarding ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations. Nixon approves a message for Henry Kissinger that commends his recent negotiating performance while emphasizing the critical importance of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) issue. The two also coordinate the arrival of Alexander Haig, scheduling a follow-up meeting at Camp David to discuss developments with Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello.
Mr. President?
Yes.
This is Colonel Kennedy, sir.
Yes.
You called.
You wanted to have a message, sir?
Oh, yes.
I thought, sir, you saw Henry's message.
Yes, I did.
And I thought perhaps you might want to send a brief reply that he'd have in the morning.
Right.
I drafted something.
I can read it.
Fine.
Your report of Saturday's meeting is encouraging.
Nevertheless, I realize how significant the BMZ provision is from both Saigon's point of view and our own.
After hearing Al Haig's report on Sunday, I will give you my further thoughts.
Again, I want to say what a superb job you have done against the toughest odds this past week.
The concessions you have extracted represent a major achievement and testify to your negotiating skill and the firm, relentless approach you have taken in these sessions.
Very good.
All right, sir.
Well, I'll send it off.
Good.
Send that off.
Then after I meet...
When Al gets in late tonight, right?
Well, it'll be about... Our latest estimate is about 4 o'clock, sir, in the morning.
Fine.
Have him go... Well... Where will he go when he gets in?
Oh, he'll go home, of course.
Fine.
He'll go home.
Right.
Then, as Henry noted, he wants to get hold of Dobrynin.
Right.
On this point.
Now, should he...
Should he come here?
Should I meet him there?
What would be the best thing?
Either way, sir, I think whichever suits your convenience and health.
I mentioned that you were up there, and it's no problem at all, whichever you prefer.
Entirely up to you.
I would think that...
Either way, because the fact that he does it, we'll get out in any event.
Right.
We'll tell him when he gets in the morning to have a good sleep.
Yes, sir.
And then come up here about tomorrow, about noon.
All right, sir.
Bye.
Good.
See you in the afternoon.
We'll get our message off, okay?
All right, sir.
Bye.
And I'll send this one off now.
Bye.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On December 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:46 pm to 7:48 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 157-042 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 157-42

Date: December 9, 1972
Time: 7:46 pm - 7:48 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with Col. Richard T. Kennedy.

[See Conversation No. 235-23]

       Vietnam negotiations
                               -54-

     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                Conversation No. 157-42 (cont’d)

-Message to Henry A. Kissinger
     -Kissinger’s message to the President
     -Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] issue
           -Significance to South Vietnam, US
     -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s report
     -Kissinger’s performance as negotiator
           -Concessions
-Haig’s schedule
     -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
           -Kissinger
     -Meeting with the President
           -The President’s schedule
                 -Leak
                 -Dobrynin
-Message to Kissinger

Also recorded on December 10, 1972

  • 235-023 7:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:46 pm to 7:48 pm.
  • 235-024 7:48 PM · 42 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Julie Nixon Eisenhower met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:48 pm and 7:55 pm.
  • 236-001 7:30 AM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and Helene (Colesie) Drown met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
  • 236-002 7:30 AM · 34 sec — William Hirsch and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
  • 236-003 7:30 AM · 15 sec — Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon, and Helene (Colesie) Drown met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:30 am and 12:00 pm.
  • 034-027 9:50 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 9:55 am.
  • 384-001 9:50 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 9:55 am.
  • 384-002 9:50 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 9:50 am and 9:55 am.

All 19 conversations from December 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 157-042, December 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/157-042 (accessed October 10, 2026).