Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 162 › Conversation 162-007

Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Vietnam War press coverage

Saturday, February 24, 1973 · 6:10 PM–6:16 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation162-007 on Tape 162StartSaturday, February 24, 1973 at 6:10 PMEndSaturday, February 24, 1973 at 6:16 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 162-007 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417175843 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the press coverage of the Vietnam War, specifically a critical article by Seymour Hersh and a favorable one by James Reston, and the effectiveness of recent bombing strikes in Laos and Cambodia. They also touched upon the difficult stance of the Israelis regarding peace negotiations and Kissinger's upcoming meetings with Egyptian officials.

  • Vietnam War press coverage
  • Seymour Hersh
  • James Reston
  • Laos bombing
  • Cambodia bombing
  • Israeli negotiations
  • Egyptian officials

Audio

Download MP3 · 12.4 MB

This clip of the conversation was cut from the tape by the National Archives (catalog record ↗).

NARA Description

On February 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:10 pm to 6:16 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 162-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 162-7

Date: February 24, 1973
Time: Unknown between 1:36 pm and 6:10 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table
The President talked with the Camp David operator.

       Call to Henry A. Kissinger

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was made by an AI model listening to the recording (gemini-3.8-flash) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Speaker names are the model's inference from the voices and the participant list. Words and names can still be wrong — verify against the audio and the finding aid before citing.

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NixonHello, Henry?
KissingerMr. President.
NixonYou're in New York?
KissingerYes, I went up here this afternoon.
NixonHow how do you find things up there?
KissingerWell, so far, I haven't been anywhere. I'm going to the theater tonight, and then tomorrow I'm meeting with the Egyptians.
NixonOh, fine. Mhm.
KissingerDid you see the Reston article yesterday, Mr. President, by any chance?
NixonNo, I didn't. I I don't bother with that, you know.
KissingerNo, it was very favorable.
KissingerTerrific. Very—
NixonIs that right? Aha.
NixonWell, I was uh I was really so uh frankly uh distressed by the I mean, you know, the Reston things on the back page and the Times running that disgraceful article on the POWs. I just thought that was about as shocking a bit of goddamn journalism I ever saw.
KissingerBut they talked the reply of the POWs was really impressive.
NixonIt was It was It was great, but I mean the Times to do that, you know. But this fellow Hersh is a son of a bitch. You know, he he's probably a communist agent. Exactly. Exactly. And uh I just thought it was shocking that New York Times would run that.
KissingerWell, Hersh is— Exactly. Exactly.
KissingerNo, it was, but—
NixonWhat do you think? I mean, [crosstalk] he was he was he was picking it, Henry, right out of the whole cloth.
KissingerNo, it's the New York—
KissingerNo, but to me, the—
NixonNow didn't you didn't you really think the POWs did well, though? They smacked him, didn't they?
KissingerThe POWs Beautifully. This fellow who said, "Let's raise the flag instead of—"
NixonSpitting [laughter] at it. [laughter]
KissingerNow, the only interesting thing about Reston is, I mean, his convictions are appalling, but he can he can usually judge which way the trend in the country is. Yeah. Yeah. And when he starts praising you, that means that he figures he'd better get on the bandwagon.
NixonYeah. Yeah.
NixonMhm.
NixonOh, is that what he was doing in his article? Yeah.
KissingerOh, yes. Yeah.
NixonBill Hearst had told me about it. I saw him yesterday.
KissingerNow, he said it's the greatest foreign policy initiative since the Tru-
NixonHe was talking about China, huh?
Kissingersince the Truman era, yes, and Nixon deserves the gratitude of his country.
Nixon[chuckle] Yeah. We're Take anything we can get, huh?
NixonWhat is the situation with regard to uh, I think the uh, our our Laos strike seemed to have been quite effective, wasn't it?
KissingerThe Laos strike was effective. There's been no other action in this area. We authorized another one today, a much smaller one, for Vang Pao's forces, if he needed it. Mhm. But they haven't called for it yet.
NixonMhm.
NixonUh-huh.
KissingerAnd tonight, there's going to be a massive one in Cambodia.
NixonThat's good.
NixonWell, I tell you, that's the only thing that we You know how we how it is. We We And it's not like we get away with these. I mean, the network people try to whine and bitch around it bit, but nobody cares. I don't think we give one damn.
KissingerThey all know that the last time you used—
NixonWell, you know what, that's exactly You've You've hit the nail on the head, haven't you? Because, really, the last time they all bitched and got off on the limb, we sawed it off. Now, this time, they're rather wondering, aren't they?
KissingerExactly. And when they were yelling about Laos right after the ceasefire, it still turned out all right. Mhm. So, I don't think we're going to get much flak.
NixonMhm.
NixonMhm. Mhm.
KissingerI had a meeting today with the French ambassador, and I told him about Oh, yes. the things you and I discussed.
NixonOh, yes.
NixonOh, good. Good.
Kissingerto help if it if it helps Pompidou, and uh he was extremely appreciative.
NixonThat's good.
NixonWell, we can um um You're going to meet tomorrow, now, with those people, are you? Tomorrow afternoon.
KissingerMeeting tomorrow afternoon. Mhm.
NixonMhm. Are you You don't know what uh went on with our meeting at State, huh?
KissingerUh they took the a very hard line, and nothing really concrete.
NixonWell, their line couldn't possibly be harder than the Israelis' line. I mean, the Israelis, Henry, we've got to realize, haven't haven't budged even a third of an inch. These people at least have said they'll recognize, [snicker] you know, they'll make a peace treaty. Well, So uh it would be—
KissingerThey're saying it in a complicated way. They say they'll make a cease a a ceasefire, and then the peace treaty they'll make if the Palestinians and the Israelis settle.
NixonYeah, I know. I know. But But But being objective, the Israelis haven't moved. No, the Israelis And they're being acting I mean, the way they've handled this airplane thing is is just I mean, it's worse than the way Laird handled the bombing of that goddamn French Embassy. Well, one Unbelievable.
KissingerNo, the Israelis—
KissingerWell, one problem is that they are having I'd called Rabin uh to tell him about your view with respect to Mrs. Meir, that she shouldn't come in and say nothing can be done. And he said they have an election campaign, I know. Well, that's right. not about that, but about the plane, Yeah. and in Israel, to be a hawk is more popular than the other.
NixonI know. Well, that's right.
NixonYeah.
NixonAll right, I understand. Well, that's their deal this year, and then it's next year ours. But this is our year to to really do something, and so we can uh we'll have a little fun with it. Right.
KissingerRight.
NixonOkay, well, hope you enjoy it. What are you going to see tonight? In the theater?
KissingerNoël Coward uh Oh, that would be good.
NixonOh, that would be good.
Kissingera revue.
NixonMhm.
KissingerAnd I'm going to go and see that. And then I'm going to have dinner at Côte Basque with our friend.
NixonFine. [laughter]
NixonOkay, great. Give her our best, will you?
KissingerRight, Mr. President.
NixonOkay.

Also recorded on February 24, 1973

  • 162-005 1:36 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 1:36 pm.
  • 162-006 1:36 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:36 pm and 6:10 pm.
  • 243-010 1:45 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 1:45 pm and 4:57 pm.
  • 243-011 4:57 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:57 pm and 6:10 pm.
  • 243-012 6:10 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:10 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 243-013 6:16 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.
  • 243-014 6:16 PM · 12 sec — Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.
  • 243-016 6:16 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 9:17 pm.

All 17 conversations from February 24, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 162-007, February 24, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417175843). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/162-007 (accessed November 15, 2026).