Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 237 › Conversation 237-041

Nixon phone call with Rush on Diplomacy and Media relations

Friday, December 29, 1972 · 7:10 PM–7:11 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rush, [David] KennethConversation237-041 on Tape 237StartFriday, December 29, 1972 at 7:10 PMEndFriday, December 29, 1972 at 7:11 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 237-041 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consulted with Deputy Secretary of State Kenneth Rush to coordinate efforts and ensure organizational readiness for upcoming events, likely related to ongoing diplomatic negotiations. Nixon affirmed his support for the administration's strategic path despite anticipated media scrutiny, emphasizing the necessity of resolving the situation decisively. The discussion served as a final check to ensure all parties were aligned before critical developments occurred the following day.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 49% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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All right.
Hello?
Well, I just wanted to be sure you were all on salvo for tomorrow.
Good.
Well, it's, uh, you know, the media will kind of distort and everything, but you've done the right thing again, I think.
Well,
Now the main thing is to have it turn out all right.
Well, I think that the pressures now that are on, this is it.
Settle it.
One way or the other.
Okay.
Right.
Right.
And all of a sudden, they've got a rut pulled up.
Right.
Right.
All right, Jeff, bye.

NARA Description

On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and [David] Kenneth Rush met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:10 pm to 7:11 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 237-041 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 237-41

Date: December 29, 1972
Time: 7:10 pm - 7:11 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with [David] Kenneth Rush.

[See Conversation No. 158-33]

Also recorded on December 30, 1972

  • 158-032 7:02 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and U. Alexis Johnson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:02 pm to 7:04 pm.
  • 237-040 7:02 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and U. Alexis Johnson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 7:02 pm to 7:04 pm.
  • 158-033 7:10 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and [David] Kenneth Rush talked on the telephone at Camp David from 7:10 pm to 7:11 pm.
  • 158-034 9:41 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 9:53 am.
  • 237-042 9:41 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:41 am and 9:53 am.
  • 158-035 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
  • 237-044 9:53 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 9:53 am to 10:02 am.
  • 158-036 10:02 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:02 am and 10:04 am.

All 64 conversations from December 30, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 237-041, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/237-041 (accessed October 10, 2026).