Conversation 241-009

TapeTape 241StartSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 3:30 PMEndSaturday, February 3, 1973 at 5:18 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Camp David OperatorRecording deviceCamp David Hard Wire

On February 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 5:18 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 241-009 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 241-009

Date: February 3, 1973
Time: Unknown between 3:30 pm and 5:18 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The Camp David operator talked with the President.

[See Conversation No. 161-004]

                                                                             Conversation No. 241-010

Date: February 3, 1973
Time: Unknown between 3:30 pm and 6:15 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President dictated a memorandum for the file.

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]

       President’s critics
              -Divisiveness
              -Patrick J. Buchanan
              -William P. Rogers
                       -Cabinet meeting
              -Ronald L. Ziegler
                       -Press relations

       Eisaku Sato
              -Welcoming

       Camp David
             -Date, time

       Vietnam settlement
             -Cease-fire agreement
             -Paris

       Dictabelt tape

       Sato’s dinner

       Edward R. G. Heath’s visit
             -Background material
                    -Henry A. Kissinger’s office
                    -Detail
                    -Arthur F. Burns, George P. Shultz, Peter M. Flanigan’s contributions

       Prayer breakfast
              -President’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
              -President’s statement
                     -Notes
                     -Mark O. Hatfield
                     -John C. Stennis

       Hatfield
              -Hypocrisy
                    -Haldeman
                    -Honorariums
              -Behavior
              -Wife

       President’s Inaugural speech

               -Applause
               -Respect
               -Prayer breakfast
               -Press coverage

       Mail to the President
              -Lyrics
              -Prayer breakfast

       President’s schedule

       Henry A. Kissinger
             -Personality
             -Vietnam settlement
                     -“Peace is at hand” statement
                             -1972 election
                             -Effects
                             -Negotiations
                                     -United States [US] bargaining position
                             -December 1972 bombing
                     -Press briefing
                             -Negotiations
                                     -North Vietnam
                                            -Motivations
                                                    -Kissinger’s viewpoint
                             -New York Times
                                     -Harry Reasoner
                                     -Nobel Prize
                                            -Irony
                                            -Negotiations
                                            -December 1972 bombing
                             -President’s role
                             -Effect on negotiations
                     -Mood
                             -Public perceptions
                                     -Kissinger’s cable

                                               -Files
                       -Interview with Marvin L. Kalb
                               -President’s conversation with Ziegler
                               -Television [TV] ratings
                               -Public interest after cease-fire

       Joseph C. Kraft’s meeting with Charles W. Colson
              -Kissinger
                     -Conversation with Colson
                            -Colson’s knowledge of Kissinger’s call to Kraft
                                    -Kissinger’s viewpoint

       Kissinger
              -Contradictory remarks
              -Helmut (“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt’s conversation with Colson

       Kissinger’s interview with Kalb
              -Questions
                      -Colson and others’ viewpoints
              -Answers
                      -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                      -Bombing
                      -Role of advisors in decision making

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:30 pm.

       Call from Tricia Nixon Cox

The President talked with Tricia Nixon Cox between 5:18 pm and 5:22 pm.

**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[241-010-w001]

[Duration: 2m 11s]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**********************************************************************

[Conversation No. 241-010A]

[See Conversation No. 161-005]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Kissinger
              -Morale
              -Schedule
                      -New York
                              -Hockey game
              -Colson’s opinion
                      -Kissinger’s personality
              -Role of advisors in decision making
                      -Historical records
              -Press relations
                      -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, Colson
                      -Writers
                      -Speeches, articles

       Nobel Prize
              -Paul Miller
              -Hugh Scott, Robert J. Dole
              -Walter Annenberg
                     -Personality

       Press relations
               -Editorials

               -Haldeman

       White House staff
             -Stephen B. Bull
             -Alexander P. Butterfield

       President’s meeting with Heath
              -Heath’s demeanor
                     -Support for bombing
                     -Toast
                            -President’s role in Vietnam settlement
                                    -Courage
              -Discussions
                     -Content
              -Former United States [US] Presidents
                     -Lyndon B. Johnson
                            -Death
                                    -Vietnam
                                           -Psychological toll
                                           -Press relations
                            -Departure from Washington, DC
                     -Dwight D. Eisenhower
                            -Retirement
                                    -Gettysburg
                            -Travel and leisure activities
                                    -Golf
                                           -Augusta
                                           -Palm Springs
                                    -Bridge
                            -Memories
                     -Herbert C. Hoover
                            -New York
                                    -Gen. Douglas MacArthur
                                    -World Capital
                     -Johnson
                            -Ranch

                                -Visibility compared to Eisenhower
                                        -President’s visit
                                        -1972 Democratic candidates
                                        -George S. McGovern’s visit
                                                -Johnson’s endorsement
                                -President’s call to Claudia A. (“Taylor”) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
                                        -Letter
                                        -United Nations [UN] position
                                                -Claudia Johnson’s reply

       Congressional relations
             -Michael J. Mansfield
                     -Chou En-Lai
                             -Foreign policy hardliners
                             -Hugh Scott

       Press relations
               -President’s news summary
                       -Travel to Camp David
                               -Press entourage
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
                       -Dan Rather’s report
                       -Press conference
               -Washington Post
               -Vermont Royster’s column
                       -Coverage of Vietnam settlement
                               -Television [TV]
               -Ziegler
               -Colson
               -Television [TV]
                       -Public opinion of news commentary
                               -Presidential statements
               -Need for national unity
                       -Role of press
                               -Critics of administration
                               -Reconciliation

                                -Mistakes in reporting
                                -Support for President

       Middle East
             -Kissinger’ delayed actions
                     -Israeli elections, October 1973
             -President’s strategy
                     -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                     -Arms
                     -Kissinger’s limited role
             -Egypt
                     -Hafiz Ismail’s visit
             -Israel’s position
             -United States [US] position as mediator
                     -Interim settlement
                              -Israeli compared with Egyptian, Arab positions
                              -United States [US] assurances of future settlement

       North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
              -President’s discussions with Kissinger
              -Defense budget cuts
                      -Kissinger’s lack of comprehensive strategy
                              -Tactical compared with strategic approach
              -Role of military planners
              -United States [US] and European commitments
                      -Credibility with Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]

       John B. Connally
              -Weakness of dollar
              -Trade bill
                     -Trade sanctions
              -Energy bill
                     -Central Broadcasting Service [CBS]
                            -Series on energy, environment
                            -Crusade
                            -Effect on President

                       -Appointment of Richard M. Helms as Ambassador to Iran
                             -President’s conversation with William D. Rogers

       President’s meeting with Heath, February 2, 1973
              -Walk at Camp David
                     -Weather
                     -Laurel Lodge
                            -Secret Service escort
              -Dinner, February 2, 1973
                     -Menu
                     -Conversation
                            -Blacks
                            -Commonwealth
                            -Relations with Asian populations
                            -Asian emigration to Great Britain
                                    -Labor issues
                            -Enoch Powell’s statement
                            -Black contributions to Great Britain

       Blacks
                -President’s view
                       -Abilities
                               -Strength
                               -Artistic talent
                               -Public speaking
                               -Hard science
                                       -George Washington Carver

       President’s conversation with Heath
              -Heath’s visit to United Nations [UN]

       President’s conversations with Lady Cromer
              -Daughter of Viscount Rothermere
                      -Publisher
              -Supporter
              -Views of social set

               -Attitudes toward Vietnam, United States [US] role

       Alice Roosevelt Longworth

       Rose Mary Woods
             -Telephone call to Roy L. Ash
                    -President’s reaction to news summary
                           -Telephone call compared with letter to supporters
             -Telephone call to Coy Stennis
                    -Health
                    -Admiration for President

       Telephone calls to supporters
             -Woods
             -Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman
             -Personal appeal
                     -Woods compared with staff members

       Press relations
               -Tex McCrary
               -Letter
               -Max Feldman’s article
               -1972 election victory
                       -Camp David
                       -Barry M. Goldwater [?]
                       -Peter G. Peterson’s leak to the press
                              -Art Buckwald
                              -Cabinet reorganization

       Press conferences
              -Press coverage
                      -Timing
              -Location
                      -Television [TV]
              -Effects of Watergate
              -Washington, DC biases

                      -Public opinion
               -President’s statements

       Press relations
               -Kissinger’s statements to Newsweek, Time
               -Ziegler

       Vietnam settlement
             -1972 election
             -Reactions
             -Opponents of President’s war policy
             -Kissinger
                     -Liberals

       State Dinners
              -Woods
              -Tables
              -Seating

       Kissinger
              -Press conference
                      -Transcript
                      -Press coverage
                              -Elitist viewpoint
              -Kissinger’s interpersonal style
              -Lady Cromer’s viewpoint
                      -Winston S. Churchill’s character
              -President’s opinion about Churchill’s leadership style
              -Colson, Haldeman’s opinion
              -Kissinger’s breadth of knowledge
              -Public statements

       Vietnam settlement
             -Cambodia, Laos
                     -Cease-fire
                     -Return of Prisoners of War [POWs]

               -Press reaction
                       -United States [US] appreciation
                       -Le Duc Tho
                               -Kissinger’s reception
                               -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                               -Propaganda
               -Signing ceremony
               -Hard-line approach
               -Language
               -Expert analysis

       Bombing
             -Opposition
             -Kissinger

       President’s conversation with Haldeman
              -Marion Smoak
              -Staff functions
                      -Bull

       Dictabelt tape
              -Purpose

*****************************************************************************

The President played back tape of dictation at an unknown time between 5:18 pm and 6:15 pm;
the tape was cut off at an unknown time before 6:15 pm.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Okay.