Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 241 › Conversation 241-010
Nixon, Cox & Sanchez on White House Tapes and Public Relations
Saturday, February 3, 1973 · 3:30 PM–6:15 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 51 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Manolo Sanchez and Tricia Nixon Cox at Camp David to reflect on recent administrative challenges, presidential communication, and foreign policy. Nixon discussed his frustrations with the press, the necessity of maintaining a firm public stance against critics, and his ongoing work regarding energy, trade, and international relations. The conversation also touched upon personal reflections regarding his predecessors and the importance of documenting his own historical record through tape recordings and notes.
Audio
NARA Description
On February 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Manolo Sanchez, and Tricia Nixon Cox met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 6:15 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 241-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 241-010
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”) HaldemanShow the rest of the log (371 more lines)
-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.Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 26 minutes of this recording (about 52% 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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Also recorded on February 3, 1973
- 242-001 2:45 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 2:45 pm on February 3, 1973 and 8:34 pm on February 4, 1973.
- 242-002 2:45 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 2:45 pm on February 3, 1973 and 8:34 pm on February 4, 1973.
- 242-003 2:45 PM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 2:45 pm on February 3, 1973 and 8:34 pm on February 4, 1973.
- 242-004 2:45 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 2:45 pm on February 3, 1973 and 8:34 pm on February 4, 1973.
- 161-003 3:30 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 3:30 pm.
- 161-004 3:30 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 3:30 pm and 5:18 pm.
- 241-008 3:30 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 3:30 pm.
- 241-009 3:30 PM · 16 sec — 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.
Related conversations
- Nixon phone call with Ziegler on Watergate and White House press strategy May 21, 1973 · 1 min
- Nixon phone call with Cox on White House Tapes May 5, 1971 · 1 min
- Nixon phone call with Colson on China initiative and Edward Kennedy July 20, 1971 · 22 min
- Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Dan Rather and Media relations January 2, 1972 · 9 min
- Nixon alone in his EOB office on Charles Colson and ABC June 16, 1971 · 2 min
- Nixon & Ziegler on Soviet-American relations and Media relations September 29, 1971 · 7 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 241-010, February 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417174815). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/241-010 (accessed November 15, 2026).