Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 298 › Conversation 298-042

Nixon & Safire on Economic messaging and Public relations

Thursday, November 11, 1971 · 6:11 PM–6:16 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.Conversation298-042 on Tape 298 (tape position 03:46:05–03:51:39)StartThursday, November 11, 1971 at 6:11 PMEndThursday, November 11, 1971 at 6:16 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 298-042 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consults with speechwriter William Safire regarding the framing of economic messages to counter public and media uncertainty. The President stresses the need for rigorous preparation for press appearances, expressing frustration with administration officials who improvise or lack sufficient research. Nixon decides to avoid political commentary during upcoming engagements to deny critics the opportunity to characterize his activities as partisan.

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 25% 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.

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So, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it, I already read it.
Yeah.
No, it's just my, oh, only one other thing, which I asked Colson to get some raw material for you on.
Some of the, some of the positive figures on, you know, the retail sales and all that crap, you know, which I've,
No, it isn't that.
I mean, actually, well, it isn't the internet.
I mean, I think some of the positive things about the economy, you know, there are a number of things.
I just said, you know, climate change is a moment of freedom.
You see, we'll have the uncertainty thing to the extent that Canada is not having it this week, but it will be resolved.
But in a Greek economy, there's always uncertainty.
These people are just, you know, they're just people that just don't know what's up.
The next week, it will be, what about the international situation?
Well, we'll have that handled, and then we can come up with a result, and then it'll be something else.
But that will all change.
This is a temporary ego in the market for us to run around with.
But I think if I get a chance, I will put in a little positive stuff like that.
I'll get a good solid question about what's going on in the U.S. and what's going on in the U.S. and what's going on in the U.S.
You may have some stuff yourself, but I know that he's been developing these figures for other people, and maybe he can assign some of their comments to this people.
He's always in fine shape.
He's done a very, very good job.
And I do refuse to point out that it's an enormous amount of work, but it's helpful to do it this way.
You start to wonder, don't you, that you...
You can now see why, even a mini press conference, which I, you know, I know you just go in and run, or you're not, well, of course, it'd be the same one, probably not the same thing.
It's practicing, but you can see why it takes so much work and staff and so much work to put it all together.
You've got to be ready for it, but also you've got to be ready not to just, you know, too many people fill in the garden.
I mean, I mean, our own people, they go on programs and all the rest, and they wing too much stuff.
They really aren't prepared.
Don't you agree?
They really aren't prepared.
They just don't sit down through the work.
They say they go on.
They gas around.
And they do well about it.
Most people don't notice it.
I can't wing anything.
I've got to be prepared in every man's question.
And that's what people expect them to be.
So that's why I would rule them out.
That's so easy to do.
Like on the law department.
Yeah, they would.
Yeah, because they want me to comment on politics so that I'd get in the ring with the others.
So I'm just going to say, no, I'm not going to comment on politics.
Well, for what reason should I?
You know, except to give them a story.
Okay, yeah.
Yeah, don't send it over unless you think it's pretty.
Because I think it's, I think the general speaking is, well, zero one pretty much.
You know, I'll be a little on the economics side, and I do not mean to, the political, they believe me, though I know that you can't be prepared to see.
usually prayers about a third or above on political things, like the Rippon Society said, and this and that and the other thing.
That's what it's like.
The East used to go, well, that's the only stuff I don't need any preparation on.
I mean, I need nothing on because I just know what they're going to ask, and they're not going to get any damn answers.
And it's best not to answer them.
It's not to give them money.
So they just hated the idea.
They hated the idea of this.
They said, well, it doesn't make any sense.
They couldn't, they couldn't say, but they were so goddamn mad they all went on this trip and I didn't say anything.
On a holiday, you know, on a trip to Chicago.
I didn't use the word holiday to speak.
Not once.
They are expecting it.
They want it.
You see what I mean?
So that they can then have a great business about the political season this year.
And they can say, you're using the presidency for this and that.
They haven't cracked it either way.
So they're just not going to get at it.
Okay.
That's a fine job.
I appreciate that.
Thank you.
Bye.

NARA Description

On November 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:11 pm to 6:16 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 298-042 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 298-42

Date: November 11, 1971
Time: 6:11 pm - 6:16 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with William L. Safire.

[See Conversation No. 14-57]

Also recorded on November 11, 1971

  • 014-057 6:11 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire talked on the telephone from 6:11 pm to 6:16 pm.
  • 014-058 6:16 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 6:21 pm.
  • 298-043 6:16 PM · 5 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 6:16 pm and 6:21 pm.
  • 014-059 6:21 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 6:21 pm to 6:29 pm.
  • 298-044 6:21 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:21 pm to 6:29 pm.
  • 014-060 6:30 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 6:55 pm.
  • 014-061 6:30 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 6:55 pm.
  • 014-062 6:30 PM · 2 min — Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, and John J. McCloy talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 6:55 pm.

All 91 conversations from November 11, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 298-042, November 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/298-042 (accessed September 30, 2026).