President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss the management of public relations following the President's historic trip to China, emphasizing the need to sustain domestic interest in the visit. Nixon directed Haldeman to oversee the public display of gifts and artifacts from the trip, including the placement of pandas at the National Zoo and the exhibition of souvenirs by his daughters. Additionally, they reviewed scheduling adjustments for upcoming presidential travel to Florida and California to accommodate family commitments and ensure the continued political momentum of the China initiative.
On March 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:40 pm and 4:30 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 322-045 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 322-45
Date: March 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:40 pm and 4:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President dictated a memorandum to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Pandas
-National Zoo
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Chou En-lai
-National Zoo
-Gifts
-Display
-Tourists
-Mrs. Nixon
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Mao Tse-tung
-Chou En-lai
-Display
-Mao Tse-tung
-Pictures
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-West Wing
-Dinner
-Place cards
-Peking
-Hangchow
-Shanghai
-Historical record
-Display
-Portraits
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Jacksonville and Cambridge
-Display
-Tricia Cox
-Cloisonné vases
-Mrs. Nixon
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Jacksonville
-Mrs. Nixon
-Atkins
-Chopsticks
-Chou En-lai
-Gifts
-Display
-Instructions to Haldeman
-East Wing
-Tricia Cox
-Julie Eisenhower
-Chapin
-Ronald H. Walker
-Press interest
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] announcement
-Peking announcement
-Timing
-John F. Kennedy
-Nuclear test ban treaty
-Public interest
-Kissinger broadcast
-Follow-up
-Pocketbook
-Press
-Forthcoming trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Speech
-Public interest
-Media coverage
-International Telephone and Telephone [ITT]
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Kissinger
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/10/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[322-045-w002]
[Duration: 1m 49s]
Camp David
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Florida
-Easter
-Gettysburg
-Announcement
The President's schedule
-Press conference
-Florida trip
-Texas trip
-John B. Connally
-California trip
-April 1972
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Schedule
-Departure
******************************************************************************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.