President Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. discussed the communication strategy for the final stretch of the 1972 presidential campaign, specifically evaluating the effectiveness of public rallies versus radio addresses. The President expressed frustration with disruptive hecklers and emphasized the need for controlled, broadcast-based messaging to reach a broader audience. A primary focus was finalizing a major speech titled 'Look to the Future,' where Nixon refined his rhetoric on 'peace with honor' regarding Vietnam, underscoring his refusal to be rushed into a settlement agreement by election-year deadlines.
On November 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Raymond K. Price, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:04 am to 10:43 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 379-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 379-11
Date: November 1, 1972
Time: 10:04 am - 10:43 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Raymond K. Price, Jr.
Greetings
The President’s schedule
-Request for Price to wait
-Completion of work
[Pause]
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
1972 campaign
-The President’s speeches
-Busing
-Television [TV]
-Vermont Royster
-Concern
-Need for major speeches
[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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1972 campaign
-Hecklers
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
-George S. McGovern
-Compared to Britain
-Shouting questions at rostrum
-Tone
-Organized attempts to shout speakers down
-The President’s appearance at Westchester - Nassau rally, October 23, 1972
-Speech
-Reasons for not delivering
-Microphones
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-Rallies
-Disadvantages
-Agnew
-Size of crowds
-McCormick Place
-Astrodome
-Radio speeches
-Advantages
-Larger audience
-Live speeches
-Economics, love, war
-Disadvantages
-Impersonality
-Importance
-Rally
-Obsolescence
-Selective audiences
-Opinion-makers
-College campuses
-Hecklers
-McGovern
-Radio speeches
-Format characterized
-Record of administration
-Hecklers
-Objections
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
-1968 campaign
-Press reports
-Press
-The President’s record
-Mass transit
-Presidential speeches
-Quality
-Media coverage
-Philosophy
-Style
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift ]
*****************************************************************
The President’s forthcoming radio and television speech, “Look to the Future”
-Length
-Henry A. Kissinger's memorandum
-Vietnam War
-Introduction
-Revisions
-Peace with honor
-Compared to peace with surrender
-Public support
-1972 election
-World leaders
-Kremlin, Peking, Hanoi
-Settlement agreement
-1972 election
-Deadline
-Concessions
-Conditions
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Cease-fire
-South Vietnam self-determination
-Imposition of communist or coalition government
-Status
-Remaining problems
-Details
-Importance
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
-1968 Bombing halt
-Collapse of settlement
-Permanence
-Peace
-Compared to armistice
-1972 election
-Deadline
-Permanence
-Peace
-Compared to armistice
-Progress
-Timing
-December 1, 1972
-Public expectations
-Prospects for success
-Peace with honor
-Remaining problems
-Continuation of war
-Request for public support
-Peace with honor
-Compared to peace with surrender
-1972 election
-Deadline
-World leaders
-Hanoi
-Revisions
-World politics
-Kissinger
-Memorandum
-Importance
-Settlement agreement
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Reassurance
-Domestic politics
-Settlement agreement
-Settlement agreement
-Timing
-1972 election
-Progress
-Details
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
-Importance
-Temporary peace
-Laotian settlement of 1962
-1968 bombing halt
-1972 election
-World leaders
-Hanoi
-Saigon
-Permanence
-Fairness
-Imposition of communist or coalition government on South
Vietnam
-South Vietnam self-determination
-Peace with honor
-Compared to peace with surrender
-US public support
-Revisions by Price
-Vietnam War
-Appeal for public support
-Price’s forthcoming conversation with Charles W. Colson
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Louis P. Harris
-1972 election
-Emphasis
-Six states
-Negotiations
-Status
-Inflation
-Soviet Union
-Effect
-Inflation
-Ending
-Number of words
-Vietnam War
-Revisions by the President
-Delivery of draft
-Timing
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with John Cardinal Krol
-Price’s forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
Radio address on foreign policy, November 4, 1972
-The President’s schedule
-The President’s forthcoming speech, “Look to the Future”
-Delivery
-Timing
Radio address, “The Brightest of an American Child,” November 5, 1972
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Goals
-Ehrlichman’s materials
-Wrap-up
-Delivery
-Timing
-Ziegler’s view
-November 4, 1972 radio
-November 5, 1972 newspapers
Radio address on foreign policy
-Timing
-Health policy
-November 3, 1972
-The President’s previous statements on foreign policy
-Health policy
-The President’s schedule
-Campaign tour
Domestic policy statements
-Health policy
-November 3, 1972
-Substance
-Style
-Importance
-Environment
-John C. Whitaker
-Foreign policy
-Kissinger
-Health policy
-Story
-November 3, 1972
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Mar.-08)
Conversation No. 379-11 (cont’d)
Radio address on foreign policy
-The President’s previous statements on foreign policy
-PRC, Soviet Union
-Originality
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-Draft completion
-Choice
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Price
-The President’s forthcoming speech, “Look to the Future”
-Delivery
-Preparation
-White House library
-Reading
-Radio address on foreign policy
-Timing
-November 5 and 6, 1972
-California
-Price’s schedule
-Secretary
Price left at 10:43 am.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.