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Conversation 387-002

TapeTape 387StartTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 7:57 AMEndTuesday, December 5, 1972 at 8:10 AMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Brennan, Peter J.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon met with aide Patrick J. Buchanan to discuss the President's health and coordinate political strategy regarding recent press coverage of the 1972 campaign. They reviewed a critical New York Times article and analyzed the internal divisions within the Democratic Party. Nixon specifically instructed Buchanan to continue emphasizing the association between George McGovern and Edward M. Kennedy to prevent the latter from distancing himself from the failed campaign.

Patrick J. Buchanan1972 presidential campaignGeorge McGovernEdward M. KennedyDemocratic PartyPress relations
AudioNARA Description

On December 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:57 am and 8:10 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 387-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 387-2

Date: December 5, 1972
Time: Unknown between 7:57 am and 8:10 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Patrick J. Buchanan.

       Buchanan's health
            -Arthritis
                  -Whirlpool bath

       Press relations
             -New York Times article on monograph, "The Dirtiest Campaign in History Against
               a President"
                    -Reaction
                         -1972 campaign
                         -George S. McGovern
                         -Frank F. Mankiewicz
                         -R. Sargent Shriver

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       Press relations
                                              -2-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                          (rev. July-08)

                                                           Conversation No. 387-2 (cont’d)

             -Analysis of 1972 campaign
                   -Virginia [?]
                   -Charles W. Colson
                   -Herbert G. Klein
             -Sidney Brookes
             -Max Lemer
             -Harrison Salisbury
             -1972 campaign
                   -George S. McGovern
                         -Criticism
                         -Salisbury
                         -Edward M. Kennedy’s candidate

       Democratic National Committee [DNC] chairman
           -Robert S. Strauss
           -Division in Party
           -Compared to Republicans in 1964
                  -Dean Burch, Ray C. Bliss
                       -Dwight D. Eisenhower’s roll

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift
*****************************************************************

Buchanan left at an unknown time before 8:10 am.

[There is no Conversation No. 387-3.]
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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.

Pretty good.
Pretty good.
Did you use the whirlpool?
Yeah, he's got big-time navigation.
What are the next whirlpool batteries?
Yeah, they've got a pretty big one.
I'll do that one out of here.
Yeah, you've got a reaction that one.
Yeah.
One in the air, huh?
Yeah.
Step outside.
We've got three.
Yeah, the dirty cat came.
Well, they came.
I didn't see his phone.
It had a whole page, a whole top page, letters, that headline.
Mattowitz, Shriver, and all these.
What did they deny, they said?
No, they denied it.
It was a cat.
I mean, that's what it got you.
Good.
Good, good.
How are you coming up with the others?
But I think it was good to get out there and take care of him.
What'd he say?
What'd he say?
I'm sorry we didn't go after that.
No, no, we just had it there.
They were gotten to double standard.
Some people did criticize the government.
Some ignored it.
And the message was clear.
Ha!
Oh, that's good.
That's good.
How do you think of that?
I think of some more things like that.
I mean, they're related to Grandpa, too.
So I was pretty just thinking about that stuff.
There will be a nation in this.
There's another one point that I wish you'd follow up on, which is the idea that you've got to keep before front and center the fact that McGovern was Kennedy's candidate.
Right, right.
You know, is that the same kind of view?
Well, basically that he was Kennedy's man.
I mean, don't let Kennedy run away from McGovern.
That's the right line.
Sure.
They're going to have quite a fight in their name.
I'm sure of that.
What?
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, let it out.
Let it out.
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