President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Ronald Ziegler met to discuss the final preparations for the 1973 Inaugural address and the critical timing surrounding the Vietnam peace settlement. They reviewed revisions to the speech, specifically focusing on the characterization of U.S. alliances and diplomatic references to Beijing and Moscow. Additionally, the participants coordinated media strategies for the Vietnam announcement, emphasizing the importance of controlling information flow to the press and ensuring that key political figures were properly briefed.
On January 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:12 pm to 4:29 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 398-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 398-3
Date: January 19, 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:12 pm and 4:29 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.
[Conversation No. 398-3A]
Vietnam settlement
-Current situation
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Jan.-09)
Conversation No. 398-3 (cont’d)
President's Inaugural speech
-Peace reference
-Broader context
-US allies
-Compared to friendships
-Israel
-Europe
-Latin America
-Peking and Moscow references
-Length
Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Report from Bangkok
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:15 pm.
Vietnam settlement
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Timing
-Consequences
-Barry M. Goldwater
[End of telephone conversation]
President's Inaugural speech
-Final draft
-Release
-Preliminary notes and outline
-Timing
-William E. Timmons
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Hugh Scott
-Gerald R. Ford
-Character
-Price
-Final draft
-Release
-Embargo
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Jan.-09)
Conversation No. 398-3 (cont’d)
-Timmons
-Press relations
-Scott and Ford
-Timmons
-Copies
-Ziegler's time commitment to wire services
Vietnam settlement
-Announcement
-Historical significance
-Library
-Haig’s report
Press relations
-Press questions
-Press conference
-Date
-Signing
1973 Inauguration events
-Announcement
-Concerts
-Ziegler’s wife
-Frank Sinatra
-Christmas
President's schedule
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Ziegler left at 4:29 pm.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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.