Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 413 › Conversation 413-034

Nixon & Kissinger on Prisoners of War and Amnesty

Monday, February 26, 1973 · 7:15 PM–7:47 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation413-034 on Tape 413StartMonday, February 26, 1973 at 7:15 PMEndMonday, February 26, 1973 at 7:47 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 413-034 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the positive public reception following the return of prisoners of war and evaluated the shifting climate regarding potential amnesty for draft resisters. They analyzed media criticism of recent bombing campaigns, specifically targeting coverage by the New York Times and Washington Post, while dismissing these critiques as out of touch with broader public sentiment. The conversation also touched upon Kissinger's recent social engagements and his ongoing diplomatic interactions regarding China.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 41% 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.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Did you get out at all in the yard or anything?
Where'd you go?
Play?
Work hard.
Yeah, I was there.
How was your public reaction?
You see, that's the thing that I've conceptualized that the main thing that we need to remember, as I've told you since I've been on the tape, I mean, it was very good before, but since the P.O.W.
and the emotional content, it's unbelievable.
Then I sent by some of the, there's a lot, some of the flyers.
It makes you realize, first, why you can't give amnesty.
And second, also, it makes you realize that they all knew that we had to do it.
But what do people say, Henry?
What do you run into?
Crack.
Break.
Break.
All good.
And how's our friend, Coach Bob?
You know that it's rather good for you to get out of town now, isn't it?
But even here,
It seems to me, Henry, that you've got to go like a weatherman, like George Bundy.
Remember when he called you at the time of the bombing?
What's he going to tell his son?
But that's why I say that this little nitpicking and arrest just made no man's attention.
Most of it.
And also, we have to remember that these are isolated things.
They're handling it well, for sure.
I think it was weird.
I would say that the times, most of the reality problems were out of touch with the rest.
At this point.
Mr. Baker, I think, can't stand the idea that we're doing this kind of awful cheap thing.
But I understand that you impressed Grudging, and I see that that's what you're doing.
We're talking about China.
Did he come true with peace?
He's been good at everything else.
I know you spent a lot of time with him.
Okay, we're going to get a little rest.

NARA Description

On February 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:47 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 413-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 413-34

Date: February 26, 1973
Time: Unknown between 7:15 pm and 7:47 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

       Kissinger’s schedule
              -Social outings in New York
                      -Theater

       Public reaction             -Prisoners of war [POWs]
               -Amnesty
               -Comments to Kissinger

       Unknown person’s status

       McGeorge Bundy
            -Comments on bombing

       Press relations
               -Attacks on bombing
                       -New York Times, Washington Post
                       -Public reactions
                              -Frustration
               -Bob O’Chaffe [?]
               -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
               -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                       -Joseph W. Alsop
                              -Article
                                             -64-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 413-39 (cont’d)

Also recorded on February 27, 1973

  • 413-035 7:15 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:15 pm and 7:47 pm.
  • 413-036 7:15 PM · 13 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 7:15 pm and 7:47 pm.
  • 043-220 7:47 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John V. Brennan talked on the telephone from 7:47 pm to 7:49 pm.
  • 413-037 7:47 PM · 53 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and John V. Brennan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:47 pm to 7:49 pm.
  • 413-038 7:49 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:49 pm and 8:50 pm.
  • 413-039 7:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:49 pm and 8:50 pm.
  • 413-040 7:49 PM · 13 sec — Manolo Sanchez and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 7:49 pm and 8:50 pm.
  • 043-202 8:01 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:01 am and 8:07 am.

All 56 conversations from February 27, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 413-034, February 27, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/413-034 (accessed October 1, 2026).