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Conversation 043-165

TapeTape 43StartThursday, February 22, 1973 at 9:55 AMEndThursday, February 22, 1973 at 10:06 AMParticipantsKissinger, Henry A.;  Rogers, William P.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

Henry Kissinger and Secretary of State William Rogers coordinate a breakfast meeting with President Nixon to discuss the upcoming international conference, involving key diplomats William J. Porter and William H. Sullivan. Kissinger also provides a status report on his recent press conference, noting that his briefings on foreign aid were well-received. Furthermore, both men express confidence that political opposition, specifically from George McGovern, will remain ineffective as they anticipate minimal resistance to their foreign policy agenda.

International ConferenceForeign AidUS-PRC RelationsGeorge McGovernDiplomacy
AudioNARA Description

On February 22, 1973, Henry A. Kissinger and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:55 am and 10:06 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-165 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 43-165

Date: February 22, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:55 am and 10:06 am
Location: White House Telephone

Henry A. Kissinger talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 861-19B]

       The President’s schedule
            -Rogers
            -William J. Porter
            -William H. Sullivan
            -Kissinger
            -Photograph

       Kissinger’s press conference
             -Kissinger’s view
             -US-People’s Republic of China [PRC] relations
             -Foreign aid
                                             -97-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        (rev. Aug.-08)

                  -Rogers view
                  -Liberal opposition
                  -George S. McGovern
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hi, Henry.
Bill, the President was wondering whether you, Bill, and Bill Porter, and Sullivan, and I mightn't have breakfast with him tomorrow morning to discuss the international conference.
Yeah, good idea.
And then we have a picture taken, and it puts it in its right perspective.
That's fine.
What time?
8.30.
Okay.
I was afraid you might get enthusiastic.
It was 7.30.
8.30 in the morning?
8.30.
Bill Porter and Bill Sullivan and you and I.
Fine.
And we swore, and that gave us about 45 minutes.
How did your briefing go?
I was tied up, so I didn't hear it.
I think it went pretty well.
You know, it was easy.
I made many of the same points I had made at the briefing with a little less of the, you know, I didn't give too much of the color.
I didn't give much of the color, and I didn't make any speculation about their motives.
That sounds good.
And on aid, they hit me, and I gave about the same answer.
Mm-hmm.
I really think we're going to have less trouble with aid than people think.
That's what I think.
Because the liberals, when they're put to the torch, can't really do anything.
All they're doing now is heckling the president, trying to take some political cheap shots.
But once that phase is behind them, I think they have no place to go.
That's what I think.
I didn't.
McGovern raised it with me, and I thought that rather than challenge him, he's so goddamn low now, so much at the bottom of the heap, there's no point in building him up.
But I think when the chips are down, we can really take him on.
I think so.
Well, he's really a tawdry guy when you think of all his bleeding about the poor people there.
I know.
And all the things he was going to do to help them when the war was over.
That's right.
And that we should be known as the people to reconstruct rather than as the bombers.
That's right.
Now he has his chance, and he does nothing.
That's right.
But as I say, he really is awfully, he's at the bottom of the barrel.
Interestingly, the other senators were all sort of disgusted when they left.
Really?
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, Bill, see you at breakfast.
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