Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 449-014
Date: Tuesday, September 21, 1971 at 2:30 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: Oval Office
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/449-014

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:03] After our discussion last night with Bob regarding the television coverage of the Detroit economic thing, I was thinking about this and I'd like to re-raise the subject with your permission.
[0:29] It very likely is, I think,
[0:32] Bob has discussed with you, there will be some pickets.
[0:36] I don't know to what degree it is.
[0:39] And my concern is really twofold.
[0:44] If we do not provide some other alternative to the television, film cameras, and so forth, and anticipating that you will make some news, they're going to be reporting this on the 11 o'clock news and the morning news on the
[1:00] on the networks, and then perhaps the next evening.
[1:03] And very likely they would run, with the commentator's report of that, some film from Detroit.
[1:10] And my worry is that it may be the outside activity.
[1:15] Then I was thinking about having this Q&A session on television versus the Portland thing.
[1:22] And actually, by doing it on Saturday in Portland at that time,
[1:27] We really don't gain as much then because there's not to any degree worthwhile Saturday night TV or for that matter Sunday morning news or Sunday evening news that is worth as much as the Thursday late night, Friday morning and Friday evening televisions.
[1:45] I recognize very much your point of view that, well, but your point that preparation for Q&A sessions is different.
[1:54] I recall, however, at the AS&E session where we had one electronic camera, did not really intrude on the room, and you really presented your answers to the questions without regard for the Q&A, for the electronic camera, I mean.
[2:12] And that came over.
[2:14] on the 11 o'clock news and then on the morning news, very good, very forcefully and very, I think, very effectively.
[2:26] Well, I guess I am, really.
[2:29] I have not received a good deal of pressure on it.
[2:32] I just think that granting the point that if we do something live on nationwide television, we reach a great audience.
[2:41] But I think that we should not overlook, and this is why I'm re-raising it, the accumulative effect of the 11 o'clock evening news and also, incidentally, the West Coast early evening news because of the 8 o'clock, 6 o'clock time difference as you go west.
[2:56] The morning television news and also, if you do make news, and I expect you will, a good possibility they would use that the next evening on the Friday evening news.
[3:06] i think the cumulative effect of that would be very substantial and also it shows you making the case yourself in response to in response to questions and after considering all of that uh together with the the point i made about the pickets
[3:30] You know, we had that big meeting in Chicago of 40,000.
[3:48] We had a meeting in Akron.
[3:49] We had a meeting in .
[3:49] We had a meeting in .
[3:52] We had a meeting on .
[3:53] We had the VFW.
[3:53] They all made the news, right?
[3:54] Yes.
[3:54] Well, I think so.
[3:55] I think collectively, although it cannot be compared with the live nationwide television statement, in other words, the coverage of a full event, I think it can be very effective.
[4:09] And what I would like to suggest is that, going back to the point you made yesterday, I can't argue with it.
[4:15] In other words, the rigor of preparing for a Q&A session before cameras is different than before, if you're doing it for radio and television.
[4:24] printed press but you're so good in any of those sessions uh i think if you prepared for it you know just as you were preparing for it for radio and written press and allowed the electronic coverage to cover it i think that it could not help but be a plus i think as a matter of fact the uh without
[4:43] attempting as you must do in a press conference, of course, with an hour without attempting to make it, all of the answers come back.
[4:50] I think you could do it in a very relaxed way, and they would cover it extensively and use it and deal of it.
[5:00] So I felt obliged to re-raise it with you because I think it could be effective.
[5:07] When you combine it, although I don't know
[5:11] It's not a dramatic impact, but for sure in the Michigan area, they would carry it live, and then they accumulated effect nationwide.
[5:21] Well, I raise it for you.
[5:28] Well, I didn't intend for you to make a decision now.
[5:32] I simply wanted to raise it, Mr. President, for you to consider.
[5:35] I don't want them to press.
[5:36] I don't want them sitting in front.
[5:38] They will not be.
[5:39] Well, they'll be in the back.
[5:40] No, sir.
[5:41] They'll be in the back.
[5:43] And actually, if we do it on television, we'll keep the number down because we would run a monitor into the other room.
[5:49] I don't want a lot of typewriters.
[5:50] There'll be none.
[5:51] Absolutely none.
[5:52] Just put them clear in the back of the room and let the folks sit up in front.
[5:56] Yes, sir.
[5:58] If we do, if you do decide to do it on television, we would run a monitor in the other room and they could cover it in that way and see you.
[6:04] Still, that's only not a thing that would be of interest to you.
[6:10] Well, I wanted to put that point in to you to let you know.
[6:15] It's okay.
[6:16] It's okay.
[6:17] Okay, sir.