Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 456 › Conversation 456-002

Nixon & Ziegler on Vietnam War and Press relations

Tuesday, February 23, 1971 · 9:42 AM–9:44 AM ET · Oval Office ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation456-002 onTape 456 (tape position 00:02:10–00:04:39)StartTuesday, February 23, 1971 at 9:42 AMEndTuesday, February 23, 1971 at 9:44 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 456-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler discuss strategies for managing press coverage regarding the Vietnam War and recent media reporting. Nixon directs Ziegler to emphasize that South Vietnamese military operations are facilitating American troop withdrawals and ultimately saving U.S. lives. The two align on a messaging approach to counter critical Washington Post coverage by consistently referring reporters back to the administration’s established position on the war effort.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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They all try to get a new lead that we were announcing something.
And he suggested that the next time that they ask you something, why don't you just go back to them?
I said, they're, this is, they have to fight here.
Just say, that's the best answer to the question.
You know what I mean?
Just, I know they won't like that.
I know they're not going to store it.
You see, I think that is what we're really going to say.
Well, we've covered that.
As the President said, ban it, right?
Put it back.
In fact, he had said he was actually, if you look at it, we've said it here in Spain, we've said it, right?
You see, I'm wrong on this one.
Go ahead.
What is it?
Well, about the reporting of the secret of the war.
That's what I'll tell you.
I think you've got a pretty good idea of what this is going to be.
I'll tell the next four, tell these guys to meet, tell these guys to point out this fact that South Vietnamese, by what they are doing, that they are fighting, that they are completely killing Americans.
And that's this fall as we withdraw.
This is saving American lives.
Saving American lives.
Very good.

NARA Description

On February 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:42 am to 9:44 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 456-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 456-2

Date: February 23, 1971
Time: 9:42 am - 9:44 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]

     Press
             -Vietnam
                  -Reporting
                  -Ziegler’s comments to press
                       -President’s position
                  -Washington Post article

                 -Reporting of war

Ziegler left at 9:44 am

Also recorded on February 23, 1971

  • 456-003 9:46 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:46 am to 9:48 am.
  • 456-004 9:54 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:54 am to 9:55 am.
  • 456-005 10:05 AM · 1 hr 36 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, unknown person(s), John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, Manolo Sanchez, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:05 am to 11:30 am.
  • 456-006 11:30 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:30 am and 11:36 am.
  • 456-007 11:36 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Milton R. Young, Mark Andrews, Lee W. Huebner, unknown person(s), and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:36 am to 11:48 am.
  • 456-008 11:48 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at 11:48 am.
  • 456-009 11:49 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John R. ("Jack") Williams, Jr., John D. Ehrlichman, Lee W. Huebner, White House photographer, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:49 am to 12:02 pm.
  • 456-010 12:02 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John B. Waters, Jr., Patsy (Temple) Waters, Cynthia Waters, John B. Waters, III, John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Lee W. Huebner, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:02 pm to 12:06 pm.

All 27 conversations from February 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 456-002, February 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/456-002 (accessed September 18, 2026).