Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 524 › Conversation 524-013

Nixon & Ziegler on Drug Policy and Public Relations

Thursday, June 17, 1971 · 10:58 AM–11:00 AM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation524-013 on Tape 524 (tape position 01:16:49–01:25:02)StartThursday, June 17, 1971 at 10:58 AMEndThursday, June 17, 1971 at 11:00 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 524-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler coordinated the messaging for an upcoming public announcement regarding national drug policy. Nixon emphasized the need for aggressive rhetoric, specifically testing phrases like "Public Enemy Number One" and a "new total offensive" to frame the administration’s stance. They discussed avoiding military terminology associated with the Vietnam War while maintaining a "no-nonsense" approach that balances firmness toward drug traffickers with compassion for addicts.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Yes, sir.
With regard to the 11 o'clock announcement, Jackie and Crowe will read.
And Erlichman will introduce standards.
Yes.
Yeah.
They agree.
Oh, yeah.
They have a standard.
Yes, sir.
We've got to get some words that bite.
You know, you've got to have something out.
I understand they have finally picked up my public enemy number one.
That's a good line, yes sir.
I'm going to repeat that.
Right.
Now, many people don't like the idea of a total war because Johnson issues, the people who are ex-poverty and so forth.
But I think that it, I think when you talk about an enemy, the idea of total war is much more applicable when you talk about poverty.
Do you get my point?
Do you think that it's much less effective where you can say it's an all-out offensive or a new offensive?
My inclination is that a fight against this enemy, a fight against this public enemy number one, an all-out offensive to fight this problem, a new offensive would be better than war.
All right.
So you can say a new total offensive.
Total offensive.
A new total offensive.
To fight this public enemy number one.
Which...
The use of war, I think some of the guys may, as they tie it into Vietnam, Johnson, and so forth.
You had made a good parallel, I believe, in the leadership meeting where you made the point we must deal with firmness and harshness, if those weren't your words, with the push and with the trafficker, with the same degree of compassion that we must have for the addicted of a user, where you made the point where we must have understanding for those who become addicted because of them.
You drew that parallel at one point when I heard you discussing it.
And I think it's a good parallel to draw firmness with the pusher and compassion for the user.
And that, I think, sums up, really, to a great extent, the .
Well, it'll get through.
The greatest need is for a whole no-nonsense business.
We've got to get away from this.
Marijuana's like a traffic ticket.
That's the psychology.
You know, that's what's a little shot of heroin.
It's just people having a fling.
It's like smoking carcass.
It's sold back at the bar.
It's just like having a little extra drink.
There's some money going in the spurs of potty.
Well, it isn't.
No-nonsense is a good word.
no-nonsense approach to this whole problem.
Are you ready?
We'll be ready in a minute.
We've been saying this before.
We'll be underneath this when you walk in.
And we'll have Jack be standing there and asking this question.
I just started with saying, public enemy number one in the United States is the drug crime.
Over one half of crimes committed in major cities have been committed by drug addicts.
I have asked the Congress to join in long-term.
Total low offense.
I do.
I do.
Total offense.
I think pleading is the way to do it.
It sets the tone of public enemy number one.
Sure.
Okay.
We'll be about, yeah, about five minutes.
Any time.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.

NARA Description

On June 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:58 am to 11:00 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 524-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 524-13

Date: June 17, 1971
Time: 10:58 am - 11:00 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

     Upcoming announcement of drug policy
         -Format
               -Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe
               -Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
               -John D. Ehrlichman
         -Wording
               -"Public Enemy #1" line
               -"Total war" line
                     -Lyndon B. Johnson’s use
                     -Relation to drugs
                     -Terminology
                           -Drawbacks
                           -Johnson and Vietnam
                     -President's statement in bipartisan Congressional leadership meeting
                           -Content
                           -Jaffe
                           -Charles W. Colson
               -Marijuana use
               -"No nonsense" approach
         -Jaffe
         -Wording
               -"New offensive"
               -"Public Enemy #1"

The President and Ziegler left at 11:00 am.

Also recorded on June 17, 1971

  • 524-007 9:55 AM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:55 am and 9:58 am.
  • 524-008 9:58 AM · 25 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:58 am to 10:34 am.
  • 524-009 10:34 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:34 am and 10:39 am.
  • 524-011 10:39 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Lucy A. Winchester, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:39 am to 10:47 am.
  • 524-012 10:47 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:47 am and 10:58 am.
  • 524-014 11:06 AM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:06 am and 11:15 am.
  • 524-015 11:15 AM · 48 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, Donald McI. Kendall, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:15 am to 12:03 pm.
  • 524-016 12:03 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:03 pm and 12:06 pm.

All 75 conversations from June 17, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 524-013, June 17, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/524-013 (accessed October 23, 2026).