Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 588 › Conversation 588-007

Nixon, Ziegler & Kissinger on US-USSR Summit and Press Relations

Tuesday, October 12, 1971 · 11:55 AM–11:58 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.Conversation588-007 on Tape 588 (tape position 02:47:19–02:50:35)StartTuesday, October 12, 1971 at 11:55 AMEndTuesday, October 12, 1971 at 11:58 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 588-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Ronald Ziegler, and Stephen Bull to discuss the strategy and media optics surrounding upcoming diplomatic announcements, including a forthcoming US-USSR summit. The group reviewed the effectiveness of the President's recent press conference performance and the administration’s messaging regarding foreign policy. Additionally, Nixon provided instructions to Ziegler regarding press management and coordination for upcoming inauguration-related communications.

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 25% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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You guys are awful.

I'm a court man, please do.

I'm a court man.

Have you made the decision to send both of them together?

You didn't say that.

You said both of them would be next week.

We saw our teeth got loose, right?

Right.

I wasn't in the mood, but I think it was.

I wasn't in the mood.

I was just relaxed.

Well, I just think it's value.

I didn't practice.

This one I did a very different way.

I didn't write answers out in advance.

I just weighed them all.

Yes, I thought...

Really, it was like in September 16th, that if one could have written everything out, one wouldn't have to do it.

I just like the way I just sort of played it so that they want to do this.

And for me to go, and I agree, and all that bullshit.

Perfect.

And also, we can say to the Chinese, did you get it?

Beautiful, beautiful.

I said, we're not going to do that, man.

And also, I was glad that your last question got me out of it.

But I heard that there were very extensive consultations that took place at our allies and anything that involves them.

And beautiful.

It was great.

I don't know.

I couldn't see the press reaction.

Well, those vaccines aren't just practically done.

And would you guess, well, you saw what I said about two.

Two, yeah.

Of course.

I couldn't say that I sent a message because then there's no reason to.

They didn't have to.

No, no, actually, they did.

But I don't know if they'll have the chance.

Keep reminding these pastors because they all want to.

Well, they have to convince.

some goddamn cannibals elected.

Actually, after we talked... Yeah, I said it again.

I said it.

You know, I said it.

I didn't quote it on that.

We could only send people to inaugurations versus an election vote.

We have a third minute.

All right.

There's this point to hit again.

Don't you think it's moving?

Oh, yeah.

And after we... We did send a message, actually, after your comments yesterday about the...

So...

Bill is here.

Yeah, Bill is here.

Uh, ask, uh, why don't you, why don't you, uh, let me get, you go get a green and, and rock, you said you're, uh, I'm sorry, I put you the wrong button.

Uh, would you, uh, would you mind having one of your choices at the end of the press, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,

NARA Description

On October 12, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:55 am to 11:58 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 588-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 588-7

Date: October 12, 1971
Time: 11:55 am - 11:58 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler and Henry A. Kissinger.

     The President's schedule
          -Leadership meeting
               -Picture taking

     The President's announcement of US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] Summit
           -Press conference
                 -Andrei A. Gromyko
                 -Nguyen Van Thieu
                      -Inauguration
                            -Presidential message
                            -Africa
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:55 am.

     William P. Rogers
          -Schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:58 am.

Kissinger left at 11:57 am.

     Assignment for Ziegler
          -Press

Ziegler left at 11:58 am.

Also recorded on October 12, 1971

011-060 11:19 AM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 11:19 am to 11:20 am.
288-021 11:19 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 11:19 am to 11:20 am.
011-061 11:20 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:20 am and 1:32 pm.
288-022 11:20 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:20 am and 11:22 am.
588-008 11:59 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:59 am to 12:01 pm.
078-006 12:01 PM · 50 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, and bipartisan Congressional leaders, including Carl B. Albert, Leslie C. Arends, Gerald R. Ford, [Thomas] Hale Boggs, George H. Mahon, Dr. Thomas E. ("Doc") Morgan, Hugh Scott, Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield, John C. Stennis, Allen J. Ellender, Milton R. Young, William E. Timmons, John A. Scali, Eugene S. Cowen, Clark MacGregor, Henry A. Kissinger, and Ronald L. Ziegler, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 12:01 pm to 12:54 pm.
588-009 12:54 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:54 pm to 12:56 pm.
588-010 12:56 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:56 pm and 12:58 pm.

All 71 conversations from October 12, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 588-007, October 12, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/588-007 (accessed September 28, 2026).