Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 642 › Conversation 642-014

Nixon & Rogers on Public relations and Media management

Monday, January 3, 1972 · 9:19 AM–9:23 AM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.Conversation642-014 on Tape 642 (tape position 02:28:16–02:33:23)StartMonday, January 3, 1972 at 9:19 AMEndMonday, January 3, 1972 at 9:23 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 642-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of State William P. Rogers discuss the public perception and media handling of a recent administrative statement, specifically addressing clarification of past remarks in Time magazine. The President emphasizes the importance of precise messaging to ensure their policy stance remains clear and avoids political volatility. The brief meeting concludes with a procedural note regarding an upcoming departure announcement.

Audio

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Position in tape: 02:28:16 – 02:33:23

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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What's that?
It wasn't the same question about whether it's black or white.
That's right.
Of course they are black and white.
But here again, by giving you a harpoon, he allowed you to put on the record something that he should have known without asking.
But there can be no question now.
In anybody's mind, what you meant by that in the Time magazine, too.
I don't think there are a lot of them, but I'm sure you're able to suggest.
Okay, thank you, sir.
And I'll announce, sir, on 11 today, your departure.
Uh, are you resuming now?
Rogers.
Senator Rogers.
yeah yeah
But I want to be everything we can.
I can't be a city girl or a congressman or anything.
that we have to carry, because it's got a lot of chances to go to hell at this point for us to get in, you know, and all that stuff.
You know what I mean?
Well, the whole point is that what Peterson said is a little bit off my brain.
Because, of course, he's coming off of what we said at the AARP meeting, where we said, you know, that's going to be on our practice.
And the point is that I give the panel a chance to go away.
Yes, you can do what I mean.
But it's good to tell them not to be quiet.
I've talked to people.
We can't move in this direction.
And so we're .
Right?
You've got to say it right.
3.30, yeah.
Well, we have to go over to 3.30 because the other people have come.
Yeah, I think they're going to kill him.
They're going to kill him.

NARA Description

On January 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:19 am to 9:23 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 642-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 642-14

Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 9:19 am - 9:23 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 18-2]

Also recorded on January 3, 1972

  • 642-006 9:02 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:02 am and 9:07 am.
  • 642-010 9:07 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard A. Moore met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:07 am to 9:14 am.
  • 642-011 9:15 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Gerald L. Warren, unknown person(s), and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:15 am to 9:19 am.
  • 018-001 9:19 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:19 am.
  • 018-002 9:19 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 9:19 am to 9:23 am.
  • 642-012 9:19 AM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:19 am.
  • 642-013 9:19 AM · 41 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:19 am.
  • 642-015 9:25 AM · 39 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Rose Mary Woods, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:25 am to 10:04 am.

All 105 conversations from January 3, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 642-014, January 3, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/642-014 (accessed October 12, 2026).