Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 644 › Conversation 644-007

Nixon, Haldeman & Warren on Jack Anderson papers and Henry Kissinger

Monday, January 10, 1972 · 10:38 AM–11:30 AM ET · Oval Office · 12 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Warren, Gerald R.; Bull, Stephen B.; White House operator; Connally, Idanell (Brill) (Nellie)Conversation644-007 on Tape 644 (tape position 00:28:11–00:41:05)StartMonday, January 10, 1972 at 10:38 AMEndMonday, January 10, 1972 at 11:30 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 644-007 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Gerald R. Warren to discuss media strategy regarding the Jack Anderson papers and the defense of Henry Kissinger. The group evaluated upcoming administrative priorities, including the State of the Union address, budget messages, and potential announcements concerning Vietnam troop withdrawals. Additionally, the President reviewed logistical arrangements for the upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China, specifically addressing press attendance limits, and coordinated details for First Lady Pat Nixon's return from her trip to Africa.

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 12% 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.

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Thank you.
I'd like to bridge off of what Herb said yesterday on television, on the Henry Kissinger aspect of the so-called Anderson Papers without getting into the investigation part of it, if that would be in order or in line with what
Well, for example, he brought out for the first time that Henry was being liable by the news media, misinterpreting the whole idea, and that if reporters actually did their homework as they should, they would find out that there was no discrepancy and that Henry Kissinger certainly was not lying.
Well, the only problem is...
Well, I didn't want to go further, but I want to make it clear that we agreed with her that that's right.
I don't want to get the White House press office into the whole business of this and that and the other thing.
I'm going to try to go beyond that.
I just want to say, I think Mr. Klein stated the case very well.
And I wouldn't have the case to...
I don't see any benefit to anybody giving another world of defending Kissinger.
Or either way, it won't really be a defense.
It'll be more simply that it'll just give them an opportunity to write another story about the story that we just can't do much about, which is there.
Well, we've moved back to news.
What is now becoming analysis.
We've moved back to the phones.
I prefer to keep it, Jerry, in the office a lot.
Well, I am firmly set in a no-comment position, which I can say as I see your point.
But I don't want to give the impression of backing off from Henry.
In the long run, the analysis will show that Henry was in a proper position.
He has been liable.
He's been picking up recently.
I think we can scrabble those two things.
Well, you're trying to do it on the basis of just .
As far as the coming week is concerned,
You will be preparing for the State of the Union, obviously, and the other matters that are involved when Congress returns next week.
Mostly State of the Union.
Mostly State of the Union.
State of the Union.
Texas, I think, has various messages, economic messages, economic report messages, messages to Congress, State of the Union, and so forth.
That's the whole week.
Fine.
I know this news week is predicting that you will announce the
complete withdrawal from... Several months.
Within several months.
Within several months.
But I'm in a position there where you will make the announcement, and when you do, whatever the announcement is, it will be known.
Yeah, I would simply say that we'll make it.
We'll be, as he's indicated, we'll be making an announcement.
You're not going to speculate about it.
There will be
I don't want
We haven't yet.
We're still working on the details of it.
Anything else?
No, Ron and Hay get back this afternoon.
I don't know the exact time yet.
I think it's between 3 and 5.
They'll be pretty tired.
Yes, they will be.
But everyone's anxious to hear what Ron has to say when he gets back.
I bet they are.
Yeah.
Yeah, they will.
Huh?
I still think there are going to be 200 press ones, don't they?
Well, they think they're doing it right.
Well, for Christ's sakes, we're going to let it out.
They've been running the story of the 2,000 applications, but only about 200 are going to be able to go.
They've cut themselves that.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
It doesn't make any difference what they think.
Maybe it will.
Maybe it will be cut to 50 for the time being.
In fact, it's too bad we didn't know.
I don't care.
But I think there are a lot of them who feel it's going to be a lot less than the number with the county.
I'll tell you, you might.
You might.
I'll tell you, that's only likely to just knock down the day before they get back down.
And put it to somebody, so to say, that you've been speaking about, you might.
That's way off the mark.
We regret to say it will be far less.
It's way off the mark.
Get it knocked down right away.
We regret far less than that.
Okay.
Okay.
And the specifics will be known when the people get there.
Thank you.
I think we'll have to see early.
I thought we did a very good job.
It's great.
It's great.
You know, taking the glass and everything.
Yeah.
Nice reception.
Just a little sensation.
You look good.
You look great.
It's our herb and spirit of love, which is actually what it looks like.
It puts these other so-called virtues in shape.
It's kind of impressive.
They have a hard time not writing that, don't they?
No, they write a lot of them.
Some of them are ground-breaking.
Did it bounce her up?
Is it her?
I'm sure there'll be a letdown afterwards.
I don't feel tired.
I thought you should know that you must have a sixth sense because when I opened your birthday present, Rose had given me a photograph, a colored photograph of San Clemente that had been taken by a friend of hers who had been down there.
And it was framed.
And it fitted perfectly in the stand.
So we put it in our room and we're all set.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I guess, yeah.
I know a hard time you've been having tonight.
It could maybe give you a little bit.
Yeah, right, right.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, anyway, we're looking forward to that party in the spring.
Yeah, great.
Good.
Okay, thank you.
Good.
At the airport, yeah.
No, no, at the airport.
whether somebody slipped up on them because they would have come on track.
Because of being out west, they may not have gotten them.
I can't mention that.
He is very sensitive about food as part of the cabinet at all times, on all things.
And I was always determined when you asked me, Brian, I'm just curious.

NARA Description

On January 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Gerald R. Warren, Stephen B. Bull, White House operator, and Idanell ("Nellie") (Brill) Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:38 am and 11:30 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 644-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 644-7

Date: January 10, 1972
Time: 10:38 am - unknown time before 11:30 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman; Gerald R. Warren was present after 10:39 am.

     Herbert G. Klein's televised statement on Jack N. Anderson papers, January 9, 1972
          -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Investigation of leak
                -Possible libel by the press
                     -Misinterpretation

     Warren's statement on Klein
         -Affirmation of Klein's statement
                -White House Press Office involvement
                      -Possible new story
                           -Kissinger
         -News angle compared with analysis
         -Warren’s view
         -Press reaction
         -No comment position
         -Kissinger
         -Administration’s public and private statements
                -Press analysis

     The President's schedule
           -State of the Union speech
           -Budget messages
           -Economic report
           -Messages to Congress

     Vietnam troop withdrawal announcement
          -Speculation in Newsweek
               -Timetable
          -Warren's forthcoming statement
               -The President’s forthcoming announcement
          -Speculation
          -Warren's statement
               -Time of announcement
          -Troop withdrawal rate

     The People's Republic of China [PRC]
          -Return of Ronald L. Ziegler and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. from trip
                -Possible weariness
                -Ziegler’s possible comments
          -Press applications for accompanying the President on his forthcoming trip
                -Number
                     -Warren’s handling
                     -Specifics
                            -Forthcoming announcement

Warren left at 10:47 am.

Stephen B. Bull entered at 10:47 am.

     The President's meeting with John D. Ehrlichman and group

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:49 am.

     Thelma C. (“Pat’) Nixon's trip to Africa

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:47 am and
10:49 am.]

[Conversation No. 644-7A]

[See Conversation No. 18-28]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Thelma C. (“Pat’) Nixon's trip to Africa
          -Press coverage

**********************************************************************

Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/10/2022.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[644-007-w001]
[Duration: 14s]

     Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s trip to Africa
          -Press coverage

**********************************************************************

[The President talked with Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally between 10:49 am and 10:50 am.]

[Conversation No. 644-7B]

[See Conversation No. 18-29]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Thelma C. (“Pat’) Nixon's return from Africa
          -Airport arrival
               -Attendees
                      -Connallys

     John B. Connally
          -Attendance at events
               -Alexander P. Butterfield

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:30 am.

Also recorded on January 10, 1972

  • 018-026 9:46 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 10:22 am.
  • 644-002 9:46 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 10:22 am.
  • 644-005 10:22 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Charles B. Rangel met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:22 am to 10:37 am.
  • 018-027 10:23 AM · 55 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 10:23 am to 10:24 am.
  • 644-006 10:37 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:37 am to 10:38 am.
  • 018-028 10:47 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:47 am and 10:49 am.
  • 018-029 10:49 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Idanell ("Nellie") (Brill) Connally talked on the telephone from 10:49 am to 10:50 am.
  • 644-017 10:50 AM · 58 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, Arthur A. Fletcher, Robert J. Brown, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Carthur L. M. Drake, Stanley S. Scott, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:50 am and 11:52 am.

All 83 conversations from January 10, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 644-007, January 10, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/644-007 (accessed September 29, 2026).