Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 677 › Conversation 677-017

Nixon & Kissinger on PRC trip and Public relations

Monday, March 6, 1972 · 1:28 PM–1:38 PM ET · Oval Office ·1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation677-017 onTape 677 (tape position 03:53:27–03:54:35)StartMonday, March 6, 1972 at 1:28 PMEndMonday, March 6, 1972 at 1:38 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 677-017 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to review and refine official public messaging following the President’s recent trip to the People’s Republic of China. The discussion focused on coordinating consistent talking points, specifically regarding the President's remarks at Andrews Air Force Base and Kissinger’s previous background briefings in Shanghai. To ensure administrative alignment, Nixon directed the drafting of a formal memorandum to Secretary of State William P. Rogers to dictate how officials should characterize the trip in future public statements.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Or should we say...
Yes?
Well, the other point is, can we refer to your background?
No, no, no, no, no, I'm the one you want to go ahead and check out.
Yeah, fine.
All right, I get it.
All right, I just want to see why you left it out.
Okay, I understand.
Fine.

NARA Description

On March 6, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 677-017 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 677-17

Date: March 6, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Draft memorandum
           -The President’s remarks at Andrews Air Force Base, February 28, 1972
           -William P. Rogers
                -Testimony
           -Kissinger’s previous backgrounder
                -Shanghai

                                                                        Conv. No. 677-20
                                                                        Conversation      (cont.)
                                                                                     No. 677-18

Date: March 6, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President dictated a memorandum to the Secretary of State, et al.

     The People’s Republic of China [PRC trip
          -Public statements
               -The President’s remarks at Andrews Air Force Base, February 28, 1972
                      -Directions for comments

Also recorded on March 6, 1972

  • 677-011 1:28 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-012 1:28 PM · 57 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-013 1:28 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-014 1:28 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-015 1:28 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-016 1:28 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-018 1:28 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:28 pm and 1:38 pm.
  • 677-019 1:38 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:38 pm to 1:40 pm.

All 32 conversations from March 6, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 677-017, March 6, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/677-017 (accessed September 18, 2026).