Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 786 › Conversation 786-001
Nixon & Woods on Ronald Ziegler and 1972 Presidential Campaign
Monday, September 25, 1972 · 9:08 AM–9:14 AM ET · Oval Office · 2 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discussed personnel management and the public perception of the President's recent work at Camp David. The conversation centered on the job performance of press secretary Ronald Ziegler and the necessity of maintaining a disciplined, composed public image during the 1972 election campaign. Nixon expressed high regard for Ziegler's “cool” demeanor and effectiveness in handling press interactions, while Woods emphasized the importance of public messaging regarding the President’s focus on economic policy and speech preparation.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On September 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:08 am to 9:14 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 786-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 786-1
Date: September 25, 1972
Time: 9:08 am - 9:14 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 33s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
White House staff
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Ziegler
-Job performance
-The President's work at Camp David
-Press coverage
-1972 election
-Timing
-Speeches, economic policy
-Public opinion
Woods left at 9:14 am.
Conversation no. 786-2
Date: September 25, 1972
Time: 9:24 am - 9:39 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.
Kissinger’s schedule
Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Release of three Americans
-George S. McGovern’s accusation
-Telegram from peace groups
-Civilian airplanes
-Hanoi
-Propaganda
-Melvin R. Laird’s reply
-Hanoi
-Propaganda
-Telegram
-Civilian airplanes
-Administration reply
-Telegram
-Defense Department
-Fate upon return
-Administration telegram
-Tone
-US officials
-Defense Depratment
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s possible statement
-McGovern
-Return to families
-Propaganda
-McGovern
-Ziegler
-Presentation of facts, Administration policy
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 36s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
Vietnam negotiations
-Recent release of three American POWs
-Bombing
-Public opinion
-Kissinger’s considered action
-Air war policy
-Laird
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-Report
-Timing
-Post 1972 election policy coordination of air war
-Gen. John W. Vogt, Jr.
-[Hanoi]
-Conduct of Kissinger
-Le Duc Tho
-Views of the President on POW release
-Ultimatum
-Advisability
-Violation of agreement
-The President’s warnings
-Offensive
-POWs
-Future negotiations
-POWs
-Hanoi
-Use of POWs
-Speeches
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 24s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
McGovern’s family
-[Terry McGovern]
-Marijuana use
-[Susan McGovern]
-James Rowen
-Hobart Rowen
-New Mexico
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 37s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
Kissinger's schedule
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
The President's schedule
-California
Kissinger’s schedule
-Forthcoming telephone call to the President
Vietnam negotiations
-Rationality of North Vietnamese
-1972 election
-Ultimatum
-Bombing
-Haig
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Post-1972 election military plans
Kissinger left at 9:39 am.Also recorded on September 25, 1972
- 786-002 9:24 AM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:24 am to 9:39 am.
- 786-003 9:39 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:39 am and 9:56 am.
- 786-004 9:39 AM · 47 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:39 am and 9:56 am.
- 786-005 9:56 AM · 13 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:56 am to 10:10 am.
- 786-006 10:10 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:27 am.
- 786-007 10:10 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:27 am.
- 786-008 10:10 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 10:27 am.
- 786-009 10:27 AM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:27 am to 10:44 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 786-001, September 25, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/786-001 (accessed October 21, 2026).