President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and Henry Kissinger to coordinate public messaging, campaign strategy, and foreign policy initiatives. They finalized plans for a Cabinet-level anti-terrorism committee to bolster the administration's image ahead of the President's meeting with Jewish leaders. Additionally, they strategized on how to address the 1972 election, emphasizing a disciplined response to George McGovern's comments on POWs and reinforcing the President’s commitment to supporting Israel through arms policy rather than public rhetoric.
On September 25, 1972, 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. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 786-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 786-5
(rev. Nov-03)
Date: September 25, 1972
Time: 9:56 am - 10:10 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Policy statements
-Release of texts
-Forthcoming International Monetary Fund [IMF] speech
-National Cancer Conference speech, September 28, 1972
Fundraising dinner in Louisville, Kentucky, September 23, 1972
-Kentucky
-Ziegler’s schedule
-Ziegler’s background
-Ziegler’s speech
-Anecdote about the President's trip to Soviet Union
-The President’s anti-communism
-Alexei N. Kosygin
-Reaction by audience
-The President's 1969 Inaugural speech
-The President's accomplishments
-Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China [PRC]
-International monetary situation
-John B. Connally, George P. Shultz, Arthur F. Burns
-Public knowledge
-Louie P. Nunn
-M. Gene Snyder
-Football anecdote
-Ziegler’s high school
-The President’s experience
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 14s ]
(rev. Nov-03)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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Press relations
-Polls
-San Clemente
-Campaign strategy
-Issues
-Choice
-Geography, race, age
-George S. McGovern
-Recent release of three American prisoners of war
[POWs]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Mention by name
-Release of POWs
-Presentation of facts
-Politics
-Mention by name
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 10:03 am.
Ziegler's forthcoming statement on POW's
Ziegler left at 10:03 am.
Cabinet Committee to Combat Terrorism
-Formation
-William P. Rogers
-Role
-Reason
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with Jewish leaders
-Israel
-Narcotics
-Composition
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-State Department
-Rogers
-Ex officio status
(rev. Nov-03)
-Richard M. Helms
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
Israel
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with Jewish leaders
-Kissinger’s recent conversation with Yitzhak Rabin
-The President’s possible statement
-US military aid to Israel
-Phantoms, Skyhawks
-1972 election
-Jewish community
-Israel-US interests
-Soviet-Jewish emigration
-Jacob K. Javits
-The President’s possible statement
-Soviet-Jewish emigration
-Golda Meir
-Communications with the President
-Arms policy
-PRC, Soviet Union
-Kissinger’s recent conversation with Rabin
-McGovern’s meeting with Jewish leaders
-United Nations [UN]
-Gary Hart’s recent speech at George Washington
University
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Suggested US policy
-Lebanon
-Syria
-Response
-Rabin’s possible action
-Rabin’s view of administration
-US policy
-Private compared to public stance
1972 election
-Anti-semitism allegations
-Hart
-Rick Stern
-Jewish vote
-Frank F. Mankiewicz
(rev. Nov-03)
-International radical movement
-Arabs
-Possible demonstrations in San Francisco, Los
Angeles
Anti-terrorism Committee
The President’s forthcoming speech to the IMF
-Kissinger’s view
-Shultz
-Speech
-Georges J.R. Pompidou, Edward R.G. Heath
Kissinger left at 10:10 am.This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.