Conversation 794-018

TapeTape 794StartMonday, October 9, 1972 at 5:11 PMEndMonday, October 9, 1972 at 6:08 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOval Office

AI Summary

President Nixon, Ronald Ziegler, and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate media strategy regarding Nixon's selective support for Republican candidates and specific congressional Democrats. Ziegler briefed the President on his efforts to navigate press inquiries about the administration's stance on various Senate and House races, emphasizing a policy of neutrality rather than blanket endorsements. The participants discussed managing the President's public involvement in campaigns and maintaining a balanced approach toward incumbent allies and former cabinet members.

1972 Presidential CampaignPress RelationsPolitical EndorsementsRepublican Party StrategyVietnam Negotiations

Audio

NARA Description

On October 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:11 pm and 6:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 794-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 794-18
Date: October 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:11 pm and 6:08 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

         Vietnam negotiations
             -Henry A. Kissinger’s meeting
                 -Washington Star

         Ziegler’s press briefing
             -Republican candidates
                  -James Eastland’s meeting with the President
                  -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount
                       -John J. Sparkman
                  -John L. McClellan
                  -Eastland
                       -Gilbert Carmichael
                            -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                  -The President’s instructions to Ziegler
                       -Campaigning
                            -The President’s schedule

                                        (rev. Nov-03)

H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 5:13 pm.

         Candidates
            -Supporters of the President
                 -Donald W. Riegle, Jr.
                 -Carmichael
                 -Individual races
                     -Campaigning
                          -Endorsement letters
                     -Support for the President’s foreign and defense policies
                          -Democrats in Congress
                 -Blount
                 -Carmichael
                     -Eastland
                 -McClellan
                 -Eastland
                     -Agnew, Tricia Nixon Cox
                     -The President’s participation in Campaigns

Ziegler left at 5:18 pm.

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 22m 30s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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[This conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 6:08 pm].

Transcript (AI-Generated)

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.

I wanted to cover a thing with you briefly.

I was hit this morning in the briefing on a sensitive area which I just had to fuzz through and brush over because I was asked whether or not you supported all Republicans

And I said, look, I'm not going to do a state-by-state rundown and all this sort of committee stuff.

And I went through all that.

Then I was pressed, well, does he support you?

Are you meaning to say that you won't say that he supports the former member of the cabinet?

I said, well, he doesn't.

They said, does he oppose?

I said, he certainly doesn't oppose him.

And then I was asked whether or not he'd support him.

I said, yes, he could write it either way.

He doesn't oppose him or support him.

So I made the point that we did not have a harsh

yeah yeah

Right.

uh... uh... uh...

There are several members of the House and several members of the Senate that we can strongly support, particularly the floor and the House.

And we will definitely not, and we will not, we will not, we will not, we will not, we will not,

I'm not voting.

Are you saying the president would oppose the members of the cabinet?

I said the president does.

And I was asked, were you saying that he supports them?

There's a difference between not opposing and supporting.

He said, well, you can write it either way.

Not opposing or supporting.

But I never said that he supports them.

I think we're all right on that.

I'm not going to get into any campaign in any individual region.

I'm not going to participate in any individual campaign.

you know what you do I guess right you only got 80% again what the hell are you worried about

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