Nixon, Haldeman & Ziegler on Watergate and Vietnam War

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

That is one thing, but you have to tell a client that maybe he should call 20 or 30 editors from the community across the country, urging them to, and then send wires to a thousand, maybe, urging them to listen to the Common Broadcast that he missed, that he believes is one of the most significant

I don't want that to bother me at all.

We'll do it as quickly as we can.

Take your time.

Okay, it won't be long.

I'm not going to shake hands, sir.

That's what I'm doing.

I'm not going to shake hands.

Don't you agree?

Absolutely.

I don't think you need to at all.

I guess this is your, did you get your political media knowledge?

Good.

We've got them where we want them.

We want to put them right there.

That search number is clear.

I don't want any shot across the bow.

No question.

It's a veteran.

Colston's judgment was right on the water gate.

I don't know whether they got any brochures as well.

For that day, but not until you drop me.

I said, if we can, it's right.

He said, this is their gate, not ours.

We're going to go over some areas and make this very lazy, not ours.

That's absolutely right.

The problem is how the movie is dropping.

I don't know.

Or what do you think?

No, I think you're right.

But I'm convinced that all of this, I'm convinced they have a plan on this thing.

They've got more stages.

They've set it up to go out the smallest drop they can at a time.

Yep.

You agree with this?

Yep.

Except it gets played on the networks, which gives it some nationality.

What's the president going to do about it?

It's an analytical number.

What the hell can he do?

He just, he ate my bell to lie down on behalf, but I think that's what we have to do.

Now they've got some great stuff today, but there's some awful good stuff in it apparently.

But that escalates it, and that's the question.

Do you want to keep it up?

Anything we do to fight, we're damned if we do, and damned if we don't.

If we fight back, we will.

It's true.

Let's just wait.

Let's keep at it.

There's a problem with Zagretti's app today, but it's in some areas it's a little too those sides.

Well, that's the kind of thing I'm saying.

I didn't steal any $20 bills from the bank.

Over the books, how many did that come in?

Oh, wait a few minutes.

Yes, sir.

They're ready.

Mr. President, we've got to get you to the certain country now.

Well, to be honest with you, I haven't waited until the press gets in.

Yes, sir.

And they're being done.

Well, listen, are they there?

Are they in?

The press?

The press is moving in now.

Yeah.

You just have to get them all in.

And Zagretti will not go over it.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

But I see nothing else to do.

That press conference, obviously, asked me to sit here.

I won't mention that so specifically, but they'll get the point.

Still, I didn't learn to judge me in 210.

No, I haven't seen anything to do.

I think you just have to taste and accept constantly that, first, the president must not lie, and second, we must not condone what people think is wrong.

And they do think this kind of stuff is wrong.

I mean, I'm not sure why.

Firstly, I don't know what the hell it is.

That's the final theory.

I do know that it is our issue to attack them for their dirty hand painting.

That is our issue.

That's the side of it.

I know what Conley does, and he's aimed to it, but he's got his press conference today.

That's

See now, next Tuesday you may know something about Henry, right?

Yeah.

Then you have to welcome him.

If you do run his way back, you'll know Saturday's the most likely thing.

Ah, fuck, there he is.

No, I think more likely he'll already be back.

Because I don't think he's going to get it done in Saigon, so I don't think he's going to handle it.

That means he'll be back Saturday night.

That's fine.

Then back over to Paris, we can meet again.

and then on his way back to Paris, somewhere out there.

You know, the problem of all of the so complex and compulsive and insecure and so forth, they are great, but it is that compulsion and insecurity and so forth that drives him on to greatness.

Henry Scott, you know, Hitler was that way, but he was a great man.

He was a great man.

It has been informed that although Dr. Kissinger has not yet completed his meeting in Paris, sufficient progress has been made to warrant his proceeding with trip to Saigon.

It is planned to announce at 11 a.m. this morning that you have asked Dr. Kissinger to visit Saigon.

That's correct.

Hey, hey, you know, before that announcement is made, I want to talk to him about his nature.

Well, there's a lot of people I do know that have some kind of a...

Now, Bob, before you move the 11 o'clock announcement, my brother wants to talk to you.

He's been one of these labor leaders and he's expecting us to talk to you about how we word the announcement.

So don't let him put it this way.

I think it's important for him to be thinking in terms of that announcement.

I don't want him to hyperlily say this is for consultation with regard to the negotiations with you and

and down by the idea of any possible breakthrough or progress.

Did you hear that?

Did you hear him?

He's got to get that in there.

He said, okay, the point is don't build an announcement that saying you've got to work some wording to down just a little piece, you know, just for consultation and don't indicate any progress.

Don't indicate any progress.

Naturally.

But just simply a consultation.

Lowest possible key.

Low profile.

Low key.

Just saying it's a consultation.

You know, it's another step.

And we'll be sure to call Rogers.

We'll be sure to call Rogers before we put it out.

I really did.

As hard as I could.

And he knows, he knows how I feel on the question of how to read, what is that, but there can be no question in his mind about how, I said, the way I put it very coldly to him, I said, Henry, the trip to Hanoi is of absolutely zero value.

There is no plus N for us in any way, shape, or form.

You know what I really can conclude?

I said, if you go to, if you go, it is imperative, and I have learned, that you be sure that there are no pictures of you smiling.

He wouldn't think of such a goddamn thing.

He must not go there to the enemy, smiling, and all that stuff.

I said, you must be sure, I said, be cordial in your personal life.

to the extent that it serves your purposes, but no pictures should come off the aircraft.

No pictures when they come after the baby.

There must be no pictures and smiles.

Absolutely right.

See, he wouldn't think of such a thing, but he's got to be grim as hell.

I think we've got to, I'm going to tell Pat and Al, I think we've got to discourage him from going to Hanoi.

Just say that only if it's an absolute, sure shot, and the Jew is fully over, enthusiastically, must he go to Hanoi.

That's what we say.

And I put up the idea that Hanoi could lose the election.

I just think we should say that.

Let's put a crowd together.

I haven't.

That's what I've said, that there are all overriding, enormous negatives that you're going to have on you.

Potential negatives.

There is not one counterbalancing positive at all here.

Now if there is as far as blocking the deal, and not to be attacked, then that's fine.

But just remember, you're running enormous risk with no potential gain here.

So he's under no illusions.

He can't make any case that he thinks Hanoi has a good political move or publicity move from our viewpoint because it's not heavy.

Supposedly, you have the trading agreement for tomorrow on that.

I hear the most abusing suggestions.

Hope Lois will sign.

Great.

Yep.

See?

Can you imagine?

So I'm going to point to your undertones.

Nixon, Haldeman & Ziegler on Watergate and Vietnam War

AI Summary

Audio

Transcript (AI-generated)

NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on October 17, 1972

Cite this conversation