President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler discuss the necessity of utilizing memorable catchphrases to influence public perception of the 1972 presidential campaign. Nixon emphasizes the importance of framing the media's coverage as "yellow journalism" to discredit critical reporting, particularly from the Washington Post. The President explicitly tasks Ziegler with delegating the execution of this strategy to others rather than handling it personally.
On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:21 am to 9:22 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 807-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 807-6
Date: October 26, 1972
Time: 9:21 am - 9:22 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
(rev. Oct-03)
Press statement on campaign practices
-Catch phrases
-Effect on people
-Yellow journalism
-Press coverage of 1972 campaign
-Washington Post
-Opportunity for use
Ziegler left at 9:22 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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.