Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 836 › Conversation 836-004
Nixon alone in the Oval Office on Vietnam War and Press Relations
Tuesday, January 9, 1973 · 8:28 AM–8:56 AM ET · Oval Office · 11 min
AI Summary
In this recording, President Nixon reflects on his recent birthday and discusses press relations, the personal impact of media coverage on his family, and his daily work-life balance. He also evaluates the status of Vietnam peace negotiations, expressing skepticism regarding the North Vietnamese and emphasizing the necessity of securing a ceasefire that addresses concerns over POWs and MIAs. The discussion includes considerations of military options and the political challenges of managing congressional relations during this sensitive period of administration reorganization.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On January 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:28 am and 8:56 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 836-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 836-4
Date: January 9, 1973
Time: Unknown between 8:28 am and 8:56 am
Location: Oval Office
The President dictated a memorandum.
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
The President’s birthday
-Birthday greetings
-Washington Times, Washington Post
-Picture
-John McCrary [?]
-Wire service
-Press relations
-Press conferences
-Ronald L. Ziegler
Birthday wishes
-White House staff
Press relations
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Press coverage
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Monseigneur
-Translation
-California
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Press coverage
-News summaries
-1972 election
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 836-4 (cont’d)
-President’s isolation
-White House staff
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-John A. Volpe [?]
-The President’s personality
-Press coverage
Camp David
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Mrs. Nixon
-Secret Service
-Swimming pool
-Moscow trip
-Preston Bush
-Delivery
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Evening habits
-Sleep
Vietnam settlement
-Press coverage
-Protocol
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Arrival
-Pessimism
-Vietnamese
-Rationality
-Option two
-Melvin R. Laird
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Missing in action [MIAs]
-Cease-fire
-Laird
-Congress
-North Vietnamese
-POWs
-Aid cut off to South Vietnam
Second-term reorganization
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 836-4 (cont’d)
-Herbert G. Klein
-Article in Washington Post
-The President’s personal feelings
-Paris negotiations
-Comparison
[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************Also recorded on January 9, 1973
- 035-101 8:24 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:24 am and 8:28 am.
- 836-001 8:24 AM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:24 am and 8:28 am.
- 035-102 8:28 AM · 20 sec — the White House operator and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at 8:28 am.
- 836-002 8:28 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 8:28 am.
- 836-003 8:28 AM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:28 am and 8:56 am.
- 836-005 8:56 AM · 40 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, unknown person(s), and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:56 am to 9:37 am.
- 836-006 9:34 AM · 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and John J. McFall met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:34 am to 10:05 am.
- 035-103 10:02 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John J. McFall talked on the telephone from 10:02 am to 10:03 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 836-004, January 9, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/836-004 (accessed October 11, 2026).