Nixon, Ziegler & Walters on Press relations and Henry Kissinger

Runs Henry.
Henry.
she goes
Why don't you check it out?
Sure.
What is it?
I think it's probably a Plymouth or one of those cars.
I think that's what pushing drives.
Yeah, that's right.
They call it a Plymouth or something like that.
You see what I mean?
So it gives the impression that the average reader is a small thing.
I wouldn't let them get away with it.
Don't you agree?
Absolutely.
I also agree that I think it's very important to stand absolutely firm with these press people on the matter of any people going to Hanoi.
Now, I saw some pressures on that development.
So you're not giving any ground on that, are you?
Is anybody asking you to ask your question?
coverage of North Vietnam, they should do it through contact with the PRV.
And we have no obligation by transportation to the PR associated press.
Well, the point is, too, that we have, even as we stand here, he didn't take press with him to the Paris Association.
That's their job, and we cannot, we're not going to do it.
I feel this way.
Absolutely.
that's what i meant and we unfortunately protest
That's this idea, when these presidents, these men have been incarcerated for all these years, just realizing that they're entitled to, they're entitled to be left alone.
They're removed.
or Woody Higgins can keep Chris out of the locker room after a game has been lost or won from him.
You know what I mean?
Because he's afraid that somebody's going to say something to him later that he's sorry for.
For Christ's sake, can't we protect
This resolution is not sponsored that carefully, and it's all I can do sometimes to bite my tongue.
These bastards get over there.
They don't think it through.
They just jump based on emotion.
I'll tell you, Lester Markell had a good piece in the New York Times on launching the press, yes, and he said that they are so anxious to correct the faults of others that they just have failed to focus on themselves.
And they better start doing it fast.
And everything they do collectively as a body points to that.
They'll go over after they ask me in a briefing whether or not we will take press on Henry's airplane to Hanoi.
And I say, no.
They said, well, who has decided that?
And I said, the United States government.
Well, who is the United States government?
I said, I have talked to Henry about it.
And because of the nature of the trip, we feel it is not in the best interest of the mission.
And it does not lend itself.
Well, there's no need to do that.
So then they go to the press club, and then just in a motion, they pass this resolution, which is just off the mark.
The freedom of the press doesn't mean that we have to put two people on Henry Kissinger.
The other thing, I was rather puzzled by Rather's commentary and so forth and so on.
Not as you said, but more in terms of indicating that he was representing most of the people on the press stand about the dawn of the conference the other day and so forth.
And the president was just, they had seen him so angry and so on.
in some of the White House aides thought that it wasn't quite that bad, that he wasn't that angry or something.
What's the story on that?
Well, he would have rather just exaggerated there.
I think...
Were they all told the right thing?
No, no.
As I say, the things that I saw written were the fact that you were confident, that you were tough, testy in a positive way.
at some point, and not in the negatives, which I'd rather put on it.
Listen, that press conference was perfect.
The press floor was put down.
And they were put down very skillfully.
And my view is we shouldn't go through the next four years in a constant battle or agitating the press.
But they needed to be put down.
And the only person who could put them in the proper perspective was you.
And I think you did it.
I was responding to the shelter.
Well, this goes back to the other point we were talking about yesterday.
Had you taken a weak response there, Dan Revin would have been on the air talking about how now
He takes every conference he does, but I just wanted to be sure that he isn't representing what the press thinks out there, because from what the little I've seen on the news.
The true representation of what the press generally is, I think, when you get an asshole like Whitcover, and he's certainly represented, but there's no more anti-newsman than Whitcover.
They were taken off their feet.
They said, how could he say that to us?
But they deserved it.
They were stunned at that.
All they had to do was read Vermont Rescue's column.
That's right.
That's exactly right.
See, because you call them on it.
That's number one.
And most of these guys can't even get to the rescue before they get into work.
This is the White House version.
They felt that you said to them, look, fellas, you write what you want.
I understand what you have to write.
I understand what your views are.
And here's the production ongoing.
In other words, you did not waver in any way by the pressure of their questions in terms of your answers.
They did feel you were tough.
They did feel you were hard on them.
Or you were testy or angered or any of that.
That's the type of thing.
They do not feel that you can say that.
I'm breathing hard.
That's bullshit.
No.
And some people are cracking.
Not you.
Not you.
But I would like to go in Colson's office and do what they should do.
They saw it on television.
What the hell is he reporting or saying?
That's his style.
That's his style.
Actually, Mr. President, I oftentimes think that some of the letters and so forth that go to CBS and Radder on this type of thing don't help, but they may... No, not irritate him.
They may work the other way.
Not from us.
I don't want you to get...
I don't want you to, let me put it this way, I don't want you ever to get in responding to him like a rat.
It's the best way to handle him is to give him attention.
In other words, if he pops off like this, I wouldn't call him.
I wouldn't call him on it.
I'd just act as if I hadn't heard it.
But do you think so?
We haven't tried, you know, at times.
I know you've called him.
If it's a factual, there are two different things.
If it's a total factual mistake, then call him in and raise all the hell.
But where is an opinion?
And that's your own business.
And I think the thing that kills any press man the most is to be paid attention to.
That's what kills that wrong about me.
Those guys know out there that I don't give a shit what they say.
You know what I mean?
I'm going to be affected by it.
Don't you agree?
And they just drive somebody up and I say, it's going to gag you to write this thing.
You know, I mean, I didn't, it was a blizzard.
I just ignored the fact that he had used that question and just went on to another one.
But that really got to him, and that's fine.
That's good to do, I think.
Because it was a strong way to say, look, fellas, we recognize your role.
We recognize your place, but you're not fooling us in any way at all.
Collectively, you are a body of liberals.
That's really the message that went out to them.
And I am not going to move, in my judgments, in other words, the impression you convey, because of your position.
I wasn't done in a stride way.
And the television event, which I watched it all on all of the news shows, and the reaction to it has been tremendous.
Television was good.
There was no anger or heavy breathing.
The clips they used, as a matter of fact, had a mixture of humor and a mixture of firmness.
But this radical thing is inside stuff, inside stuff.
I think we're in good shape with it.
What does it mean for sure?
You said Cal called.
Oh, well, I was saying to Baron Tripoli, Cal called yesterday, and I didn't take his call, and I'm not going to.
Because I thought he did a lousy job of asking questions of Henry.
I think the program was a plus.
It was good.
But Cal did a lousy job of questioning me.
You think he did it deliberately?
Yes, sir.
I think to a degree he did.
How deliberately?
He didn't want to bring up the issue.
Well, that's right.
I think just professionally he did a very bad job.
I think Henry did an excellent job.
I think Cal did a terrible job.
That's all I anticipated.
Let me say, Cal doesn't do it terribly because he's not smart.
Cal is very smart.
What I think in Calum's case is that he, as I've told you often, the worst thing a press man can do, much worse than asking a 30 question, is to ask a dull question.
And that's what Calum has done, in my opinion.
Dull, complicated, that sort of thing, you know.
Does he actually agree?
Well, I think in this case, it did.
and the theory and all this type of thing.
He blew it on the questions.
But it was a good program.
If we had the decision to make over, I would still.
Oh, we should actually, you call, when are you going to be speaking?
At 11 o'clock.
Barbara, she's in great shape.
You call her.
I'm going to at 10.30.
You said a half an hour beforehand.
That might be, I think, a little too far.
Why don't you call her in?
Yes, yes.
You just told me you're going to talk to the president, and you want him to know that you're going to get the best rate, because you're going to act the game.
We're going to do this all the time.
I want him to know it.
So you're in there.
Yes.
Well, let me say, I didn't want to watch anything.
I couldn't care less.
I just want to be sure that the family of our people playing into the line.
Couldn't care less about those factors.
I'm just giving them a few ticks and a bunch of things they need.
And also answering some questions and making some points.
And that's the way they all want to be.
It's more interesting, isn't it?
Much more.
I think most of the press probably, despite the fact that they may be irritated and say they're going to be gay, but don't they like it when Congress is more interesting?
Don't you find that the case is really good?
No, they like to talk like they like to talk.
Or do they have a tape or something that's just out there, you know, throwing the pensies out there?
No, I think they were very impressive, impressive.
You know, on an- Individually.
Individually, sure.
Well, someone wrote it that way, I think.
Who is it?
Who did you say?
Whit Kilgour wrote a good piece.
Yeah, Whit Kilgour has it.
I didn't read it.
They don't even have it.
Yeah, just some others.
One thing we certainly know is that
doing it for television was the right decision.
Absolutely.
And second, we also know that, unless you do it at prime time, or, I mean, by 7.30 on, you get just as much out of it by doing it out there in that room as if I were walking in the East Room, but we'll do it live.
The live audience is going to be working out there anyway.
We'll have all the people that are going to be seeing that.
This is a very good format.
Very good.
My thinking is, in that way, with regard to the next thing I'm going to be doing in the White House is to use the briefing room over here in the EOP room.
I mean, to tell you what I have in mind, first you need to keep the number down and not have as many assholes.
Second, sure, what do you miss?
You miss the grandeur of the East Room.
But on the other hand, it gets the violence, I mean, and you have a better, you have really a better television setting.
But what do you view about that?
I'd like to drop it.
Or do you think that the East Room just has something to a degree?
Of course, it's great with the president and so forth, but you see, you have so many in the East Room.
If you cut down the number here, you're able to... Not by much.
who come to these things anyway.
Yeah, that's true.
If nobody don't cut down the presses, we can get 180 in over there.
Yeah.
Well, I think, though, that 180 means if you don't have 60 more that are going to get up in there.
It's silly.
That's right.
You don't know.
I think it's worth exploring.
The east room does have a certain spark to it.
Yeah, that's true.
Well, I don't use whatever has a spark in it.
But remember, with P.O.W.
Brown, you're saying you would call for us, and then let's go, let's wait these, and let's let them get home, and have some time with their families.
That's our major objective, not to have them, they're not going to be, we're not going to exploit them.
I'm sitting here talking to the president.
Hello.
This is not something that is particularly hot news, but it will be if I can bring it to you and give it back to you.
But I have an answer today.
that he will go from Hanoi to Peking.
And, uh, or, you know, for a round of talks there, he'll return, he'll be returning from the 19th.
So your program basically, uh, I think gets, uh, a, a very major lift because you see he will be going to Peking to follow up on, on all of our relations with Peking and also, of course, to follow up on, uh, recent developments.
So, uh, I think that you probably are getting the better of the two deals.
But, you know, I had meeting, uh, he, uh, you know, we've, we've occurred our own names, and that's mine.
And, uh, and, uh, and you haven't been here, too.
And you'll be, and that guy will talk to you, I mean, before he goes on with, you know, what could be.
I knew that there had been some sort of a
What happened was, he promised you and he promised Carl and I heard about it and I said, well, give it to Walter.
But apparently, Henry had promised Carl sooner or later or something.
So now, I just want you to know, we're going to give you a little break on this other one.
And I'll try to cooperate on it.
Okay.
Well, let me just talk to Ron about it right now.
It's close when he comes back.
As much as Laura manages.
Right, we're gonna, Henry couldn't commit to the Sunday the 25th, but we're gonna try and get him to do it on that date.
In other words, for the 25th.
Sunday?
Well, it's for Sunday.
It's as soon as they can offer, that's what they want.
Well, you want Sunday the 25th, is that right?
But why don't you try to get it sooner than that?
You'll see, you'll be back at 19 and you'll have a six to eight.
But I just kind of left, that should be your lead times.
But you might talk to your people.
If you get it sooner, I'll produce it.
Yeah, well, no, you won't.
I thought you said we were good arranged and we'll do it after that.
But I personally would think that you could do better off.
You've got to get it a little sooner than it seems.
We'll be in touch with him, but let me suggest this.
Talk to Ron about it and let me program it this year.
Because Henry doesn't really have the feeling of what the dates are, but I'll control them.
And I'll see that Henry comes at the time.
If you want an earlier date, you get a good time, say on Thursday or something like that.
We work it out and he's there.
But you see, he'll have to come back and report to the captain.
Security Council, which will probably be Tuesday.
And then, of course, you'll probably have to talk to the two little part of the leaders.
My own view is that if you could have him not almost in juxtaposition to his report, the cabinet will not leave, but the leaders do, that if you could get it that very night, that would be an ideal time before those bombs go out.
If you pardon my expression, some of them go out and talk it all over.
Not that they'll get everything out.
You put a
personal things that they will not even have to, that would be a thing to ask.
But if you can't handle it, find a will to do it.
Yeah.
Oh.
All right.
You're welcome to visit today's program if that's what you're interested in.
I'd say, all right, fine.
Well, let me see if you talk to Ron about it, and let him work out the details.
But I do want to, I mean, I figure that we owe you one on this, and I'm no Ron.
And I will work Henry into whatever the dick you need.
Okay?
Fine.
Well, that was a good thing.
Well, and you have a T-shirt, but right when he comes back from the park around, it's funny because it'd be fine.
I think we'll get him into that.
I don't know.
But I think we're friendly.
I think she ought to know.
I really think she should.
And it's perfect.
I let her do the morning shows the next day.
Run another second.
And just get a good double language.
Well, try to read the lights, you know.
You know, what delights me about the press they promised is to confuse them.
And, you know, I think we really have a thing to consider what is happening.
You know, with the inauguration, and then the inaugural, the Johnson, the inaugural, the January 23rd announcement, the Johnson, you know, and the radio broadcast, but it means to the leaders,
There isn't somewhere we have cranked it down there.
We sure have.
Nobody's speaking about accessibility now, are they?
Nope, no thanks.
They wanted to, well, before the agreement they were in, and they wanted to meet urgently.
Urgently.
Before the .
Right, before the announcement of the agreement.
Yeah.
Urgently.
They had so many, the town was turning sour.
press were turning into the bitterest mood that has ever been seen in Washington.
I said, fine, I'll have a meeting with you, because I knew things were going to develop.
I said, I'll have the meeting with you as soon as I possibly can, as soon as we can.
They're not even pushing them.
I mean, I'm going to meet with them, but it's not the crisis that was before.
Because of the...
I'd like to see if at some point when you go to California to have a...
I'd like to have a press conference at the Western White House, right at the Western White House live on TV, and there's a couple ways we could do it.
You could put up a pretty good...
pretty good facility right up the Western White House to have a live TV.
Now, it might sound like it's a demeaning type of thing, but you could put up a very good, solid-looking tent there, see, where you could walk in in a very good setting with a blue backdrop, have the local press there, have a nice setting, but it would be from the Western White House.
And they could do some good things from the outside, too.
In other words, showing the setting of the Western White House prior to the press conference and so forth.
And here again, it would add to the public's ability to sense what the Western White House is.
And it is the White House.
I mean, it is a beautiful facility.
It is a good facility.
And I think that... Of course, we've done that thing.
Oh, I know.
Well, it's done it, but this...
You know, we've been in the second term, this press conference with the Western White House.
There's a bigger audience, a prime time audience.
It's done at 7.30.
But instead of going up to a hotel or going over to a high school gymnasium, we can do it and put up a tent.
And there are good solid seats.
In other words, it's not a circus or anything.
I mean, that's just not too bad, too, to make it there.
I briefed in the tent in Palm Springs.
The acoustics are fine on these big walk-in speakers they have, plus the, as you say, the on-air sound is fine.
Okay.
Okay.
I want you to ask Henry to come in now, and I want to tell him, and you, and his presence, to stand firm on the field of the church.

Nixon, Ziegler & Walters on Press relations and Henry Kissinger

AI Summary

Audio

Transcript (AI-generated)

NARA Description

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Also recorded on February 3, 1973

Cite this conversation