Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 841 › Conversation 841-004

Nixon, Kissinger & Ziegler on Vietnam War and Press Relations

Wednesday, January 24, 1973 · 8:28 AM–8:35 AM ET · Oval Office · 6 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.; Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation841-004 on Tape 841StartWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 8:28 AMEndWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 8:35 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 841-004 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Ronald Ziegler met to discuss public relations strategies surrounding the recently announced Vietnam peace settlement. The participants focused on managing the press, specifically addressing how to handle potentially hostile questioning from journalists like Marvin Kalb and Helen Thomas regarding the agreement. Nixon emphasized the importance of controlling the narrative regarding the release of Prisoners of War (POWs) and directed Kissinger on how to present these details during his upcoming briefings.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Great skill, first giving no advance, then you're coming back, you're acting like you know, being absolutely and then making that nine and a half minute straight.
Everybody had to listen.
Nobody did that, nobody ever did that then, you know.
We all have our side of the cross.
Would you not agree?
Completely.
And all these, this whining of his face, they just look like jackals.
And then at this point, they just don't know what to say.
I've been watching Miles and Kel and Peter quit.
They're going back to what they did in November now.
They're starting picking as they dream and they don't even know what's in it yet.
Well, the beauty of that, let me tell you that, is how you breathe, how you breathe, and so forth.
The frightening thing, of course, I think, is that you better remember friends.
The devil will never have a chance to catch their friends.
But also, you don't have to recognize just us.
I would have the recognition carried on.
The recognition should be.
carried out by the presiding officer.
Absolutely.
So that he can pick them, this and that, so you don't know the men.
He doesn't need them.
He doesn't need them.
And given the attendance in Coral River, they started to give instructions that you're to get deeply locked up.
I should stay out of it.
I think I should.
And the second point I was going to make is this, and even it would be good for you, because by that time, the assholes would be up with all their nasty questions, and Henry, you will be murdered.
You will be murdered.
No, you know better.
Won't you enjoy it?
It's your chance to do it.
So I'm pleased with that.
Now, we will not let them know.
After you see this for them, you're going to tell ours today.
And that way, you're going to be in a little bit different format.
And I give two hours to each.
Up to you.
Up to you.
We now have a second point this morning.
It occurred to me someone ought to be here.
Yes, he can.
He's just ahead of his time.
Should we not mention Rodgers at all?
I'll mention him.
I'll mention him.
I'll mention some of them.
But don't get, don't, don't, don't go aboard the statement because we don't agree with the second part.
Let me suggest that what I should do today is agree with what you just said.
I discussed the, I outlined the, the, the agreement last night.
Now the agreement, the total agreement.
You can say.
of EOWs will be released within 60 days.
The first return will be no later than 15 days from the signing of the agreement in order to make technical arrangements.
And it will be roughly a quarter each 15 days thereafter that they will be released in Hanoi, except for those in the southern part of South Vietnam who will be released at a point which
will be designated within the next week.
Yeah, right.
Good, good, good.
That's right.
That's great.
The American Medivac plant is going to be allowed to come in and take them up in a month.
Okay.
I just told Henry that they were reporting on the fact that they didn't know your four years, and Manolo said he thought it was going back under pressure.
I think it was one of the scenarios.
He said, I know the son of a bitch.
And he said he was purple.
He said he was the most there, the most discouraged, frustrated.
How did he say that?
No, no, no.
We don't know what he said.
She was.
She was.
Yes, sir?

NARA Description

On January 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:28 am to 8:35 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 841-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 841-4

Date: January 24, 1973
Time: Between 8:28 am and 8:35 am
Location: Oval Office
                                               -4-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                            Conversation No. 841-4 (cont’d)

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

       Vietnam settlement
            -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
            -"Today Show"
            -Charles W. Colson
            -The President's speech
            -Press relations
                  -Helen A. Thomas
                  -Marvin L. Kalb
                  -Peter Quitt
            -Antiwar persons
                  -William E. Timmons
                  -Tom C. Korologos
                  -Kissinger's briefing
                  -William H. Sullivan
                  -William P. Rogers
                  -Prisoners of War [POWs] release

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 8:33 am.

             -Press relations
                   -Manolo Sanchez
                   -Sarah McClendon
                   -Kalb
                   -Thomas
             -Popular reaction

Kissinger and Ziegler left at 8:35 am.

Also recorded on January 24, 1973

  • 841-001 8:05 AM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:05 am and 8:12 am.
  • 841-002 8:05 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:05 am and 8:12 am.
  • 841-003 8:12 AM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:12 am to 8:28 am.
  • 841-005 8:35 AM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:35 am and 10:59 am.
  • 841-015 8:35 AM · 30 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:35 am and 10:59 am.
  • 111-003 8:36 AM · 2 hr 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and bipartisan Congressional leaders, including Michael J. ("Mike") Mansfield, Robert C. Byrd, John C. Stennis, John L. McClellan, J. William Fulbright, Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson, Gale W. McGee, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Strom Thurmond, Milton R. Young, George D. Aiken, John G. Tower, Barry M. Goldwater, John J. McFall, Gerald R. Ford, George H. Mahon, Dr. Thomas E. ("Doc") Morgan, Samuel S. Stratton, Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., Leslie C. Arends, William G. Bray, Elford A. Cederberg, William S. Mailliard, Samuel L. Devine, Jack F. Kemp, as well as William E. Timmons, Ronald L. Ziegler, Thomas C. Korologos, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:36 am to 10:49 am.
  • 841-006 10:49 AM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:49 am and 10:59 am.
  • 841-007 10:59 AM · 52 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:59 am to 11:52 am.

All 54 conversations from January 24, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 841-004, January 24, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/841-004 (accessed October 1, 2026).