Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 841 › Conversation 841-013

Nixon, Edwards & Atkins on Wedding Anniversary and Vietnam Peace Settlement

Wednesday, January 24, 1973 · 6:13 PM–6:15 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Edwards, Willard; Edwards, Willard (Mrs.); Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie")Conversation841-013 on Tape 841StartWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 6:13 PMEndWednesday, January 24, 1973 at 6:15 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 841-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with veteran journalist Willard Edwards and his wife to congratulate them on their 50th wedding anniversary and present them with gifts. Following a brief photo session with White House photographer Ollie Atkins, the conversation turned toward the political climate surrounding the recent Vietnam peace settlement. Nixon expressed satisfaction with the terms of the agreement, noting that critics who previously demanded peace were now frustrated by the administration's successful conclusion of the conflict.

Willard Edwards
Wedding Anniversary
Vietnam Peace Settlement
Public Opinion
Presidential Photography

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, how are you?

How are you?

Well, how are you?

How are you?

Good to see you.

Well, just will you get me an excuse to get off a cab with me?

Really?

That's marvelous.

Oh, I haven't eaten in years.

50th anniversary.

Oh, great.

All right.

And I'll be congratulating you on your retirement.

I'm so sorry.

Yeah.

That's right.

I remember that.

What's that?

I don't know.

Thank you.

I can just see them.

people, you know, that have swilled the most about Vietnam and said, we want peace, we want peace, now are furious.

They're frustrated.

They died.

Well, they died because we did.

They said, we're going to have to walk out.

So what do we have?

We've got everything.

What if the hair block won't do again?

I'll see you.

Yeah, bye-bye.

NARA Description

On January 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Willard Edwards, Mrs. Willard Edwards, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:13 pm to 6:15 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 841-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 841-13

Date: January 24, 1973
Time: Between 6:13 pm and 6:16 pm
                                               -15-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 841-13 (cont’d)

Location: Oval Office

The President met with Willard Edwards, Mrs. Willard Edwards and Ronald L. Ziegler; The
White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Willard Edwards

       The President's schedule
            -Cabinet meeting

       Congratulations on 50th wedding anniversary

       Photographs

       Presentation of gifts by President

       Lyndon B. Johnson funeral

       Vietnam settlement
            -Terms
            -Herbert L. Block

Edwards, et al. left at 6:16 pm.

Also recorded on January 24, 1973

403-009 1:50 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:50 pm to 1:55 pm.
403-010 1:55 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:55 pm to 1:59 pm.
841-010 4:25 PM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:25 pm to 4:42 pm.
111-004 4:42 PM · 56 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Cabinet officers and staffers, including William P. Rogers, George P. Shultz, Elliot L. Richardson, Richard G. Kleindienst, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Frederick B. Dent, Peter J. Brennan, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, James T. Lynn, Claude S. Brinegar, Roy L. Ash, John A. Scali, Anne L. Armstrong, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, William E. Timmons, Ronald L. Ziegler, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Herbert Stein, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., George H. W. Bush, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 4:42 pm and 6:10 pm.
113-001 4:42 PM · 31 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Cabinet officers and staffers, including William P. Rogers, George P. Shultz, Elliot L. Richardson, Richard G. Kleindienst, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, Frederick B. Dent, Peter J. Brennan, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, James T. Lynn, Claude S. Brinegar, Roy L. Ash, John A. Scali, Anne L. Armstrong, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter M. Flanigan, William E. Timmons, Ronald L. Ziegler, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Herbert Stein, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and George H. W. Bush, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 4:42 pm and 6:10 pm.
841-011 6:10 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:10 pm and 6:13 pm.
841-012 6:10 PM · 39 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:10 pm and 6:13 pm.
841-014 6:16 PM · 52 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, Manolo Sanchez, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 6:16 pm and 6:18 pm.

All 54 conversations from January 24, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 841-013, 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/841-013 (accessed October 6, 2026).