Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 847 › Conversation 847-014

Nixon & Kissinger on Edward Heath and Global Strategy

Friday, February 2, 1973 · 12:22 PM–12:30 PM ET · Oval Office · 7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation847-014 on Tape 847StartFriday, February 2, 1973 at 12:22 PMEndFriday, February 2, 1973 at 12:30 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 847-014 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss upcoming diplomatic strategy, specifically focusing on an impending meeting with British Prime Minister Edward Heath regarding trade, monetary issues, and nuclear treaties. The discussion also addressed the administration's global strategy concerning the Soviet Union and China, alongside managing the shifting public sentiment regarding the Vietnam War. Additionally, they reviewed logistical concerns for upcoming travel, including coordinating Kissinger’s schedule and addressing the problematic behavior and public statements of Vice President Spiro Agnew.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Certainly got a bombing story across the front page of the Los Angeles Times.
It's the front page of the Los Angeles Times.
The front page of the Los Angeles Times.
He said now he agrees.
He understands.
Oh, really?
Today, I want to get down.
I haven't been as good as you left because of the love of Chelsea.
And we just went at the whole economic thing on her.
And you and I don't get that bullshit yet.
You know, we'll have to talk about it in a second.
And it's very important, too, that we've got at least Chelsea's got in it.
We don't require grants if we can do a trade bill.
We want their help on the monetary thing.
You know, I don't believe in doing so much on the fact that we couldn't have this competition between Europe and the United States here.
But I was thinking that today we could.
We ought to get it to the, we ought to get it to the end.
sort of a feeling of what I see as the global strategy, what the aid is to the Chinese and the Russians and so forth, what part of the, and of course, what kind of position that we therefore should take, how much in price, for example, we could pay,
We have to talk to them about that nuclear treaty.
They know about it.
We'll need their support.
I think the public mood is completely shifting towards us on that Vietnam Day.
I think this was the first convulsive reaction.
I mean, I've had a lot of phone calls and telegrams as a result of that television thing.
And it's Harvard.
You know, he gave a lot of people an excuse to get off, and it was just a Harvard group of Harvard students is creating a Richard Nixon World Peace University.
They just wrote me a letter saying, you know, they won't have the money, they won't be able to do it, but they said they're so fed up with the myth-taking.
And they wrote me a letter.
You wanted me to come out to return to San Clemente?
In terms of the schedule, it works very badly if I go out with you on the 7th.
Unless you think it's essential.
No, no, no, I don't think you should.
You don't need to go out with me.
If you leave, when is that going to happen?
On the 9th.
But you, you, you mean you'll be going on your trip?
On the 7th, but I'm heading the other way.
Yes, my boy, no problem.
But you'll be gone on 8th.
That's the fact.
That's the problem.
There's no way you could be here.
You can't delay, but be here again.
I'd have to transpose trips again.
That'd be too dangerous.
Well, we just have to list the pages and report to me.
Well, as long as you're on the west coast, the ACA can't do a hell of a lot.
I'll tell you something.
We don't want him to speak on any of these.
We don't want him to make any public statements, sir.
He's going to be transpolitioned by the public statements.
He's really turned the hubris so right.
Did we hear him talk yet?
He did all right in Vietnam, and he has kept his mouth shut.
I will say this for him.
But now he's kicking over going to Manila.
It's just inconceivable.
Why doesn't he want to go?
Oh, there must be some devious reason.
Maybe he doesn't want to be hooked up with Marcos to pick Ted.
So he'll be hooked up with Frank Sinatra, not Marcos.
What the hell's the matter with him?
He really is a...
He's just too good.
All right, we'll take care of him.
He'll be back tonight.
For certain, absolutely, sir.
You don't have to decide now whether you'll commit.
You'll still be out there.
I may have to be back if I ask, sir, aren't you?
Then I'll come straight, yes.
Yeah, but I might just stay for the night.
Could I just drink this back, because I'm supposed to be speaking at the moment, and... What's that?
Break time.
I want to drink this to my office, to deliver to... Yeah, yeah, I'd like to drink to the destination.
I'll see you at the party.
Yeah.

NARA Description

On February 2, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 12:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 847-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 847-14

Date: February 2, 1973
Time: 12:22 pm - 12:30 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

       Bombing story
             -Los Angeles Times
             -Charles W. Colson           -New York Times
             -Harvard professor
                     -Resignation
                     -Agreement

       Letter to Leonid I. Brezhnev

       President's schedule

       Meeting with Edward R. G. Heath
             -George P. Shultz
                     -Trade bill
                     -Monetary issue
                            -Confrontation with Europe
             -Forthcoming Meeting with Heath
                     -Global strategy
                            -Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                            -Europe
                            -Nuclear treaty

**********************************************************************

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-037. Segment declassified on 06/19/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[847-014-w001]
                                            -23-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

[Duration: 41s]

      Meeting with Edward R. G. Heath
            -Dr. James R. Schlesinger consultations
                    -Henry A. Kissinger’s recommendation
                           -Agreement to consultations
                           -Dr. James R. Schlesinger as point of contact
                    -Bargaining
                           -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                                  -Great Britain
                                          -Europe

**********************************************************************

      Meeting with Edward R. G. Heath
             -Edward R. G. Heath
                     -Vietnam
      Public opinion
             -Vietnam
             -Harvard students’ plan
                     -Richard Nixon World Peace University
                     -Funding

      President’s schedule
             -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s trip
                     -Kissinger’s schedule
                             -San Clemente
                     -Public statements
                     -Vietnam
                     -Hubert Humphrey
                     -Philippines
                             -Manila
                             -Ferdinand E. Marcos
                     -Francis A. (“Frank”) Sinatra
             -Kissinger’s schedule
             -President’s schedule
             -Letter to Brezhnev
                                            -24-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

               -President’s schedule
                      -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

Kissinger left at 12:30 pm.

Also recorded on February 2, 1973

  • 847-007 10:36 AM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:36 am and 10:38 am.
  • 847-008 10:38 AM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Raymond K. Price, Jr., David R. Gergen, Aram Bakshian, Jr., Richard M. Fairbanks, III, James H. Cavanaugh, Geoffrey C. Shepard, Dana G. Mead, James H. Falk, Tod R. Hullin, John L. Campbell, Hank Paulson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:38 am to 10:54 am.
  • 847-009 10:54 AM · 43 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:50 am.
  • 847-010 10:54 AM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:50 am.
  • 847-011 10:54 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:50 am.
  • 847-012 10:54 AM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:54 am and 11:50 am.
  • 847-013 11:50 AM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:50 am to 12:22 pm.
  • 847-015 12:30 PM · 35 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and 12:35 pm.

All 33 conversations from February 2, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 847-014, February 2, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/847-014 (accessed October 9, 2026).