Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Media strategy
206 conversations · page 3 of 3 · frequently with Nixon, Ziegler, Garment, Buzhardt
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler consulted on managing public relations regarding the Watergate investigation and upcoming foreign policy developments. The discussion focused on drafting a press statement or orchestrating a strategic leak to clarify Nixon’s limited interactions with L. Patrick Gray and to refute allegations of presidential involvement in a cover-up. Additionally, they coordinated efforts to bolster support for a proposed commission on election reform by involving Republican leadership, while noting that Henry Kissinger’s recent briefings on the Soviet summit were successfully overshadowing Watergate concerns in the news cycle.
Ronald L. Ziegler and Leonard Garment coordinate a strategy to manage negative press coverage concerning the Watergate investigation. They discuss an individual's attempt to contact Senator Sam Ervin and contemplate demanding a public apology if the critical reports persist. The participants establish a secure communication channel via a specific White House telephone line to finalize their response after further information is gathered.
President Nixon consulted with J. Fred Buzhardt regarding the collection of affidavits from various officials to document that the Huston Plan was never fully implemented. Nixon emphasized the urgency of gathering these testimonies to prepare a defense strategy, while also discussing media efforts to highlight how upcoming Ervin Committee hearings might jeopardize ongoing legal trials. Finally, the President and Ronald Ziegler discussed countering allegations regarding a past political opponent's medical history, with Nixon demanding that negative information about the source of these rumors be leaked to the press to discredit the accuser.
President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to strategically leak information regarding the Daniel Ellsberg break-in to allies such as Hugh Scott and Strom Thurmond. The President emphasizes the necessity of releasing this information to shift the political narrative and intimidate his critics. He instructs Ziegler to characterize the forthcoming disclosure as part of a planned presidential action to ensure the material receives public and congressional attention.
President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler discussed media strategy and public relations, focusing on methods to counter unfavorable Watergate coverage, specifically regarding John Dean's upcoming testimony and immunity. They reviewed the importance of cultivating support among key congressional allies and influential columnists to defend the administration's record. Furthermore, the two explored ways to highlight the President's foreign policy achievements, particularly regarding Vietnam, to shift public focus away from the ongoing domestic scandals.
President Nixon met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. for a brief discussion regarding the White House's ongoing public relations strategy concerning the Watergate scandal. The two conferred on administrative messaging and the potential involvement of Ronald L. Ziegler in addressing queries from the Ervin Committee and television networks. The conversation resulted in a minor directive to refine a prepared statement by removing a concluding sentence.