Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on White House press corps
16 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Ziegler, Bull, Nixon
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to issue an immediate directive regarding the White House press corps. The President ordered Bull to bring the press into the Oval Office without delay. This brief, one-minute interaction served as a logistical instruction to facilitate an unscheduled or urgent media engagement.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to review the President’s upcoming schedule and address concerns regarding interactions with the press corps. The brief discussion served to coordinate logistics for managing media access during this period. No major policy decisions were reached, as the conversation focused primarily on administrative scheduling.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discussed media management strategies concerning upcoming interviews and relations with the White House press corps. Nixon expressed hostility toward female journalists, specifically the National Women's Press Corps, while emphasizing strict control over how his interviews—including a high-profile segment with Barbara Walters—were edited and broadcast. To prevent journalists from taking statements out of context, Nixon mandated that the Walters interview be aired in its entirety on NBC's 'Today' show rather than as fragmented promotional excerpts.
President Nixon, Ronald Ziegler, Pat Nixon, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower discuss the immediate press and public reaction to the President's televised address on Southeast Asia. Ziegler reports that the briefing conducted by Henry Kissinger was well-received, noting that the press appeared silenced and impressed by the President's consistency and the speech's emotional conclusion. Nixon emphasizes the importance of standing firm in his policy decisions and ensuring the defense of American servicemen remains a central theme.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discuss the media's television coverage of the President's certification of the 26th Amendment. Nixon expresses frustration, alleging that major networks deliberately excluded the event's enthusiastic atmosphere and the youth participants' performance. The President instructs Ziegler to confront specific network correspondents, including Robert Pierpoint and Herbert Kaplow, to criticize their editorial choices and demand better representation of the event's spirit.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to coordinate the logistics for an upcoming swearing-in ceremony involving Ezra Solomon and Judge Charles R. Richey. The discussion focused on managing press presence within the Oval Office, specifically ensuring photographers would depart immediately following the oath. They also addressed administrative details regarding necessary supplies, including Bibles for the ceremony and the participation of Frank C. Carlucci, III.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler met to coordinate logistics for an upcoming televised Q&A session at the Detroit Economic Club, emphasizing the need to minimize distracting camera equipment and balance audience seating. The two also discussed strategies for framing economic and legislative topics, including tax reform and the Consumer Price Index, while reviewing the current state of White House press corps relations. Additionally, they touched upon planning a retirement reception for longtime wire service reporter Douglas B. Cornell and addressed potential responses to military developments in Vietnam.
President Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. briefly discussed the activities and awareness of the White House press corps. Haig confirmed to the President that the press was actively tracking his ongoing actions. The brief exchange served to acknowledge current media scrutiny and maintain situational awareness regarding public perception.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate logistical details regarding the President’s upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on managing press attendance for a forthcoming meeting, specifically involving Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The brief exchange served as a preparatory check to ensure proper media oversight for the event.
President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler discussed the media fallout and criticism surrounding the selection process for reporters invited to cover upcoming administration events. Ziegler defended the administration's criteria for media selection against claims of regional bias, specifically addressing concerns from Texas figures like John Connally. They also reviewed public relations strategy, including how Ziegler successfully rebutted accusations that the selection process prioritized television coverage for spectacle.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate the sequence of questioning for an upcoming press conference. They finalize a strategy to prioritize the wire services, specifically directing that Frank Cormier of the Associated Press and the representative from United Press International be called upon first and second, respectively. Ziegler is tasked with relaying this order to the reporters and notifying the President of any necessary adjustments prior to the event.
President Nixon directs Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to conduct a survey of the White House press corps regarding whether their children attend Washington, D.C. public schools. Nixon aims to use the resulting data—whether presented as raw numbers or percentages—to challenge reporters who are critical of the local school system. He instructs Ziegler to assign staff to personally call members of the press to gather this information, establishing a deadline for the report by the following Wednesday.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler consulted on media coverage regarding Vietnam, confirming that wire stories and press reports were trending favorably. They discussed the impact of Nixon’s recent public statements on the White House press corps, noting that the administration had successfully unsettled critics. Ziegler confirmed that the President’s upcoming speech would be prominently featured in the 3:00 p.m. news cycle.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss public messaging strategies regarding the school enrollment choices of White House correspondents. They deliberate on how to frame survey data to minimize controversy, while also addressing scheduling conflicts related to a funeral. Ultimately, the President decides to abandon a specific plan of action to avoid potential political friction.
President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler discussed media treatment of the Nixon family, specifically criticizing a radio correspondents' dinner and a television appearance by Julie Nixon Eisenhower on the Phil Donahue show. Nixon expressed deep frustration with the press, mandating that Ziegler confront the responsible parties and effectively ending the President’s future attendance at social functions with the media corps. Additionally, they reviewed the Watergate investigation, focusing on John W. Dean’s recent invocation of the Fifth Amendment and developing a strategy to publicly discredit Dean’s anticipated testimony by highlighting his inconsistent accounts and potential legal liability.
President Nixon calls his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to personally inform her of his diagnosis of viral pneumonia and his impending week-long hospitalization at Bethesda. The two discuss his frustration regarding forced rest and the President's instructions to Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler concerning the public announcement of his condition. Nixon expresses cynical amusement at the prospect of the White House press corps applauding the news of his illness.