← 003-109003-111 →

Conversation 003-110

TapeTape 3StartFriday, May 21, 1971 at 12:45 PMEndFriday, May 21, 1971 at 12:50 PMTape start time02:08:13Tape end time02:13:18ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the media's coverage of the ongoing Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), specifically focusing on how major outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post were portraying the negotiations. Nixon expressed frustration with the press's characterization of the potential agreement, viewing their critical stance as an attempt to protect their past editorial positions. Ultimately, they agreed that Kissinger should maintain a positive, firm narrative during upcoming press briefings, emphasizing the importance of a simultaneous approach to both offensive and defensive weapons.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)Press relationsMedia biasArms controlForeign policy
AudioNARA Description

On May 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 12:45 pm to 12:50 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-110 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 3-110

Date: May 21, 1971
Time: 12:45 pm - 12:50 pm
Location: White House Telephone
                                                61

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
           -Kissinger's briefings
           -John A. Scali's statement
                 -Los Angeles Times
           -Washington Post
           -New York Times                                           Conv. No. 3-110 (cont.)
                 -Headline on antiballistic missiles [ABMs]
                 -Kissinger's forthcoming meeting with Max Frankel
                 -Coverage
                 -Scali
           -President's opponents
                 -Senators, press
           -Press coverage
                 -Washington Post
                 -Effect on negotiations
                 -Los Angeles Times
                 -New York Times
                       -ABMs
                       -Defensive and offensive weapons
                 -Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun
                 -New York Times
           -Possible Agreement
           -Scali
           -Kissinger's work
           -Television coverage
                 -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
                 -Scali's work
                       -John F. Kennedy [?]
                 -Effect on Vietnam coverage

     Vietnam
          -Casualties
               -Press coverage
                      -Charles W. Colson's office

     SALT
         -Kissinger's forthcoming briefings
              -Time, Newsweek
              -Tone
                                             62

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello.
Hello.
Henry?
Yeah.
How are you getting along on your briefings?
Have you seen any more people?
I have, but I've seen people all afternoon.
Right.
But I don't know whether you've been to those actual times.
No, no.
John Scali was in it.
He expressed, in my own feeling, he said, John said there is some thought, maybe on your part, that we haven't had a good rest.
He thinks it's the most spectacular thing to see.
Well, I think, what I really think...
turn to the press is basically the Post and the Times.
Like the Times headline, if you read it, it says, U.S. and Soviet distress ABMs.
Well, you know, now that's a deliberate shaft.
It's a shaft, and it's just totally incorrect.
And somebody ought to take him on on that.
Don't you think?
Yeah.
Is he coming in?
Well, I would lay it in.
I'd say that's totally incorrect, deliberately so.
And it really is.
And, of course, they didn't give it the play that they should have either.
I mean, this kind of a thing would have been an eight-column banner if the other, you know what I mean?
They're dying, Henry.
That's their problem.
That is their problem.
And Scali has got to realize it, too.
Whatever we got is not really what it's worth.
I'm not disappointed.
That's what I expected.
But I would say that, unexpected, I think we've done an excellent job considering what the opposition is.
But, you know, really, you figure, these senators are out on a limb.
The newspapers are out on a limb.
The Post and the rest have been saying all those things.
So what the hell do you expect them to do?
They're going to try their best to protect their position, and they're petrified with the thought that maybe we're going to get an agreement.
But it has a certain advantage in that in the long term, that it is overplayed.
Sure.
Oh, that's true.
It makes the negotiations easier.
True, true.
Oh, I'm not... And still, it's a big, you know, the Nationalist Times has a big headline.
Sure.
It's front page everywhere.
Sure.
Oh, it would be.
Well, good God, it ought to be front page, but...
What I meant is that I said the New York Times was playing its usual game, just straight out to stress ABMs.
They missed the point.
That isn't what it says.
I mean, the significance is not to stress it.
It's to stress both.
Exactly.
And I think most of the others got that, but it's defensive and offensive.
That's good.
Now that's the way to get it across.
Sure, sure.
So we've got these special problem children here for a few times.
Sure, sure, sure.
And as a matter of fact, they're not nitpicking too much on you, because there's going to be a deal made here.
You and I both know it.
And Galley is going over to the Fed stuff, and that's it.
Yeah, for sure.
So I think that... No, I think we're... No, I think...
Listen, I don't think you could have handled it better.
It's all out there.
And of course, we want to realize we've got a hell of a television...
Walloponk, they hit them.
Was it the 8th minute of the network?
Yeah, the 8th.
And apparently they, uh, it's, uh, Severide and the others, uh...
Very good, and John Sullivan.
And, uh, Galley may not know a foot in the politics, but he, he feels this was a tremendous, uh, play.
Maybe not as much as... Oh, no, it was fine.
It was good, maybe not as much as Kennedy, but it's, uh, uh...
It was fine.
It's, uh, it's got them on their heels for a little while.
It's just the normal days.
Did they run the low casualties in their story?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
But I think it's fine.
You're just doing just the right thing.
We'll play it.
We'll play it right on out.
But I'll be seeing time and music this afternoon.
Good.
And play it very, I think the idea of playing everything just very positively.
We're going to work for agreement.
I'm sure it's hard, but we expect to get one.
It's for offensive and defensive.
It's simultaneous.
Period.
That's all.
And have a little fun with them.
Okay, Henry.
Thank you.
← 003-109003-111 →