Nixon FOIA
Hooray for the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. This law compels the government to reveal a staggering range of material upon request, but you may need to keep nagging them for a few years. Take, for instance, a 1971 “telcon” between President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. Chinese Premier Zhou En-Lai had invited Nixon to send a secret emissary to China to make preparations for Nixon’s 1972 trip. Kissinger wants to be the envoy, but Nixon is seen toying with him, suggesting other people he might consider. An excerpt:
P: I had a couple of thoughts on this. One with regard to the [Vietnam negotiator Ambassador David K. E.] Bruce thing which seems to me may pose to them a difficult problem because of him [sic] being directly involved in the Vietnam negotiations. Secondly, let me think of whether there is something [sic] else — how about Nelson [Rockefeller]?
K: No.
P: Can’t do it, huh?
K: Mr. President, he wouldn’t be disciplined enough, although he is a possibility.
P: It would engulf him in a big deal and he is outside of the Government, you see.
K: Let me think about it, I might be able to hold him in check.
P: It is intriguing, don’t you think?
K: It is intriguing.
P: How about [future President George H. W.] Bush?
K: Absolutely not, he is too soft and not sophisticated enough.
P: I thought of that myself.
…
K: Bush would be too weak.
P: I thought so too but I was trying to think of somebody with a title.
One more:
K: The difference between them [the Chinese] and the Russians is that if you drop some loose change, when you go to pick it up the Russians will step on your fingers and the Chinese won’t.
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