Ryan Burke - President Calling

For the “President’s Calling”, I chose to listen to Richard M. Nixon’s phone conversation about “Bombing for Peace.”  This specific phone conversation was between President Nixon and United States Defense Secretary Melvin Laird.  The call was made after a speech was given by Nixon in May of 1972 about his recent decision in which he called for Hanoi and Haiphong Harbors to be mined.  In his phone call with Laird, Nixon sounds very determined and ready to take intense military action sooner rather than later.  Nixon is attempting to get Laird to be more aggressive and specific in his ordering of attacks.  Meanwhile, while Nixon is going off on a little rant, Laird just stays quiet and just says “yes” after every command given by Nixon.