331. Editorial Note
On December 12, 1968, President Johnson and President-elect Nixon met alone in the Oval Office from 5:35 to 7:25 p.m., their first meeting since November 11 (see footnote 3, Document 315) and the only occasion during November and December when they met alone. (Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary) No record of the discussion has been found. At 3:15 p.m. on December 12, Walt Rostow forwarded a briefing memorandum to the President under a covering note that stated:
“Herewith notes covering all the items you asked me to prepare, plus Pueblo, in this order: Vietnam; Paris; Arab-Israeli dispute; NPT; Pueblo. I have not put anything down on the Summit because I do not know where you came out last night with Sec. Rusk and what precisely you wish to say to Mr. Nixon today. I don’t know whether Nixon will be bringing with him any of his staff; but you may wish to talk alone with him about the Summit.” (Ibid., National Security File, Rostow Files, Nixon and Transition)
The President’s Daily Diary lists neither a meeting nor a telephone conversation between the President and Secretary of State Rusk the previous evening.
President-elect Nixon departed the White House at 7:42 p.m. on December 12. President Johnson telephoned him in New York City at 9:36 that evening. The conversation was not recorded and no other record of the conversation has been found. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary)