recognizing China

"We can drive a stake through the heart of the communist alliance," says President Nixon in the film, Nixon.

His aides are having dinner with him and the conversation is about Vietnam (May 1970 right after Kent State) -- the Pres. says "If we hang tough we'll win this thing!"

Ron Ziegler asks, "You mean win Vietnam, sir?"

The President says No, but if we continue our effort there long enough to give the South Vietnamese a fighting chance, we can drive a stake through the heart of the communist alliance.  Henry's [Kissinger] getting strong signals from the Chinese....

A couple remarks later one of them -- Ehrlichman, maybe -- sort of does a double-take and says incredulously, "Excuse me sir, are you seriously thinking of recognizing Red China?"

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In that scene, there's little grasp, among the President's highest placed aides, of the Big Picture the President's been working on...probably planning since before 1968....
This is not because the aides -- Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Ziegler, John Mitchell, etc. -- aren't smart and up-to-date on things, but because the Concept Nixon's been working on is probably strictly inside his own head, and that's it, with the exception of Henry Kissinger. 

The concept of opening talks with "Red China" and recognizing that country would have been way too sensitive -- you couldn't have it "leak" too early and then get bashed to bits in the press and Congress...(have what get bashed to bits, the concept, or the president? -- Both!...)

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There's another scene where the Recognize-China idea is floated around, the wonderful "Spooky Poem" scene in the CIA director's office -- and there's a similar dynamic where the President is simply miles ahead of his audience in "Thinking Big"...

The CIA director (portrayed by Sam Waterston) has his thinking all bogged down in entrenched Cold War attitudes and rhetoric.  He's not thinking in a proactive way, he's mired in "reactive" thinking. ... He's, like, still mad about Castro taking over in Cuba. ...

The President says, "I try to adjust to the world as it is today, not the way you or I wanted it to be, 10 years ago."

Waterston (Richard Helms), at the mention of opening relations with PCR (people's republic of china) gets real terse and bossy with the Pres. and says Terrible consequences can  result from such [teeth gritted, eyes intense, neck-lines sticking out] Enormous.  Errors.  Of-Judgment!!"

Nixon, unimpressed and unwavering from his Goal, based on the Big Picture, plows right ahead without even a "Cool your jets, fella" -- saying,

"If we can separate China from Russia and negotiate separately, ...we can secure the peace into the next century."

Helms (his tone dripping with bitter sarcasm) "And give Cuba to Russia as a consolation prize??!"  (glare)...

Now, Mr. Helms is not a dumb guy, he's a smart guy, but in this scene you see where a person of high competence and intelligence can make a mistake due to being stuck in reactive thinking -- he isn't stepping back, he isn't looking at what's really important, he's lost perspective.  He's trapped in
"I don't like communists!"
"I don't like Castro!"
Well, none of us enjoys any of those people, either, Mr. Helms, but listen to your president -- and "Listen" does not mean plotting the thing you're gonna say next....

"Secure the peace into the next century."
And that was about 1970 or '71, so when Nixon says "the next century," he is looking ahead some-35-years....and what he's trying to "secure" us against is nuclear war which could destroy all mankind and the planet.

Now, that's Looking At The Big Picture.
That's a worthy goal.
"Secure the peace into the next century" is something which, in that era, we did not think we could count on any  of our leaders to be able to do, because what could they do about the communist giants, U.S.S.R and China??

"Secure the peace into the next century"
was the epitome of a Worthy Goal,
it was the Ultimate Goal, and
a majestic phrase, to boot.

And Mr. Helms responds by falling back on the familiar whining / bitching about Castro / Cuba / Soviets.
(This is your response??!  Whatsamatterwithyou???!!!)

And the President says, "Cuba would be a small price to pay...."

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