Remarks to Reporters Following a Visit With Former President Nixon at Long Beach, California

I spent approximately 8 minutes with the President. Obviously he is a very, very sick man, but I think he is coming along very, very well.

He was very interested in some discussions that I had with him concerning my prospective trip to Japan and to South Korea and to the Soviet Union. I gave him a quick rundown on Dr. Kissinger's trips to the Soviet Union, to India, to pakistan, and the last message I had was to Afghanistan, as he continues this trip.

The President was very alert. He was very interested, but it was very obvious to me that he had been very, very ill. But he showed a great deal of strength mentally and, I think, physically in meeting this very serious challenge.

I told him that I had talked this morning to my wife before I came here and indicated to him that she had asked me, as I told him, that all of our family were praying for his full and complete recovery.

Thank you very much.