[Common Tator]

Richard Nixon was a loner. He always tried to deal with people through a third trusted person. Nixon did not like one on one situations. Nixon had a handful of trusted people and he dealt with everyone else through them.

Henry Kissenger was Nixon's foreign policy negotiator. He was not nixon's council. He was Nixon's negotiator. Henry would say what Nixon told him to say to whom Nixon told him to say it. Henry would get the response and take that back to Nixon.

Henry's total authority was limited to "I'll ask Nixon and get back with you."

The media, believing that Nixon like all Republican presidents was a dunce, invented the story that Henry was in charge and only occasionaly reported to Nixon. That was just not true.

Even Jerry Ford ordered Kissenger around.

Kissenger got this current job because he does what he is told, is loyal, and keeps his mouth shut.

[Torie]

Yep, your take on who was the wizard behind the curtain is correct IMO. Nixon considered HIMSELF to be the pro on foreign policy (the China card play was all Nixon's, as was how to extract the US from the Vietnam tarbaby), and while Kissinger did his PR thing to make it seem otherwise, it was all jive. Still, Kissinger did his job competently, and served his nation well.