Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 352 › Conversation 352-002

Nixon & Rockefeller on Clark MacGregor and 1972 Presidential Campaign

Wednesday, July 26, 1972 · 4:49 PM–4:59 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 8 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rockefeller, Nelson A.Conversation352-002 on Tape 352StartWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 4:49 PMEndWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 4:59 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 352-002 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller discussed political strategy and the performance of campaign surrogate Clark MacGregor ahead of the 1972 election cycle. The conversation addressed the status of the President's legislative agenda, specifically welfare reform efforts involving Senator Russell B. Long, as well as political climates in key states. Additionally, the two touched upon the financial instability of the Grumman aircraft company and the potential for federal intervention via the Navy to prevent bankruptcy.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Hello?
I understand that you were very pleased with Clark McGregor, and I guess, well, right, right.
I was in with, let's see, oh, I think I was talking to, oh, but all people go and hang around the phone.
That's not a lot.
But tell me about climate.
That's what's important.
How do you do it?
Let me say, I haven't told you about that, but I was delighted to find that you were trying to accept that.
We think that will...
He really did.
That's great.
Great, great, great.
Yeah.
I know.
Sure.
Yeah.
case.
Paul works hard.
Anyway, that's what we're going to try.
Right?
They're always tough.
That's right.
Well, good to talk to you.
Yeah, go ahead.
About the aircraft?
Yeah, I talked about it.
What do you give?
Advice or something else?
Yeah.
for the Navy.

NARA Description

On July 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:49 pm to 4:59 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 352-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 352-2

Date: July 26, 1972
Time: 4:49 pm - 4:59 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Nelson A. Rockefeller.

[See Conversation No. 27-86; one item has been withdrawn]

     Clark MacGregor

     Opening of new satellite system, July 26, 1972
         -The President's conversation with Golda Meir

     MacGregor
        -Performance

John N. Mitchell
     -Speaking abilities
          -Comparison with MacGregor

Someone as spokesman
    -New York

The President’s schedule
     -Miami Convention
     -California
           -Possible forthcoming meeting with Rockefeller

Rockefeller’s schedule
    -Minnesota
          -Hubert H. Humphrey
    -Ohio
    -Pennsylvania
    -California
    -New York

MacGregor
   -Optimism
         -Compared to Rockefeller
   -Republicans in House, Senate
         -Negativism

Meetings with local and state officials
    -Attitudes

The President's programs
     -Welfare reform
          -Passage through Congress
     -Russell B. Long
          -Amendments to programs
     -Modifications

An aircraft [F-14]
     -Purchase through Navy
     -Defense Department
     -Grumman aircraft
            -Threat of bankruptcy
                 -Nassau County

Also recorded on July 26, 1972

  • 027-086 4:49 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 4:49 pm to 4:59 pm.
  • 027-087 4:59 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 4:59 pm to 5:00 pm.
  • 352-003 4:59 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:59 pm and 5:00 pm.
  • 027-088 5:00 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 5:00 pm to 5:01 pm.
  • 352-004 5:00 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:00 pm to 5:01 pm.
  • 027-089 5:01 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:01 pm and 5:10 pm.
  • 027-090 5:01 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:01 pm and 5:10 pm.
  • 352-005 5:01 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:01 pm and 5:10 pm.

All 81 conversations from July 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 352-002, July 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/352-002 (accessed October 11, 2026).