Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 102
Nixon White House Tape 102 (May 30, 1972 – June 13, 1972)
7 conversations · Cabinet Room · about 1 hr 32 min of released audio
Featuring Haig, Korologos, Cole, McCloskey, Brower
General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. convened a meeting with administration officials, including representatives from the State Department, Department of Defense, and the NSC, to establish strict coordination protocols for public communications following a potential arms limitation agreement in Moscow. Participants were instructed to centralize all public statements and congressional briefings through White House channels to ensure consistency and to minimize unauthorized commentary until the President returned. The group also discussed creating target lists of supporters and preparing rationale papers to manage public and legislative reception of the agreement once it was officially announced.
A White House tour group explored the Cabinet Room to observe its architecture, artwork, and operational facilities. The discussion focused on the room’s functional aspects, including its projection capabilities, lighting maintenance, fire safety systems, and the preservation of displayed artwork and crystal. This informal session served as an educational walkthrough for visitors regarding the daily management and physical maintenance of executive office spaces.
United States Secret Service agents convened in the Cabinet Room to discuss the drafting of an internal memorandum. The brief, redacted exchange centers on an agent's extensive effort to finalize the document after weeks of preparation. No further substantive details regarding the policy implications or final actions of the memo are discernible from the available record.
This recording captures an unidentified group of participants meeting in the White House Cabinet Room. Because the content of the conversation remains entirely withdrawn from the public record, no substantive details regarding the topics, decisions, or purpose of the gathering are available. Consequently, the historical significance of this segment cannot be determined from the existing documentation.
Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. met with unidentified individuals to discuss several administrative issues, including skepticism regarding a proposal for black employment initiatives under the Small Business Administration. The participants also addressed concerns over requests from Charles Colson’s office for data on the Tax Reform Act of 1969, fearing that releasing complex, misunderstood technical details would lead to damaging leaks in the Washington Post. Additionally, the conversation touched upon media relations, the coordination of press plans with John Ehrlichman, and strategies for managing Congressional interactions regarding environmental and policy issues.
White House staff members conducted preparations in the Cabinet Room for a scheduled 9:00 a.m. meeting with Republican Congressional leadership. The discussion focused on logistical arrangements, specifically identifying the President's official chair and ensuring the recording equipment would be deactivated prior to the arrival of the legislators. This brief exchange served as a preparatory briefing for the staff managing the physical space and protocol for the upcoming high-level session.
President Nixon met with Vice President Agnew and key Republican Congressional leaders to coordinate legislative strategy on critical administration priorities, specifically revenue sharing, the defense procurement bill, and Vietnam-related war powers resolutions. The discussion focused on overcoming Democratic resistance to the President’s revenue-sharing program and maintaining a firm legislative stance on maintaining military strength. Nixon emphasized that American foreign policy, including negotiations with the Soviet Union, remains contingent upon the credibility of U.S. defenses and a unified national commitment.