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Conversation 134-010

TapeTape 134StartSaturday, June 24, 1972 at 2:29 PMEndSaturday, June 24, 1972 at 2:45 PMTape start time00:32:38Tape end time00:32:45ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Camp David OperatorRecording deviceCamp David Study Table
AI Summary

President Nixon contacted Herbert Stein via the Camp David operator to relay instructions regarding Arthur Burns’s upcoming trip to Argentina. Nixon expressed skepticism toward the existing ban on Argentine beef imports, which is officially justified by concerns over foot-and-mouth disease, but feared domestic political backlash if Burns prematurely promised a policy change. Stein was directed to verify the trade constraints with Earl Butz and ensure that Burns was briefed on the sensitivity of the issue before meeting with Argentine officials.

International TradeArgentinaArthur BurnsBeef ImportsAgricultural PolicyFoot-and-mouth disease
AudioNARA Description

On June 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 2:29 pm and 2:45 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 134-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 134-10

Date: June 24, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:29 and 2:45 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table (telephone)

The President talked with Camp David operator.

[See also Conversation No. 194-14A]

     Request for a call to Herbert Stein
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Hello?
Yes, please.
Mr. Stein, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. Stein is up.
Yeah.
Hello?
Herb, I wondered if you would pass one thing to Burns before he gets to Argentina.
Yeah.
He raised the point about Argentine beef coming in, and I said, sure, that's great.
I may explore it with him because we were going to record it so far.
The fact of the matter is that then Mutt says the reason it doesn't come in is because it has open mouth disease.
Well, of course, I'm inclined to think there's a lot of phoniness in that.
The British take it and, you know, in the French, everybody eats Argentine beef except us.
But that apparently is a very, very...
tough issue over there.
So what I'd like, I just want to be sure that Burns, when he goes down there, is aware of the problem and doesn't tell the Argentine government, look, we're going to start taking your beef, and then all hell will break loose here.
So if you would do a little check with Butts, and then you just cable Arthur someplace, or talk to him on the phone and pass the word.
Would you do that, please?
Yes, sir.
Good.
Okay.
Thank you.
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