Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 152
Nixon White House Tape 152 (October 30, 1972)
9 conversations · Camp David Study Table · about 20 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Brennan, Milne, Tower, Kissinger
John V. Brennan coordinated with logistical staff to prepare a telephonic connection for President Nixon to address a reception honoring Senator John G. Tower. The participants confirmed the technical readiness of the 'Super Q' line to ensure high audio quality for the call. They finalized the arrangement to initiate the connection to the event upon receiving further notification, with the Senator having already notified attendees of the impending call.
John V. Brennan, Dan Milne, and other operators coordinated the logistical arrangements for a scheduled telephone call between President Nixon and Senator John G. Tower. The participants managed the technical setup, including securing the phone line and preparing to switch the signal to a public address system for a reception. The call was successfully established and connected to the presidential extension, ensuring the President could communicate with the Senator.
President Nixon, John V. Brennan, and the Camp David operator coordinated technical arrangements to facilitate a private phone call between the President and Senator John G. Tower. The participants discussed the feasibility of monitoring or patching into the call, ultimately confirming that the requested line access was not technically possible. No substantive policy matters were addressed, as the brief exchange focused solely on the logistics of the connection.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger. This brief interaction served as a logistical bridge to initiate high-level diplomatic or administrative deliberations. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this exchange, as its sole purpose was to establish communication with Kissinger.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the pending delivery of a message from North Vietnam and the administration's strategic response regarding the ongoing peace negotiations. Nixon emphasized his commitment to securing a lasting, satisfactory agreement over a rushed one and planned to articulate this position in a forthcoming Chicago speech. The two also coordinated political strategy, directing Vice President Spiro Agnew to criticize George McGovern's proposal to end aid to South Vietnam while deciding to delay any public statements from Secretary of State William Rogers until the content of the North Vietnamese message was confirmed.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to request an outgoing call to his Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman. This brief administrative interaction served as a logistical step to facilitate direct communication with his top aide. No further policy or strategic matters were discussed during this request.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed managing the messaging surrounding pending Vietnam peace negotiations while awaiting a crucial communication from North Vietnam. They decided to prevent Secretary of State William P. Rogers from making public statements until the message was received to avoid premature speculation. Conversely, they authorized Vice President Spiro Agnew to aggressively attack Senator George McGovern's position on aid to South Vietnam to maintain political pressure. Ultimately, the President emphasized the need for poise and restraint to project stability despite domestic distractions like the Watergate scandal.
President Nixon instructed the Camp David operator to re-attempt a failed phone call to Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. If the Mayor remained unreachable, the President directed the operator to locate and connect him with Colonel Jack Reilly instead. The conversation served as an administrative directive to ensure the President maintained a channel of communication with his contacts in Chicago.
President Richard Nixon called Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley to express his personal condolences following a fatal commuter train accident in Chicago. During the discussion, Nixon informed the Mayor of his decision to cancel an upcoming trip to the city to avoid appearing insensitive, a move supported by the cancellation of a local parade. The two leaders briefly discussed the rescue efforts, with Nixon offering the assistance of Secretary of Transportation John Volpe to investigate the cause of the tragedy.