Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 200
Nixon White House Tape 200 (August 9, 1972 – August 10, 1972)
24 conversations · Camp David Hard Wire · about 31 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Ehrlichman, Colson, Haldeman, Sanchez
President Richard M. Nixon utilized his time at the Aspen Lodge in Camp David to dictate a formal memorandum. This session, recorded via the Camp David Hard Wire system, served as an opportunity for the President to consolidate his thoughts and record official directives independently. The primary output of the meeting was the creation of this written record, the specific contents of which remain restricted.
President Nixon initiates a brief communication with the Camp David operator to request assistance with an outgoing telephone call. The exchange serves as a routine administrative request to facilitate the President's personal or official telephonic outreach from the Aspen Lodge. No substantive policy discussions or significant political decisions occurred during this brief interaction.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the political weaponization of the Internal Revenue Service against Democratic opponents. Nixon directs Colson to intensify pressure on the IRS to aggressively target their political rivals. This exchange highlights the administration's ongoing efforts to use federal agencies as instruments of political retaliation.
President Nixon met with an unknown individual at the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David for the delivery of an unspecified item. Due to the lack of audio content and documentation beyond the record of the delivery, the nature of the object remains unidentified. The meeting concluded when the individual departed the premises prior to the following morning.
President Nixon utilized this session at Camp David to dictate a memorandum regarding administrative procedures for handling file copies. He specifically directed staff to ensure that victory messages are returned to him alongside his personal copies. This effort aimed to formalize internal documentation standards for executive correspondence.
President Nixon dictates a memorandum outlining an urgent political strategy to leverage an IRS investigation against Democratic National Committee Chairman Lawrence F. O'Brien. Nixon directs his staff to pressure the IRS to move immediately on auditing O'Brien's financial dealings with the Howard Hughes Tool Company and his campaign-related payments. The President emphasizes that swift, aggressive action is essential to create a pre-election political liability and prevent the move from being dismissed as a late-campaign smear.
President Nixon dictates a memorandum for John D. Ehrlichman regarding the strategic investigation of top Democratic officials. The conversation focuses on gathering damaging information on political opponents and emphasizes the need for rapid follow-up on these inquiries within a 24-hour window. Nixon asserts personal control over the flow of this intelligence and demands that he be kept apprised of all developments regarding these investigations.
President Nixon dictates a series of directives to John Ehrlichman regarding post-election media strategy, administrative initiatives, and campaign platform messaging. Key action items include investigating television broadcast licenses held by Katharine Graham's Washington Post, establishing a commission on women's issues to be announced post-convention, and balancing labor platform language concerning U.S.-owned plants in Mexico. Nixon also instructs Ehrlichman to coordinate with Melvin Laird on a speech regarding the F-14 aircraft to address its performance issues.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed strategies to bolster the administration's outreach to Polish-American groups, specifically leveraging Secretary of State William P. Rogers's credibility with this demographic. Nixon directed that Rogers coordinate a meeting with John Cardinal Krol, involving Assistant Secretary for Europe Walter J. Stoessel, Jr., to foster positive relations. The President also emphasized that these efforts should be publicized through the Polish press and college media to maximize political impact, tasking Haldeman with coordinating the plan with Charles Colson.
President Nixon directed John Ehrlichman to develop a strategy for addressing rising food prices and automobile industry labor practices. Concerned that food inflation could erode Republican support in the Midwest and Texas, Nixon proposed meeting with industry leaders to threaten a price freeze unless consumer costs were lowered. Additionally, the President discussed pressuring auto manufacturers to increase hiring in light of their strong sales and profits, tasking Ehrlichman and other advisors with formulating a formal recommendation on these economic interventions.
President Nixon dictates a memorandum to John D. Ehrlichman regarding the strategic management of the upcoming Republican National Convention. Nixon expresses concern over potential disruption by liberal Senate figures like Edward Brooke and Charles Percy and instructs Ehrlichman to coordinate with convention planners to ensure conservative interests are balanced. Specifically, the President calls for high-profile television segments featuring Barry Goldwater to solidify conservative support and counterbalance liberal factions on the convention floor.
President Nixon met with Charles W. Colson at Camp David to dictate a memorandum for follow-up action. While the specific contents of the discussion were withdrawn for security or personal reasons, the meeting served as a direct tasking session between the President and his special counsel. The primary objective was the transmission of administrative or political directives recorded via the Hard Wire system.
President Richard M. Nixon utilized this session at the Aspen Lodge to dictate a formal memorandum. The recording captures the President's private administrative work, though the specific subject matter of the dictated document remains unavailable due to the withdrawal of the material. Consequently, no specific policy developments or outcomes can be determined from this brief, restricted entry.
President Nixon met with Charles Colson and H. R. Haldeman at Camp David to dictate a memorandum outlining specific strategic directives. The participants focused on administrative priorities and internal management tasks, though the specific substance remains classified due to withdrawn material. No further actions or developments were recorded as the session centered on the formalization of these presidential instructions.
President Richard M. Nixon utilized his time at the Aspen Lodge at Camp David to dictate a formal memorandum. While the specific content remains largely restricted due to the withdrawal of personal materials, the recording captures the President engaged in administrative work and official documentation. The session reflects Nixon's practice of utilizing private, secure environments for high-level executive drafting.
President Nixon consulted with a Camp David operator to facilitate a telephone connection. The brief exchange focused exclusively on establishing the communication link required for the President to conduct official business. No substantive policy discussions or significant administrative decisions were recorded during this interaction.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman discuss the political implications of a railroad industry issue, weighing the risks of appearing to favor big business versus the necessity of protecting jobs. The conversation shifts to a leaked report regarding Secretary Elliot Richardson's alleged opposition to a land giveaway, prompting the President to express frustration over the inaccuracy of the leak. Nixon ultimately grants Ehrlichman the latitude to manage these legislative and public relations concerns while seeking to understand the source of the misinformation.
President Nixon utilized the recording system at Camp David to dictate a memorandum for the official record. The session primarily functioned as a private administrative tool for the President to formalize thoughts or directives. Although the specific content of this dictation remains restricted, it serves as a primary source for identifying Nixon's internal communications and priorities during the summer of 1972.
President Nixon held a private meeting with an unidentified individual at the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David. Given the lack of a transcript or descriptive records, the specific subject matter and any resulting decisions remain unknown to historians. This interaction stands as a classified exchange within the Camp David Hard Wire taping system, providing no discernable insight into administration policy or strategic developments.
President Richard Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, while staying at the Camp David presidential retreat. The recording consists entirely of a withdrawn personal segment, resulting in no substantial discussion or administrative action being captured for the historical record. Consequently, the meeting remains a private interaction without policy implications.
President Richard M. Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, at the Aspen Lodge study during a stay at Camp David. The conversation was brief and is noted primarily for containing a withdrawn segment involving personal materials. No significant policy or political discussions were recorded during this interaction.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, at Camp David to coordinate logistics for the President's upcoming departure from the retreat. The discussion focused on finalizing the travel schedule and managing administrative tasks involving Rose Mary Woods and Marjorie P. Acker. The meeting concluded with the confirmation of a 4:15 departure time.
President Nixon consulted with the Camp David operator regarding the status or retrieval of specific telecommunications or recording materials. The brief exchange focused on administrative technicalities related to the President's ongoing communications from the Aspen Lodge. No substantive policy decisions were reached during this short logistical interaction.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman discuss the drafting of a speech centered on the importance of neighborhood schools and opposition to forced busing. Nixon advocates for a subtle, personal tone that frames neighborhood schools as vital community hubs while acknowledging differing opinions on the issue. He suggests that advisor Ray Price draft the remarks to express this position without appearing overly aggressive, while ensuring the President's firm stance against busing remains unambiguous.