Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 233
Nixon White House Tape 233 (December 6, 1972)
23 conversations · Camp David Hard Wire · about 3 hr 33 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Sanchez, Haldeman, Cernan, Evans
President Nixon met with the crew of Apollo 17—Eugene Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt—to offer his best wishes and support prior to their upcoming lunar mission. The conversation focused on the significance of the final moon landing, the inclusion of civilian scientist Harrison Schmitt, and the crew's operational roles. Amidst the well-wishes, Nixon briefly noted the difficulty of the ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations, expressing his commitment to achieving a lasting settlement.
President Nixon dictates a memorandum regarding urgent Vietnam negotiations and the necessity of escalating military action. He references key advice from Henry Kissinger and John Connally, emphasizing the need for a firm stance following the administration's recent success in the 1972 election. The President uses this time to formalize his strategic directives and reflections on the ongoing peace process.
President Nixon uses this brief session to dictate notes and reflections while residing at Camp David. The primary focus involves the President recording his thoughts and administrative updates for later transcription. No specific policy decisions are reached, as the segment serves as a personal logging of presidential activities.
President Nixon initiates a communication request while staying at the Aspen Lodge at Camp David. The President directs the Camp David operator to establish a telephone connection with his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. This brief administrative interaction serves solely to facilitate a private consultation between the President and a key advisor.
President Nixon dictated a series of memoranda while at Camp David, continuing his administrative workflow during a period of transition. The recording captures the President documenting specific instructions and scheduling details as part of his official record-keeping process. These dictations served to formalize presidential directives and manage the executive agenda during the final weeks of 1972.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the political implications of addressing the nation regarding the status of ongoing peace negotiations in Vietnam. Nixon expresses caution about the potential for a televised address to escalate domestic war protests and unnecessarily revive the influence of the anti-war opposition. Ultimately, the two weigh the merits of signaling strength through decisive action versus the risk of political fallout from prematurely rallying the public.
President Nixon consulted with Charles Colson regarding ongoing legal strategy and public messaging tactics concerning a judge. The conversation focused on interpreting specific points raised during judicial proceedings to influence the narrative surrounding the administration's legal challenges. The exchange served to coordinate legal arguments and political posturing in response to the judge's inquiries.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, at the Aspen Lodge study to review and coordinate the President's upcoming daily schedule. The primary focus of the brief discussion was the logistics regarding a pending meeting with H. R. Haldeman. No further substantive policy issues were addressed during this administrative check-in.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, at the Aspen Lodge in Camp David to conduct administrative tasks. During this brief interaction, Sanchez requested the President's formal authorization to file certain documents. Nixon granted the permission, resulting in the successful processing of the materials.
In this meeting at Camp David, President Nixon consulted with H. R. Haldeman and Ronald Ziegler regarding a wide-ranging agenda for his second term, including the status of Vietnam peace negotiations, the reorganization of executive branch personnel, and the planning for the 1973 Inauguration. Nixon emphasized the necessity of ensuring loyalty within federal agencies and directed the creation of a '1,000 days' schedule to maintain urgency throughout his second term. The group discussed public relations strategies, specifically regarding the handling of potential setbacks in the ongoing Paris peace talks, and finalized logistical details for inaugural events like the 'Spirit of '76' theme.
President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to inquire about the whereabouts of his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower. The brief interaction served as a personal request to locate a family member during the President's stay at the Aspen Lodge. No substantive policy or administrative decisions were made during this exchange.
President Nixon speaks with the Camp David operator to coordinate personal communications while stationed at Aspen Lodge. The brief exchange focuses on scheduling a call to his daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, which the President requests for the following day. No substantive policy matters or administrative decisions are addressed during this interaction.
President Nixon and his daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, engage in a brief, informal check-in at Camp David to discuss personal and logistical matters. The conversation centers on congratulating Tricia’s husband, Edward Cox, for passing the bar exam and coordinating preliminary details regarding the upcoming second presidential inauguration. Nixon also provides brief instructions regarding lighting procedures for official photography sessions.
President Nixon initiates a brief communication with the Camp David operator from the Aspen Lodge study. The interaction serves to facilitate necessary telecommunications support for the President while he is in residence at the retreat. No substantive policy matters or major developments are recorded during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the management of First Lady Pat Nixon's schedule and her communication with personal secretary Rose Mary Woods regarding upcoming public appearances and rallies. Nixon expresses concern that his wife lacks sufficient information about scheduled events, specifically a planned Sunday church service, and requests that staff ensure she is better informed. The conversation concludes with the President dismissing the technical quality of the recording equipment as the two coordinate these logistical administrative details.
President Nixon directed the Camp David operator to confirm the current whereabouts of Secretary of Defense David Packard and Secretary of State William Rogers. He specifically requested that the operator verify their attendance at a NATO meeting through the National Security Council staff. The President explicitly noted that he did not intend to speak with either official, seeking only to track their locations.
President Nixon consulted with a Camp David operator to verify the familial relationship between two unidentified individuals. This brief inquiry centered on clarifying the status of the pair, specifically whether they were brothers. The interaction concluded after the President received confirmation regarding their sibling status.
President Nixon held a brief administrative interaction with the Camp David operator while stationed at the Aspen Lodge. The conversation involved basic communication logistics, though the lack of an available transcript precludes a detailed analysis of specific policy discussions. This exchange served primarily to facilitate the President's connectivity from the retreat.
President Nixon and Gerald Ford met to coordinate staffing and leadership changes within the Republican Party and the administration. The conversation centered on the planned appointment of George H.W. Bush as Republican National Committee chairman and the strategic necessity of balancing party leadership across various geographic and ideological lines. They also discussed administrative personnel changes, specifically the appointment of John Volpe as Ambassador to Italy and the vetting challenges associated with potential high-level appointments.
President Nixon initiates a brief communication through the Camp David operator to establish a connection with Colonel Kennedy. This administrative exchange serves the primary purpose of facilitating a specific phone call for the President. No further policy discussions or substantive developments occur during this brief interaction.
President Nixon met with Col. Richard T. Kennedy to discuss the ongoing, frustrating Vietnam peace negotiations and Henry Kissinger's impulse to break off talks in favor of a hard-line military response. Nixon argued against this dramatic approach, reasoning that escalating bombing campaigns to secure the return of prisoners would be politically untenable with Congress and the public over a long timeframe. Instead, the President directed that negotiators should continue the dialogue, seek the best possible agreement, and avoid issuing ultimatums that would force a premature collapse of the peace process.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, at Camp David to discuss logistical arrangements for the evening. The conversation focused primarily on finalizing the schedule for dinner. No further significant policy or administrative developments were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon consulted with the Camp David operator to facilitate a new telephonic connection. The brief exchange focused on administrative logistics regarding the routing of an upcoming call from the Aspen Lodge. No substantive policy or political discussions took place during this short administrative interaction.