Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 245
Nixon White House Tape 245 (April 6, 1971)
19 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 2 hr 22 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Kissinger, Haldeman, Acker, Mansfield
President Richard Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met to discuss administration priorities and strategic planning. While the audio quality is significantly degraded due to tape malfunctions and background noise, the participants addressed legislative relations and the sequencing of administrative objectives. The conversation ended inconclusively with no formal decisions preserved on the record.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger to discuss White House strategy regarding the ongoing Vietnam War, Congressional relations, and the national economic recovery. Amidst frustration over a lack of support from mainstream establishment figures, the President directed his staff to replace moderate names with stronger, conservative allies on official lists and committees. The participants also reviewed positive indicators in the economy, specifically retail and automotive sector data, to assess the Administration's standing.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman convene for a brief morning discussion in the Old Executive Office Building. The conversation primarily focuses on managing an incoming telephone call and coordinating internal logistics regarding staff accessibility. No substantive policy decisions or major strategic developments are recorded in this brief exchange.
President Nixon initiates a request to the White House operator to be connected with Congressman Gerald Ford. The brief exchange serves as a logistical bridge to facilitate direct communication between the President and the House Minority Leader. No further substantive policy matters were recorded during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon and Representative Gerald Ford discuss strategy for managing sensitive legislative meetings, specifically seeking to limit attendance to key congressional leaders like Carl Albert to maintain confidentiality. Nixon expresses frustration with political criticism of the FBI and explores ways to bypass public disclosure concerns by restricting the group size for upcoming discussions. The conversation concludes with a plan for Ford to coordinate the meeting logistics while Nixon emphasizes his desire to share confidential insights without the risks associated with larger, record-heavy briefings.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger and subsequently Senator Mike Mansfield to refine the messaging and strategy for an upcoming major address regarding the Vietnam War. The discussion centered on balancing the public announcement of troop withdrawal plans with the need to maintain negotiating leverage against North Vietnam and manage domestic Congressional pressure. Nixon also reviewed geopolitical concerns, including the political situation in Chile under Salvador Allende and broader strategies for international arms control and the Middle East, while seeking to reassure Mansfield regarding the administration’s commitment to ending the conflict.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate a phone connection. The brief administrative exchange focused on reaching a specific individual, identified as the actress Margie Marjack. No further policy-related discussions or significant executive decisions were recorded during this brief communication.
President Nixon met with Marjorie P. Acker to discuss the status of a specific document she had been typing. Nixon emphasized the necessity of maintaining confidentiality regarding the material, instructing Acker not to distribute it to anyone else. The President concluded the meeting by stating he would personally review the document to determine its subsequent clearance and dissemination.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator regarding a reported fire on the premises. The brief exchange served to address an immediate emergency situation within the Old Executive Office Building. No further policy or administrative developments were recorded during this emergency notification.
President Nixon met with Marjorie P. Acker to provide specific editorial direction for a speech draft. He instructed Acker to revert to an earlier version of the text, explicitly identifying a problematic sentence that needed to be removed. Acker agreed to modify the draft for the commissioner based on the President's requested revisions.
President Nixon initiates a brief request for the White House operator to connect him with a specific individual, Miss Acker. This exchange serves as a functional administrative task to facilitate an outgoing communication. No substantive policy discussions or significant decisions occur during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon and Marjorie P. Acker engage in a brief, administrative discussion regarding the review and editing of a specific document. The conversation focuses on revisions to pages 10 and 11, with the President providing instructions on handling the text. The primary objective is the finalization and refinement of these pages before distribution.
President Nixon speaks with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone connection. The President requests to be put through to an individual identified as Bargill. This brief administrative interaction serves solely to initiate a requested outgoing communication.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield coordinate the logistics for an upcoming evening social event. The discussion focuses on the President's desire to maintain a sober, low-key appearance while ensuring a specific guest receives an opportunity to respond to previous comments. They finalize plans for a brief public appearance involving music and a crowd to conclude the engagement.
President Nixon initiates a brief, informal interaction with a White House operator. The conversation consists of a short, unclear instruction regarding personnel or administrative logistics. No major policy decisions or significant developments occur during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull coordinate scheduling logistics for an upcoming meeting following the President's current recording session. Nixon emphasizes his need for adequate preparation time and requests clarification regarding the specific location and expected duration of his next appointment. They ultimately agree to aim for a 12:00 p.m. start time to ensure the President is properly briefed.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger to review revisions to a pending report or speech. The discussion focused on finalizing these documentary changes while also coordinating Kissinger’s upcoming schedule. Nixon prompted the immediate resolution of these administrative tasks to ensure the material was ready for further action.
President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to finalize the Wording and strategy for the President's upcoming April 7, 1971, television address regarding the Vietnam War. They carefully reviewed casualty figures and comparisons to past conflicts, debating how to present the progress of the Vietnamization policy and the success of operations in Laos and Cambodia to the American public. The discussion also touched upon managing potential political opposition from intellectuals and the press, as well as the President's frustration with the lack of vocal support from conservative allies and business figures like the Rockefellers.
President Richard Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, at the Old Executive Office Building to coordinate administrative logistics for the day. The discussion focused on the President's personal schedule and the handling of specific documents, including a reference to an unknown document described as a yellow copy. The brief exchange centered on managing the President's immediate movements and operational protocols.