Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 246 › Conversation 246-022

Nixon alone in his EOB office on Vietnam War and Speechwriting

Wednesday, April 7, 1971 · 4:10 PM–4:30 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President)Conversation246-022 on Tape 246 (tape position 04:14:02–04:16:18)StartWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 4:10 PMEndWednesday, April 7, 1971 at 4:30 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 246-022 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417183297 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon rehearsed a forthcoming public address concerning American involvement in the Vietnam War and the status of prisoners of war. Through these remarks, the President sought to frame his historical legacy and personal commitment to ending the conflict beyond mere political maneuvering. The exercise served to refine his communication strategy regarding the administration's national security record and its ongoing efforts to conclude the war.

Audio

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NARA Description

On April 7, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 246-022 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 246-022
Date: April 7, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President rehearsed a speech
[A transcript of the final version of this speech appears in Public Papers of the Presidents,
Richard M. Nixon, 1971, pp. 522-527]

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 85% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Going to Vietnam, higher.
I do not ask you to take what I say on faith.
Look at the record.
Every action taken by this woman, every decision made,
A lot of what I say is wrong.
I do speak American as well.
They have drafted me here as their ambassador.
I can't mention to the President that he's already pledged to end American involvement in the war.
I am keeping that in mind.
I am of all class, a permanentist.
I would like to accomplish more than anything else, a permanentist.
This is the end of the sentence.
Peaceful night.
Good night, Wilson's brother.
Wilson, you can let him let this go.
It goes far beyond political consideration or concern about my place in history.
The motivations of the political scientists that he goes to regard him as a primary and a second president, but for what?
A husband, a wife, a husband, a man, a husband, a husband, a wife, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband, a husband,
The nation's highest reward in federal law.
... ... ...
Miss Worley, come with me.
Thank you.

Also recorded on April 7, 1971

  • 246-018 3:55 PM · 12 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 246-019 3:55 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 246-020 4:09 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:09 pm to 4:10 pm.
  • 246-021 4:10 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 246-023 4:10 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 246-024 4:10 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 246-025 4:10 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:10 pm and 4:30 pm.
  • 246-026 4:30 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), White House operator, and John W. Dean, III met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:30 pm to 5:05 pm.

All 79 conversations from April 7, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 246-022, April 7, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417183297). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/246-022 (accessed November 2, 2026).