Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 268
Nixon White House Tape 268 (August 2, 1971)
6 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 4 hr 54 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Connally, Sanchez, Butterfield, Haldeman
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building. The interaction was limited to a brief exchange regarding a request for refreshments. No substantive policy discussions or administrative actions were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon held an brief, informal meeting with an unidentified individual in the Executive Office Building. The conversation primarily consisted of casual pleasantries and a request for iced tea. No substantive policy discussions or significant political decisions were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in his Old Executive Office Building suite to facilitate a brief, unscheduled entry into his workspace. The interaction was limited to the procedural access of this guest rather than a substantive discussion of administration policy. The meeting concluded quickly, with the visitor departing the office shortly after arrival.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule and administrative personnel matters. The discussion focused on the logistics of engaging Ronald Reagan as a personal representative, alongside briefings regarding the Republic of China and various California-based meetings. They further addressed the procedural requirements for formal documentation and the transparency needed for high-level appointments.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and John Mitchell to discuss a wide-ranging agenda encompassing the 1972 campaign strategy, potential Cabinet-level personnel shifts, and upcoming major economic policy decisions. The group evaluated the political ramifications of the President's recent overtures to China, the ongoing busing controversy, and the necessity of managing conservative Republican factions. A significant portion of the discussion focused on a proposed package of economic interventions, including a possible wage and price freeze, to address domestic inflation and international monetary concerns. These deliberations underscored a transition toward more direct administrative control over economic policy as the 1972 election cycle approached.
President Nixon met with George Shultz and John Connally to strategize on impending domestic and international economic policy, specifically debating the necessity and political timing of a wage and price freeze. The participants weighed the risks of global monetary instability and potential devaluation of the dollar against the need to restore domestic confidence and curb inflation. Nixon and his advisors explored various options, including closing the gold window and implementing tax adjustments, while emphasizing the importance of secrecy and keeping tight control over the rollout of any major economic reforms.