Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 271
Nixon White House Tape 271 (August 4, 1971)
10 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 30 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haldeman, Sanchez, Shultz, Buchanan
An unidentified man and woman met in the President’s Old Executive Office Building suite to discuss unknown matters. The recording contains no discernible substantive dialogue due to a 21-second withdrawal of non-historical material. The participants concluded their meeting and departed without leaving a record of specific policy discussions or administrative actions.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to conduct private or personal business. The limited record of the encounter reflects a brief, restricted interaction between the President and his longtime valet. Due to the withdrawal of the audio segments under personal privilege, no substantive policy or administrative developments are documented.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman reviewed administrative and political priorities, specifically focusing on the status of government reorganization plans regarding the Office of Management and Budget and the Federal Reserve. They discussed strategies for engaging business leaders and economic editors to improve public and media perception of the national economy. Additionally, the pair evaluated the political fallout of recent busing controversies and reviewed potential responses to Democratic critiques on foreign policy and domestic issues.
President Nixon and George Shultz discuss the administration's messaging strategy regarding the national economy, specifically focusing on how to address negative press coverage and public perception of indicators like unemployment, inflation, and housing. They analyze the political implications of recent economic data presented in weekly news magazines and assess how the President should frame these issues during his upcoming public appearances. The conversation emphasizes a need for the administration to maintain a unified and fixed narrative to counter critical media reports.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman held a brief meeting in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss the administration's ongoing efforts regarding government reorganization. The discussion focused specifically on the Federal Reserve Board and its structural role within the federal apparatus. The dialogue served as a consultation to align strategies for potential changes to the organization of government agencies.
President Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met to discuss administration strategies regarding contentious issues, specifically school busing and the national economy. Nixon expressed firm opposition to forced busing, suggesting the administration should clarify that Supreme Court rulings on the matter are not mandates. Additionally, they reviewed media coverage of the economy, with Nixon instructing Buchanan to proactively highlight positive economic indicators—such as housing, construction, and retail sales—to counter negative press narratives regarding unemployment statistics.
President Nixon held an undocumented meeting with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss matters currently lost to history due to the lack of an available transcript. As the specific dialogue remains unrecorded or inaccessible, the precise nature of the topics and any resulting policy decisions or action items cannot be determined. This session remains a significant gap in the archival record of the Nixon administration's internal deliberations during the summer of 1971.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate his daily schedule and upcoming engagements. The primary focus of the discussion was planning an impending meeting between the President, Secretary of State William P. Rogers, National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger, and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. Bull subsequently managed the administrative logistics necessary to facilitate this high-level session.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler met to coordinate messaging for an upcoming press conference and a scheduled trip to New York. The discussion focused on managing press expectations, specifically regarding the exclusion of radio and television coverage for the briefing and potential responses to international monetary volatility. Nixon expressed concern over handling inquiries regarding French efforts to control 'hot money' and its impact on the U.S. dollar.
President Nixon held a brief meeting with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building. Due to the lack of available transcript data, the specific subject matter remains undocumented and cannot be determined. Consequently, no substantive policy decisions or action items were recorded for this exchange.