Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 271 › Conversation 271-001
Nixon White House recording on Economy and Public Relations
Wednesday, August 4, 1971 · 8:37 AM–10:10 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 17 min
AI Summary
This meeting between an unknown man and woman in the President's office focused on economic conditions and public perception. Key topics included the sluggishness of certain economic sectors like retail and automobile sales, contrasting with positive indicators. There was discussion about managing public relations, specifically how to present economic facts to the press and influential individuals, with a mention of John Connally's comments and potential meetings with Treasury Secretary George Shultz and others. An action item involved finding out specific economic figures and understanding the rationale behind certain recommendations.
- Economy
- Public Relations
- John Connally
- George Shultz
- Economic Indicators
- Press Management
- Retail Sales
- Automobile Sales
Audio
This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.
Listen to the full tape segment
Position in tape: 01:48:01 – 02:05:11
part B, 1:12:08
271a.mp3
271b.mp3
271c.mp3
NARA Description
On August 4, 1971, unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 10:10 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 271-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 271-1 Date: August 4, 1971 Time: Unknown between 8:37 am and 10:10 am Location: Executive Office Building An unknown man and woman met. ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Non-historical] [Duration: 21s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ********************************************************************** The unknown man and woman left at an unknown time before 10:10 am.
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript was made by an AI model listening to the recording (gemini-3.8-flash) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Speaker names are the model's inference from the voices and the participant list. Words and names can still be wrong — verify against the audio and the finding aid before citing.
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UnknownThey all set for this, end of the day?
UnknownOkay, what time did he [unintelligible] 7:30?
UnknownAll right.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownThink that they can meet there and have no problems.
UnknownAnd I'll step out of there.
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownGood.
UnknownFine.
UnknownAll right, [unintelligible]
UnknownOh, one thing, can you check when he calls me back?
UnknownI think that the, what what what, didn't the ADD help [unintelligible]
Unknownrecommend that we both [unintelligible] have the L level to [unintelligible] had other figures?
UnknownWell find out what it was, somebody recommended that that L level [unintelligible] that's George, somebody when he calls back.
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownWell, I heard that, you know, they see how things go.
UnknownThe secretary is terribly upset over it.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownWhat's the feeling about, I got, I read in the summary, what's the feeling [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownSure.
UnknownThey may have.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownWell, dear, whether we go or not [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownNow I think they [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible] said in the summary and I didn't get it [unintelligible]
UnknownConnally's comments. I was curious what he told them and how he did that.
UnknownThey're also running a lead sheet for that.
UnknownThey didn't just seem like one, a, one record night.
UnknownI rather wonder if we, why something hasn't come over yet, whether, whether Connolly himself,
Unknownthey don't feel I guess they have the oxygen to wait, maybe they feel
Unknownthat's part of the whole problem, maybe they feel [unintelligible]
Unknownnot necessarily.
UnknownGood.
UnknownWhenever I suggested something, whenever I said we talk to someone who will,
Unknownbut I can't do that, you see.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownRight, right.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownRight.
UnknownThe thing about the, thing about how the economy is doing, generally you hardly hear, they don't get they say, always they always think it's bad.
UnknownYou know.
UnknownSome of it's bad, some of it's good, and yeah it's not bad.
UnknownAnother, another thing, it's true about it, so
UnknownYeah.
UnknownWell they're not all bad either. They're just sluggish, you know.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownSome of the commercial things, retail sales, government [unintelligible] retail sales, automobile sales, truck sales.
UnknownYeah.
Unknownstrong, good.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownWell look what you've got on, you've got the Shane problem.
UnknownSee the, they're greedy and uh, what should we do?
UnknownThat's a very nice idea and this area is really still out.
UnknownProbably the uh, 48 Peters and if it is place, we're going to have about a couple of people down there for a cocktail or my boss or maybe they can get the whole hotel.
UnknownAnd then give the facts, at least some of them who write every day, it's like supporters that are writing articles today,
Unknownand let them get the facts and our people here, Shultz, McCracken and all the rest of them
Unknownhaving to meet you at the pastor's or in the whole room,
Unknownyou see,
Unknownand Peters and McCracken,
Unknowngo up and go up and hear them say, "all right now here are the facts,
UnknownYeah. I think, for example, the finding of the meeting probably have not been doing that, doing the fact instead of talking to council.
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknownbut
UnknownYeah.
UnknownRight. But I think this, I think
Unknownbut
Unknownyou see, the point is they should be talking about the economy.
Unknowninstead of Capcom.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah, and then the other, see the other things, not on Capcom
Unknownanother thing. I think the more important thing, though, is doing the individuals. Except for about 40 or 50 top individuals who just have such prominence, period, get questioned every single day, and that's why I suggest to Steve how [unintelligible]
UnknownI get the morning one, and that's about the only one I get, the story in general. [unintelligible] nobody followed up on this. We're meeting we're doing a meeting every week, or ten days, or whatever she happens to do. But, uh there's usually all [unintelligible]
UnknownThey just got to be back. 13.9 to 13.0, you know, a fall. That's right here. So, I'm sure he wants to follow up. But I think the history has been very good. The other thing, too, is that we have to realize that there is a difference
Unknown[unintelligible] some [unintelligible] I'm sure you do, too. This is the Democratic politicians [unintelligible] These people are anchored by [unintelligible] the floor [unintelligible] that's the way honest, honest people think, too. Now, you got [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible] that could be that the honest people [unintelligible] I agree [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownSure. But there's one thing, though, It's like Stevenson [unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownWell, they [unintelligible] this party, Mr. Chairman, was should be finer. I'd be right tomorrow [unintelligible] Get off the record. Get off the record, Mr. Chairman. Get off. You're fired. You got one issue that's become violent, violent, violently
Unknownthat the damn thing, all the time [unintelligible] It took an hour to explain my phone call. You can't second-guess somebody from 300 yards. They're crying shame. That's 30 yards. Yes, maybe you have to wait for a special fan, but don't get into the aircraft. Get off the aircraft, you see.
UnknownTake care. There's no one here for us. Orders are to that.
UnknownYeah.
UnknownYeah. Well, you find out about that uh, tomorrow.
UnknownOkay. [unintelligible]
UnknownWell, the tide turns, err, there [unintelligible] question that the greatest personal job that has ever happened to a great individual. Err, I don't I'm not about to question whether at this point, we're starting heavy down on the jab of the press.
UnknownWhy shouldn't, uh, why shouldn't somebody [unintelligible] I think it's I agree that we're coming prepared, like Connally doesn't like Shultz shouldn't wait, right?
UnknownFine. Right.
UnknownAnd then the job [unintelligible]
UnknownYeah. Hello.
UnknownHi, [unintelligible] Yeah.
Unknown5.8. That's the definite figure. Yeah, fine. You don't think there's a chance Well, then, that's roughly about 40,000 [unintelligible] An interesting thing I noticed, rather, was that thing all being [unintelligible] 60%
UnknownCarl Shurtz in us.
UnknownSure. All right.
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownWhere at 126.2?
UnknownNo, I I don't see it from Just hand, and then so I don't have Well, I think I can tell from the look it's uh, somewhat that's uh,
Unknownyeah, it's uh, probably [unintelligible] Yeah, [unintelligible]
UnknownFine.
Unknown[unintelligible]
UnknownYeah.
Also recorded on August 4, 1971
- 007-061 8:37 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 1:56 pm.
- 271-002 8:37 AM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 8:37 am and 10:10 am.
- 271-003 8:37 AM · 13 min — 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 8:37 am and 10:10 am.
- 271-004 10:10 AM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:10 am to 10:17 am.
- 271-005 10:24 AM · 46 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:24 am to 10:25 am.
- 271-006 10:25 AM · 10 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:25 am to 10:35 am.
- 271-007 10:35 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:35 am and 10:59 am.
- 271-008 10:35 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:35 am and 10:59 am.
Related conversations
- Nixon phone call with Buchanan on Economic Indicators and GNP April 15, 1971 · 3 min
- Nixon & Buchanan on Economic policy and GNP April 15, 1971 · 3 min
- Nixon phone call with Shultz on Economy and Phase II September 22, 1971 · 16 min
- Nixon phone call with Colson on Economy and Stock Market March 30, 1972 · 12 min
- Nixon, Metcalf & Batten on Economy and Retail Sales December 2, 1971 · 32 min
- Nixon phone call with Shultz on Face the Nation and Economic indicators January 30, 1972 · 3 min
Cite this conversation
Conversation 271-001, August 4, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/271-001 (accessed November 2, 2026).