Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 272
Nixon White House Tape 272 (August 9, 1971 – August 11, 1971)
17 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 4 hr 8 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Sanchez, Shultz, Haldeman, Kissinger
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss logistics regarding his upcoming public schedule. The brief interaction centered on the President's preparation for photography sessions. No major policy decisions were made during this exchange, which focused primarily on routine administrative planning.
President Nixon coordinated the logistics and attendance for a high-level meeting scheduled for August 10, 1971. The discussion centered on finalizing the timing for this session and confirming the participation of key individuals regarding the ongoing international monetary situation. The parties reached an agreement to hold the meeting at 4:30 pm to address these pressing economic matters.
President Nixon initiates a brief administrative request to the White House operator to place a telephone call to George P. Shultz. The conversation consists solely of the President's instructions to connect him with Shultz, then serving as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. No further policy discussions or significant decisions occur during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and George P. Shultz met to discuss preparations for a forthcoming meeting, focusing on the current international monetary situation and the potential for a perceived economic crisis. The participants also addressed pending HEW legislation, specifically evaluating the political feasibility of sustaining a potential presidential veto in Congress. Additionally, the President requested a review of retail sales figures to better gauge the national economic outlook before their next high-level consultation.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman briefly conferred regarding the logistics and attendance for an upcoming meeting involving John B. Connally. The discussion focused on finalizing the participant list and coordinating the schedule for this session. No major policy decisions were made during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon met briefly with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Old Executive Office Building to review the President's schedule. This short interaction served as a logistical check-in regarding upcoming appointments and administrative planning. No substantive policy matters or major decisions were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon met briefly with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. The primary purpose of this brief interaction was for the President to request assistance with his glasses. No substantive policy matters or political discussions were recorded during this short exchange.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to discuss personal administrative matters and the logistics of recent presidential travel. The conversation touched upon the President’s recent trip to New Hampshire and Maine, including details regarding his stay on Minot Island and associated correspondence with Jack J. Dreyfus. Additionally, the participants reviewed the schedules of Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and Woods prepared for an upcoming meeting with H.R. Haldeman regarding personnel nominations and recommendations involving Herbert G. Klein.
President Nixon met with John Connally and H.R. Haldeman to finalize a comprehensive economic program intended to stabilize the dollar and address international monetary instability. The discussion focused on the risks of premature leaks, specifically regarding media reports that could trigger global financial panic, and the strategic timing of announcing major policy shifts such as a potential wage-price freeze and changes to gold conversion. Connally and the President emphasized the need for absolute confidentiality among staff and Treasury officials to ensure the administration could implement its economic reforms as a single, cohesive package.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss personal administrative matters. The brief interaction focused on the President's immediate schedule and the handling of various items within the office. No significant policy decisions were made during this informal exchange.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to review the President's upcoming professional schedule. This informal consultation served to coordinate administrative logistics and manage the President's daily agenda. No further significant policy developments or strategic decisions were recorded during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger coordinate their schedules for an upcoming discussion, deliberating on whether to meet immediately at the Executive Office Building or communicate via telephone later. The brief exchange focuses on logistical arrangements to facilitate a follow-up consultation involving key staff members. Ultimately, they agree to delay the substantive discussion, with the President initiating the next point of contact.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Adm. Thomas Moorer, and other administration officials to strategize on the escalating India-Pakistan crisis, specifically aiming to prevent an outbreak of war. The discussion emphasized a policy of U.S. neutrality and the importance of avoiding public pressure on Pakistan while encouraging quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to reach a political accommodation. Nixon decided to send representatives to explore humanitarian relief options as a pragmatic vehicle to facilitate these sensitive political conversations with Pakistani leader Yahya Khan.
President Nixon met with George P. Shultz to coordinate upcoming meetings with staff members Raymond K. Price, Jr. and Peter G. Peterson regarding economic policy and scheduling. The President expressed frustration with ongoing administrative challenges and tasked Shultz with reviewing data related to Peterson's portfolio. Additionally, the discussion touched on the controversial application of national security powers concerning textile trade negotiations involving Peter M. Flanigan.
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, to coordinate the retrieval of personal items from the Lincoln Room. The conversation focused on locating and bringing the President's pipes to his office in the Executive Office Building. This brief interaction highlights the routine administrative and personal assistance provided by the domestic staff to the President.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and Raymond Price to discuss administrative strategy regarding internal economic policy disputes and the development of his upcoming radio addresses. The President expressed frustration with ongoing infighting among his advisors—specifically involving John Mitchell, Peter Flanigan, and David Kennedy—concerning textile import quotas and Japan-related trade issues, ordering Haldeman to unify these factions. Additionally, Nixon provided editorial guidance for his future radio broadcasts, emphasizing a patriotic, upbeat tone focused on the dignity of work, the American spirit, and religious heritage to counter negative public sentiment.
President Nixon and George Shultz met to deliberate on the implementation of a major new economic program, specifically focusing on the necessity of a wage-price freeze and a potential import tax to combat inflation and restore public confidence. They discussed the legal and political complexities of these actions, weighing the risks of such measures against the need for U.S. economic leadership and stability. Henry Kissinger joined the meeting briefly to coordinate on international affairs, including the Accidental War Agreement and diplomatic relations with China and the Soviet Union, before the conversation returned to the logistical challenges of the domestic economic agenda, including federal budget cuts and public communication strategies.