Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 274 › Conversation 274-011

Nixon & Finch on Economic policy and Stock market

Monday, August 16, 1971 · 2:59 PM–3:01 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Finch, Robert H.Conversation274-011 on Tape 274 (tape position 00:17:09–00:18:58)StartMonday, August 16, 1971 at 2:59 PMEndMonday, August 16, 1971 at 3:01 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 274-011 ↗

AI Summary

President Richard Nixon and counselor Robert Finch discussed the overwhelmingly positive public and market reactions to the President’s August 15, 1971, economic address. The participants highlighted the favorable reception of John B. Connally’s press conference and noted that rising stock market figures served as a key indicator of restored public confidence. The brief conversation served to validate the administration's new economic initiatives by sharing anecdotal feedback from various supporters and associates.

Audio

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Position in tape: 00:17:09 – 00:18:58

part A, 17:15

274a.mp3
274b.mp3
274c.mp3

NARA Description

On August 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Robert H. Finch met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:59 pm to 3:01 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 274-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 274-11

Date: August 16, 1971
Time: 2:59 pm - 3:01 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Robert H. Finch.

     Finch's location

     Cabinet meeting
          -Mood

     John B. Connally's press conference

     Stock market figures
          -Public confidence
          -Call from Asa [Surname unknown]

     President’s address to the Nation, August 15, 1971
          -Reaction
                -Call from unknown person
                      -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                -Call from Freeman Gosden
                -Democrats

Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah.
Uh, no, I can take it now.
Hello?
Yeah, are they trying to shirk him out?
You in California?
Are you in California or Washington?
That's what I thought.
Yeah, you got California in there.
Well, we had to shirk him out, but Kevin was really all up to date today, and he's complimented a hell of a good job, and expressed comfort.
And the stock market is up 30 points.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, the main thing is out there is confidence and everything.
Things are moving on.
That's what they need out there is a deal of things are moving up.
Asa called in here.
He's really way up deep.
Yeah.
And how's Pat felt about it?
I don't know.
And Freeman Dodson called me.
He said, I'm a great friend of his mother.
They've all been talking this thing for a long time.
They've got to go along for a while.
Yeah.
He said, they're on the screen.
Well, anyway, good luck.

Also recorded on August 16, 1971

  • 274-006 2:43 PM · 34 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 2:43 pm.
  • 274-007 2:44 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:44 pm to 2:49 pm.
  • 274-008 2:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:49 pm and 2:54 pm.
  • 274-009 2:49 PM · 12 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 2:49 pm and 2:54 pm.
  • 274-010 2:54 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:54 pm to 2:58 pm.
  • 274-012 3:01 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:01 pm and 3:05 pm.
  • 274-013 3:01 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:01 pm and 3:37 pm.
  • 274-014 3:01 PM · 12 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 3:01 pm and 3:37 pm.

All 66 conversations from August 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 274-011, August 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/274-011 (accessed November 2, 2026).