Nixon White House TapesTape 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

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Finch, Robert H.Conversation274-011 onTape 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 ↗

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.

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This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:17:09 into the tape and ends around 00:18:58.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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 · Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.

17:17Yeah.
17:21Uh, no, I can take it now.
17:26Hello?
17:26Yeah, well, they sort of shook him up.
17:29You in California?
17:31Are you in California or Washington?
17:36That's what I thought.
17:37Yeah, you got California there.
17:39Well, he had, they shook him up.
17:40The Kevin was really all upbeat today, and he was complimented.
17:44He did a hell of a good job in the express conference.
17:48And the stock market is up 30 points.
17:54Yeah.
17:55Yeah.
17:58Well, the main thing is out there, confidence and everything.
18:04That's what they need out there.
18:08Asa called it in here.
18:10He's really way up deep.
18:20Yeah.
18:21And how Cat felt about it, I don't know.
18:23And Freeman Godson called me.
18:30It's all been talking this thing for a long time.
18:34They've got to go along for a while.
18:38Yeah.
18:40He said they're on the screen.
18:41Well, anyway, good luck.

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.

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
  • 274-006 2:43 PM · 30 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 · 15 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 · 55 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 · 11 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.

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 September 18, 2026).