Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 277
Nixon White House Tape 277 (September 15, 1971)
33 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 2 hr 38 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haig, Sanchez, Haldeman, Keyes
President Nixon and television producer Paul W. Keyes discuss the positive reception and media coverage of a recent television program. Keyes conveys to the President that ABC executives viewed the project as a significant success. The brief exchange focuses on gauging public and network sentiment regarding the broadcast.
President Nixon met with television producer Paul W. Keyes to discuss personal matters. The conversation included a brief segment that has been formally withdrawn from the public record. No substantial policy or administrative developments were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler strategized the administration's public relations response to the violent Attica prison riot and its aftermath. Nixon directed Ziegler to maintain a supportive stance toward Governor Nelson Rockefeller, emphasizing that Rockefeller faced a difficult decision under pressure from radical outside influences. Additionally, the pair discussed potential responses to upcoming press questions regarding George McGovern’s overseas travel and personal security concerns.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. This routine interaction served as a technical step in managing the President's communications during his time in the Executive Office Building. No substantive policy matters or major developments were recorded during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon directed Alexander Haig to conduct a detailed review of U.S. foreign aid programs provided to various African nations. The President specifically requested that Haig identify countries based on the status of their leadership and electoral legitimacy, emphasizing a preference for supporting regimes with contested, elected leadership. Haig acknowledged these instructions, setting the stage for a strategic reevaluation of how economic, military, and food assistance is distributed across the continent.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the need for a briefing regarding the democratic legitimacy and election histories of various foreign nations receiving U.S. aid. Nixon expresses frustration with the pace of the administrative staff, directing Haig to ensure the State Department produces a concise fifteen-minute report. The President intends to use this data to evaluate the political background of current foreign leaders in relation to American democratic standards.
President Nixon directed Alexander Haig to formulate a strategy for reducing foreign aid to specific nations, explicitly targeting countries that lack contested democratic elections. Nixon dismissed concerns regarding the political optics or difficulty of such a policy, insisting that the process of cutting aid to these governments would be straightforward. This brief discussion prioritized the strategic realignment of American foreign assistance by conditioning it on domestic political governance.
President Nixon instructed Alexander Haig to broaden the criteria for evaluating foreign democratic processes beyond a limited focus on only two nations. Nixon emphasized that assessments of legitimate governance should center on whether a country holds truly contested elections rather than one-party systems or non-competitive processes. He specifically cited countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Ethiopia as examples of nations that fail to meet this standard of a contested, democratic election.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met in the Executive Office Building to discuss administrative matters and the President's upcoming schedule. The conversation focused primarily on the coordination of a meeting request. No further significant policy developments or decisions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate media strategy, specifically focusing on enforcing a restrictive approach toward press interviews to maintain leverage over major news outlets. They discussed ongoing efforts to limit unauthorized access to sensitive documents, particularly those held by Henry Kissinger's staff, and finalized plans to tighten the President's schedule to allow for greater flexibility. Furthermore, the two reviewed the administration's stance on critical press coverage, including the recent book by Evans and Novak, while debating the political effectiveness of various public engagement tactics like small-group meetings and presidential travel.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. The brief interaction consisted primarily of personal matters rather than substantive policy discussions. Due to the withdrawal of the recorded segment, no significant administrative or political developments are documented.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss the status of a female staffer or associate. During the brief interaction, the President clarified that the individual in question was free to depart at her convenience. This exchange reflects the routine coordination of White House personnel logistics and the President's personal household management.
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss personnel matters within the domestic staff. Nixon confirmed that Sanchez had successfully directed an employee named Sally to return home. The brief exchange served to verify the execution of Nixon's instructions regarding his household staff.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to review and finalize specific details regarding the President’s upcoming daily schedule. The brief two-minute session served as a logistical consultation to ensure alignment on administrative arrangements. No further actions were recorded beyond this review of the presidential itinerary.
President Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. held a brief, one-minute meeting in the Old Executive Office Building to coordinate administrative or security matters. The discussion occurred in conjunction with a longer, more substantive consultation between the two men held earlier that day. No specific policy decisions were finalized during this particular interaction.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate strategy ahead of an upcoming presidential press conference. The discussion focused on finalizing necessary documentation and briefing materials to ensure the President was prepared for the event. Nixon expressed satisfaction with Kissinger’s preparation, specifically approving a memo related to foreign aid policy.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing communication. This brief interaction served administrative purposes to connect the President with a specific party. No policy decisions or substantive political discussions were recorded during this brief technical exchange.
President Nixon met with Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger to strategize on public relations, the upcoming U.S. troop withdrawal schedule, and foreign policy maneuvers regarding the People's Republic of China and Vietnam. The discussion focused on timing troop announcements to maintain political leverage, counter domestic critics, and navigate delicate diplomatic relations with the USSR and North Vietnam. The participants agreed that sustaining a phased withdrawal—coupled with strategic public disclosures—was essential to maintain executive authority and protect the administration’s negotiating position ahead of the President's planned summit travel.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The brief exchange focused exclusively on establishing a telephonic connection to a secondary party. No policy discussions or significant administrative decisions were recorded during this interaction.
President Nixon and Charles Colson met to discuss political strategy regarding the administration's economic policies and public polling. They assessed partisan support for the President's wage and price freeze initiatives, noting that public sentiment remained generally positive toward these measures. The conversation further touched upon political optics, including the importance of maintaining control over economic messaging to sustain voter support.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building to coordinate scheduling matters. While the lack of a transcript obscures the specific nature of the appointment or logistical requirements, the discussion centered on arranging the President's upcoming agenda. This brief interaction serves as a record of administrative time management within the executive office.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The brief exchange focused exclusively on establishing a connection with another party. No substantive policy discussions or major administrative decisions occurred during this interaction.
President Nixon and George Shultz discuss the implementation of Phase II economic controls following the initial wage-price freeze. Nixon emphasizes the necessity of giving economic policies enforcement mechanisms, famously noting that one cannot have "jawbone without teeth." The two coordinate their messaging strategy to ensure the public perceives the forthcoming economic program as effective and decisive.
President Nixon met with Toni Sidley to discuss the messaging strategy for an upcoming administration program. They emphasized the necessity of projecting confidence in the initiative’s effectiveness to address public concerns. The dialogue focused on ensuring the public perceives the plan as a decisive and viable solution to current national problems.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss the implementation of an economic program, emphasizing the need for mandatory measures rather than voluntary cooperation. The discussion focused on establishing a firm stance regarding upcoming policy adjustments and ensuring the administration's program remains on track. They concluded the brief exchange by confirming the status of the current strategy, which was expected to remain unchanged for the following months.
President Nixon discusses social arrangements for an upcoming dinner involving guests and their spouses. The conversation focuses on logistics, including potential overnight accommodations and coordinating a specific end date for the visit. Nixon expresses a desire to ensure the guests are well-hosted, confirming final details to facilitate their travel and stay.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss administrative and logistical matters within the Executive Office Building. The conversation focused on the assembly of a briefing book, specifically addressing the inclusion of additional pages, and logistical arrangements regarding staff schedules, including the typing duties and departure of Sally Inge. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this brief coordination meeting.
This recording captures an unidentified meeting held within the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building. Due to the lack of transcript data and the unintelligible nature of the audio, the specific participants, subject matter, and subsequent administrative actions remain unknown. Consequently, the session provides no actionable intelligence or historical insight into White House policy or internal deliberations.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The brief exchange focused exclusively on establishing a telephonic connection to a secondary party. No further substantive policy discussions occurred during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon held a brief administrative interaction with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The conversation serves primarily as a logistical connection point for the President to reach another party. No policy discussions or significant political decisions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss administrative and scheduling matters. The brief interaction focused on logistics regarding a pen and the coordination of the President's upcoming schedule. No major policy developments were recorded during this routine meeting.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss routine administrative and personal matters. The brief exchange focused on confirming that staff had been dismissed for the evening. No significant policy decisions or official government actions were recorded during this interaction.
Taft Schreiber met with President Nixon in the Old Executive Office Building to discuss personal or political matters during a brief session. An unidentified woman, potentially Mary A. Sidley, briefly joined the participants before departing. Due to the lack of a transcript, the specific substance of the policy discussions or official decisions remains unknown.