Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 278 › Conversation 278-013

Nixon & MacGregor on Congressional relations and Legislative strategy

Thursday, September 9, 1971 · 2:05 PM–2:08 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); MacGregor, ClarkConversation278-013 on Tape 278 (tape position 00:17:37–00:18:50)StartThursday, September 9, 1971 at 2:05 PMEndThursday, September 9, 1971 at 2:08 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 278-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Clark MacGregor conducted a brief check-in regarding the current legislative climate and the productivity of congressional members. The discussion focused on the lack of substantive action expected from lawmakers, with Nixon expressing skepticism regarding their willingness to advance the administration's agenda. MacGregor was encouraged to maintain pressure on congressional leadership despite these underlying doubts about legislative progress.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah.
Hello?
How are your congressional boys doing?
That's great.
Keep right up there.
Good.
Oh.
They're not up there, are they?
They won't do anything.
They won't do anything.
They may on record be sure, but not much.
If they want.
Right.
Well, keep the chair up.
Good.
Good.
OK.

NARA Description

On September 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:05 pm to 2:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 278-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 278-13

Date: September 9, 1971
Time: 2:05 pm - 2:08 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Clark MacGregor.

[See Conversation No. 8-72]

Also recorded on September 9, 1971

  • 008-071 2:03 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:03 pm and 2:05 pm.
  • 278-012 2:03 PM · 9 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 2:03 pm and 2:05 pm.
  • 008-072 2:05 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Clark MacGregor talked on the telephone from 2:05 pm to 2:08 pm.
  • 008-073 2:08 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:08 pm and 2:11 pm.
  • 008-074 2:08 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 2:08 pm and 2:11 pm.
  • 278-014 2:08 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 2:08 pm and 2:11 pm.
  • 278-015 2:08 PM · 4 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 2:08 pm and 2:11 pm.
  • 008-075 2:11 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Patrick J. Buchanan talked on the telephone from 2:11 pm to 2:12 pm.

All 58 conversations from September 9, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 278-013, September 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/278-013 (accessed October 9, 2026).