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Conversation 280-011

TapeTape 280StartThursday, September 23, 1971 at 11:16 AMEndThursday, September 23, 1971 at 12:58 PMTape start time01:39:53Tape end time01:54:06ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed the exclusion of Arthur Burns from an invitation list for a Japanese dinner event. To avoid personal friction with Burns, Nixon instructed Haldeman to shift the responsibility to the State Department, claiming the agency exclusively curated the guest list. The two agreed on this strategy to manage Burns's expectations and protect the White House from appearing at fault.

Arthur BurnsWhite House Social AffairsState DepartmentDiplomatic ProtocolH. R. Haldeman
AudioNARA Description

On September 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:16 am and 12:58 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 280-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 280-11

Date: September 23, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:16 am and 12:58 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     White House entertainment and social affairs
          -Arthur F. Burns
               -Dinner for Japanese
                     -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
                     -Instructions for Haldeman
                           -Burns
                           -State Department
                                 -List
                                       -Burns
                     -The White House
                     -State Department

                           -List
                                  -White House staff
                -Forthcoming events
                      -Burns
                      -Invitations
                      -Burns
                            -Dinner
                -Call to Haldeman

     The President's schedule
          -Cabinet meeting
               -Time
               -Call to Burns
                      -Burns’ call to Haldeman
                           -State Department
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

I was just checking the... Did you find out whether Artie was or was not invited to the Japanese Academy Center?
He was not.
And it rained on my body.
Yeah.
I should have been.
I should have.
Yeah.
Well, my point is that, yeah, my point is that I think you would have come to that.
We do go, how would you handle it?
You just say that the president, well, the president would have asked you, how would you put it, don't say that, and say, well, what, did I ever have another engagement?
Where was he?
And then you check, and you found that it was solely, you can put it on the State Department.
You understand?
It's on the State, made up the list.
for us because we had set it up at a late time and they submitted a list and we'd go on.
They were putting the opposite numbers on that.
And the state says that it's true.
They're telling the president to re-rate for all the states.
We're not including our group, but even though they didn't have their opposite number there.
I do that because we need to, he needs to know, he'll undoubtedly think that the White House can be modeled.
You see, and that will make the part that I already know about, the state made up the list, and that I had asked about her, and she finally got to the bottom of the mystery, and it wasn't the White House staff.
We had nothing to do with the list.
We didn't have a job to attend to.
We had to do the work.
The state made up the whole list, and it was up to them to invite you.
And when you braced them on it, they said, well, we only have...
opposite numbers of each one of these, of their people.
And in the picture you should say, you should let us know, aren't you?
We're not aware of it, but I'm trying to let you know.
Okay, fine.
And whatever he makes it would be advisable for him to go and have one of these dinners that we have before our conference.
I'll just have to give you a call when you put it that way.
Okay, it would be very good there to go ahead and do what you want.
Good.
Anything else?
Good.
Good.
Cabinet meeting at nine.
Okay.
Bye.
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