Conversation 284-011

TapeTape 284StartWednesday, October 6, 1971 at 4:00 PMEndWednesday, October 6, 1971 at 4:05 PMTape start time00:43:37Tape end time00:45:43ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Safire, William L.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building

AI Summary

President Nixon and speechwriter William Safire met to refine a pending speech draft, focusing on the specific linguistic framing of the administration's economic policies. The President expressed a strong preference for using the term "yardstick" rather than "guideline" to describe economic benchmarks. This brief consultation served to finalize the rhetorical tone of the address before Safire departed to proceed with the revisions.

SpeechwritingEconomic policyRhetoricWilliam SafireWhite House communications

Audio

NARA Description

On October 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William L. Safire met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:00 pm to 4:05 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 284-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 284-11

Date: October 6, 1971
Time: 4:00 pm - 4:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with William L. Safire.

     The President's schedule

           -Speech draft

     Safire's schedule

     Speech draft
          -Language of text

Safire left at 4:05 pm.

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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Can I let you read this, uh, come back?

Yeah, I wanted you to do that, that, uh, I'll, uh, I'll tell you a bit.

Conjure tape.

I suppose you can come back in about a minute.

Oh, I'll brush your shit if you're over here.

Okay.

You feel all right about it now?

I feel the same way, sir.

It's about the 1705 war.

That's the first time I've come in on the party floor.

about the field of view.

It's not just an economic view.

I like it.

Okay, what about the word yardstick instead of guideline, by the way?

Guidelines, I hate to use.

And yardsticks, you can find them fairly in the president's office.

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