Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 300 › Conversation 300-034

Nixon & Knebel on National Image and Political Strategy

Tuesday, November 9, 1971 · 2:29 PM–3:04 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Knebel, John A.Conversation300-034 on Tape 300 (tape position 02:06:06–02:08:40)StartTuesday, November 9, 1971 at 2:29 PMEndTuesday, November 9, 1971 at 3:04 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 300-034 ↗ · National Archives Catalog, NAID 417185099 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and John A. Knebel discuss a narrative strategy regarding the historical perception of national strength and the risks of political overreach. Their conversation centers on the practical limitations of foreign policy maneuvers and the importance of maintaining an image of national dignity. The dialogue concludes with an informal agreement to monitor incoming intelligence or confirmation of a specific developing situation.

National Image
Political Strategy
Foreign Policy
Narrative Construction
Diplomatic Relations

Audio

Download MP3 · 2.6 MB

NARA Description

On November 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John A. Knebel met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:29 pm and 3:04 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 300-034 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 300-034

Date: November 9, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:29 pm and 3:04 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Kissinger's call

     International relations
           -The President’s conversation with an unknown man

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).

Yeah.

You know, at that point, it was a great nation camp before it became humiliated.

So I made that a part of the story.

And I think he picked that up, too.

He knew he could do that.

And he knows practically that he can't.

Therefore, uh... Let's say it is, yeah.

You're gonna cross somebody around here, okay?

Yeah.

Sure, sure.

Good.

Well, if we get the word true.

Okay.

Thanks.

Also recorded on November 9, 1971

300-031 1:50 PM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 2:29 pm.
300-032 1:50 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 2:29 pm.
300-033 1:50 PM · 2 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:50 pm and 2:29 pm.
300-035 3:04 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:04 pm to 3:06 pm.
300-036 3:06 PM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 4:24 pm.
300-037 3:06 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 4:24 pm.
300-038 3:06 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 4:24 pm.
300-039 3:06 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:06 pm and 4:24 pm.

All 36 conversations from November 9, 1971 →

Nixon & Kissinger on Foreign policy and Diplomatic relations October 12, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Rebozo on People's Republic of China July 20, 1971 · 4 min
Nixon phone call with Kissinger on Foreign Policy and Soviet Union August 11, 1971 · 5 min
Nixon phone call with Rogers on Latin America and Foreign Policy October 5, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Woods on Liberia and Diplomatic relations October 12, 1971 · 2 min
Nixon phone call with Colombo on United Nations and People's Republic of China October 22, 1971 · 20 min

Cite this conversation

Conversation 300-034, November 9, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives (NAID 417185099). Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/300-034 (accessed November 14, 2026).