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Conversation 319-001

TapeTape 319StartMonday, February 7, 1972 at 2:04 PMEndMonday, February 7, 1972 at 3:04 PMTape start time00:00:55Tape end time00:03:07ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon directed H. R. Haldeman to instruct speechwriter William Safire to expand a foreign policy document by 250 words to reach a total length of 1,500 words. Nixon expressed a desire to avoid further administrative friction regarding the draft, noting that the length should remain strictly at the 1,500-word limit to align closer to Henry Kissinger’s original submission. The President stipulated that once this adjustment was made, he would finalize the document without further revisions.

William SafireForeign PolicySpeechwritingHenry KissingerWhite House Administration
AudioNARA Description

On February 7, 1972, 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 2:04 pm and 3:04 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 319-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 319-1

Date: February 7, 1972
Time: Unknown between 2:04 pm and 3:04 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

     Foreign policy document
          -William L. Safire
          -Number of words
          -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Need for more words
                     -Number
                     -Compared with Kissinger’s draft
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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'm going to relent a little on the former policy thing.
And I'd like for Sapphire to make it exactly $1,500.
In other words, make about $200 more.
OK?
He's got $1,250 now.
No, what was it?
What was it?
About $1,700.
Just say, put it this way, he can, because he hasn't been able to get this cleared by him, you see, they want to put some more in there.
So why don't you just say that he needs 200, put it this way, he needs 200 more words, 250 more words.
Try to, I'd like to, you see, let me put it this way, I don't want to screw around having to, you know, argue about it, see.
So tell him that if he can put 250 more words, that takes him actually to 1,500.
Right?
Yeah.
You see, 1,250 plus 250 equals 1,500.
Henry's was 1,700, or whatever it was.
I think it was something like that.
Just say 1,500, not a word over.
And if he can work it out, I won't read this one.
Get that to add 250.
about the 1,500 and 7,000, okay?
Bye.
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