Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 330 › Conversation 330-041

Nixon with unidentified visitors in his EOB office on Foreign policy

Wednesday, April 12, 1972 · 3:26 PM–3:27 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]Conversation330-041 on Tape 330 (tape position 04:27:46–04:27:57)StartWednesday, April 12, 1972 at 3:26 PMEndWednesday, April 12, 1972 at 3:27 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 330-041 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consults with an aide regarding diplomatic strategy toward China and the Soviet Union, specifically focusing on how to calibrate rhetoric to avoid alienating the Chinese while signaling U.S.-Soviet tensions. The discussion explores leveraging a potential secret trip to Moscow to create strategic leverage and diplomatic cover. Nixon also inquires about the status of a scheduled strike and requests a meeting with an individual named Cade.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 112.0 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 111.8 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 91.7 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 04:27:46 into the tape and ends around 04:27:57.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
4:27:01One thing I was going to say, for the Chinese, I think you probably ought to, I don't think it's any need to play a too hard game with them on the rhetoric side now.
4:27:14What do you think?
4:27:16I think with them, I'd say we understand, but please, as the President said, we want to join line, and we do it here not directly against you.
4:27:29You know,
4:27:30You see, they could get a little bit, wouldn't want them to say, decide that a man-filled scotch would come to them, so they might like it.
4:27:35I'll give them something that will make them realize we're still playing that much against the Russians.
4:27:45Do you have any ideas on that, Gordon?
4:27:52That's what I need.
4:27:53I meant it another way to indicate that, look, we're not getting along very well with the Russians, and that the president's directing his remarks to the Russians, and so told the legislative figures.
4:28:02Why don't you put it that way?
4:28:05And he's not putting any responsibility on the president.
4:28:12How's that?
4:28:12Are you going to call Mr. D and just tell him that we will consider a trip to the Russian?
4:28:21I think that has great merit.
4:28:23If they'll do it secretly, it provides also the opportunity that we would like to have anyway if you're taking the trip to prepare the song.
4:28:31Which, you see, we couldn't do it with the rockers, but if you're going for this purpose, nobody can squeal in a secret seat.
4:28:36So I think it has an advantage for us, apart from this.
4:28:41On the other hand, this is the major reason.
4:28:43And that's enough to do for now anyway.
4:28:51Incidentally, there was one other thing.
4:28:52Did any strike get off?
4:28:55Or is it going off or not?
4:29:00What is the situation?
4:29:03I just want to have a chance to see Cade before we're out of here.
4:29:14Okay.

NARA Description

On April 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:26 pm and 3:27 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 330-041 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 330-41

Date: April 12, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:26 pm and 3:27 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person.

       The President’s schedule

Also recorded on April 12, 1972

  • 022-118 3:20 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:20 pm.
  • 330-039 3:20 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 3:20 pm.
  • 022-119 3:23 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 3:23 pm to 3:26 pm.
  • 330-042 3:26 PM · 12 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 3:26 pm and 3:27 pm.
  • 022-120 3:27 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 3:27 pm.
  • 022-121 3:27 PM · 51 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield talked on the telephone from 3:27 pm to 3:28 pm.
  • 330-043 3:27 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:27 pm to 3:28 pm.
  • 330-044 3:29 PM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Manolo Sanchez, Rose Mary Woods, Walter R. Tkach, and Dr. W. Kenneth Riland met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:29 pm to 4:50 pm.

All 37 conversations from April 12, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 330-041, April 12, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/330-041 (accessed October 1, 2026).