Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 349
Nixon White House Tape 349 (July 20, 1972)
17 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 1 hr 26 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Sanchez, Kissinger, Woods, Haldeman
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed sensitive foreign policy strategies, including the handling of negotiations with Armand Hammer and the management of sensitive documents to avoid bureaucratic leaks. They also analyzed the status of the Vietnam War, concluding that time was working against North Vietnam and that a potential diplomatic deal prior to the 1972 election remained a strategic possibility. Finally, they reviewed briefing arrangements for George McGovern, agreeing on the necessity of maintaining control over the process to avoid political pitfalls.
President Nixon held a private meeting with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. The conversation primarily consisted of personal, non-substantive matters that were subsequently withdrawn from the public record. No policy discussions or administrative actions were documented during this brief encounter.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building to review the President's upcoming schedule. The brief discussion concluded with a consensus to depart the office, signaling the end of the meeting. No substantive policy matters or major political decisions were recorded during this session.
President Nixon held a brief, informal check-in with his personal aide, Manolo Sanchez, and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, at his Old Executive Office Building office. The discussion focused on coordinating administrative matters and determining if there were any pending issues requiring the President's attention. The exchange functioned as a routine logistical update regarding the President's availability for staff consultations.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone connection. This brief interaction served as a logistical bridge to initiate a separate communication with another party. No substantive policy matters or administrative decisions were documented during this exchange.
President Richard Nixon and his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, met briefly in the President's office for a personal discussion. The conversation was classified as a personal, returnable item, indicating the exchange held no official government or policy significance. Consequently, no state business or administrative decisions were transacted during this meeting.
President Nixon met with Rose Mary Woods and H. R. Haldeman to discuss various administrative and political matters, including the military service records of the sons of political rivals such as Robert F. Kennedy and George McGovern. The group evaluated the performance and loyalty of several administration officials and cabinet members, drawing historical comparisons to the Eisenhower administration. Additionally, they reviewed reports on naval forces and discussed the procurement of American-made music boxes intended as gifts for foreign dignitaries.
President Nixon consults with an unidentified staff member regarding the location of a specific book containing notable historical speeches. The conversation serves as a brief inquiry into the status of this resource, which Nixon intended to identify if the staff member had not yet located it. No further policy or substantive matters were addressed during this short exchange.
President Nixon requested that the White House operator place a telephone call to his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. This brief interaction served solely to facilitate direct communication between the President and a key aide. No further dialogue was captured during this exchange.
President Nixon received a brief call from an unidentified individual via the White House operator. The exchange appears to be a misdirected connection or an inconsequential communication that did not result in substantive policy discussion or administrative action. No significant decisions were made during this brief encounter.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss scheduling a meeting with an unnamed associate, weighing the merits of a breakfast appointment versus a more informal evening boat ride. The conversation briefly touches on political strategy regarding potential public hostility from younger demographics, as well as vague references to analytical reports and press-related activities. The exchange concludes with logistical coordination regarding upcoming meetings and the status of ongoing political analysis.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, Charles Colson, and Henry Kissinger to discuss sensitive political and national security matters, specifically the ongoing Watergate investigation and Vietnam peace negotiations. The group reviewed the potential for indictments involving Jeb Stuart Magruder and examined the strategic handling of federal investigations to protect the White House from entanglement. Additionally, the President and Kissinger discussed managing domestic opposition to the war, coordinating press strategy, and preparing for an upcoming meeting with congressional leaders regarding Vietnam.
President Richard M. Nixon met briefly with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. As the majority of this session involves a withdrawn personal item, the substance of the interaction remains private and undocumented. No significant policy decisions or official developments were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon utilized this session to dictate a memorandum for the official record. The brief recording captures the President documenting specific administrative information for the presidential file. Due to the presence of withdrawn material and the absence of a transcript, the precise nature of the memorandum's content remains restricted.
John D. Ehrlichman approached President Nixon to discuss scheduling a meeting regarding an unspecified matter in New York. Due to the President’s lack of availability at that moment, the conversation concluded immediately without addressing the substantive details. No further decisions or actions were taken during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to coordinate political and legislative strategy for the upcoming 1972 reelection campaign. They discussed tactics to paint the Democratic opposition as extreme, specifically adopting the term "McGovernites" to emphasize the potential dangers of George McGovern's policies, such as increased government spending and tax hikes. The President emphasized a strategy of holding Congress accountable for fiscal irresponsibility while framing his own platform as a defender against radical change, intending to solidify a massive electoral mandate.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Old Executive Office Building to facilitate a specific, though currently unknown, logistical request. The discussion centered on the arrangements for sending a particular item to an unnamed recipient. The encounter was brief, concluding within three minutes after the President addressed the request.