Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 382
Nixon White House Tape 382 (December 16, 1972 – December 17, 1972)
20 conversations · Old Executive Office Building · about 4 hr 8 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Sanchez, Ziegler, Haig, Butterfield
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to address concerns regarding the President's physical well-being. During the brief interaction, Nixon adamantly refused to seek medical attention for an ongoing issue with his foot. The discussion concluded without any resolution to address the injury.
President Nixon met with Charles Colson to strategize the public relations and implementation of the administration's second-term reorganization. The discussion focused on highlighting a narrative of significant personnel changes, including the appointment of John A. Scali and the replacement of various sub-Cabinet officials, to project strength and managerial control. They also addressed the importance of improving press relations, utilizing political appointees over career bureaucrats, and reinforcing the President’s "New Majority" by reaching out to labor and ethnic constituencies. Finally, the President emphasized the need to maintain public pressure regarding Vietnam negotiations and to aggressively combat media bias.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, and Ronald Ziegler to evaluate the stalemated Vietnam peace negotiations and consider military options to break the impasse. The participants discussed the frustrations of dealing with North Vietnamese duplicity and the political challenges posed by South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu's resistance to a potential settlement. Nixon emphasized the need for a decisive military response, including sustained bombing, to force a breakthrough, while also strategizing how to manage domestic public opinion and pressure from Congressional critics.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to coordinate the daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion involved confirming the timing for a potential meeting with domestic policy advisor John D. Ehrlichman. The interaction concluded with Sanchez departing the office, marking the finalization of the President’s immediate agenda.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate the administrative logistics of upcoming White House events. The discussion focused on scheduling potential meetings with John D. Ehrlichman and refining the guest list and seating arrangements for a Cabinet dinner. The two evaluated potential additions to the dinner, including H.R. Haldeman, Leonard Garment, and Herbert G. Klein, to ensure the appropriate size and composition for the gathering.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in his office to view a football game on television. The discussion remained informal and focused exclusively on the athletic contest. No substantive policy matters or administrative decisions were recorded during this encounter.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building for an informal discussion. The conversation focused on the Miami Dolphins football game and the team's current score. This brief interaction highlights the President's personal engagement with his staff during the 1972 NFL season.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a final wrap-up of outgoing communications. The brief interaction focused on concluding administrative tasks and administrative coordination within the Executive Office Building. No substantive policy discussions were recorded during this procedural exchange.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler held a brief, informal meeting that focused primarily on casual conversation rather than official government business. The dialogue centered on personal commentary regarding professional football and hockey broadcasts occurring that day. No policy decisions or administrative actions were initiated during this exchange.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to review budgetary priorities, specifically focusing on defense spending and the implementation of revenue sharing programs. They also evaluated costs and funding strategies for the Youth Conservation Corps and various Summer Youth Programs. The discussion centered on balancing these domestic initiatives against federal fiscal constraints.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting in the Old Executive Office Building with unidentified individuals. The conversation centered on casual topics, including historical references to past fairs and updates on professional sports, specifically the Miami Dolphins' recent 14-0 victory. No substantive policy decisions or executive actions were recorded during this segment.
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, to facilitate the delivery of materials to Rose Mary Woods. The conversation focused on the logistics of placing specific correspondence and items on Woods’s desk while she was away in New York. The brief interaction concluded with the President instructing Sanchez to leave the items in her office.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and other staff to discuss the reorganization of his second-term administration, with a primary focus on appointing Anne L. Armstrong as a Counselor to the President with Cabinet rank. The discussion covered defining Armstrong's responsibilities—including outreach to women, the Bicentennial, and POW/MIA issues—and managing potential media leaks regarding her appointment. Additionally, the participants reviewed the disposition of 1972 campaign surplus funds and addressed various scheduling logistics for upcoming White House events, including a Cabinet dinner.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss the logistics of tuning in to a football game broadcast. The pair specifically addressed the availability of the game through various television channels and radio stations. No significant policy decisions were made during this informal interaction.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building to facilitate administrative tasks. During the encounter, the President prepared a draft of a letter addressed to South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu. Nixon instructed Sanchez to deliver this document to a secretary for processing.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig coordinated the finalization of a letter addressed to South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu. The discussion focused on the clerical progress of the draft and the scheduling of a follow-up meeting between Haig and Thieu. Manolo Sanchez was tasked with facilitating these administrative arrangements to ensure the correspondence was completed promptly.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to finalize the strategy for Haig's upcoming trip to Saigon, specifically focusing on the delivery of a letter to South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu. The conversation centered on the delicate negotiations with North Vietnam and the necessity of managing South Vietnamese cooperation while addressing Thieu's concerns regarding a potential bilateral settlement. They also reviewed operational details regarding U.S. bombing campaigns and emphasized the urgency of securing Thieu's agreement to avoid a total cutoff of U.S. funding by Congress.
President Richard Nixon met with his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, to coordinate scheduling for an upcoming event or gathering. The brief discussion focused on confirming specific meeting times, likely involving plans for the evening. The exchange concluded with the parties finalizing the arrangements and exchanging pleasantries.
President Nixon met with his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, to discuss the selection of a commemorative monument or passage. The brief exchange focused on identifying an appropriate memorial or inscription, though the conversation remains fragmented due to withdrawn material. No specific decisions regarding the final choice were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing communication. This brief interaction served as a logistical step for the President to place a telephone call. No further substantive policy or strategic discussions occurred during this brief exchange.