Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 403 › Conversation 403-027

Nixon & Brennan on Amnesty and Vietnam War

Wednesday, January 31, 1973 · 12:38 PM–12:41 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Brennan, Peter J.Conversation403-027 on Tape 403StartWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:38 PMEndWednesday, January 31, 1973 at 12:41 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 403-027 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Peter J. Brennan discuss the political implications and public perception of a potential amnesty policy for Vietnam War-era draft evaders. Nixon proposes an alternative to simple pardons, suggesting that individuals could fulfill a service requirement, such as police work, rather than being sent away. The brief exchange highlights the administration's search for a viable, socially acceptable resolution to the contentious amnesty issue.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 28% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, I'd like you to be pleased with my expectation of your plan on Amnesty.
It had to be done.
It had to be done.
Everybody wants to deserve the best of their lives.
Everybody wants to deserve the best of their lives.
It's been a game to give her a piece of honor.
You know, Henry and his whole region .
The thing is, we have here a major new story .
And, I'm a person of faith, and I'm going to tell you a little bit of a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
I'm going to tell you a story that I'm going to tell you.
But I just thought that traveling with the police car is good.
Because that's what people would suggest, you know.
Let them serve two years in the police car.
And I wouldn't have to just, you know, send them down to Brazil for a little vacation for two years, you know.
They don't know.
They're going to go to jail.
Two great people.
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Like him what?
Well, I'm not one of the Senate's accomplishments.
Uh-huh.
Okay, save this for the next one.
I'll have to get out of the way.
That's it.
Goodbye, sir.

NARA Description

On January 31, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:38 pm to 12:41 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 403-027 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 403-27

Date: January 31, 1973
Time: 12:38 pm – 12:41 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Patrick J. Buchanan.

[See Conversation No. 43-10]

Also recorded on January 31, 1973

  • 043-009 12:36 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:38 pm.
  • 043-010 12:38 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Peter J. Brennan talked on the telephone from 12:38 pm to 12:41 pm.
  • 403-026 12:38 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 12:38 pm.
  • 403-028 12:41 PM · 10 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-029 12:41 PM · 7 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-030 12:41 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 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-031 12:41 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.
  • 403-032 12:41 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:41 pm and 2:40 pm.

All 86 conversations from January 31, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 403-027, January 31, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/403-027 (accessed October 1, 2026).