President Nixon used this time to record a memorandum regarding personal family history and to reflect on his administrative schedule and political strategy. He discussed the upcoming announcement of the Vietnam peace settlement, coordinating with staff and congressional leaders to manage public and press reactions. Additionally, Nixon emphasized the need for better pacing of his own schedule to manage fatigue and reviewed ongoing efforts by Charles Colson and other aides to counter political opposition.
On January 23, 1973, 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 4:55 pm and 5:24 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 407-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 407-8
Date: January 23, 1973
Time: Unknown between 4:55 pm and 5:24 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President dictated a memorandum for the files.
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift.]
Testing
The President played the recording.
Introduction
The President’s dictation machine
-White House Communications Office
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Incomplete previous memorandum on relatives
-Alice [Last Name Unknown]
-Appearance
-Background
-Children
-Ezra’s wife Anna [Last names unknown]
-Grandmother Milhous
-Real name
-Home
-Grandchildren
Vietnam settlement
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Apr.-09)
Conversation No. 407-8 (cont’d)
-The President’s speech
An unknown person left at an unknown time between 4:55 pm and 5:24 pm.
-The President’s letters to congressional supporters
-Unnamed secretary in Tom Johnson’s office
-Haldeman
-Compared with other efforts of the White House
-Correspondence section
-Heads of State
The President’s schedule
-Sleep
-Office arrival
White House Dinners
-Rose Mary Woods
-Staff
-George P. Schultz
-Haldeman
-Role
Vietnam settlement
-Message from Henry A. Kissinger
-Cabinet meeting
-Length
-The President’s speech
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Compared to Inaugural speech
-The President’s statement
-Lyndon B. Johnson’s death
-Length
-The President’s discussion with Haldeman
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-The President’s speech
-Location
-Press
-Congress
-Price, Haldeman, White House staff, Haig
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Apr.-09)
Conversation No. 407-8 (cont’d)
-Price’s views
-Moscow
-North Vietnam, South Vietnam
-Haig’s views
-Ziegler’s views
-Publicity
-Calls to Carl B. Albert, Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Problems
-John C. Stennis
-John B. Connally
-Gerald R. Ford
-Publicity for President
-George S. McGovern
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Bella Abzug
-Television [TV]
-Significance
-The President’s opponents
-Bureaucracy
-Congress
The President’s schedule
-Sleep
-Refreshments
-Charles W. Colson meeting
-Sleep
-Colson meeting
-Lawsuit vs. time
-Public opinion
-Possible outcome
-Courts
-Campaign against the President’s opponents
-Haldeman
-Haig meeting
-Kissinger
-Elliot L. Richardson, [David] Kenneth Rush
-William P. Rogers, Melvin Laird [?]
-Price and Haig meeting
-Press response to the President’s speech
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Apr.-09)
Conversation No. 407-8 (cont’d)
Vietnam settlement
-The President’s expectations
-Press response
-Compared to Cambodian invasion
-Price’s comment
-Washington Post editorial on the President’s May 8, 1972 decision
-Effect of bombing
-Polish ambassador to Hanoi
-North Vietnamese leaders
-Hospital
The President’s call to William S. White
-The President’s last call to Lyndon Johnson
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Vietnam settlement
Lyndon Johnson
-1968 election
-Response to The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Public opinion on Vietnam War
-Harris
-The President’s opponents
-Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] [?]
-Lessons for future
-Domestic policy, foreign policy
Rose Mary Woods
-Views on White House staff salaries
Personnel and salaries
The President’s meeting with Haldeman
-Possible budget groups
-John D. Ehrlichman, Schultz
The President’s schedule
-Stephen B. Bull
-Cabinet meetings
-Press conferences
-Congressional meetings
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Apr.-09)
Conversation No. 407-8 (cont’d)
-Haldeman
-Goals
-Ehrlichman
-The President’s speech followed by a press conference
-Goals
-Pacing
-Haldeman
-Ehrlichman, Schultz
-Compared to Haldeman
Vietnam settlement
-Announcement
-Briefing
-Press relations
-New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times
The President’s conversation with Haldeman
-Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
-Tom Johnson
-Positions in administration
Vietnam settlement
-Bombing
-Comment by Haig
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift.]
*****************************************************************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.