Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 417 › Conversation 417-024
Nixon, Rockefeller & Bush on Labor relations and Government staffing
Wednesday, March 7, 1973 · 3:00 PM–4:08 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 hr 4 min
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Nelson Rockefeller and George H.W. Bush to discuss administrative staffing, public outreach, and the importance of leadership character. The participants evaluated potential candidates for labor-related roles and emphasized the need to effectively communicate government initiatives to the public. Nixon particularly highlighted the need to rebuild national pride and faith in the government, viewing these efforts as a foundational "second American Revolution."
- Labor relations
- Government staffing
- Public outreach
- National morale
- Political leadership
Audio
Download MP3 (part 1) · 9.7 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 9.5 MB
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 47 minutes of this recording (about 73% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
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NARA Description
On March 7, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Nelson A. Rockefeller, and George H. W. Bush met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:00 pm to 4:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 417-024 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 417-24
Date: March 7, 1973
Time: 3:00 pm -4:08 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Nelson A. Rockefeller and George H. W. Bush; the White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
Weather
Margaretta (“Happy”) Rockefeller
Popularity [?]
Polls
-Public standing
-Choices
Field of candidates [?]
-President’s view
-Age
-Poll lead
-35-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
Number of staff
Rockefeller’s request for pressure from Administration
-John D. Ehrlichman [?]
-Statement by President, governor
-Importance
Program
-Money [?]
-Columbus compared to New York
-Support of Republican mayors and governors
John V. Lindsay [?]
Cheap shot
Democrats [?]
Committee appearance
William T. Cahill’s character
-Loyalty
-Decency
-Modesty
-Governor [?]
Unknown person’s conversation with Bush
-Concern about campaign [?]
-White House
John N. Mitchell
-Rockefeller or Bush meeting
-President’s wishes for informing
Cahill
-Speaking skills [?]
-Wife
Elections [?]
-36-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
-Mayor of New York City
-Governor of New York [?]
-Columbus
-Party assistance [?]
-Frank L. Rizzo
-Housing issue [?]
New York Times
Electable Republican
Jacob K. Javits
-Primaries
-Chances of winning
-Open ballot
-Support for Administration
-Trade
-Selling an idea
-Abilities
Republicans
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Richard S. Schweiker
-President’s support
-Votes
-Compared to Javits
Javits
-Candidacy
-Increased responsibilities
-Trade
-Monetary issues [?]
Mayor’s race [New York City]
-Federal housing issue
-Ehrlichman
-Negative position
-Democrats
-Abraham D. Beame
-1969 election [?]
-37-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
-Voter turnout for Republicans [?]
-Third parties
-Lindsay [?]
-Law and order issue
New York politics [?]
-Agreement
-Voters
-Republicans
-Bernardo [?] Goodman, [first name unknown] Matthews [?]
-Rockefeller’s [?] feeling
-Robert Wagner
Campaigning [?]
-Road
New York State
-Democrats [?]
-Wagner
-Opposing candidate
Election
-November [?]
Democrats
-Invitations [?}
Visit by an unknown person [?]
*****************************************************************
Henry A. Kissinger
Mayors
Governors
Ehrlichman
-38-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
Crime
-Narcotics
-Response
-Congress
-Law enforcement
-Death penalty [?]
-Life sentence
-Drug pushers [?]
-Parole
-Years to attain eligibility
-Life sentences
-Recidivist example [?]
Finances
Personnel appointment [?]
Travel
-Great Britain [?]
-Rockefeller’s habit
Housing
-Rent control
Bush
Senators
Quality of life
-Mankind
Africa
-World population [?]
-US policy [?]
Foreign relations
-Africa, Latin America
-India [?]
-39-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
-Necessity
-Europe
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Japan
-Power
Latin America, Africa
-Problem
-Per-capita income
Africa
-Burundi
-Statistics
-Flood
-Deaths
-Rockefeller’s comment about New York Times
-World reaction [?]
Mexico
-US policy
-Industrial development
Travel around a country
Technology [?]
United Service Organization [USO] [?]
-Military
Workers [?]
-“Fight to the death”
-Work week [?]
-John L. Lewis
-Coal [?]
Future issue
Political parties [?]
-40-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
-New York Times
-Committee
Potential action
-Housing
-Role of government [?]
H. Ross Perot [?]
-Contract
Candidates for office
-Funding amount
-Control
-Amount per day
Labor movement
-Peter J. Brennan
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-AFL-CIO convention
-Brennan
-Administration position
-Ray Corbett
-Acceptance by other labor leaders
-New York
*****************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift during
chronological review 2007-2013]
Patricia R. Hitt
-Work in California
-Robert H. Finch
-Abilities
-Political acumen
-Volunteerism
*****************************************************************
-41-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 417-24 (cont’d)
George W. Romney
-Talk with Rockefeller
-Limitations
-Enthusiasm
-Personality
-Organizational abilities
"Second American Revolution"
-John D. Rockefeller, III
-Book
-Bicentennial
Bicentennial
-Congress
-Faith in country
-Celebration
-Meeting
-Anne L. Armstrong
Rockefeller and Bush left at 4:08 pm.Also recorded on March 7, 1973
- 417-017 12:24 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:24 pm and 2:31 pm.
- 417-018 12:24 PM · 25 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 12:24 pm and 2:31 pm.
- 417-019 12:24 PM · 4 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 12:24 pm and 2:31 pm.
- 417-020 12:24 PM · 15 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 12:24 pm and 2:31 pm.
- 417-021 12:24 PM · 11 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 12:24 pm and 2:31 pm.
- 418-001 4:08 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 4:08 pm and 4:15 pm.
- 037-061 4:15 PM · 3 min — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, William P. Rogers, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:15 pm and 5:50 pm.
- 418-002 4:15 PM · 1 hr 33 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), White House operator, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:15 pm and 5:50 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 417-024, March 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/417-024 (accessed October 5, 2026).