Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 433 › Conversation 433-050

Nixon & Kissinger on David Packard and Willy Brandt

Tuesday, May 1, 1973 · 6:55 PM–7:02 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation433-050 on Tape 433StartTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 6:55 PMEndTuesday, May 1, 1973 at 7:02 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 433-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the potential appointment of David Packard to a high-level position, evaluating his qualifications, political alignment, and rapport with Kissinger. The conversation also covers the success of Nixon’s recent meetings with West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and Egon Bahr, including the tone of Nixon's comments regarding the Soviet Union. Nixon concludes by reinforcing the administration's commitment to upcoming Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), instructing Kissinger to maintain high morale and execute their diplomatic strategy.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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, the main thing, you've got to have a man that doesn't have to find a way to mend your memory.
And between you and him, you know, you work well with him.
You always have.
oh and the other yeah but the other guy's in the conservative line you see so you see you you've got you've got you've got well he's no more liberal than ellie that's what i mean exactly exactly he isn't going to be wanting to you know make peace for the sake of peace i thought you should know we got lost anything you want me to
say about Brown tonight except that he's a wonderful guy and the greatest leader of the piece the world's ever seen.
I don't intend to.
I've got to say it quite personally.
But, uh, I thought it was well to get those with him and all of that, uh, your friend Barr.
I got that, that, that, I was really... Did that bother you?
Yeah.
I didn't say anything nasty about the Soviets.
I said, look, they're tough and strong.
But the Browns was better this morning than they used to be.
Yeah.
Well, now you keep your morale up on the boys.
Right.
It's all going to come out.
That's right.
That's right.
Submit it.
Yeah.
Henry, we did the SALT thing in Moscow, and you and I are going to do it now.
Is that understood?
All right.
You've got your orders.
Okay, boy.

NARA Description

On May 1, 1973, 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 6:55 pm and 7:02 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 433-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 433-50

Date: May 1, 1973
Time: Unknown between 6:55 pm and 7:02 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     President’s schedule
           -Meeting with David Packard

     Personnel appointments
          -Packard
                -Qualifications
                -Stock conflict
                                            -30-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                 -Work with Kissinger
                 -Political orientation
                        -Other candidate
                        -Compared with Elliot L. Richardson
                 -Peacemaking

     President’s schedule
           -State Dinner for Willy Brandt
                 -Toast
           -Meeting with Brandt
                 -Success
                 -Egon Bahr
                 -President’s remarks about Soviet Union
                 -Previous meetings

     Kissinger’s morale

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
           -1972 Moscow summit
                 -Compared with present

Also recorded on May 1, 1973

  • 045-108 6:49 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:49 pm and 6:51 pm.
  • 433-046 6:49 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:49 pm to 6:51 pm.
  • 045-109 6:51 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:53 pm.
  • 433-047 6:51 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:51 pm and 6:53 pm.
  • 045-110 6:53 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and David Packard talked on the telephone from 6:53 pm to 6:55 pm.
  • 433-048 6:53 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and David Packard met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:53 pm to 6:55 pm.
  • 045-111 6:55 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 6:55 pm and 7:02 pm.
  • 433-049 6:55 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:55 pm and 7:02 pm.

All 181 conversations from May 1, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 433-050, May 1, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/433-050 (accessed October 5, 2026).