Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 456
Nixon White House Tape 456 (February 23, 1971 – February 24, 1971)
26 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 49 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Butterfield, Bull, Ziegler, Haldeman
United States Secret Service agents convened in the Oval Office to discuss security-related matters. The recording consists primarily of room noise and muffled, unintelligible dialogue. No substantive policy discussions, decisions, or actionable intelligence were captured in this brief segment.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler discuss strategies for managing press coverage regarding the Vietnam War and recent media reporting. Nixon directs Ziegler to emphasize that South Vietnamese military operations are facilitating American troop withdrawals and ultimately saving U.S. lives. The two align on a messaging approach to counter critical Washington Post coverage by consistently referring reporters back to the administration’s established position on the war effort.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the handling of marked-up news summaries, specifically regarding the President's personal annotations and feedback. The conversation focused on integrating these presidential comments into forthcoming economic briefings involving John B. Connally, Paul W. McCracken, and George P. Shultz. Nixon emphasized the importance of ensuring these insights were conveyed during relevant meetings, including an afternoon session concerning the trucking industry.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the scheduling of upcoming meetings during the President's designated "open hour." Nixon reviewed a list of potential visitors, including John R. Williams, Jr. and John B. Waters, Jr., and instructed Butterfield to vet the appointments to ensure they added value. The President ultimately decided to limit the number of attendees to keep the meetings productive and focused.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman convened with senior advisors and staff to coordinate administrative messaging on foreign trade and economic policy, with a focus on enforcing stricter discipline among cabinet officers. The President also consulted Henry Kissinger on national security matters, specifically seeking to navigate the ongoing friction between Kissinger and Secretary of State William P. Rogers while managing the sensitive public relations aspects of the Vietnam War and the Laotian operation. Additionally, the President issued directives regarding internal staff management and requested an investigation into a recent security leak concerning the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT).
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the logistical arrangements for upcoming White House entertainment featuring the group Up With People and comedian Bob Hope. The President outlined his preferences for the program flow, specifically regarding the timing of his own stage appearances and the formal introductions of the performers. The conversation served to clarify the President's public engagement expectations to ensure the event proceeded according to his desired schedule.
President Nixon met with Senator Milton R. Young, Representative Mark Andrews, and a delegation of twenty-five members of the North Dakota Legislature to discuss his Administration's revenue sharing proposals. The President emphasized the specific benefits of general and special revenue sharing for North Dakota, highlighting a new $1 billion initiative dedicated to rural development. The meeting concluded with the President presenting gifts to the attendees and engaging in informal conversation regarding North Dakota and the legislative delegation's influence in Congress.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to facilitate a formal photograph with Arizona Governor John R. "Jack" Williams, Jr. The meeting served as a brief administrative coordination to ensure the session with the Governor proceeded as scheduled. Following this logistical arrangement, Bull departed the office immediately.
President Nixon met with Arizona Governor Jack Williams to discuss the state's economic conditions and urgent concerns regarding water resource management and infrastructure funding. Following Williams' departure, Nixon consulted with John Ehrlichman and Ronald Ziegler regarding strategy for an upcoming meeting with state governors, specifically aiming to avoid hostile media coverage by favoring private discussions over open forums. The President ultimately decided to conduct his pitch to the governors in a closed setting to ensure candid communication without the interference of grandstanding attendees.
President Nixon hosted John B. Waters, Jr. and his family for a brief social visit and photo opportunity in the Oval Office, during which he presented them with gifts and discussed the office's surroundings. The meeting served primarily as a gesture of goodwill toward the Waters family, including informal conversation regarding Tennessee politics and previous speaking engagements. Outside of the family visit, the recording includes brief, fragmented discussion regarding strategy for a separate event, emphasizing the President's desire to control media access and minimize public exposure during specific political sessions.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to issue an immediate directive regarding the White House press corps. The President ordered Bull to bring the press into the Oval Office without delay. This brief, one-minute interaction served as a logistical instruction to facilitate an unscheduled or urgent media engagement.
President Nixon met with his senior aides and advisors to strategize the temporary suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act, framing the move as an emergency measure to combat inflation in the construction industry rather than an attack on labor unions. The group, including H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Charles Colson, and George Shultz, worked to refine a public statement that would justify the suspension by drawing parallels to the administration's previous interventions in the steel and oil sectors. Nixon emphasized the need to maintain credibility with his political allies while ensuring the message clearly articulated that the suspension was a necessary response to rising costs rather than a permanent repeal of labor protections.
President Nixon met with Manolo Sanchez and Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to discuss logistical arrangements or personal scheduling matters. The brief recording consists primarily of room noise and muffled background dialogue, preventing a clear understanding of substantive policy decisions. The exchange concludes with a general acknowledgment regarding the need to proceed with current plans.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate administrative logistics regarding presidential scheduling and document handling. The discussion focused on managing the President's immediate workflow and the disposal of specific materials. The participants reached an informal consensus on these logistical arrangements before concluding the brief meeting.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone call to speechwriter William L. Safire. The exchange served as a routine administrative request to establish a line of communication with a key staff member. No policy matters or substantive discussions were recorded during this brief interaction.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to confirm the logistics for an evening engagement. The pair briefly coordinated the scheduling for a briefing, identified as a 'CD,' set for 6:00 p.m. The meeting concluded once the timeline for this appointment was established.
President Nixon met with speechwriter William Safire to discuss the drafting and refinement of the upcoming 'State of the World' message. The conversation focused on the presentation of national security, defense, and arms control policies, particularly in relation to the perspectives of Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird and Secretary of State William Rogers. Nixon tasked Safire with integrating editorial changes to ensure the message effectively articulated his vision for a strong America.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to discuss the management of the President's daily schedule. The conversation focused on logistics and arrangements for upcoming appointments and administrative affairs. No specific policy decisions were finalized during this brief exchange regarding White House operations.
President Nixon held a brief, informal discussion with an unidentified participant regarding personal sentiments on physical appearance. The dialogue centered on the expression of subjective preferences toward body image. No formal policy decisions or administrative actions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with United States Secret Service agents in the Oval Office to discuss matters related to presidential security and logistics. The dialogue consists primarily of brief directives and procedural acknowledgments from the security personnel. The recording concludes abruptly, providing limited substantive detail regarding specific operations or strategic decisions.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler coordinate the media strategy for the President’s upcoming appearance at the Governors’ conference. They discuss the logistics of radio and television coverage, specifically deciding against requesting formal radio time in favor of providing clips. Nixon also touches upon potential messaging regarding the political implications of a conviction to ensure the administration's stance is clearly communicated.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met with several aides and officials, including Harry Dent and Robert Finch, to strategize on public relations, political outreach, and the upcoming 1972 campaign. The discussion covered the President's scheduled travel and appearances, the necessity of carefully managing his time and public messaging, and the ongoing administrative handling of internal personnel issues, specifically the dissenting foreign service officers. They also touched upon foreign policy communications, the importance of maintaining control over official messaging, and the logistical organization of White House workspaces and executive meetings.
President Nixon met with United States Secret Service agents in the Oval Office to briefly discuss his daily schedule. The conversation was limited in scope, as the recording system cut off shortly after the President invited the agents to sit down. No significant policy decisions or major developments were captured during this brief exchange.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meetings, refine public relations strategies regarding Vietnam, and discuss ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The President expressed frustration with internal leaks and administrative friction between Henry Kissinger and Secretary of State William Rogers. Decisions were made to streamline briefing procedures for the NSC and to manage diplomatic messaging to the press and Congress regarding the Vietnam conflict.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to discuss personal arrangements. The conversation focused on a logistical request regarding the President's coat. The brief interaction concluded with the two men departing the office immediately afterward.
Stephen B. Bull met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to coordinate administrative logistics or personnel matters. Alexander P. Butterfield was also present during the brief encounter, which lasted approximately ten minutes. No specific policy decisions were recorded, as the discussion primarily served to facilitate internal White House operations.