Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 465
Nixon White House Tape 465 (March 10, 1971)
14 conversations · Oval Office
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Butterfield, Ziegler, Safire
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Oval Office to coordinate the President's daily agenda. The primary focus of the discussion was the scheduling of a meeting with speechwriter William L. Safire. No further substantive policy matters were recorded during this brief administrative briefing.
President Nixon met with William Safire to refine a draft of an upcoming speech on law enforcement, focusing on themes of judicial reform, respect for the law, and the appropriate tone for addressing national concerns. The discussion included adjustments to language regarding radicalism and the legal system, as well as the President’s stance on legal services for the poor. Following this, Alexander Butterfield joined to finalize the logistics and procedure for a scheduled signing ceremony regarding revenue sharing for rural community development.
President Nixon met with Mark I. Goode to coordinate logistics for an upcoming signing ceremony with farm leaders in the Roosevelt Room. The discussion focused on administrative details, including the participation of Alexander P. Butterfield, the strategic placement of cameras, and the protocol for pen distribution. These arrangements were finalized to ensure the smooth execution of the event.
President Nixon met with a large delegation of agricultural and rural development representatives to discuss his administration's focus on rural community development and revenue sharing. The discussion centered on the strategic importance of rural policy, the challenges of passing related legislation through Congress, and the need to address concerns from skeptical Democratic governors and minority groups. The meeting concluded with plans for the attendees to receive a special briefing and a tour of the White House following the President's scheduled press announcement.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull meet to discuss administrative concerns regarding the President’s daily schedule. The conversation centers on a scheduling conflict involving Peter M. Flanigan, with the participants expressing frustration over a perceived lack of good faith in the arrangements. No definitive resolution is reached, but the exchange highlights tensions regarding the management of the President's upcoming appointments.
President Nixon and Peter Flanigan discussed strategies for handling recalcitrant textile trade negotiations with Japan and addressing perceived overreach by Congressman Wilbur Mills. The President rejected a soft approach, insisting on a forceful public stance and the preparation of tough, direct legislation to pressure both the Japanese and Congress. Additionally, Nixon directed staff to clarify his firm support for the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) system, specifically ordering a public refutation of reports suggesting he or nominee James C. Fletcher harbored doubts on the matter. Finally, they reviewed the progress of William J. Casey’s Senate confirmation process, noting successful efforts to neutralize opposition.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discuss a positive recent interaction between the administration and Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times. Bull conveys a message from Roger [Ailes] regarding the successful nature of the meeting and advises the President against returning a pending phone call. The discussion serves to manage communication channels between the administration and the press.
President Nixon met with his senior staff, including H. R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, and Ronald Ziegler, to manage the administration's public relations, press strategy, and foreign policy narrative. The discussion focused heavily on minimizing negative press coverage regarding the Vietnam War, the Laos operation, and a false report involving NASA nominee James C. Fletcher and the ABM program. Nixon directed his staff to aggressively refute inaccuracies in the press while preparing for upcoming media appearances, emphasizing a need to maintain an authoritative tone and avoid defensive posturing.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to conduct a review of the President's upcoming official schedule. The discussion focused on coordinating the logistics and management of his public and private appearances. No specific policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative session.
President Nixon met with an unknown individual in the Oval Office to discuss scheduling matters. Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler was also involved in the deliberations regarding the President's upcoming agenda. The discussion concluded without any recorded decisions, as the participant departed shortly thereafter.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler discussed a strategy to address a news report by Daniel Schorr concerning James C. Fletcher’s views on the Anti-ballistic Missile (ABM) system. Nixon instructed Ziegler to ensure Fletcher publicly clarified that the President’s Science Advisory Committee never opposed the ABM, that Fletcher had not discussed the matter with the President, and that Fletcher fully supported the administration's policy. The President emphasized a firm stance in managing these public communications to protect his defense initiatives.
President Nixon consulted with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to clarify the identity of the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) Secretary General. The President required this specific information to properly address a piece of correspondence he was drafting. This brief administrative interaction concluded after Bull provided the necessary identification to assist with the official letter.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to facilitate a brief administrative delivery. The interaction focused on the transfer of specific materials, though the precise nature of the items remains unrecorded due to the lack of a transcript. Bull departed shortly after the delivery was completed.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, in the Oval Office to address administrative matters regarding presidential correspondence. The discussion focused on the management and processing of incoming mail and official communications. The meeting concluded with the two men departing the office together, marking the end of the brief session.