In this meeting, President Nixon, John Mitchell, and Thomas Pappas discussed domestic and international affairs, focusing on the administration's political challenges and the need to maintain American global influence. Nixon expressed frustration with domestic critics, including intellectuals and the media, while reaffirming his commitment to a principled end to the Vietnam War that would protect U.S. credibility and honor. They also reviewed geopolitical situations in Greece, Italy, and Yugoslavia, with Pappas providing advisory input on foreign relations and the political climate abroad. The President signaled his resolve to pursue his policy agenda despite domestic opposition, specifically mentioning his upcoming meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus.
On March 25, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John N. Mitchell, Thomas A. Pappas, Manolo Sanchez, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:55 pm to 4:23 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 473-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 473-10
Date: March 25, 1971
Time: 3:55 pm - 4:23 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with John N. Mitchell and Thomas A. Pappas
President’s schedule
-Previous meeting with James D. Hodgson
Pappas’ schedule
Domestic Intelligence Advisory Board
-Paperwork
Pappas
-Work
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/03/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[473-010-w002]
[Duration: 4m 24s]
Thomas A. Pappas
-Health
-Eye surgery
-Detached retina
-Compared with Dean G. Acheson
-Boston
-Proctor and Gamble
-Neil H. McElroy
-Fred Lazarus, Jr.
-Friend of Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Federated Department Stores
-James Mitchell
-Ralph Lazarus
-Brother
-Thomas A. Pappas’s acquaintance with Ralph Lazarus
-Boston
-Supporter of the President
-Ralph Lazarus
-Boston
Spiro T. Agnew
-Thomas A. Pappas’s possible talk with John N. Mitchell
-Speech at Middlesex Club
-Fundraising reception
-Edward W. Brooke
-The President’s previous appearance
-1946 or 1947 appearance in Massachusetts
-The President as a congressman
Francis W. Sargent
-Position on Spiro T. Agnew
-Public opinion
-Position on Spiro T. Agnew
-Hugh Scott
******************************************************************************
Hugh Scott
-Pappas’ previous conversation
A gift
Scott
-Pappas’ previous conversation
-Support for President
-Supersonic Transport [SST]
John A. Volpe
-Health
SST
-Volpe’s work
SST
-Administration work
National mood
-SST
-Space program
-Defense programs
-Poverty
-President’s upcoming meeting with Congressional Black Caucus
-Program priorities
-Source of revenue
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:55 pm
Refreshments
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 12/03/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[473-010-w004]
[Duration: 42s]
Manolo Sanchez
-Background
Spanish language
Tijuana
******************************************************************************
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:23 pm
Support for President
-Pappas’ experiences
-Pappas
-1960 election
-John C. Folger
World leadership
-President’s role
-Era of change
-General Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle
-Konrad Adenauer
-Winston S. Churchill
-Alcide de Gasperi
-King Paul of Greece [Paul I]
-The Vatican
-Pope Pius XII [Eugenio Pacelli]
-Compared with Popes John XXIII [Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli] and
Paul VI [Giovanni Battista Motini]
-Catholic Church
-United States
-American Eastern Establishment
-Harvard University
-Vietnam War
-President’s role
-President’s policy
-Importance to US
-Charles H. Percy
-R. Sargent Shriver
-Edward W. Brooke
-Enemies of US
-Europe
-Public opinion
-President’s forthcoming announcement
-Effect
-US troops
-Withdrawal
-South Vietnam
-Peace talks in Paris
-Henry Cabot Lodge, Dr. David K. E. Bruce
-Effect
-US strategy
-Timing of negotiations
-POWs
-Geneva
National mood
-Effect of World War II
-Compared with French, Germans, and Japanese
-Effect of Korean and Vietnam Wars
-Intellectuals
-Media
-Attitudes toward US role in world
-Aviation
-Space exploration
-Domestic orientation
-Blacks
-Communists
-Britain, France, Japan, US
-Intellectuals
-View of America
-John Kenneth Galbraith
-McGeorge Bundy
Henry E. Ford, II
-Attendance at President’s March 23, 1971 dinner
-Wife
-Work in volunteer efforts
-Relations with Pappas
-Support for John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
-First wife
-Support for President
-Max M. Fisher
-Contribution
Pappas
-Support for the President
-Meeting with the President
-Pappas’ business
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN-T-MDR-
2014-021. Segment exempt per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 04/30/2019. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[473-010-w007]
[Duration: 1m 31s]
ITALY AND THE VATICAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
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Italy
-Henry J. Tasca
-Possible appointment
-Pappas’ view
-Wife
-Greece
-Comments on State Department
-Relations with Pappas [?]
Communists
-Spain, Turkey, Italy
-Pappas’ view
-Greece
-President’s position
-Support for Greece
-Mitchell
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Pappas previous conversation with George Papadopoulos
-Support of Greece
-Tasca
-Pappas’ previous conversation with ConstantinosConv.
Karamanlis
No. 473-18 (cont.)
-Tasca’s role
-Political developments
-Pappas’ assessment
-Martial law
-Tasca
-Status
-King Constantine [Constantine II]
-Health
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-022. Segment declassified on 10/10/2018. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[473-010-w009]
[Duration: 19s]
Communists
-Greece
-[Constantine, King of the Hellenes] Constantine II
-US position
-Return
-Role
******************************************************************************
Communists
-Yugoslavia
-Josip Broz Tito
-Accomplishments
-President’s visit in October, 1970
-Status
-Pappas’ view
-Tito’s planned visit to US
-Timing
-Pappas’ possible attendance at State dinner
Pappas’ work for Mitchell
-Schedule
Yugoslavia
-Monetary situation
-Pappas’ business connections
-Imports and exports
-Steel plant
-Japan, England, Germany, France
Middle East
-A Prime Minister
-Friendship with Pappas
-Tom Pluskey [?]
-Brother
-Soviet Union role
-Israel
-US role
-Soviet Union role
-Pappas’ view
Turkey
-Drug traffic
-Pappas’ role
-President’s position
-New leader
-Program
-Pappas’ view
-Advisors
-Pappas’ view
-Previous conversations with the President
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-022. Segment declassified on 10/10/2018. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[473-010-w008]
[Duration: 19s]
Turkey
-Possible approach with Greece
-Cyprus
******************************************************************************
Possible Meeting of President and Giuseppe Saragat
-Italy
-California
-Previous state visit
-Private visit
-Timing
-California
-Florida
-Alaska
-Circumstances
-Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters
-Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration role
Folger
-Pappas’ meeting
-Contribution to Common Cause
-John W. Gardner
-Common Cause
Ripon Society
-Shriver
-A party for Charles E. Goodell
-Mitchell’s view
Pappas’ forthcoming work
-President’s appreciation
Gifts
-Cufflinks
-Paperweight
Stephen B. Bull entered at 4:23 pm
The President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Congressional Black Caucus
[Forename unknown] Wells [?]
President’s support
Mitchell, Pappas, and Bull left at 4:23 pmThis 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.