Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 474 › Conversation 474-013

Nixon & Shultz on Economic Policy and Public Relations

Friday, March 26, 1971 · 4:59 PM–5:04 PM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Shultz, George P.Conversation474-013 on Tape 474 (tape position 01:24:55–01:28:42)StartFriday, March 26, 1971 at 4:59 PMEndFriday, March 26, 1971 at 5:04 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 474-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and George Shultz discussed the administration's public relations strategy regarding the economy and the critical need to secure support from the business community. They emphasized the necessity of projecting confidence in their economic policies to overcome skepticism among business leaders. The conversation concluded with a focus on selecting effective spokespeople, specifically considering individuals like Paul McCracken or Ezra Solomon, to better communicate the administration's agenda to the public.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 1 minute of this recording (about 40% 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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I wanted to tell you one thing, uh, the, uh, the, uh, uh, which we discussed once before, you know, on, uh, the, uh, the, uh, change of the military.
This is what he raised up, all the time, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
It's a question of insurance or whatever it is.
And so we've got to face the fact that that deal would be, it's frankly going to send a lot of debt to some bodies.
I believe in St. Jesus, you guys, you're going to be able to drive it.
Business people in particular have got to have some feeling that it's going to be
We've got so much to do, but let's see how much we can have up here.
That's what you need, really.
This is confidence.
You see, well, I mean, let's face it, getting up there in Athens, if you believe it, it's not a worry.
Come on, boys, let's go.
That's all.
Well, I was trying to do that.
You do, that's right.
You've got to see, but I look here, we believe it.
We know what we're doing.
We know all the areas that we can't see.
Well, maybe not.
That doesn't go.
You cannot do it.
You don't have to, you don't have to be, you don't have to lie to me, but you just got to say, well, now, I know all the arguments, but this is what I believe.
I am there.
I'm there.
Well, how's that for you to believe?
That's right.
That's right.
Yeah.
We probably, probably, we probably worked out.
Maybe we can solve it.
At least have one guy that we can put up to bat.
Look at this.
Yeah.
He's been going around with the National Raiders for a year.
Yeah.
And he's actually going to be sweet.
At least they, see, here's the right guy.
And he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a,
All right.

NARA Description

On March 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:59 pm to 5:04 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 474-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 474-13

Date: March 26, 1971
Time: 4:59 pm - 5:04 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with George P. Shultz

     Economy
         -A previous meeting
              -Maurice H. Stans

           -Administration spokesman
           -Need for business support
           -Paul W. McCracken
           -Ezra Solomon
                 -Speaking ability
           -Public relations efforts
                 -McCracken
                 -Solomon

The President and Shultz left at 5:04 pm

Also recorded on March 26, 1971

  • 474-005 11:17 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:17 am and 11:22 am.
  • 474-006 11:22 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:35 am.
  • 474-007 11:22 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and members of the Justinian Society met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 2:54 pm.
  • 474-008 4:09 PM · 32 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Melvin R. Laird, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, David Packard, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:09 pm and 4:53 pm.
  • 474-009 4:53 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:53 pm and 4:55 pm.
  • 474-010 4:53 PM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:53 pm and 4:55 pm.
  • 474-011 4:53 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:53 pm and 4:55 pm.
  • 474-012 4:55 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:55 pm to 4:59 pm.

All 14 conversations from March 26, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 474-013, March 26, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/474-013 (accessed October 12, 2026).