{"conversationCode":"486-008","tapeNumber":486,"conversationNumber":8,"identifier":"37-wht-conversation-486-008","startDateTime":"1971-04-22T21:35:00.000Z","endDateTime":"1971-04-22T21:52:00.000Z","startDate":"22-Apr-1971","startTime":"4:35 PM","endDate":"22-Apr-1971","endTime":"4:52 PM","dateCertainty":"certain","timeCertainty":"estimated","participants":"United States Secret Service agents;","description":"On April 22, 1971, United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:35 pm and 4:52 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 486-008 of the White House Tapes.","locationCode":"OVAL","recordingDevice":"Oval Office","latitudeEstimated":38.8974,"longitudeEstimated":-77.0374,"chronCode":1,"chronRelease":"First Chronological Release","chronReleaseDate":"5-Oct-1999","aogpRelease":null,"aogpSegment":null,"lastModified":"2015-07-27T17:04:10.235Z","findingAid":"Instruction to Kissinger\n           -Forthcoming telephone call to William P. Rogers\n\n     Vietnam\n          -Veterans\n               -News\n\n     President's People's Republic of China [PRC] Initiative\n           -Credit\n           -State Department\n                 -Reaction\n\n     Kissinger's Schedule\n          -Berlin\n\n     PRC Initiative\n         -Melvin R. Laird\n         -Rogers\n         -State Department\n                -United Nations [UN] representation issue\n                -Lack of initiative or knowledge\n         -Communications with PRC\n                -Nicolae Ceausescu\n                -Mohammad Yahya Khan\n\n     Berlin Negotiations\n          -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]\n               -Technical Issue\n               -Timing\n\n     PRC Initiative\n         -President’s initiative\n                -Publicity\n                -John A. Scali\n\n                     -Press\n               -State Department\n               -Background\n               -Tactics\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number\nLPRN-T-MDR-2014-023. Segment declassified on 04/24/2019. Archivist: MAS]\n[National Security]\n[486-001-w001]\n[Duration: 13s]\n\n     People’s Republic of China [PRC] initiative\n          -The President’s initiative\n               -Indian ambassador\n               -The President’s trip to Bucharest\n               -Nicolae Ceausescu\n               -The President’s previous conversation with Indira Gandhi\n                     -Condominiums\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n     PRC [People’s Republic of China] Initiative\n         -The President’s initiative\n              -State Department\n                    -Briefing paper\n              -Condominium\n              -Rogers\n              -Ceausescu\n         -Message from Peking\n              -Yahya Khan\n                    -Chou En-lai\n                    -Taiwan\n              -State Department\n              -National Security Council [NSC]\n              -Kissinger's Role\n              -Robert Pierpoint\n              -Marvin L. Kalb\n\n                        -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]\n                  -State Department\n                        -Credit\n                        -Laos\n\n[Transcript #1: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under\ncourt order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums,\net al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives andConv.\n                                                                            Records\n                                                                                 No. 486-8 (cont.)\nAdministration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]\n\n[End of transcript]\n\nH.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman was present at an unknown time after 9:41 am\n\n     Scali\n             -President's role\n             -John Foster Dulles\n\n     PRC initiative\n         -Kissinger\n         -State Department\n         -Defense Department\n         -President’s initiative\n         -Scali\n         -Rogers\n                -Haldeman’s possible telephone call\n         -CBS\n         -State Department\n                -Rogers\n                -UN representation\n                -Rogers\n                -Llewellyn E. (\"Tommy\") Thompson\n                      -Letter\n                            -Opposition to initiative\n                            -Position publication\n                            -Union of Soviet Socialist Republic [USSR]\n                -Rogers\n                -Foreign Service\n                -Thompson\n                      -Letter\n                            -Possible publication\n                -Kissinger's role\n\n                 -Scali’s role\n                       -Publicity\n                 -Kissinger\n                 -President's role\n\n                 -Kissinger's role\n                       -John Osborne\n                       -Donald Oberdorfer, Jr.\n                       -Hugh S. Sidey\n                       -President's Initiatives\n\n[Transcript #2: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under\ncourt order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums,\net al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records\nAdministration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]\n\n[End of transcript]\n\n     President’s speech at Republican Governors Conference, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 19,\n          -Welfare theme\n\n     Welfare\n          -Workers\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/13/2019.\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w003]\n[Duration: 1m 14s]\n\n       Welfare\n              -The President's family\n                     -Harold Nixon\n                             -Health\n                                     -Tuberculosis\n                                     -Arizona\n\n                       -Hannah Milhous Nixon\n                              -Medical costs\n                       -Tuberculosis\n                              -Remedies\n                       -Hannah Milhous Nixon\n                              -Menial labor and child care\n                                      -Work involved\n                                      -The President’s comparison to welfare mothers\n                              -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s opinion\n               -Paula (Stern) Kissinger\n                       -Work\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     Welfare\n          -Welfare mothers\n               -Work\n          -Children\n\n     Demonstrations\n         -Television\n\n[Transcript #3: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under\ncourt order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums,\net al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records\nAdministration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]\n\n[End of transcript]\n\n     Administration policies\n         -PRC initiative\n               -Importance\n         -Graham B. Steenhoven\n               -Appearance on television, April 21, 1971\n                     -Style\n                     -Questions\n                     -Background\n\n     PRC initiative\n         -Calls to Kissinger\n\n          -Importance\n          -Elections\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number\nLPRN-T-MDR-2014-023. Segment declassified on 04/30/2019. Archivist: Conv.\n                                                                     MAS]No. 486-8 (cont.)\n[National Security]\n[486-001-w004]\n[Duration: 18s]\n\n      People’s Republic of China [PRC] initiative\n             -Reports\n             -Vienna\n             -Unknown man\n                    -Dismissive of reports\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     The President's schedule\n          -Kissinger's forthcoming call to Laird\n          -Camp Pendleton, California\n               -First Marine Division\n               -Laird\n               -Scali\n                      -Air Force One\n                      -Press\n\n     Kissinger's schedule\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/13/2019.\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w005]\n[Duration: 9s]\n\n      Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule\n\n              -Forthcoming vacation in May 1971\n                     -Palm Springs\n                            -The President’s reaction\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n          -Trip to Europe\n                -Itinerary\n                -Edward R. G. Heath\n                      -Cabinet Secretary\n                           -Letter to the President\n                -Paris\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 11/14/2019. Segment cleared for\nrelease.]\n[Privacy]\n[486-001-w006]\n[Duration: 8s]\n\n       Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule\n             -Trip to Europe\n                     -Paris\n                             -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n       Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule\n             -Trip to Europe\n               -Paris\n               -Arthur K. Watson\n                     -Dinner\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 12/05/2019. Segment cleared for\n\nrelease.]\n[Privacy]\n[486-001-w014]\n[Duration: 48s]\n\n       Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule\n             -Trip to Europe\n                             -The President’s previous visit to Europe\n                                    -Roy Howard\n                                    -The French\n                             -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy\n                                    -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s observation\n                     -Italy\n                             -Humbert II\n                                    -Daughter\n\n******************************************************************************\n\n       Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule\n             -Trip to Europe\n               -Timing\n               -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin\n\n[Transcript #4: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under\ncourt order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums,\net al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records\nAdministration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]\n\n[End of transcript]\n\n     The President's foreign policy initiatives\n          -Cambodia\n          -Laos\n          -North Vietnam\n          -PRC\n          -USSR\n\n     The President's schedule\n          -Meeting with Republican Congressional leaders\n               -John W. Byrnes\n\nRobert J. Dole and Anne Armstrong entered and Kissinger left at 10:07 am; the White House\nphotographer was present at the beginning of the meeting\n\n     Greetings\n\n     Armstrong's schedule\n     Photo session\n          -Pictures\n                -Distribution\n\n     Introductions\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/15/2019.\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w007]\n[Duration: 3m 35s]\n\n       The President's previous conversation with Robert J. Dole\n              -Anne L. Armstrong’s work\n                      -Satisfaction with work\n\n       Republican National Committee [RNC]\n             -Robert J. Dole\n             -Anne L. Armstrong's role\n             -The President’s previous conversation with Robert J. Dole\n                    -Political organizations\n                            -Importance\n                                    -Loyalty\n                                    -Efficiency\n             -Congress\n             -Senators\n             -Robert J. Dole's role\n                    -Unknown man from Delaware\n                    -Speeches\n             -Need for reorganization\n                    -Leadership\n\n                      -Anne L. Armstrong's staff\n                             -Removals\n                                    -Age\n                                    -Retirement of staff members over the age of 65\n              -[Unintelligible name] [Herman?]\n                      -Reports\n                      -Tenure\n              -Efficiency\n              -Relocating employees\n                      -White House\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     Federal government\n          -Removals\n          -Agencies\n          -Discipline\n\n     Dole's visit to New York, April 21, 1971\n          -Support for the President on economy\n                 -George Champion, Jr.\n                 -Elmer H. Bobst\n\n     Post-Vietnam\n          -President's meeting with Senators\n                -Japan and Germany\n\n     Bobst\n          -Condition\n\n     Dole's speech\n          -Noel C. Koch\n                -Bullock Forum\n          -Polls\n          -Koch\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/14/2019.\n\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w008]\n[Duration: 55s]\n\n       Republican National Committee [RNC]\n             -Anne L. Armstrong’s role\n             -Women\n                    -The President’s description\n             -Support for the President\n             -National Federation of Republican Women\n                    -Dorothy A. Kabis\n             -Unity\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     Vietnam\n          -Difficulty\n          -Outlook\n          -Press\n          -John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson\n          -Women\n                -Concerns\n                      -Draft\n                      -Prisoners of War [POWs]\n\n     Welfare\n\n     The President's remarks at Republican Governors' Conference, Williamsburg, Virginia,\n          April 19, 1971\n          -Work\n          -Personal anecdotes\n          -President's position\n                -Charity\n                -Guaranteed income\n          -Administration's program\n                -Work\n                      -Alternative\n          -Department of Health, Education and Welfare's [HEW] position\n                -Assistance\n\n                      -Food stamps\n          -President’s position\n                -Welfare children\n                -Poverty\n                      -Self-help\n                -Self-development\n                -Children\n                      -Swimming\n                -Work\n                -President's meeting with Rio Grande High School students, April 16, 1971\n                      -Mexican children\n                      -Work\n                -Responsibility\n                -Self-reliance and self-respect\n                -Disabilities\n                -Charity\n                -Capacity for work\n                -Dole's activities regarding helping the handicapped\n                      -Self-help\n                -Haldeman's conversation with Kissinger\n                      -Work\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/14/2019.\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w009]\n[Duration: 2m 29s]\n\n      The President’s previous conversation with Henry A. Kissinger\n             -The President’s family\n                    -Background\n                            -Wealth\n                            -Businesses owned\n                    -Health of Arthur Nixon\n                    -Harold Nixon\n                            -Health\n                                    -Tuberculosis\n                                    -Bed rest\n\n                     -Hannah Milhous Nixon\n                            -Harold Nixon\n                                   -Move to Prescott, Arizona\n                     -Frank Nixon\n                            -Job running family store\n                     -Hannah Milhous Nixon’s work\n                            -Taking care of tuberculosis patients\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     President’s family\n           -Republican Governors Conference\n           -Rio Grande High School\n           -Republican Governors Conference\n           -Background of question\n                -Menial jobs\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 11/14/2019.\nSegment cleared for release.]\n[Personal Returnable]\n[486-001-w010]\n[Duration: 1m 12s]\n\n      The President’s family\n             -Hannah Milhous Nixon\n                    -Henry A. Kissinger’s question\n                            -Work\n                    -Harold Nixon\n                            -Health\n                    -The President’s previous trips to visit\n                    -Work\n\n**********************************************************************\n\n     The President’s family\n          -Society\n\n[Transcript #5: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under\ncourt order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access 8, Ronald V. Dellums,\net al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records\nAdministration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]\n\n[End of transcript]\n     The President's meeting with Rio Grande High School students\n          -Patsy Ramirez\n          -Work and activities\n                -Earnings\n                -Texan tamales\n                -California tamales\n                      -Cost\n                -Earnings\n                -Menial tasks\n                -Car washes\n                -Orange trees\n                      -Mexicans\n          -Appearance\n                -Boys and girls\n                      -Number\n          -Principal\n\n     The President's meetings with youth groups\n\n     Youth\n         -Work\n               -Stimulation\n         -Challenges\n          -Problem\n               -Indulgence\n          -Denials\n               -Automobiles\n               -Trips to Europe\n         -Responsibility\n         -Blaming others for inadequacies\n\n     Administration programs\n         -End of Vietnam War\n               -Prospects\n\n     -Environment\n     -Welfare\n     -Revenue sharing\n     -Health\n     -Blacks and minorities\n          -Poor\n\n     -College professors\n           -Draft evaders\n     -Preachers\n           -Quakers\n           -Avoidance of draft\n\nProblems\n     -Vietnam War\n     -Environment\n     -Races\n\nChildren\n     -Self-analysis\n     -Indulgence by parents\n           -Pampering\n     -Discipline\n     -Escapism\n\nNation\n     -Mood\n     -Supersonic Transport [SST]\n     -Priorities\n           -Ghettos\n           -Defense\n     -Analogy to individual\n           -Selfishness\n                 -Destiny\n     -General Charles A. J. M. deGaulle\n           -Policies\n                 -President’s view\n           -Quoted\n                 -Great enterprises\n     -US historical enterprises\n           -Exploration of the West\n\n               -War\n               -Space\n                     -Moon landing\n                     -Prospects\n               -Computerization\n               -Exploration of unknown\n          -Youth\n               -Peace Corps\n               -Volunteers In Service To America [VISTA]\n               -Activities against government\n               -Idealism\n               -View of nation's role\n                     -Leadership in world\n          -Role of US in world\n               -Historical powers\n                     -British, French, Spanish\n\nStephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:07 am\n\n     The President's schedule\n\nBull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am\n\n     Youth\n          -Upper middle class\n              -Problems\n              -Parents\n                    -Compassion\n          -Understanding\n          -Way to greatness\n\n     Nation\n          -Guaranteed income\n               -Work\n          -Welfare program\n               -Work\n          -Education for children\n          -Children\n               -Responsibility\n          -National character and individual character\n          -Rich societies\n\n     -Soft societies\n\nUS position in world\n    -Example of Japan and Germany\n          -World War II\n                -Development\n                -Difficulties\n\nUS\n     -General condition\n\nYouth\n     -College tuition loans\n          -President's position\n          -HEW\n\nNational character\n           -Testing\n           -Home\n           -Mothers\n           -Churches\n           -Institutions in disrepair\n\nChildren and youth\n     -Women’s role\n           -Home\n           -Communities\n           -Church\n           -Permissiveness\n     -Self evaluation\n           -Responsibility\n           -Vietnam War\n\n           -Fathers\n           -Environment\n           -System\n           -College\n     -President's education\n           -College and high school career\n           -Teachers\n\n                      -Evaluation\n\n     Nation\n          -Need for optimism\n          -Media\n               -Radio, television, newspapers\n          -Poverty\n          -US foreign policy\n          -American people\n\n     Presentation of gifts\n          -Cufflinks\n          -Paper weight\n\n     Need for optimism\n\n     Dole's meeting with unknown person\n\nDole and Armstrong left at 10:40 am\n\n     Armstrong\n         -Compared with Patricia R. Hitt\n\nHaldeman left at 10:41 am","filename":["486-008.mp3"],"tapeStart":"05:27:13","tapeEnd":"05:27:31","participantsList":["United States Secret Service agents"],"prevCode":"486-007","nextCode":"487-001","transcript":[{"start":4.01,"end":9.79,"text":"He's coming."}],"aiSummary":{"text":"President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, Robert J. Dole, and Anne L. Armstrong to discuss a broad range of domestic and foreign policy priorities, including the administration's initiative with the People's Republic of China, welfare reform, and the state of the American national character. The participants addressed the need for greater efficiency within the Republican National Committee and discussed the challenges of communicating the President’s work-based welfare philosophy to the public. Nixon further reflected on the importance of self-reliance and responsibility among American youth, framing these values as essential to the nation's continued global leadership and historical development.","topics":["People's Republic of China Initiative","Welfare Reform","Republican National Committee","National Character","Foreign Policy","Youth and Education","Vietnam War"],"generatedAt":"2026-04-06T21:52:17.163Z"},"topicSlugs":["peoples-republic-of-china-initiative","welfare-reform","republican-national-committee","national-character","foreign-policy","youth-and-education","vietnam-war"],"audioDurationSec":17,"audioFiles":[{"file":"486-008.mp3","bytes":414405,"durationSec":17.21,"bitrate":192601,"missing":false}],"audioIsShared":false,"audioProbedAt":"2026-09-18T02:19:48.989Z","audio":["https://nixon.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/audio/486-008.mp3"],"url":"https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/486-008","nixonLibraryUrl":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/white-house-tapes/486/conversation-486-008","license":"Public domain (U.S. Government work). AI-generated fields (transcript, aiSummary) are provided as-is without warranty."}