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Conversation 496-011

TapeTape 496StartMonday, May 10, 1971 at 2:35 PMEndMonday, May 10, 1971 at 2:39 PMTape start time01:41:12Tape end time01:54:53ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Woods, Rose MaryRecording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, met to discuss a wide-ranging agenda involving administrative tasks, White House logistics, and political outreach. They addressed matters such as gift management, the potential creation of a presidential business award, the handling of archival research, and upcoming renovations to the Oval Office. Additionally, the pair touched on staffing for the 1972 campaign and personal remarks regarding recent social functions.

White House administrationOval Office renovationPresidential awards1972 presidential campaignNixon LibraryWhite House social events
AudioNARA Description

On May 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:35 pm to 2:39 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 496-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 496-011

Date: May 10, 1971
Time: 2:35 pm - 2:39 pm

Location: Oval Office

The President met with Rose Mary Woods

     President's schedule
           -Previous trip to Gateway National Park

     [Forename unknown] Griffin

             -Capitol Hill work
             -Health
             -A previous visit to Oval Office
                  -Frank M. Blair
             -Future visit to Oval Office

     Candy
         -Gifts
                  -A letter
                  -Delivery

     Glen Campbell

     Gifts
             -White House press event entertainers
                   -Arte Johnson, Jane Taylor, Nashville Brass
             -A trip by President
                   -Gift case

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w002]
[Duration: 1m 32s]

     Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
          -Possible European trip

                 -Germany
                      -Relatives
                      -William P. Rogers
                      -Picture of parents
                      -Henry A. Kissinger

     The President's schedule
          -Weather
          -Sequoia

**********************************************************************

     Possible business award
          -Number
          -Business community
          -Possible categories
                -Hiring Vietnam veterans
                -Ecology
                 -Hiring the handicapped
          -Peter M. Flanigan, John C. Whitaker
          -Business community

     Correspondence

     Oval Office renovation
          -Redesign
               -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s view
                     -Windows, curtains

     Correspondence
          -Former members of Congress organization
               -A pin
                     -Cost

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w003]
[Duration: 38s]

     Correspondence
          -John S. D. Eisenhower
               -Future plans
          -Rogers C. B. Morton
               -Leonard Garment conversation with Rose Mary Woods
               -A letter to Emmett Hughes while Republican National Committee Chairman
                     -History of Republican Party
               -Rose Mary Woods’ opinion

**********************************************************************

     [Pause]

     Correspondence
          -An item for the President's attention
          -Harold Lee
                -Disposition of research on Nixon
                     -Nixon Library

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w004]
[Duration: 12s]

     Correspondence
          -Ann Brunow [?]
               -Travel with Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon

**********************************************************************

     President's schedule
           -Items to sign
           -Books
           -An event in the residence
                 -Rex W. Scouten
                 -A dinner
                 -Family compared with public areas

**********************************************************************

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 05/17/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[496-011-w005]
[Duration: 49s]

     1972 campaign
          -Ann Scott [?] Morningstar
               -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John N. Mitchell
               -Rose Mary Woods’ opinion
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
               -Work with Republican women

**********************************************************************

     Oval Office renovation
          -Objective
          -Windows, view
          -Lyndon B. Johnson's office

     Nixon White House interior
          -Compared with Johnson White House
          -West wing lobby
          -Staff offices

           -Residence
      Patrick J. Buchanan and Shelley A. Scarney wedding
           -Nixon family appearance
           -Buchanan family

Woods left at 2:39 pm
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This 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.

Oh, yes, we are.
No.
He's still living and he's still working up on the hill.
He can't, you know, he has to listen to her.
I don't know if he's in the office.
I think last time when they were having a photographer at Christmas, the press, when you gave those glasses to the press,
Little Frank had a letter to call him to ask if he couldn't come.
I think they, I thought they had a meeting at that time.
All he did was hit me.
Hey Henry, I got a good feeling I got a card in there.
I'll find out.
If they send it to my house and my name, otherwise we couldn't get it through to you.
I don't know.
I like to have service in a lot of different functions.
I use one, and I use another.
In fact, if you could give me a little case that I have of those.
Five or six of you have a little case that I can have here in the house.
I have one.
If you could give me a little case that I can have here in the house.
I hope she will, that she might.
You know, there's this uncle in Germany.
Must be that, yeah.
Okay, if I, somebody has made a suggestion that they thought would help with business and globalization of doing an award of the type the E award during the war for excellence and say you could have it for all sorts of things.
I don't know who would give this idea to us.
Well, like you would maybe do 25 in a whole year.
And well, for someone say who did the civilian for the business people who would do
Like hire the most of the ethno-vets.
Maybe do the most for ecology.
Hire people who are in the handicapped, or ones who do outstanding things.
To work it out.
Kick it around.
Others.
Yeah, with leg and the feet with each other.
That's the idea of it.
And if you want to see it.
Sir, can you improve this room to open it up like that?
It does.
That kind of scenario.
That looks like it, because she didn't like those windows.
Oh, man, this is much better, I think.
You wouldn't have, if you hadn't heard of him, that former members of Congress organization, you don't want to order a pen, do you?
$25.
Yes.
I did tell you about John.
Yes, yes.
He hasn't said how to say that.
This is, Blenhoff told me this one time about, I guess when Roger Corton was the chairman of the party, he gave, has a letter, he gave a letter to Emmett Hughes to write the history of the Republican Party.
Of course, he's turned against every
And I don't know, there are many times that he decided to pass it on.
I'll take care of this.
That's not much confidential.
I don't want to put it around anywhere.
Well, I guess you've got to go around.
No, no, I know that.
Harold Maynard asked about all of the research stuff.
You know, this TV has extensive Nixon files.
Yeah.
And he said he was from several universities.
He thought maybe, actually, maybe the library are all people who would like to look at it, or to eat.
He did a lot of research.
Are they bringing something in for you?
Books, books, books.
Oh, let me say this.
Rex said that the, you know, John almost sent me some quail.
He said should they use it just for the family or say for a small private dinner?
Do you have any choice?
And then I'm going to mention, I've been to a couple of times, you've mentioned that Ann Scott Morningstar, the kind of galloping...
Yes.
Oh, yes.
And she'd be good, you know, to get to the average people, because she knows where, you know, should I go?
She's very good.
We have, you know, you know, you're working all around us, and that's a large number, and most of the people we have are people who are not.
Well, most of them are.
So, we're going to be public, and I didn't want to talk about how she works.
Well, she works in the building area.
Well, part of it is that she works in the building area.
I think you should say it like that.
You know, those are the kinds of things that are effective.
Oh, I think it's great.
It gives you the feeling of being in the White House rather than just another office.
You know, you look out on the ground.
I mentioned when I played someplace the other day, it was really interesting.
It's quiet.
I love that place.
This place is so beautiful.
It's been proven, actually.
So, Johnson really had a little spot like he is.
He's a piece of paper, right?
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be racist, I'm sorry.
And no matter how spotted out this office was,
Well, everything was great.
He had a damn rocking chair that he sat in there, you know.
He'd sit, he stood above everybody else.
He'd sit down, he'd talk down to them.
It was, it was just not the stuff that he had at home.
What's been done here, the lobby, all of the offices, they were absolutely headbangers.
Yeah.
Also, of course, the residence is great.
Oh, my.
It sure is.
Yeah.
It's really great.
You all look so nice when you came in to church the other day for Sally and Pat's wedding.
Yes.
And that Buchanan family has got a handsome family.
It's a great family.
Everyone, because they all look like, Pat looks like all that and they all look like him.
Yes, they do.
They all look alike.
They all look alike.
Are you going to call me?
Yes, please.
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