Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 497
Nixon White House Tape 497 (May 11, 1971)
9 conversations · Oval Office
Featuring Nixon, Haldeman, Bull, Ehrlichman, Haig
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman to discuss establishing a high-priority, federally funded national program for water desalinization. Expressing frustration with the existing bureaucracy within the Department of the Interior, Nixon directed his aides to reorganize the effort under the leadership of NASA to leverage its project management capabilities and improve public relations. The President proposed immediate action to construct large-scale prototype plants in California and Texas, aiming to address critical water shortages and align the initiative with his national growth policy.
President Nixon met with Senator William B. Saxbe and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. to discuss the political challenges of extending the military draft and maintaining U.S. foreign policy commitments in Vietnam and Asia. Saxbe expressed concerns regarding growing anti-military sentiment among the youth and in Congress, warning that a filibuster could derail draft legislation and force a precarious renewal in a presidential election year. The President emphasized the necessity of a stable military to support international standing and urged Saxbe to help solidify support among Republican legislators, while also briefly discussing the strategic importance of various domestic infrastructure projects in Ohio.
President Nixon met with a group of administration appointees, including John W. Barnum, Richard S. Bodman, and others, for introductions and official photographs. The discussion centered on the challenges of navigating the federal bureaucracy, the personal and financial sacrifices required for government service, and the professional rewards of contributing to the public interest. Nixon encouraged the appointees to maintain perspective despite institutional frustrations and concluded the meeting by distributing presidential gifts.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate logistical arrangements for a scheduled luncheon on Capitol Hill. They discussed the specific departure time and clarified the composition of the passenger list, specifically regarding the inclusion of key staff members William E. Timmons and Clark MacGregor. The brief exchange focused on ensuring that the transport plan was properly communicated to the appropriate personnel.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed a wide range of administrative and political concerns, including public relations strategies for the administration's domestic programs and the management of federal personnel relocations. A significant portion of the conversation focused on the political repercussions of moving federal staff from Ohio to Florida, with Nixon emphasizing the electoral importance of Ohio and the need for better oversight of bureaucratic decisions. Additionally, the two discussed potential budget reallocations for NASA, specifically shifting funds from moon missions to other space projects to maximize public support and political utility.
President Nixon held a brief, unscheduled meeting with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The primary focus of the discussion was a review of the President's daily schedule. The interaction concluded immediately after, with no further substantive developments or follow-up actions recorded.
This brief meeting involved unidentified participants confirming the receipt and distribution of a specific folder related to an upcoming or previous briefing. The exchange served primarily as a procedural check to ensure that all parties present had been provided with the necessary documentation. No substantive policy discussions or significant decisions were recorded during this segment of the conversation.
President Nixon met with his staff to discuss public relations strategies, specifically focusing on improving outreach to congressional wives and managing the public perception of the administration's accomplishments. The group reviewed the President's schedule and evaluated the effectiveness of recent social events, while also debating the political implications of shifting federal facilities and promoting key initiatives like cancer research and desalinization programs. Additionally, they touched upon legislative concerns, including the potential for a volunteer army and the reaction to Senator Mike Mansfield's resolution regarding the reduction of U.S. troops in Europe.
President Nixon held a series of wide-ranging meetings with senior administration officials to discuss legislative priorities, economic policy, and institutional management. Key topics included advancing revenue sharing and welfare reform through strategic cooperation with Representative Wilbur Mills, managing federal aid to higher education, and reorganizing desalinization research. Additionally, the President and his advisors examined anti-trust policy, the financial struggles of the railroad industry, and the positive implications of a revised upward tick in first-quarter Gross National Product (GNP) figures.