Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 501 › Conversation 501-028

Nixon & Kissinger on Charles McC. Mathias Amendment and Legislative strategy

Wednesday, May 19, 1971 · 4:28 PM–4:38 PM ET · Oval Office · 17 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation501-028 on Tape 501 (tape position 05:02:17–05:02:48)StartWednesday, May 19, 1971 at 4:28 PMEndWednesday, May 19, 1971 at 4:38 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 501-028 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the legislative maneuvering surrounding the Charles McC. Mathias amendment, which threatened to impact the administration's foreign policy agenda. To address the precarious vote count, Nixon and Kissinger strategized on how to influence key senators. As a direct result, Kissinger committed to contacting Senator John Sherman Cooper to lobby for his support against the amendment.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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It looks now as if the balance on the left side of one is very close.
I wonder whether I should call Cooper and see what we can do.
Come off the hole the other way, Sam, so you can get back.

NARA Description

On May 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:28 pm and 4:38 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 501-028 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 501-28

Date: May 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:28 pm and 4:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Charles McC. Mathias Amendment
          -Vote
               -Forthcoming Kissinger call to John Sherman Cooper

Kissinger left at an unknown time before 4:38 pm.

Also recorded on May 19, 1971

  • 501-020 3:45 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 3:50 pm.
  • 501-021 3:45 PM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 3:50 pm.
  • 501-022 3:45 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 3:45 pm and 3:50 pm.
  • 501-024 3:50 PM · 34 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Alexander P. Butterfield, Ronald L. Ziegler, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry L. Bellmon, John G. Tower, Clifford M. Hardin, John C. Whitaker, Clark MacGregor, and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:50 pm to 4:28 pm.
  • 501-025 4:28 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:28 pm and 4:38 pm.
  • 501-026 4:28 PM · 49 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:28 pm and 4:38 pm.
  • 501-027 4:28 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:28 pm and 4:38 pm.
  • 501-029 4:38 PM · 1 hr 26 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Henry A. Kissinger, John A. Scali, Ronald L. Ziegler, Donald H. Rumsfeld, and Robert H. Finch met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:38 pm to 6:10 pm.

All 48 conversations from May 19, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 501-028, May 19, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/501-028 (accessed October 9, 2026).