Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 502
Nixon White House Tape 502 (May 20, 1971)
21 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 9 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Haldeman, Ziegler
President Nixon dictated a formal memorandum addressed to Dean G. Acheson to express national appreciation for his long-standing contributions to American foreign policy. The discussion reflected on Acheson's pivotal role in the post-World War II era, referencing his seminal work, *Present at the Creation*. Nixon emphasized the importance of Acheson's service across multiple administrations, formally documenting the nation's debt to his diplomatic legacy.
This brief recording consists primarily of room noise and muffled, unintelligible background conversation between unidentified participants in the Oval Office. Because the audio quality prevents the identification of speakers or specific subject matter, no substantive policy discussions, decisions, or action items can be discerned. The segment serves as a record of administrative activity rather than a documented policy dialogue.
President Nixon met with George W. Ball to express personal gratitude for Ball's bipartisan assistance on legislative efforts, specifically regarding the Senate. The discussion touched upon the strategic importance of bipartisan cooperation and the tactical necessity of keeping key senators involved to ensure legislative success. Nixon also signaled that an upcoming announcement would reflect the administration's ongoing progress on these policy objectives.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to address a brief logistical request. The discussion focused on the specific placement or acquisition of a table. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this short interaction.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate the logistics and seating arrangements for an upcoming Cabinet meeting. They discussed concerns regarding the meeting's size, specifically addressing the participation of individuals traveling from out of town such as Brown. Additionally, the President briefly addressed administrative matters regarding a letter to Dean G. Acheson.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to refine the public announcement of a breakthrough in the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), focusing on the precise wording to characterize the agreement and its potential to improve U.S.-Soviet relations. Beyond the announcement, they reviewed recent legislative successes, including the defeat of the Mathias amendment, and discussed strategies for improving communication with the State Department and key congressional allies like Senator John C. Stennis. The President emphasized the need for strict secrecy regarding the negotiations until the simultaneous release in Washington and Moscow to prevent leaks and maximize the political impact.
In this meeting, President Nixon consulted with Secretary of State William P. Rogers regarding Middle East diplomacy, emphasizing his desire to push for a peace settlement before the upcoming election season and expressing frustration with the influence of Israeli interests. Following this, the President met with Henry Kissinger and Ronald Ziegler to coordinate the upcoming public announcement of a SALT agreement with the Soviet Union. Nixon and Kissinger strategically aligned on how to brief Congressional leaders while minimizing specific disclosures about negotiating history, MIRVs, and treaty structures to maintain control over the process.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to discuss the scheduling and availability of White House staff members Rose Mary Woods and Marjorie P. Acker. During the brief briefing, Bull informed the President that the two women were currently unavailable and noted that other housekeepers were delayed due to a vehicular accident. No major policy decisions were made during this logistical status update.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to finalize talking points for a briefing with Congressional leaders regarding the impending announcement of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement. They discussed the strategic framing of the announcement, specifically focusing on positioning the initiative as a personal presidential endeavor while acknowledging defensive weapons limitations. Stephen B. Bull joined the discussion to coordinate the arrival of Democratic leadership, and the group reviewed the planned script to ensure an effective presentation of the administration's progress on nuclear arms control.
President Nixon met with an unknown individual to briefly discuss a specific, albeit now unintelligible, proposal or piece of information. The interaction was brief, centered on the delivery of an answer or resolution, and included the distinct sound of a typewriter. No major policy decisions or significant administrative actions were recorded during this short exchange.
President Nixon and his advisors met to finalize the announcement of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement and coordinate the administration's strategy for managing congressional and public reactions. The discussion focused on emphasizing the historic nature of the deal—despite its initial status as a framework—and included logistical planning for a televised address and related press briefings. Additionally, the President addressed minor White House operational concerns, such as plumbing issues in his residence, while maintaining focus on the political leverage gained through recent ABM (Antiballistic Missile) defense initiatives.
President Nixon and his senior aides, including H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger, reviewed the successful public reception of the President's televised announcement regarding the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement. They analyzed press coverage, specifically the favorable reactions from media figures like Dan Rather, and discussed the strategic value of the brief, dramatic presentation to the public. Additionally, the group addressed the tepid responses from certain congressional leaders and planned a follow-up briefing for the NSC and negotiating team to reinforce the narrative of a mutual, high-level diplomatic breakthrough.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. This brief interaction served as a logistical step in managing the President's telephonic communications. No substantive policy discussions or significant political developments occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors to coordinate the administration's messaging strategy following the announcement of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement. The participants discussed managing the press, addressing potential discrepancies between U.S. and Soviet translations of the agreement, and ensuring the President received proper credit for the diplomatic breakthrough. Kissinger provided updates on his communication with Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin, while the group planned briefings to counter potential negative interpretations from the media and ensure a unified administration position.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review the administrative schedule for an upcoming afternoon meeting. The discussion focused on confirming a 3:00 p.m. appointment with George P. Shultz and John D. Ehrlichman. The brief exchange served to finalize the President's immediate calendar logistics.
President Nixon initiates a call to the White House operator to request a telephone connection with Congressman Harris. This brief administrative interaction serves as a bridge to facilitate communication between the President and a member of Congress. The primary outcome of the exchange is the commencement of the dialing process to reach the congressman.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate logistical details regarding his upcoming attendance at an event at the French embassy. Following this brief administrative check, the President held a short interaction with Leslie C. Arends. The primary focus of the brief session was the management of the President's daily schedule.
President Nixon held an brief, unrecorded meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified woman. The discussion focused on the President's schedule and included the involvement of special counsel Charles W. Colson. No further details regarding the substance of the meeting are available as the interaction concluded quickly.
President Nixon, William P. Rogers, and Charles W. Colson met to discuss the political implications and public relations strategy surrounding the announcement of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement. The participants analyzed how the agreement could undermine the positions of Democratic critics and presidential hopefuls like Edmund Muskie and Hubert Humphrey, who had previously advocated for positions the administration had now effectively bypassed. Nixon and Colson agreed to maintain a sense of mystery and confidence regarding foreign policy, concluding that keeping public commentary brief would reinforce the President's stature as a far-sighted leader in command of momentous international developments.
President Nixon met with key advisors including John Ehrlichman, George Shultz, and Henry Kissinger to navigate a broad agenda covering economic policy, domestic legislative priorities, and the recent Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreement. The participants discussed strategies for managing inflation and fiscal policy, coordinating economic messaging through the Quadriad, and securing congressional support for revenue-sharing initiatives. Furthermore, the President focused on maintaining political discipline regarding his SALT negotiations, successfully leveraging support from key figures like McGeorge Bundy to bolster the agreement's reception among Senate leadership.
This recording captures a brief exchange between unidentified individuals regarding the transmission or verification of a long numeric sequence. The dialogue consists of a confirmation of understanding followed by the recitation of a twenty-digit string, which may have served as a code or a technical identifier. Due to the limited nature of the audio and the lack of identifying context, the specific intent behind the numerical communication remains indeterminable.