Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 502 › Conversation 502-003

Nixon & Ball on Bipartisanship and Senate Relations

Thursday, May 20, 1971 · 8:16 AM–8:19 AM ET · Oval Office · 3 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Ball, George W.Conversation502-003 on Tape 502 (tape position 00:11:45–00:14:49)StartThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:16 AMEndThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:19 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 502-003 ↗

AI Summary

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.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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So before you got into your work, I wanted to tell you that I was talking to Gregor.

I said, you know, that was a very good job.

And he said, well, he said the man that really helped us the most on the Democratic side was George Ball.

So I just wanted to express appreciation to you and tell you that while we naturally have our differences on party and other matters, I really thought this was a really fine demonstration

You know, putting the interests of the country first.

And I know you worked, from what I heard, very long hours.

And I'm sorry we can't pay you what you work.

Right.

And they all came true.

All of you.

Remember the ones you said you talked about all came true.

And that was the one.

I got that vote again.

It turned, it didn't even get as much as Fulbright said.

Sure.

Probably the best thing is to have that done by state, don't you think?

Because Bill and John Irwin, all that, just talking to the family, it is the international family.

There is a great sensitivity sometimes in the state for anybody in the White House, you know, to do it.

And we've had that problem, as you know, with the press nurses.

But I think I'll have a talk with Bill and just say, look, we can do it.

Because we do want to do it.

And, of course, I see lots of individual senators, but I can't see them all.

And what has to happen is that I have a dozen of them.

That's to your point exactly.

Yeah.

so that they have a feeling of being in on the deal.

That's right.

Yeah.

There'll be an announcement today that will be of considerable interest in this general area, and you'll, I think, after you hear it, will realize, well, that we are working on a few things.

Yeah.

But anyway, I do appreciate your having worked with me, and I'm most grateful.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George W. Ball met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:16 am to 8:19 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 502-3

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 8:16 am - 8:19 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with George W. Ball.

[See Conversation No. 3-78]

Also recorded on May 20, 1971

502-001 7:21 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Dean G. Acheson met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:21 am and 8:05 am.
502-002 8:05 AM · 35 sec — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:05 am and 8:14 am.
003-078 8:16 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George W. Ball talked on the telephone from 8:16 am to 8:19 am.
003-079 8:19 AM · 4 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:19 am and 11:50 am.
502-004 8:19 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:19 am and 8:32 am.
502-005 8:32 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:32 am and 8:38 am.
502-006 8:38 AM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, and Marjorie P. Acker met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:38 am to 9:02 am.
058-004 9:02 AM · 43 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and the Cabinet members, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Winton M. ("Red") Blount, Jr., William T. Pecora, Clifford M. Hardin, James T. Lynn, Laurence H. Silberman, Elliot L. Richardson, George W. Romney, James M. Beggs, George P. Shultz, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George H. W. Bush, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Clark MacGregor, Peter M. Flanigan, Herbert G. Klein, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., Alexander P. Butterfield, Ronald L. Ziegler, William E. Timmons, Charles W. Colson, John A. Scali, Richard A. Moore, Harry S. Dent, Leonard Garment, John W. Dean, III, Frederic V. Malek, Robert J. Brown, Robert J. Dole, Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, Gerald C. Smith, Arthur J. Sohmer, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Virginia H. Knauer, and Arnold R. Weber, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 9:02 am to 9:48 am.

All 48 conversations from May 20, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 502-003, May 20, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/502-003 (accessed October 9, 2026).