← 506-003506-005 →

Conversation 506-004

TapeTape 506StartFriday, May 28, 1971 at 12:14 PMEndFriday, May 28, 1971 at 12:18 PMTape start time00:15:33Tape end time00:24:47ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Heinz, H. John, III;  Dent, Harry S.;  White House photographerRecording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon met with H. John Heinz III and Harry S. Dent to discuss Heinz's campaign for a congressional seat in a Democratic-leaning district in Pennsylvania. Nixon provided political advice, emphasizing that Heinz should focus on a personal appeal to voters while addressing economic concerns like jobs and inflation. The meeting concluded with Nixon presenting gifts to Heinz for his family and reflecting on his own early experiences as a young congressman.

H. John Heinz IIICongressional electionPolitical campaigningPennsylvania politicsEconomyForeign policy
AudioNARA Description

On May 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. John Heinz, III, Harry S. Dent, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:14 pm to 12:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 506-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 506-4

Date: May 28, 1971
Time: 12:14 pm - 12:18 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with [Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz and Harry S. Dent; the White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
     Greetings

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 01/03/2020.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[506-004-w001]
[Duration: 4m 35s]

     Forthcoming congressional election
           -Unknown congressman
           -District
                 -18th in Pennsylvania
                 -Democratic-leaning
           -[Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz
                 -Possibility of victory
           -District
                 -The President’s victory
                        -1968
                              -10,000 votes
                        -1972
           -[Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz
           -Other candidates
                 -Unknown man

     -[Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz
          -State legislature
          -Previous campaign for state delegate
          -Age

               -The President’s opinion
               -The President’s age
                     -Birthday
         -Birthday
         -Special election

    Forthcoming congressional election
          -District
                -Suburban
                -Pittsburgh
                       -Commuters
                -Constituency
                -Small business
                -Construction
                -Income
                       -Average
                -Concerns of voters
                       -Government
          -Milton J. Shapp
                -The President’s opinion
                       -Other state governors
                -[Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz’s opinion
                       -Work ethic
                -The President’s opinion
                -Democratic governors
                -Thomas E. ("Doc") Morgan's opinion
          -District
                -The President’s campaign advice
                       -Personal attention
                       -Appeal to democratic districts
                       -Issues to focus on
                             -Jobs
                             -Inflation
                             -Economy
                             -World peace

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

    US foreign policy
         - The Soviet Union
         -People’s Republic of China [PRC]

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 01/03/2020.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[506-004-w003]
[Duration: 29s]

     Congressional election
          -The President’s advice
                -Economy as an issue
                -Robert J. Corbett
                      -Position
                      -The President’s opinion

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

     Presentation of gifts by the President
          -Cuff links
          -Golf balls
          -Heinz's family
                -Children
                      -Gift
                            -Pen
                -Father

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

[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 01/03/2020.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[506-004-w004]
[Duration: 34s]

     Presentation of gifts by the President
          -[Henry] J. (“Jack”) Heinz’s family
                 -Father
                       -The President’s previous meeting

                             -Michael Cole
                             -Hunting lodge
                             -The President’s term as Vice-President
                             -1953
                             -Weather

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

Heinz and Dent left at 12:18 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.

Mr. President, you know, how are you?
I'd like to see you.
You jackass.
I know, I know him very well.
Well, it's great to see you.
I thought so, I thought so.
That's all right.
That's a marker on the Bank of Honor.
Everybody, you've got to come.
And you'll come to see it again, won't you?
I'll see it again.
And I was one of the boys with Milo there that led to this crime.
Ha!
He's on the scene right now.
I know.
Oh, yeah.
You've got to win it.
You've got to win it.
Well, it's a basically Democratic district.
But you can win it.
You can win it, I think.
If you see, yeah, let's set this up.
I'll see you next week.
And it would be well known that he's a good club.
He's got some very strong, very good players.
He's got a, you did win the victory in the NBA by 10,000 votes.
And hopefully, he's got those few that he's had before.
What have you had to learn in the past?
This year, it will be a special general election, a special election.
I'm the only congressman.
Have you ever run before?
Are you on the State Congress?
No, I have not.
I did run for delegate the first time.
Uh-huh.
And I let all the delegates from my school district.
It just went on and on.
How old are you?
I'm 32.
Just the right age.
Well, I can't change it one way or the other.
No, but it's a good age.
32.
It's a good age to start.
And in the Congress, it means that you can...
You see, by running now, I'm 32, assuming that you stayed in the house, you got the chance to get the seniority to be a chairman and all that sort of thing.
I was 32 when I ran.
But I became 33 on January the 9th.
They, uh, you see, I was born at 13.
And so, uh, when I, uh, I mean, uh, because my birthday is in October, and when you have a special election, you're sworn in, and me again, but it's also certified, so you don't wait for a long time.
Well, if you can't, you can, you know, you can, you can, uh, you can...
Is the district primarily suburban?
Yes, it's suburban, but it's not too good.
It's not that they've been, I mean, little people, they live and work in the district.
It's huge in Pittsburgh almost.
It's about Pittsburgh almost, all over.
They do work in Pittsburgh, but not as many as maybe 20% at most.
A lot of shop people work in small businesses.
Small businesses, you know, little construction companies, contractors, go to that kind of thing.
It's a good district.
It's not a very high-income district, $7,700 to $7,700.
average, and the people that are concerned with the government at the local level.
So currently, if you can get out a couple of levels of not-as-good county and state administrators, you've got a good prospect for support for the revenue.
Well, I don't think it's been affected yet, but it was done.
He's not sort of a political politician.
Oh, personally, he did not.
He's a very solid governor.
I think he's the most obnoxious politician.
I didn't know any of them.
They were talking about his family as a company.
Well, he's a hard-working guy, but he is a lot of the guys in this business don't understand opportunities, but he's very confident, and he's not a very good judge of people and opportunities, but he's obviously successful.
Sarah's got a lot of ability.
No question.
But apparently he's got a personality from the governor's area.
He's Democratic.
He's got two brothers.
They went to the head.
Well, you probably know Doc Morgan.
Yes, I know him.
Doc Morgan can tell you much more about the Jack Knight family.
He didn't like them intensively.
Intensive.
And I would suggest that you, if you can, of course,
Basically, keep it as personal as you can.
You're young, you're good at being good at parents, you're a good little guy, and so forth.
They get around to sort of the seat and let them vote for the man.
So that's the way you work in the Democratic districts.
If the issue's over, you matter that much.
I mean, on that main scale of controversy, don't become a simple, but you're just going to do the best you can and all that.
That'd be my advice.
Let them see you as an individual that you're deeply concerned about, you know, the jobs, you're deeply concerned about, you know, inflation, all those other things, the economy, which is a problem.
And he was concerned about the peace in the world and so forth.
Between now and November, and nobody can guarantee anything, but between now and November, the foreign policy developments will probably be, if anything, positive.
So I would say that what I mean is that I don't participate in anything negative.
You never know.
You never know what the Russians or the Chinese are going to do.
There are a lot of them.
There's a, there's a, there's a general, there's a general few instances.
But I think, I think that the economy, you know, on the side of the angels, being on the side of whatever it has to be, whatever it needs to be, you do, you understand.
Corbett, Corbett actually went and understood that.
He ran all the way around it.
I don't know what he's saying.
I don't know what he's saying.
I don't know what he's saying.
I don't know what he's saying.
There's your presidential golf ball.
It's got a seal and a signature on it.
Thanks.
You're married?
Yes, I am.
You are?
That's all you got?
That's all we got.
Well, as long as it's giving you the job, then you have something for me.
No, I don't have it.
I don't have it.
No, I don't have it.
That's a picture of my family.
I'm not urging your vote at this time.
And my family.
That's when I ran.
When I ran, I had a boy or a girl?
Two boys.
Oh, you both had boys.
Oh, I see.
This is the thing.
This is the boy.
Oh, wait a minute.
There's something to the boy.
I mean, it's not the right hand.
No, the big one is.
He writes all over the place.
And this cold is terrible.
Good morning, your father.
Shut up and dive into the ice cold water.
He still doesn't.
He does.
He still doesn't.
But if you come from a good strength, not faith.
If anybody doesn't do that, he's always stood very straight.
Why?
In that water.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I can throw this thing into it.
Good luck.
Thank you very much.
← 506-003506-005 →