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Conversation 509-004

TapeTape 509StartThursday, June 3, 1971 at 9:54 AMEndThursday, June 3, 1971 at 9:59 AMTape start time00:43:22Tape end time00:46:37ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to review the President's upcoming schedule, including various appointments and the preparation for a press conference. The discussion focused heavily on the political risks posed by unfavorable economic indicators, specifically rising unemployment figures and the wholesale price index. They strategized on how to manage media narratives surrounding these economic reports and potential legislative vetoes to minimize negative press coverage.

Economic indicatorsUnemploymentPress relationsPresidential scheduleRevenue sharingEnergy policy
AudioNARA Description

On June 3, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 9:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 509-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 509-4

Date: June 3, 1971
Time: Unknown between 9:54 am and 9:59 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

     President’s schedule
          -Military command
          -Corrine Griffith
                -Poznan Boys Choir of Poland and All-Philadelphia Boys Choir
                -Roger E. Johnson
          -David Packard

     Economic indicators
         -Wholesale price index
         -Unemployment

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:54 am

          -J. Edgar Hoover, John N. Mitchell

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:59 am

     Rogers C. B. Morton’s forthcoming press conference
         -National energy policy

     President’s forthcoming press conference
          -Questions
                -Economy
                      -Congressional bill
                      -Unemployment figures
          -News leads
                -Revenue sharing
                -Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with John D. Ehrlichman

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 9:59 am
                                                8

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/08)
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.

Military command lined up.
Corinne Griffith is in town.
Do you want her to come by for a second before you go out to them boys' choir business this morning?
No, it's no big deal.
You asked about whether there were any news coming.
The employment and wholesale price index is a book we have tomorrow.
And the unemployment will be bad.
of being increased because of the increase in the labor market.
And the number of employees will go up by a quarter of a million.
But the number in the labor market goes up by more than that.
So the percent is 6.1 or 2.
I'm not sure.
They don't have the figure for sure.
Wholesale price index, I don't know whether it would be good or bad for that reason.
Being able to do that afterwards, it might be a good idea to have the .
President Morton has his press conference scheduled on national energy policy, which he will have .
I'm going to fly right in the face of it.
I mean, I'm after your news conference.
You ought to do the year 10 and 11.
idea going on in this conference.
And then they ask about the economy.
And this bill, you see there's just a vetoed bill.
And the final figure comes out.
I'm just thinking of the parlay.
Yeah.
Well, then the final figure is going to be the final one tonight.
For me to override that in my vision.
Yeah, that's the problem.
That's the very thing.
The president talking about bad news is a good thing.
That's my real point.
That hypers it even more and that commentators talk about bad news.
That's really what I'm getting at.
And I don't see any way that they will play that except
I mean, they're going to give that the lead.
I don't care what other damn issue they cover.
I mean, it has to have a lot of revenue sharing.
Unless they don't announce that until afterwards, then it has to run as a different story than the press conference, sir.
Well, they usually announce it, sir.
I guess so.
That's the problem I see with it, sir.
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