Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 513
Nixon White House Tape 513 (June 7, 1971)
9 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 16 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Woods, Butterfield, Haldeman, Bull
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and other staff to review administrative, political, and foreign policy matters, including the handling of foreign cables and the management of cabinet officers. The President emphasized his desire to delegate decision-making authority to cabinet secretaries to minimize his personal involvement in routine disputes and to streamline government operations. Additionally, they discussed strategies for dealing with the press, the importance of maintaining loyalty from political allies, and the specific goal of ending federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
President Nixon consulted with Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull regarding the logistics of an upcoming appearance before a group of visitors. The discussion focused on coordinating the President's brief two-minute remarks with the scheduled tour of the White House. Rose Mary Woods also joined the brief meeting, which centered on ensuring the group could efficiently transition from the President's address to their tour.
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to facilitate communication with Rose Mary Woods. He requested that she call him following her departure to see First Lady Pat Nixon. The brief interaction focused solely on coordinating this specific contact.
President Nixon met with Peter G. Peterson and Henry Kissinger to discuss the sensitive diplomatic implications of the upcoming Okinawa reversion, specifically addressing the Senkaku Islands sovereignty dispute and its potential impact on relations with Taiwan and Japan. To mitigate backlash from Nationalist China regarding the reversion, the group decided to offer Taiwan a low-profile, long-term commitment to provide military equipment, with formal discussions postponed until August to avoid public friction with Congress. Additionally, Peterson briefed the President on a planned bipartisan Congressional session aimed at presenting the Administration's long-term economic and technological strategies, with a particular focus on fostering innovation through unconventional, high-level scientific talent and better integrating R&D with national goals.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed logistical arrangements for an upcoming bipartisan congressional briefing, focusing on venue constraints and the exclusion of Blair House due to its current unavailability. Nixon mandated a streamlined approach for the associated reception, explicitly restricting the event to drinks only and prohibiting the serving of hors d'oeuvres. Additionally, the pair confirmed that Arthur F. Burns would be included on the guest list for an upcoming dinner honoring Willy Brandt.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull to finalize arrangements for a scheduled photo session. Butterfield confirmed that the necessary preparations had been completed and that the staging area had been relocated to the White House library. Nixon acknowledged the update and signaled his readiness to proceed with the appointment.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman reviewed internal administration polling data to assess public opinion on various policy issues, including the Vietnam War, SALT talks, marijuana legalization, and economic priorities. They discussed the disparity between public awareness of administration initiatives and the actual results of these polls, with the President cautioning against overestimating the public's grasp of complex foreign policy details. Following the review, Nixon instructed his staff to pause further polling efforts to avoid excessive internal focus on shifting approval numbers.
Secret Service agents met with President Nixon in the Oval Office to discuss security matters and logistical arrangements. The brief interaction focused on the President's personal protection and scheduling requirements for his movements. No major policy decisions were reached, as the discussion primarily served to coordinate the physical security protocols for the President.
United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office to coordinate security protocols and personnel placement within the White House. The discussion focused on verifying the positioning of security officers on the first floor. The interaction concluded with the agents confirming their operational readiness and the status of their deployment.