Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 559 › Conversation 559-016

Nixon & Connally on Economic policy and Federal budget

Tuesday, August 10, 1971 · 2:33 PM–2:37 PM ET · Oval Office · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.Conversation559-016 on Tape 559 (tape position 02:46:34–02:49:04)StartTuesday, August 10, 1971 at 2:33 PMEndTuesday, August 10, 1971 at 2:37 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 559-016 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of the Treasury John Connally discussed the implementation schedule for a major economic policy plan, confirming the intent to proceed with their original timeline rather than accelerating it. The participants touched upon administrative logistics and the necessity of coordinating with the Joint Chiefs regarding budget preparations. They concluded the brief exchange by finalizing travel plans and affirming their commitment to the established strategic agenda.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 2 minutes of this recording (about 78% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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Hello?

Well, what's the report today?

Yeah, that's it.

Sir, quite a bit.

It says that it's all comparative.

Just jump in, sir.

Well, your deal is that unless it becomes more unstable, we can still go with our plan on the 8th rather than being pushed further down.

That's the real decision you're making.

We have to be pushed, we'll be pushed, but it would be better to hold on today.

All right, well, uh, yeah.

No, I guess, uh, you're going to go along with your plan, aren't you?

Good.

You'll go back, you'll go to Texas?

Oh, of course, of course, brother.

We should be able, we will be able to do it in a second.

We better do it in a second.

Good, good, good.

No, sir.

The only thing that I wanted you to take a look at was to have the Joint Chiefs.

Oh, good.

It's a very important amount of, before we get to the final budget, I want to talk to you about getting a full bill.

Good.

It's quite a shakeout event, isn't it?

Yeah.

Great.

Okay, well then let's leave it just like that, and you go on, and I'll see you again when you're gone.

Because I'll be here another ten days.

No, I mean, I'll be here in a week.

Yeah, all right, fine.

Oh, of course, I know that.

I mean, as a matter of fact, there's no need to stay, because you stay three hours away if you're a second away than a whole month.

Okay, fine, I'll be there for you.

NARA Description

On August 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:33 pm to 2:37 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 559-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 559-016

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

Date: August 10, 1971
Time: 2:33 pm - 2:37 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with John B. Connally.

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

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-030. Segment declassified on 05/15/2019. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[559-016-w001]
[Duration: 1m 7s]

[See Conversation No. 007-085]

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

[End of telephone conversation]

Also recorded on August 10, 1971

559-014 2:31 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:31 pm and 2:33 pm.
559-015 2:31 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:31 pm and 2:33 pm.
007-085 2:33 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally talked on the telephone from 2:33 pm to 2:37 pm.
559-017 2:37 PM · 27 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:37 pm and 2:38 pm.
559-018 2:38 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:38 pm to 2:46 pm.
559-019 2:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:59 pm.
559-020 2:46 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:46 pm and 2:59 pm.
559-021 2:59 PM · 21 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Mrs. Paul Harvey, Harry S. Dent, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:59 pm to 3:19 pm.

All 40 conversations from August 10, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 559-016, August 10, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/559-016 (accessed October 9, 2026).