Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 564 › Conversation 564-005
United States Secret Service agents on Secret Service and Oval Office
Monday, August 16, 1971 · 10:10 AM–11:27 AM ET · Oval Office · 37 sec
AI Summary
Secret Service agents gathered in the Oval Office to coordinate security protocols and prepare the space for an incoming group of high-level attendees. The brief interaction focused on timing and room readiness, ensuring that personnel were properly positioned before the commencement of a scheduled meeting. The agents successfully cleared the area, facilitating the transition for the President’s subsequent engagement in the Cabinet Room.
- Secret Service
- Oval Office
- Security coordination
- Protocol
- White House operations
Audio
This clip was extracted from the full tape recording by Easy Nixon.
Listen to the full tape segment
Position in tape: 01:49:06 – 01:49:40
564a.mp3
564b.mp3
Transcript (AI-generated)
This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
Bye-bye.
Are they starting?
No.
Gentlemen, rise.
NARA Description
On August 16, 1971, United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 11:27 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 564-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 564-5
Date: August 16, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:10 am and 11:27 am
Location: Oval Office
Unknown people [Secret Service agents] met.
President’s location
-Cabinet Room
The unknown people [Secret Service agents] left at an unknown time before 11:27 am.
Conversation No. 564-4/565-1
Date: August 16, 1971
Time: Unknown before 11:27 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
[The recording began while the meeting was in progress]
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
**************************************************************************
National economy
-President's speech, August 15, 1971
-Reaction
-Woods’ conversation with unknown person
-Patricia R. Hitt
President's schedule
-August 17, 1971
-New York
-Congressional leaders
-Wilbur D. Mills, John W. Byrnes, Russell B. Long, Wallace F. Bennett,
George H. Mahon, Frank T. Bow
-Senate Appropriations Committee
-Banking and Currency Committee
-Michael J. Mansfield, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Robert C. Byrd
-Carl B. Albert, [Thomas] Hale Boggs, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends
-Use of government airplanes
-Mills
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Little Rock, Arkansas
Julie Nixon Eisenhower's schedule
-Woods
Woods left at 11:48 am.
President's schedule
-Congressional leaders
-John B. Connally, George P. Shultz, Paul W. McCracken, Arthur F. Burns
-Herbert Stein
-Kenneth Belieu
-Clark MacGregor, William Timmons
-Herbert G. Klein
-Ronald L. Ziegler, Patrick J. Buchanan
-William L. Safire
-Peter G. Peterson, John D. Ehrlichman
The President talked with the White House operator at 11:48 am.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1A]
[See Conversation No. 7-158]
[End of telephone conversation]
President's schedule
-Congressional leaders
National economy
-President's program
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Textiles
-Trip
The President talked with Connally between 11:48 am and 11:50 am.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1B]
[See Conversation No. 7-159]
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
[End of telephone conversation]
Connally
-Ziegler's views
-George W. Romney
-John A. Volpe
-State Department
-Camp David meeting
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:50 am.
President's schedule
-MacGregor
-Timmons
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:33 pm.
-Congressional leaders
-Forthcoming calls
National economy
-President's program
-Reaction
-Media
-August 15, 1971, speech
-Planning
-Media
-Newsweek story
-Prediction
Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:50 am.
Timmons schedule
President's schedule
-Congressional leaders
-Forthcoming calls
-Eugene S. Cowan
-Belieu
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:33 pm.
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:50 am and
12:33 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1C]
[See Conversation No. 7-160]
[End of telephone conversation]
News magazines
-President’s program
-Time
-Cover
-Vida Blue
-Newsweek
-Cover
Time and Newsweek
-Editorial position
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
Haldeman talked with Belieu at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 12:33 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1D]
[See Conversation No. 7-161]
[End of telephone conversation]
President's schedule
-Congressional leaders
-Burns
Connally
-Press conference, August 16, 1971
-Leadership qualities
Romney
National economy
-President's program
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Flanigan's role
-Reaction
-George S. McGovern
Media
-Charles W. Colson
-Edmund S. Muskie and Edward M. Kennedy
-PRC
National economy
-President's program
-Follow-up
-Telephone calls
-President's schedule
-Leadership meeting
-Mills
-Mansfield
-Reaction
-Stock market
-Volume of trading
-Asa Hall [?]
-President's speech, August 15, 1971
-Content
-Inspirational aspect
-PRC message
-Need for spending
-Tax deductions
-Congress’s responsibilities
-Investment tax credit
-Excise tax
-President's program
-Investment tax credits
-Romney's views
-Industrial production
-Tool and dye
-Automobiles
-International situation
-Japan
-Mills
-Credit
-Peterson
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Announcement
-Quotas
-Forthcoming negotiations
-Developments
-Maurice H. Stans, Romney, James D. Hodgson, Clifford M. Hardin
-Spiro T. Agnew
-William P. Rogers, David Packard, John N. Mitchell
-Stans
-Stein, Paul A. Volcker, Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, Ehrlichman
-Romney
-Reaction
-Stock market
President’s schedule
-Flanigan
President's speeches
-Buchanan
Haldeman talked with an unknown person [Raymond K. Price, Jr.?] at an unknown time between
11:50 am and 12:33 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1S]
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
[End of telephone conversation]
Haldeman talked with an unknown person [Price?] at an unknown time between 11:50 am and
12:33 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1E]
President's speeches
-President's schedule
-Leadership meeting
-Deadline
[End of telephone conversation]
National economy
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-President's program
-Reaction
-Stock market
-Volume of trading
-Automobile stocks
President's schedule
-Stock market
-Rockefeller
-President's law firm
-Stock market
-Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Closing
National economy
-Status
-Public confidence
-Media
-President's program
-Reaction
-Economic indicators
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Retail sales
-President's program
-Reaction
-Stock market
-Possible gain
Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:50 am.
Ziegler's schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:33 pm.
National economy
-President's program
-Businessmen
-Walter H. Annenberg's call to Ehrlichman, August 15, 1971
-Annenberg's dinner with Justin W. Dart and Leonard K. Firestone
-Dart
-Letter
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Annenberg
-President’s August 15 speech
-Businessmen
-Media
-McCracken's views
-Psychological need for action
-President's program
-McCracken
-Reaction
-Milton Friedman
An unknown person [Bull?] entered and left at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 12:33
pm.
-Political aspect
-Congress
-Possible permanent wage and price controls
-Possible Congressional action
-Shultz's possible call to Friedman
President's schedule
-John T. McCarty
-Arthur Shenfield's “The Roots of American Discontent”
-Woods
-Shenfield
-Rockford College
-McCarty
-Bull
The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 12:33 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1F]
President's schedule
-Shenfield
[End of telephone conversation]
Shenfield
-Speech
-Haldeman memo
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
President's schedule
-Photographer
Shenfield
-Speech
-John J. McLaughlin
-Rockford College
-Vincent T. (Vince”) Lombardi
-Religious themes
-Economic nationalism
An unknown person [Bull?] entered and left at an unknown time between 11:50 am and 12:33
pm.
President’s schedule
-Forthcoming Knights of Columbus speech
-Price
-Knighthood
Ziegler's schedule
-Connally
Connally
-Schedule
-Press conference
-Press coverage
-Role in President’s program
-Compared to Agnew
Agnew
-Attacks on media
-Buchanan
-Speech
President’s schedule
-President's forthcoming speech
-Length
-Trip
Shenfield
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Speech
-Quoted
Shenfield and Woods entered at 12:33 pm; the White House photographer was present at the
beginning of the meeting.
Shenfield's book
-Alexis DeTocqueville
-Photocopying
-Reaction
-New York
US role in world
-World War II
-Japan
-Germans
-British, French, Italians
-Leadership
Shultz
-University of Chicago
Presentation of gifts by President
Shenfield’s book
-Possible sequel
Shenfield and Woods left at 12:38 pm.
US
Connally's schedule
-Press conference
The President left at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
Haldeman talked with an unknown person [Ziegler?] at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and
12:59 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1G]
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
Connally's press conference
[End of telephone conversation]
The President entered at an unknown time before 12:59 pm.
Connally's press conference
-Ziegler
World conditions
-Change
-Presidential power
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:59
pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1T]
Request for a return telephone call
[End of telephone conversation]
Unknown person’s report
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Forthcoming announcement
Vietnam
-Hubert H. Humphrey's comments
-Robert J. Dole's response
-As an issue
-Visibility
President's opponents
-Possible issues
-Poor
-Blacks
-Youth
-Foreign policy leadership
-Cities
-Big business
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
-Young, blacks, poor
Welfare reform
-President’s proposal
-Timing
-Congress
-Onus
-Daniel P. Moynihan
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Ehrlichman
-1972 election
-Welfare psychology
-Blacks
-Literacy
-Size of families
Connally
-Role in President's economic program
-Burns, Shultz
-Timing
-President’s August 15, 1971 speech
-Shultz
National economy
-President's program
-Burns's role
-Money supply
-Shultz
-President's speech, August 15, 1971
-Timing
-Shultz and Connally
President’s schedule
-President's forthcoming briefing at State Department
-Ehrlichman
-Composition
-Agency heads, sub-cabinet members, White House staff
-Connally, Burns, Shultz, McCracken
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:59 pm.
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1H]
Connally's press conference
-Ziegler
-Location
-Treasury Department
[End of telephone conversation]
National economy
-President's program
-Briefing of August 15, 1971
-Haldeman’s role
-Connally
-Intervention
Press conferences
-Length
-Agnew, Romney
Forthcoming call to Connally
-Ziegler
Knighthood
-Unknown man
President's forthcoming speech to Knights of Columbus
-Content and phraseology
-“The Roots of American Discontent”
-Buchanan
-McLaughlin
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:59 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1I]
President's forthcoming speech to Knights of Columbus
-McLaughlin's draft
[End of telephone conversation]
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
Connally's schedule
Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:38 pm.
-Press conference
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:59 pm.
President's possible speech
-Media
-Western society
Ziegler entered at 12:59 pm.
Connally's previous press conference
-President's economic program
-Wage and price freeze
-Inflation
-Consumer confidence
-Significance
-Possible effects
-President's forthcoming meeting with Congressional leaders
-Mills
-President's views concerning government role in economy
-President's economic program
-Timing
-Comprehensive action
-President's foreign policy initiatives
-Connally’s comments on ”Meet the Press
-PRC initiative
-Development
-Connally’s June 27, 1971 press conference
-Changing conditions
-Wage and price controls and board
-Taxes
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:59 pm and
1:08 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1J]
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
Request for a call to Connally
[End of telephone conversation]
Connally's previous press conference
The President talked with Connally at an unknown time between 12:59 pm and 1:08 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1K]
Connally's previous press conference
-Ziegler's view
-Length
-President's economic program
-Timing
-Comprehensiveness
-Wall Street
-Television coverage
Connally's schedule
-State Department meeting
President's schedule
-State Department meeting
-Connally’s role
-The President’s role
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
President's schedule
-Forthcoming briefing
[End of telephone conversation]
-Peterson
Connally's previous press conference
-President's economic program
-Devaluation
-Public concern
-Overseas value of dollar
-Foreigners' possible reaction
-US role in world
-London
-Possible media coverage
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:59 pm and 1:08 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1L]
[End of telephone conversation]
Connally's previous press conference
-Press reports
-Suspension of dollar convertibility
-Compared to devaluation
Woods entered at 1:08 pm.
National economy
-President's program
-Reaction
-Stock market
-Volume of trading
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:08 pm and 1:18 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1U]
Stock market records
Conv. No. 564-4/565-1 (cont.)
[End of telephone conversation]
-Woods's conversations
-Unknown person
-George Keenan [?]
-Ziegler
-Connally
-Devaluation
-President's conversation with Rockefeller
-Wire services
-Associated Press [AP]
-Coverage
-Tone
-Compared to PRC statement
-Stock market
-Volume of trading
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:08 pm and 1:18 pm.
[Conversation No. 564-4/565-1M]
Stock market records
[End of telephone conversation]
National economy
-President's program
-Reaction
-Telephone calls and telegrams
-Rockefeller
The recording was cut off at an unknown time before 1:18 pm.Also recorded on August 16, 1971
- 007-153 9:05 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:05 am.
- 007-154 9:05 AM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:05 am.
- 007-155 9:50 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:01 am.
- 007-156 9:50 AM · 10 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:50 am and 10:01 am.
- 007-157 10:01 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Nelson A. Rockefeller talked on the telephone from 10:01 am to 10:10 am.
- 007-158 10:10 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 11:48 am.
- 069-002 10:10 AM · 1 hr 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew, and Cabinet officers, including William P. Rogers, John B. Connally, David Packard, John N. Mitchell, William T. Pecora, Clifford M. Hardin, Maurice H. Stans, James D. Hodgson, John G. Veneman, George W. Romney, David M. Kennedy, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, George P. Shultz, George H. W. Bush, John N. Irwin, II, Charls E. Walker, J. Philip Campbell, James M. Beggs, James T. Lynn, Laurence H. Silberman, Richard C. Van Dusen, Peter G. Peterson, Herbert G. Klein, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander P. Butterfield, Robert J. Brown, Paul W. McCracken, Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, Arthur F. Burns, General George A. Lincoln, Herbert Stein, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Frank J. Shakespeare, and Stephen B. Bull, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 10:10 am to 11:27 am.
- 564-004 10:10 AM · 1 hr 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, John B. Connally, Stephen B. Bull, Kenneth E. BeLieu, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Arthur A. Shenfield, White House photographer, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:10 am and 11:27 am.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 564-005, August 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/564-005 (accessed October 27, 2026).