Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 579
Nixon White House Tape 579 (September 28, 1971)
16 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 39 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Colson, Kissinger
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman reviewed the President's upcoming schedule, focusing on balancing official duties with political optics. They discussed the President’s attendance at Justice Hugo Black's funeral, a potential unannounced visit to a POW wives' dinner, and logistics for recent and future travel, including concerns over the management of motorcades and press coverage. Nixon ultimately decided to maintain control over his public appearances, rejecting unnecessary speaking engagements and delegating travel details while prioritizing his focus on upcoming Phase II economic policy meetings.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to discuss adjustments to his daily schedule. The primary focus of the brief meeting was the coordination of an upcoming appointment with Charles W. Colson. No major policy decisions were recorded during this logistical session.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors and Henry Kissinger to discuss pressing political, economic, and foreign policy matters, including the handling of Justice Hugo Black's funeral, the legislative challenge of the Mansfield amendment, and the upcoming strategy for Vietnam. Nixon expressed a desire to avoid the public exploitation of funerals and the visible presence of Secret Service agents on running boards, while also directing a low-key approach to his attendance at Justice Black's service. The conversation further addressed managing the economy to ensure a stable political environment and finalized scheduling for diplomatic meetings with the International Monetary Fund and Soviet official Andrei Gromyko.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield meet briefly to discuss a scheduling matter involving John Ehrlichman. The discussion centers on a specific communication or piece of correspondence, referred to as a "letter," and potential upcoming appointments. The participants conclude by exchanging brief thoughts on how to proceed with these administrative arrangements.
Secret Service agents met with President Nixon in the Oval Office to conduct a brief, routine security-related interaction. The brevity of the encounter and the lack of recorded substance suggest a logistical or administrative exchange typical of presidential protection details. No substantive policy discussions or significant political decisions were documented during this short meeting.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to discuss the management of his daily schedule, specifically regarding upcoming meetings with President Moktar Ould Daddah and John D. Ehrlichman. Frustrated by the excessive time spent on photo sessions in the Cabinet Room, Nixon directed Bull to enforce a strict forty-five-second limit for these events moving forward. This change was implemented to streamline the President's itinerary and eliminate unnecessary delays in his busy calendar.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Stephen B. Bull to vent his frustration regarding his recent attendance at the funeral of Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black. Nixon characterized the decision to attend as a significant political error, arguing that it provided no genuine benefit to his administration's relationship with the public or the judiciary while fueling liberal expectations for future judicial appointments. He explicitly instructed his staff to stop pressuring him into similar ceremonial appearances, labeling the advice to attend as poorly conceived.
President Nixon met with congressional leaders and administration officials, including John C. Stennis and Melvin R. Laird, to coordinate legislative strategy regarding HR 6531 and the broader Military Procurement Bill. The participants discussed the status of the bill in Congress, specifically focusing on managing the Mansfield amendment and navigating the conference committee process. The discussion emphasized building support for the administration's military objectives and preparing for legislative action items in the coming week.
President Nixon consulted with H. R. Haldeman, Stephen Bull, and Alexander Butterfield regarding the logistics and messaging for his upcoming attendance at the National League of Families convention. The group discussed the political optics of the President's public schedule, specifically balancing his concern for POWs with his potential attendance at Justice Hugo Black's funeral. Additionally, Nixon reviewed a draft statement concerning the draft extension bill and expressed his personal disdain for the ideological leanings of some judicial philosophies.
President Nixon met with Republican congressional leadership, staff, and advisors to coordinate the administration’s legislative agenda for the final months of the 1971 session. The discussion focused on securing passage of the President's tax package, welfare reform, and revenue-sharing initiatives, while navigating difficult Senate opposition and House parliamentary hurdles. Nixon emphasized the urgent need for political pressure on Democrats regarding a federal wage deferral bill and outlined strategies for upcoming Supreme Court nominations to ensure successful confirmations.
President Nixon met with Senator John L. McClellan and staff members to discuss Supreme Court vacancies, current economic policy, and pending copyright legislation. The group considered potential judicial nominees and discussed the administration's need to demonstrate control over corporate profits to maintain public support for economic initiatives. Furthermore, they reviewed the status of cable television regulations and the broader copyright bill, with McClellan seeking assurances that the White House was not improperly interfering with FCC proceedings or current legislative efforts.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. This brief interaction served as a routine administrative step to connect the President with another party. No substantive policy discussions or policy decisions occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The brief exchange served as a logistical step to connect the President with a third party. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this operator-assisted connection.
President Nixon requested that the White House operator connect him with a contact identified as the Inspector. This brief interaction serves as a routine administrative request to facilitate further communication. No substantive policy matters or major developments occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, and Charles Colson met to coordinate administration strategy regarding the upcoming Mansfield Amendment vote in the House, Kissinger’s secret trip to the People’s Republic of China, and the President’s scheduled address to the National League of Families. The participants discussed managing potential legislative defeats, minimizing the political fallout of the China announcement on the upcoming UN Taiwan vote, and addressing criticism from Senator Edward Kennedy regarding POWs. Nixon ultimately decided to maintain a low-profile approach for his visit to the POW families and affirmed his intent to control the China trip logistics without State Department interference.
Stephen B. Bull and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics regarding the President’s upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on administrative planning and potential communications necessary for the President’s itinerary. No significant policy decisions were reached during this brief logistical briefing.