Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 581
Nixon White House Tape 581 (September 30, 1971)
11 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 47 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Haldeman, Bush
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and later Henry Kissinger to review a wide array of administrative, political, and scheduling matters. They discussed the President’s recent domestic trips, potential public statements on federal pay raises, and strategies to address political attacks from critics like Senator Ted Kennedy. Additionally, the group reviewed sensitive intelligence reports, discussed the status of Supreme Court nominations, and consulted on the strategic timing of international diplomatic engagements, including Kissinger’s upcoming trip to China and the President’s meeting with Andrei Gromyko.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, George H. W. Bush, and John Ehrlichman met to discuss the administration's critical foreign policy challenges, specifically the upcoming UN vote on Taiwan's status and the strategic implications of upcoming high-level summits. Bush was instructed to maintain a firm, public stance in New York regarding the UN resolution, while Kissinger and the President coordinated the timing of U.S. outreach to the Soviet Union and China to avoid domestic and diplomatic conflicts. The meeting also addressed domestic administrative issues, including housing litigation strategy, welfare reform messaging to Congress, and tax policy coordination with Treasury Secretary John Connally.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met briefly in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics for a forthcoming meeting. Their discussion centered on the scheduled absence of Arnold R. Weber. No major policy decisions were reached during this short administrative check-in.
President Nixon and John Mitchell discussed strategies for securing the confirmation of Richard H. Poff to the Supreme Court, acknowledging the political challenge of his Southern background and limited legal practice. The President expressed a strong preference for nominating a conservative jurist and, despite his personal reservations, considered the political necessity of appointing a woman, specifically Judge Mildred L. Lillie, to appeal to changing national sentiments. Additionally, Nixon directed Robert Finch to undertake a diplomatic mission to Latin America to bolster U.S. relations, positioning the trip as a strategic initiative for his 1972 campaign.
President Nixon consulted with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, regarding scheduling adjustments for upcoming meetings with Secretary of State William P. Rogers and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. Seeking to manage his time effectively, the President prioritized his current tasks while evaluating which other appointments could be postponed. Nixon ultimately decided to maintain his immediate focus, declining Bull's offer to interrupt the ongoing session.
President Nixon, Secretary of State William Rogers, and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger met to discuss the sensitive timing of Kissinger's upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China (PRC). Rogers expressed strong concern that the trip's timing—coinciding with the critical United Nations vote on the status of Taiwan—would create a political backlash and make it appear that the U.S. was undermining its own efforts at the UN. Ultimately, the group discussed potential strategies to delay the trip or alter its public framing to avoid the appearance of being manipulated by the Chinese or signaling disinterest in the UN vote.
President Nixon met with Consumer Affairs Advisor Virginia Knauer and representatives from the credit union movement to discuss the status and growth of credit unions. The participants reviewed efforts to increase enrollment and debated the operational effectiveness of these organizations despite current statistical limitations. The meeting concluded with a symbolic gesture as the President was presented with presidential cufflinks.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to review his upcoming schedule, specifically focusing on an engagement with newspaper carriers. The discussion clarified a potential misunderstanding regarding a scheduled national newspaper boycott. Following the brief exchange, Nixon directed Bull to finalize the arrangements for the event.
President Nixon met with L. Scott Olson and a group of newspaper carriers participating in 'Project Amnesty' to host them at the White House. During the brief, informal visit, the President engaged in lighthearted conversation, inquired about the participants' work, and discussed the profession of newspaper delivery. The meeting concluded with Nixon presenting the carriers with official gifts as a gesture of appreciation.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate his upcoming schedule and daily appointments. The discussion centered on logistics for a forthcoming meeting with George P. Shultz and Herbert Stein regarding economic policy. This brief exchange served to finalize the President's immediate agenda before Bull exited the Oval Office.
President Nixon met with George Shultz, Herbert Stein, and Henry Kissinger to strategize the administration's economic policy for the post-freeze 'Phase II' period. The discussion centered on the necessity of establishing a tripartite board to manage wage and price controls, balancing the need for inflation control with the political requirement of securing labor cooperation. Nixon decided to keep his personal involvement in the technical details minimal, tasking Secretary John Connally with leading the public-facing aspects of the transition while aiming to avoid a crisis-heavy presentation to the public.