Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 618
Nixon White House Tape 618 (November 11, 1971 – November 15, 1971)
37 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 55 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Butterfield, Sanchez, White House photographer
President Nixon and John Mitchell engaged in a brief, informal discussion regarding the reception of a recent political appearance, possibly in Chicago. The conversation focused on evaluating the public perception and efficacy of an unnamed individual's performance and endorsements. The meeting concluded with instructions to relay a message to a third party, referred to as 'the doctor,' though the specific identity and strategic intent remain obscured by the vague transcript.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics regarding the President's daily schedule. The brief discussion centered on immediate administrative transitions and movement requirements. No substantive policy matters were addressed during this interaction.
President Nixon met with John Ehrlichman, John Whitaker, and Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz to discuss political strategy regarding depressed corn prices and agricultural policy heading into the 1972 election cycle. The President emphasized the need for Butz to serve as a strong, partisan advocate for farmers to counter potential anti-administration sentiment in agricultural states. The group also addressed the logistics of a forthcoming administrative announcement regarding government reorganization, with Nixon insisting on a concise, one-sentence statement to avoid overcomplicating the issue.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met briefly to discuss administrative matters regarding upcoming birthday observances for Senator Hugh Scott. The President reviewed a note from William E. Timmons concerning the Senator's birthday folder and addressed minor logistics regarding office arrangements. No major policy decisions were made during this brief procedural exchange.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate logistical adjustments to the President’s daily schedule. The brief discussion primarily focused on the involvement of Stephen B. Bull in managing these upcoming arrangements. The interaction concluded with the President instructing Butterfield to bring Bull in to finalize the scheduling details.
President Nixon met with outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin and his designated successor, Earl Butz, to coordinate the transition and manage the associated media rollout. The participants discussed the timing of Hardin's resignation and the logistics for a forthcoming joint press conference to announce the change in leadership. Additionally, the group touched upon international matters, including U.S. relations with Turkey, and addressed administrative planning regarding the potential reorganization of the Department of Agriculture.
President Nixon held a brief meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to discuss administrative assignments. The discussion focused on coordinating tasks involving staff members Marjorie P. Acker and Rose Mary Woods. No further details regarding the substance of these assignments were recorded before the unidentified party departed.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to coordinate the President's upcoming daily schedule, specifically reviewing appointments with John B. Connally and George E. Allen. They discussed the logistics for an upcoming Cabinet meeting, which included agenda items concerning John A. Volpe's reports and Phase II economic policies. Additionally, the pair coordinated the scheduling and press strategy for the Cost of Living Council meeting involving Donald Rumsfeld and other economic officials.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion was managing an upcoming meeting with Henry Kissinger. No further policy developments were recorded during this brief administrative briefing.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to discuss administrative matters. During this brief interaction, the President specifically requested the presence of Peter M. Flanigan. The meeting concluded shortly thereafter with Bull's departure from the Oval Office.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors and officials, including H. R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, and John Connally, to deliberate on key personnel appointments, administrative strategy, and foreign policy maneuvers. The discussion focused on filling Federal Reserve Board and ambassadorial vacancies, managing the political fallout from budget disputes with Senate Democrats, and curbing the excessive overseas travel of Cabinet members. Nixon and his team also weighed the potential risks and benefits of the President attending the AFL-CIO convention and evaluated strategies for the upcoming 1972 campaign, including fundraising and managing leakers within the administration.
President Richard Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office for a brief, informal encounter. The exchange consisted of pleasantries regarding the favorable weather conditions. No significant political matters, policy decisions, or official actions were discussed during this brief interaction.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to refine the administration's approach to White House social functions and manage the President's demanding schedule. They discussed shifting toward more efficient public engagement strategies, such as replacing time-consuming handshake lines with personal phone calls to veterans and paraplegics, and limiting social guests at church services and dinners. Additionally, Nixon encouraged Woods to take a vacation in California to recover from the stress of recent work and to prepare for the rigorous demands of upcoming diplomatic summits in China and the Soviet Union.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield briefly met to coordinate the President’s daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion was confirming the timing for a meeting with George P. Shultz. The conversation concluded with no major policy decisions, serving only as a logistical check-in regarding administrative appointments.
President Nixon consulted with an unidentified staff member regarding the delivery and handling of an article written by journalist Paul F. Healy. The discussion focused on confirming that the document had been properly transmitted to its intended recipient. Nixon sought verification to ensure the article reached Julie Nixon Eisenhower, though the full context of the material remains ambiguous.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate the delivery of personal photographs taken by White House photographer Oliver F. Atkins. The discussion focused on ensuring that copies of these images, particularly those featuring First Lady Pat Nixon, were properly routed to the White House residence. Nixon emphasized the importance of established distribution protocols for these materials to avoid oversight.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield held a brief morning meeting to review and confirm the President’s daily schedule. The discussion centered on upcoming appointments with key advisors, specifically John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, and H. R. Haldeman. No substantive policy matters were addressed during this administrative check-in.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to coordinate administrative tasks regarding the filing and transcription of personal recordings and presidential notes. The discussion also addressed a forthcoming television appearance by Julie Nixon Eisenhower and the President’s reflections on her teaching career and recent injury. The meeting concluded with a brief administrative call placed by the President to the White House operator.
President Nixon met with John Ehrlichman and H. R. Haldeman to deliberate on urgent fiscal and political strategies as the administration faced a looming deadline regarding a continuing resolution for federal funding. The group discussed the political risks of taking a hardline stance against Congress, specifically targeting the Senate's perceived irresponsibility, while weighing the potential consequences of a government shutdown. Ultimately, the President decided to adopt a confrontational approach with Congressional leaders to avoid being forced into signing unfavorable legislation, prioritizing his image as a decisive leader over compromising with legislative opponents.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate details regarding an upcoming presentation involving White House photographer Oliver F. “Ollie” Atkins. The discussion focused primarily on administrative scheduling and arrangements for this specific event. No further substantive policy decisions were documented during this brief encounter.
President Nixon met with legal scholars Paul A. Freund, Julius Goebel, Jr., and Charles Fairman, along with Librarian of Congress Quincy Mumford and aide John Dean, to discuss book preservation and library contributions. The conversation focused on the physical handling of historical legal volumes, the nuances of the President's writing and dictation process, and historical anecdotes regarding Supreme Court justices Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and Louis Brandeis. During the meeting, the President presented the guests with official gifts, including signed pens and presidential cufflinks.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his upcoming daily schedule. The primary purpose of the brief discussion was to finalize arrangements for meetings with George E. Allen and Henry A. Kissinger. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this brief logistical briefing.
President Nixon met with political confidant George E. Allen to discuss a range of topics, including the President's legislative agenda, economic strategy, and historical anecdotes regarding previous administrations. Nixon specifically sought Allen's support in lobbying Southern congressmen regarding the administration's budget and foreign aid priorities amid ongoing congressional negotiations. The conversation also touched upon the 1972 political landscape, with Nixon expressing confidence in his economic policies and addressing potential electoral challenges.
President Nixon held a brief, informal discussion with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The participants engaged in a cursory exchange regarding the status and completion of a prior meeting. No substantive policy matters or major historical developments were addressed during this short interaction.
President Nixon recorded a memorandum to memorialize a recent discussion with George E. Allen regarding the political dynamics of the Harry S. Truman and Franklin D. Roosevelt administrations. Allen characterized Truman as a well-meaning but impressionable leader whose policy direction was heavily influenced by intelligent advisors like Dean Acheson. The conversation also detailed the historical maneuvering by Democratic party figures to successfully remove Henry A. Wallace from the 1944 presidential ticket by controlling access to Roosevelt.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss Treasury Secretary John Connally's recent activities, including his role in international monetary negotiations and his candid assessments of the administration's performance. Kissinger reported that Connally expressed frustration with internal disloyalty and the perceived lack of resolve within the State and Defense Departments, suggesting that the administration's failure to defend the President's policies left them politically vulnerable. The two also addressed legislative concerns regarding the Boland Amendment and future strategies for re-engaging with the international economy, specifically regarding gold convertibility and potential monetary policy shifts.
President Nixon held a brief, eight-second meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual. Due to the extremely short duration of the interaction and the absence of a transcript, the specific purpose and substantive details of the discussion remain undocumented. The encounter concludes without record of any decisions or policy developments.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the preparation of briefing materials regarding the Pay Board and upcoming meetings. Nixon emphasizes his desire to maintain political independence, explicitly stating that he does not want to feel beholden to the individuals or entities involved. The discussion also touches upon the coordination of legal opinions from John Mitchell and John Dean to support these administrative objectives.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office for a brief exchange. The conversation lacks substantial recorded content, as the primary segment was designated as a personal returnable item and subsequently withdrawn from the public record. No significant policy decisions or administrative actions were documented during this short encounter.
President Nixon dictated a memorandum summarizing a previous discussion with George E. Allen regarding political strategy and the upcoming 1972 election. The two men reflected on historical anecdotes concerning Harry Truman, FDR, and Nikita Khrushchev to frame their thoughts on the efficacy of public works programs and the limited political impact of vice presidential running mates. Nixon concluded the dictation by assessing the state of the economy, specifically noting that the stock market's recent performance reflected a positive outlook on the success of his Phase II inflation control program.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to finalize the logistics and scheduling for an upcoming interview involving Judge Boldt and other administration officials. The discussion focused on the coordination of a filmed session in the Cabinet Room and the subsequent meeting with Congressional leaders. Bull confirmed that the briefing materials for the 2:30 p.m. training session would be prepared and ready on the President’s desk upon his return.
President Nixon met with Pay Board Chairman George H. Boldt and Price Commission Chairman C. Jackson Grayson to discuss the ongoing challenges of Phase II of his economic stabilization program. The discussion focused on the political and economic friction surrounding the issue of retroactivity for labor contracts and the necessity of prioritizing public policy over individual contract enforcement to curb inflation. The participants also coordinated their strategy for an upcoming public meeting with the Cost of Living Council, emphasizing the need for brief, unified messaging to demonstrate the stability and progress of their efforts to the American public.
President Nixon held a brief, unscheduled meeting in the Oval Office with unidentified individuals. The brief audio capture consists of indistinct, unintelligible dialogue in Japanese that provides no discernible context regarding policy, political strategy, or administrative decisions. Due to the lack of clear content and the truncated nature of the recording, no substantive developments or action items can be identified.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate an upcoming appointment with George P. Shultz. The primary focus was the President's requirement to review a specific briefing paper before proceeding with the meeting. Nixon ultimately directed Bull to facilitate the appointment once he had completed his preparatory reading.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met briefly in the Oval Office to coordinate their schedules and communication efforts. The discussion focused on managing access to the President and ensuring Kissinger was prepared for upcoming diplomatic requirements. No major policy shifts were recorded during this short encounter, which primarily served to confirm the availability of key personnel.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to receive refreshments. This brief interaction served a routine logistical purpose regarding the President’s personal service. No substantive policy discussions or significant political developments occurred during this five-second recording.
President Nixon held a brief administrative communication with the White House operator. The exchange functioned as a routine coordination check to facilitate telephonic connectivity within the Executive Office. No substantive policy matters or strategic developments were recorded during this brief interaction.