Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 653
Nixon White House Tape 653 (January 24, 1972)
15 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 14 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Sanchez, Haldeman
President Richard M. Nixon met with his longtime valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to discuss a specific personal request. While the precise details of the interaction remain unrecorded, the meeting centered on administrative or logistical needs requiring the President's direct attention. Sanchez departed shortly thereafter, marking the conclusion of their brief private discussion.
President Nixon met with an unidentified woman in the Oval Office to conduct an unscheduled administrative or personal engagement. During the meeting, the President summoned White House aide Stephen B. Bull to join the discussion. The woman departed shortly thereafter, though the specific purpose of the interaction remains undocumented due to the lack of a transcript.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to finalize logistical arrangements for the upcoming signing of the 1973 budget message. They discussed the necessity of coordinating with photographer Oliver F. Atkins and established that no press presence would be permitted at the event. The conversation concluded with Bull confirming that only a sketch of the signing would be released to the public.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss mundane administrative and personal logistics at the White House. The brief conversation included inquiries regarding the whereabouts of staff members and the schedule of Rose Mary Woods, specifically concerning Marjorie P. Acker. No significant policy decisions were made during this exchange, which focused primarily on routine personnel management.
President Nixon met with an unknown female staff member to provide specific administrative instructions regarding the preparation of his budget message. He guided the individual through the process of editing and compiling the document by inserting, copying, and arranging various text segments. The meeting concluded once the instructions for finalizing the rough draft were clearly established.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and various staff members met to coordinate administrative logistics, including the upcoming budget message press strategy and the planning of political events. The discussion touched on the status of the Bicentennial celebration in Philadelphia, the professional transition of Major General James D. Hughes, and the management of White House social functions. The group also finalized communication tactics for the President’s forthcoming Vietnam peace plan speech, emphasizing the need for a unified public relations effort involving key administration officials and congressional allies.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate the media strategy and briefing rollout for the President's upcoming January 25, 1972, Vietnam peace plan speech. The group discussed the timing of notifications for Congressional leaders, Cabinet members, and international allies, while emphasizing the need to maintain operational secrecy regarding the negotiations until the official announcement. Kissinger and the President also addressed potential political fallout and criticisms regarding the administration's use of secret back-channel diplomacy.
President Nixon met with UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, Secretary of State William P. Rogers, and Ambassador George H.W. Bush to discuss the future of the United Nations and U.S.-UN relations. The President emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to the organization but noted that public and congressional support is currently strained due to financial issues and perceived failures. The group discussed administrative reforms, the need for the UN to play a role in global peacekeeping, and strategies for Waldheim to establish strong, fair leadership to restore international and domestic confidence in the UN.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler met to finalize briefing points regarding an upcoming meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. The discussion focused on establishing a clear public stance on U.S. support for the UN, while also addressing concerns regarding the organization's budget and the need to manage public perceptions of government spending. Additionally, the pair coordinated logistics for the President's travel, specifically addressing media presence during plane arrivals and an upcoming trip to Florida involving dock strike issues.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull briefly met to review the President’s upcoming schedule, specifically focusing on a meeting with Frank L. Rizzo. The participants also engaged in casual conversation regarding presidential travel logistics, concerns about public awareness of landing details, and reflections on past trips to Florida. No major policy decisions were reached during this short administrative check-in.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President’s daily schedule, focusing on coordination for upcoming appointments and document reviews. Key items included arranging a meeting with Frank L. Rizzo, scheduling a photograph session with John D. Ehrlichman, and managing the review of a speech draft prepared by William L. Safire. The discussion concluded with instructions for Bull to manage the logistics of these meetings and finalize the timeline for the President's remaining tasks.
President Nixon met with Philadelphia Mayor Frank L. Rizzo and John D. Ehrlichman to discuss urban policy, federal funding, and the political landscape of Philadelphia heading into the 1972 election. Rizzo expressed his personal support for the President and his desire to align with Republican principles, though he and Nixon strategized on how to manage this shift without alienating Rizzo’s Democratic base. They further coordinated on establishing direct lines of communication between the White House and city officials to bypass local political friction and secure federal aid for Philadelphia through programs like revenue sharing and the LEAA.
Secret Service agents briefly entered the Oval Office for a short, undocumented interaction with President Nixon. Due to the poor audio quality and lack of transcript, the specific purpose and content of the exchange remain unintelligible. The agents exited the office within less than one minute, resulting in no identifiable developments or decisions.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull briefly coordinated the President's personal schedule regarding an appointment with his barber. Bull informed Nixon of the barber's arrival, leading the President to immediately depart the Oval Office to meet him. This brief interaction served as a logistical update to facilitate the President's personal grooming arrangements.
This recording captures a brief administrative interlude in the Oval Office involving the President and an unidentified individual. The discussion focused on coordinating the President's daily schedule, specifically regarding a planned visit from his barber. No major policy developments or significant political actions occurred during this brief encounter.