Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 656
Nixon White House Tape 656 (January 26, 1972)
30 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 19 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Butterfield, Woods, Colson
President Nixon met with Mark I. Goode and other unidentified individuals to coordinate logistical arrangements for an upcoming presidential speech. The discussion focused on technical details regarding the stage environment, specifically addressing the placement of an object and ceiling configurations. The participants also briefly touched upon weather-related concerns, including wind conditions and appropriate attire.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting with an unidentified woman to discuss the whereabouts of an unnamed individual. The participants confirmed that this person had not yet arrived at his office and verified his safety. No formal policy decisions were made, as the discussion focused solely on logistical coordination and staff status.
President Nixon summoned his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to the Oval Office for a brief morning meeting. The primary purpose of the discussion was the President's explicit request for the presence of special counsel Charles W. Colson. Bull complied with the instruction, marking the meeting as a logistical coordination effort to facilitate immediate contact with Colson.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate administrative logistics regarding an upcoming engagement. The discussion focused on scheduling details and the timing of a meeting involving John B. Connally. This brief exchange served to finalize arrangements for the President's calendar.
President Nixon met with his economic advisors, John Connally, George Shultz, and Herbert Stein, to review the state of the economy and coordinate administration messaging. The discussion focused on addressing business confidence, managing the federal budget and spending, and navigating upcoming international trade and monetary negotiations. Nixon emphasized the need for a unified administration front to present an optimistic economic outlook while preparing for legislative battles, including the debt ceiling and potential gold policy changes.
President Nixon and Charles W. Colson met briefly to discuss scheduling matters involving H. R. Haldeman. The conversation focused on the necessity of increasing political involvement and urgency in their upcoming agenda. No specific policy decisions were finalized during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with Charles Colson and H.R. Haldeman to discuss the unfavorable media coverage regarding his recent Vietnam peace proposal. Nixon expressed frustration with the press, specifically criticizing newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post for their negative framing and lack of objective reporting. The President directed his staff to proactively challenge these narratives by mobilizing friendly journalists and political allies to attack the media's divisive tone and emphasize positive public support for the administration's policy.
President Nixon held a brief meeting with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office. The discussion functioned as a routine check-in between the President and a member of his domestic staff. No formal policy deliberations or substantive administrative decisions were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephonic communication with Senator Paul J. Fannin. This brief interaction served as a logistical precursor to a direct policy discussion between the President and the Senator. The conversation focused primarily on establishing this line of contact to address legislative or political matters of mutual interest.
In this Oval Office meeting, President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and Henry Kissinger discussed the political strategy surrounding Nixon’s recent Vietnam peace proposal speech, focusing on managing congressional and media reaction to the offer of unilateral troop withdrawal. The group also coordinated a defense against critics, such as Senator George McGovern, by highlighting evidence of North Vietnamese intransigence. Later, the President met with Dutch Prime Minister Barend W. Biesheuvel to review international relations, the strategic landscape in Asia and Europe, and the geopolitical implications of Nixon's upcoming trips to the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union.
President Nixon met briefly with Secret Service agents in the Oval Office to discuss his daily schedule. The exchange was informal and lacked any substantive policy developments, consisting primarily of general conversation. The brief interaction concluded as the agents exited the office shortly thereafter.
President Nixon, Alexander Haig, and J. William Middendorf, II discussed the logistics surrounding Middendorf's upcoming resignation from his post. The participants coordinated the timing of the announcement and the transition process, with the President advising Middendorf to work out specific details with Maurice Stans. The meeting concluded with the President presenting a presidential money clip to Middendorf as a token of appreciation for his service, particularly regarding U.S.-Dutch relations.
President Nixon initiated a telephone call to California Governor Ronald Reagan following a brief briefing from aide Stephen B. Bull regarding Henry Kissinger's schedule. While the specific substance of the discussion with Reagan is captured elsewhere, the interaction reflects the ongoing coordination between the White House and prominent Republican leaders. Bull’s presence served to facilitate administrative logistics ahead of the President's engagement.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to briefly review the scheduling logistics for H.R. Haldeman’s upcoming commitments. The discussion focused specifically on the timing and arrangements for a board of trustees meeting. The meeting concluded quickly after these scheduling details were addressed.
President Nixon initiated a phone call to Cornelius A. Scott, the editor of the Atlanta Daily World, to facilitate a direct line of communication with the influential African American newspaper executive. This outreach underscores the administration's efforts to engage with Black media leadership during the Nixon presidency. The primary action item was the successful establishment of this contact for a subsequent, more substantive discussion.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met to review administrative scheduling matters and finalize items requiring the President’s signature. They briefly discussed the public and diplomatic reception of Nixon's recent Vietnam peace proposal speech delivered the previous day. The session concluded with logistical arrangements involving H.R. Haldeman and the management of the President's immediate calendar.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Ronald Ziegler, and Rose Mary Woods to assess the domestic and political reception of his January 25 Vietnam peace proposal. Kissinger provided a detailed briefing on his efforts to explain the complexities of the proposal to congressional leaders and the press, specifically focusing on the administration’s strategy to maintain a unified front despite opposition. Nixon emphasized the importance of aggressive communication to counter critics and directed his staff to combat misinformation, reinforcing that the administration's current proposal represented the maximum extent of their concessions.
President Nixon consulted with California Governor Ronald Reagan to coordinate political messaging regarding a new Vietnam peace proposal, emphasizing the need for a unified national voice to force North Vietnamese negotiations. Nixon also discussed personnel decisions within the Justice Department, explaining his preference for Richard Kleindienst to serve as Attorney General for the remainder of the term rather than installing a new appointee who would lack the necessary institutional knowledge. The two leaders additionally touched upon internal administrative personnel and ongoing political dynamics in California.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to provide specific instructions regarding the retrieval of an unidentified item. The discussion focused on the logistics and handling of this sensitive object. No further details regarding the nature of the item or subsequent actions are documented.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discussed the preparation of a briefing book based on Henry Kissinger's recent work to effectively manage anticipated public and political inquiries. The President directed that a concise two-to-three-page list of questions and answers be drafted, specifically identifying William Safire or James Gannon as potential authors to refine the material. This document was intended for strategic distribution to members of Congress and the press to ensure a controlled and consistent administration message.
President Nixon consulted with an unidentified woman regarding the arrival of Treasury Secretary John B. Connally. He requested that Connally be brought to the Oval Office immediately upon arrival for a private briefing before the participation of other scheduled attendees. This directive prioritized Connally's input as the President managed his administrative agenda for the afternoon.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to initiate a telephone call with Los Angeles County Sheriff Peter J. Pitchess. The President ultimately decided to defer the call to a later time, determining that an immediate attempt would not be productive. No substantive policy discussions occurred during this brief interaction.
President Nixon consulted with Representative M. Gene Snyder of Kentucky following a brief connection through the White House operator. The discussion focused on legislative matters pertaining to the state of Kentucky. The conversation served as a preliminary coordination point for political developments within Snyder's district.
President Nixon attempts to initiate a call through the White House operator to an unspecified individual. The operator informs the President that the desired party is unavailable due to an ongoing meeting. No further substantive business is conducted during this brief exchange.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone connection with his special counsel, Charles W. Colson. The brief exchange served as an administrative bridge to initiate direct communication between the President and Colson. No substantive policy matters were addressed during this initial operator-assisted call setup.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate his official schedule. The discussion focused primarily on arranging a meeting with John B. Connally. Following the brief briefing, the session concluded with Bull’s departure.
President Nixon met with John Connally and key economic advisors Arthur Burns, George Shultz, and Herbert Stein to conduct an extensive review of the U.S. economy, including unemployment data, retail sales, and the federal budget. The participants discussed strategies to accelerate federal spending to stimulate growth, concerns regarding the lack of confidence among international financial institutions, and the delicate nature of ongoing trade negotiations with Europe, Japan, and Canada. Nixon directed his team to prioritize the rapid deployment of authorized funds and ordered a follow-up analysis on identifying the specific demographics of the unemployed.
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman briefly conferred regarding the President's upcoming schedule at the Executive Office Building. The discussion focused on logistical arrangements for Nixon's movements within the White House complex. No major policy decisions were reached during this short administrative exchange.
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to coordinate the President's immediate schedule. The brief discussion served to finalize plans for Nixon's departure from the office. Following this exchange, the two men exited the room together.
United States Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals met in the Oval Office to address logistical or security-related matters. The brief interactions, captured in two distinct segments, focus on technical concerns regarding equipment, specifically a microphone. No broader policy decisions were recorded in these short audio clips.