Conversation 658-007

TapeTape 658StartThursday, January 27, 1972 at 11:13 AMEndThursday, January 27, 1972 at 11:24 AMTape start time02:16:45Tape end time02:28:14ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Stans, Maurice H.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Peterson, Peter G.; Flanigan, Peter M.; White House photographerRecording deviceOval Office

Audio

NARA Description

On January 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Maurice H. Stans, Ronald L. Ziegler, Peter G. Peterson, Peter M. Flanigan, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:13 am to 11:24 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 658-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 658-7

Date: January 27, 1972
Time: 11:13 am - 11:24 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Maurice H. Stans.

     Stans’s resignation
          -Announcement
          -The President’s gratitude
          -Announcement
                 -Stans’s forthcoming role
          -Secrecy
          -The President’s gratitude
                 -Stans’s past support
                      -1960 election
                      -1962 election
                      -1968 election

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Political returnable]
[Duration: 39s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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     Business
          -Support for the Administration

     Economy
         -As issue

          -Democrats
     -Retail sales
          -Arthur F. Burns
     -General thrust
     -Economic indicators
          -Retail sales
                 -Stans’s reports
          -Stock market
          -Rise in economy
          -Unemployment

Stans’s future attendance at meetings
     -Legislative leaders
     -Robert J. Dole
     -Cabinet
     -Bryce N. Harlow
     -Notification of H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

Attendees at White House functions
     -Dinners
     -Rose Mary Woods notification
     -Haldeman
     -Stans’s talk with Woods

Business problems
     -Federal Trade Commission [FTC] decision
     -Breakup of breakfast cereal companies
     -FTC administrator [Miles W. Kirkpatrick]
     -The President’s support for business
           -Edmund S. Muskie, Hubert H. Humphrey, Edward M. Kennedy
     -Perception of business community
           -Stans
           -Peter M. Flanigan
           -Control of commissioners
                 -William D. Ruckelshaus
                 -Kirkpatrick
                 -Virginia H. Knauer

Stans’s notes to the President
     -Telephone call to be made
           -Former head of 3M, Camden Knight

                     -View of wage and price controls
                     -Political pressure from right wing
                -Foster [?] McGraw [sp ?]
                     -Birthday greetings

     Mike McGill
          -Books
          -Possible position with administration
               -Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
          -Qualifications
          -Stans’s possible talk with Flanigan
          -Possible ambassadorship

     Forthcoming announcement
          -Duration
          -Speaking rules
               -Stans, Peterson, Flanigan
          -Council on International Economic Policy [CIEP]

Peter G. Peterson, Flanigan, and the photographer entered at 11:20 am.

     Forthcoming announcement

     Arrangement for photograph session

     [Photograph session]
          -[General conversation]
               -Germany

     Announcement of appointments
         -Protocol
               -Flanigan’s forthcoming position
         -The President’s remarks
         -Stans’s remarks
         -Peterson’s remarks
               -Duration
               -Content

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 11:23 am.

     Camera

           -Position

The President, et al. left at 11:24 am.

Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

The thing is, whatever that majority is, though, that majority, not in its worst moments, but first, that majority is rent-a-decent.

I'm sorry.

Don't.

Don't sit around.

Because we are so damn well-educated.

And read this crap that is put out by what is supposed to be fashionable.

And say the fashionable things.

Do the fashionable things.

Wonder whether you're applauded when you go to the press club and the rest.

Rather than doing what is right, doing what is strong, standing up, not to have a dress code.

Now, the real trick is, and here's the real problem, to do this.

It's still being responsible.

You don't have to be responsible to be a senator.

You don't have to be responsible to be a congressman.

You don't have to be responsible to be a mayor.

Or you can put it that way.

You do have to be responsible to be here.

That's a real charge.

In other words, to appeal to that majority without appealing, to appeal to the best instincts of that majority, and not to its basic prejudices.

So, uh, I have a question.

So, let me just repeat this.

There's a signal.

Yes, there's a signal in some of our complex.

All right.

You always need to come in and get three dollars.

All right.

So, it's not hard.

Wonderful.

Yeah, sure.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, this is the day.

This is the day, yeah.

I don't know what to even say.

Anyway, we go out there and sweat the nose of all the vultures and witches.

I appreciate what you're doing.

I'm going to say that you're going to become the chancellor or the inspector of one of the two future parties.

That's all the far I will go.

Yeah.

This is probably the worst kept secret.

Yeah.

Well, what I said is true.

I shall never forget what he did in 62 at this time.

At this time.

62 was tough also, but 62, when we lost, goddammit, nobody was, you know, we touched ground.

It's a bizarre sound.

I can't believe it.

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