Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 660
Nixon White House Tape 660 (January 29, 1972 – January 31, 1972)
21 conversations · Oval Office · about 5 hr 52 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Sanchez, White House photographer
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, to coordinate the logistics for the departure of Dewitt and Lila Acheson Wallace from the White House. The President instructed Sanchez to ensure the Wallaces departed at 9:00 a.m. and to facilitate a final farewell meeting by bringing their driver to the Oval Office.
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Mrs. John Connally. The request was intended to facilitate communication between the President and the wife of the Secretary of the Treasury. No further substantive matters were discussed during this brief administrative interaction.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to coordinate logistics regarding the departure of Reader's Digest founders Dewitt and Lila Acheson Wallace. The discussion focused on scheduling the President's personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, and finalizing the protocol for the Wallaces' exit from the White House. The conversation concluded with Nixon ensuring that his staff was prepared for the upcoming logistical transition.
President Nixon and Nellie Connally discuss the health of John Connally, who is recovering from the flu, while also touching upon recent economic trends and market sentiment. Nixon recounts a tense incident at a White House performance where a singer disrupted the event with a protest against the Vietnam War and the Nixon administration, noting that the performer was subsequently removed. The two conclude by briefly coordinating personal scheduling matters and upcoming social engagements.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to determine the current whereabouts of Billy Graham, who was reportedly visiting Washington, D.C. The brief exchange focused on identifying the specific hotel where Graham was staying. The conversation concluded without any significant policy developments or further action items beyond locating the prominent evangelist.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss the work habits, health, and potential resignation pressures facing Treasury Secretary John B. Connally. The discussion touched upon Connally's social integration in Washington, his staffing challenges, and the increasing media scrutiny surrounding his role in international economic policy. Additionally, the President expressed concerns regarding an impending Supreme Court decision on the death penalty and the potential impact on death row inmates.
President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon hosted Reader’s Digest founders DeWitt and Lila Wallace in the Oval Office for a brief social visit. The conversation focused on hospitality, the Wallaces' appreciation for their stay, and shared reflections on White House history, including the President's desk and artwork. The meeting concluded with the Nixons ensuring the couple had arranged transportation for their departure.
President Nixon held a wide-ranging meeting with H.R. Haldeman and several other key staff members to discuss political strategy, personnel matters, and public relations. Key topics included the appointment of Marina von Neumann Whitman to the Council of Economic Advisors, the political fallout and press handling of a protest at a recent White House dinner, and the administration’s strategy regarding potential 1972 Democratic presidential challengers. Additionally, Nixon and his staff reviewed polling data and preparations for his upcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China, emphasizing the positive reception of his recent Vietnam peace proposals.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to address administrative matters regarding White House communications. The discussion centered on handling specific letters and providing instructions related to National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. No further details were recorded, and Butterfield departed shortly after the meeting commenced.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to discuss scheduling matters. The interaction lasted no more than two minutes, concluding when the visitor departed. No specific policy decisions or significant substantive developments were documented during this short engagement.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing telephone connection. This brief interaction served administrative purposes to establish communication with an external party. No significant policy discussions or substantive developments occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon held a brief two-minute meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to discuss the President's personal schedule. Given the brevity of the encounter and the lack of a transcript, the specific agenda remains undocumented. No significant policy decisions or further actions were recorded during this session.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and Henry Kissinger met to discuss domestic political strategy and preparations for the President's upcoming trip to the People's Republic of China. Haldeman advised against holding a press conference, warning that the administration would face aggressive questioning on sensitive issues like the budget deficit, Vietnam, and various controversies involving George Romney and Jack Anderson. The group also addressed recent press criticism, specifically discussing Kissinger's interactions with Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham.
United States Secret Service agents convened in the Oval Office for a brief, recorded interaction characterized primarily by room noise and muffled dialogue. The exchange was extremely limited in scope, consisting of a single directive to remain in place before the participants departed. No substantive policy discussions or significant presidential decisions were captured during this brief encounter.
President Nixon held a brief meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to address administrative tasks. The discussion focused primarily on matters involving Rose Mary Woods, the President's personal secretary. The encounter concluded shortly thereafter with the departure of the participant.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss various political and administrative issues, including managing a potential media scandal involving Jack Anderson, coordinating a rest period for John Connally at Camp David, and assessing the 1972 campaign strategy. They addressed the public relations fallout from a recent protest at a Reader's Digest dinner and analyzed demographic shifts in voter support. Additionally, the President and his staff coordinated the messaging for an upcoming North Vietnamese press conference and reviewed the ongoing secret peace negotiations handled by Henry Kissinger.
President Nixon met with members of the President’s Cancer Panel, including Benno C. Schmidt, R. Lee Clark, and Robert A. Good, alongside Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Elliot Richardson to discuss the administration's cancer research initiative. The discussion focused on organizational strategies, the need for international cooperation, and the importance of balancing clinical and scientific perspectives to maximize research efficacy. Nixon emphasized his support for the panel’s mission and suggested that if the current model proves successful, it could serve as a template for tackling other major diseases in the future.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office for a brief, informal interaction. The exchange consisted of a compliment directed toward Sanchez. No substantive policy matters or administrative decisions were addressed during this short encounter.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to conduct a brief administrative review of the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on coordinating arrangements and logistics for a forthcoming meeting. No further details were recorded, and Bull departed the office shortly after their brief consultation.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone call to Congressman Stewart B. McKinney. The interaction served solely as a logistical request to establish communication with the Connecticut representative. No further policy discussions or substantive developments occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met with NATO Secretary General Joseph Luns to discuss alliance strategy, European security, and U.S. outreach to China and the Soviet Union. The President emphasized that his diplomatic engagements with Communist powers were grounded in pragmatic, reality-based security concerns rather than sentimental détente, and he sought to reassure Luns that NATO allies would be consulted. They also addressed specific regional issues, including the British-Malta dispute and the necessity of West German steadfastness within the alliance to avoid 'Finlandization.'