Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 681
Nixon White House Tape 681 (March 9, 1972)
8 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 34 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Butterfield, Kissinger, Haldeman, Skelton
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met briefly to discuss the scheduling of Henry Kissinger. The conversation focused on managing Kissinger’s availability and ensuring he could be reached or intercepted upon his return. Nixon emphasized the urgency of the matter, leading to a plan for coordinating Kissinger's immediate engagement once he became free.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss various political and administrative issues, focusing on the ITT investigation, the status of the 1972 campaign, and news media coverage. They explored strategies to manage the ITT controversy, including the potential to quiet hearings, and analyzed the President's standing following the New Hampshire primary. Later, Henry Kissinger joined the meeting to address the upcoming Moscow summit, foreign policy objectives, and the importance of maintaining White House control over foreign policy communications and negotiations.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Oval Office to review the President's daily agenda. The brief session focused on administrative tasks, specifically the review and signing of pending official documents. No other substantive policy matters were recorded during this meeting.
President Nixon met with his Deputy Assistant Alexander P. Butterfield to briefly coordinate administrative matters and manage the President’s daily schedule. The discussion focused on finalizing the logistics for upcoming staff meetings and the formal execution of presidential documents. The meeting concluded with the pair organizing their immediate workflow before Butterfield departed the Oval Office.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger to discuss the administration's 1972 re-election strategy, focusing on public approval polling data, media outreach, and scheduling decisions regarding busing and social security. Kissinger provided an update on impending agreements with the Soviet Union, including trade and arms limitations, while advising the President on managing the public relations aspect of his upcoming Moscow trip. The participants also reviewed intelligence regarding Soviet and Chinese geopolitical tensions and addressed ongoing concerns related to the ITT anti-trust case.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office immediately following a scheduled appointment with Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. Due to the lack of a transcript and the meeting's extremely short duration, the specific agenda remains undocumented. This encounter reflects the rapid turnover typical of the President’s evening scheduling during this period.
President Nixon met with Mark Andrews, Ronald Ziegler, and Henry Kissinger to coordinate the administration's public relations strategy regarding his upcoming trip to the Soviet Union and to manage political fallout from the ITT scandal. The participants discussed ensuring that details of potential bilateral agreements with the Soviets remain confidential to avoid premature disclosure or diplomatic friction involving Secretary of State William P. Rogers. Furthermore, they addressed the need for a unified response to media inquiries, specifically regarding allegations involving John N. Mitchell and the ITT case, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strict control over information leaked to the press.
United States Secret Service agents met with President Nixon in the Oval Office to coordinate security logistics. The discussion focused primarily on the President’s scheduled visit to a barbershop. Following the briefing, the agents departed to finalize the necessary security arrangements for his movement.