Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 690
Nixon White House Tape 690 (March 21, 1972)
15 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 23 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, United States Secret Service agents, Sanchez, Shultz
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President's upcoming daily schedule and administrative appointments. The discussion focused on coordinating potential meetings with George P. Shultz, John B. Connally, and Turkish Prime Minister Nihat Erim, with H.R. Haldeman’s input required for timing. This interaction served to manage the President’s logistical workflow and prioritize key official engagements.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his daily schedule and prioritize upcoming appointments. The discussion focused on organizing a meeting with George P. Shultz regarding the administration's price stabilization program, as well as scheduling time with Nihat Erim. The primary objective was ensuring these economic and diplomatic engagements were properly integrated into the President's immediate agenda.
Secret Service agents met with President Nixon in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics and security arrangements for his upcoming schedule. The discussion primarily focused on confirming the President's availability and commitments for the following Thursday. The meeting concluded with the agents departing to finalize the operational details.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discuss the proper nomenclature and usage of names concerning a contact, likely Turkish Prime Minister Nihat Erim. The conversation centers on verifying whether two names refer to the same individual or are distinct entities. Nixon tasks Bull with consulting Alexander Haig’s office to clarify the correct identification to avoid further confusion.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to address a minor domestic matter concerning White House living quarters. The primary focus of the discussion was a malfunctioning electric blanket. No policy decisions or significant political developments resulted from this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the details of the President's upcoming daily schedule, focusing on logistics for a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Nihat Erim and an appointment with George P. Shultz in the Cabinet Room. The discussion included administrative preparations such as conducting name checks and confirming proper name pronunciations for scheduled visitors. Bull also coordinated with the President regarding the involvement of Alexander M. Haig, Jr. in the day's itinerary.
President Nixon met with George Shultz and later H. R. Haldeman to coordinate strategy regarding the labor members of the Pay Board, who were threatening to resign. Nixon instructed Shultz to contact labor leaders to urge them to remain on the board while signaling that the administration would continue to enforce wage and price controls, including a new exemption for small businesses. The participants also discussed foreign policy, specifically evaluating the potential political benefits of adding a visit to Poland to the upcoming Soviet summit itinerary and planning Marshall Green's post-China trip media appearances.
President Nixon met with Turkish Prime Minister Nihat Erim to discuss Turkey's critical role as a Western ally and a "firewall" against communist expansion in the Middle East. The leaders addressed internal security threats in Turkey, specifically the rise of anarchist and terrorist movements, while Erim emphasized the need for economic stability and modernized military equipment to counter Soviet-backed propaganda. Nixon pledged to maintain support for Turkey's parliamentary democracy, promising U.S. assistance through international lending institutions like the World Bank and affirming his commitment to the U.S.-Turkey military alliance despite evolving global diplomatic priorities.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig discuss the geopolitical challenge of maintaining diplomatic dialogues with the Soviet Union and China while those nations simultaneously undermine U.S. interests in Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan. Nixon expresses significant skepticism regarding the sincerity of these adversaries, warning that their subversion efforts contradict ongoing diplomatic engagements. The two emphasize the need for greater caution and strategic awareness to prevent these powers from exploiting U.S. foreign policy discussions.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate logistics for an upcoming bill signing ceremony. The discussion focused on the event schedule for the Special Action Office for Drug Addiction Prevention, which was slated to take place in the East Room. The brief meeting concluded with the two departing the Oval Office to proceed with these administrative arrangements.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, George Shultz, and Ronald Ziegler to coordinate administration messaging, particularly regarding the war on drugs and economic policy. They discussed the tactical advantages of conducting a televised "fireside chat" on drugs rather than a press conference, which Nixon feared would focus on negative or unrelated topics. Additionally, they reviewed various personnel matters and appointments, including strategies for handling potential ambassadors and managing interactions with business leaders to bolster the administration's public image.
President Richard Nixon met with his personal aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to discuss administrative logistics and presidential scheduling. During this session, Bull conveyed an unspecified message to the President regarding the conduct of his daily affairs. The interaction concluded with Bull departing the office, leaving the President to resume his official duties.
President Nixon held an undocumented meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to discuss matters pertaining to the President's daily schedule. Due to the lack of available transcript data, the specific substance of the exchange remains unknown. The meeting concluded when the participant departed the office shortly before 3:03 pm.
Secret Service agents gathered in the Oval Office to coordinate the President's movements and security logistics. The brief exchange centers on tracking Richard Nixon's current location as he prepared to return to the office. No significant policy decisions were made during this short security check.
Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals met briefly in the Oval Office to coordinate security logistics or personnel movements. The conversation lasted only 17 seconds and involved administrative or protective detail business. Due to the sensitive nature of the security protocols discussed, the recording content remains restricted under federal statute.