Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 692
Nixon White House Tape 692 (March 23, 1972)
10 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 18 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Ziegler, Butterfield, Haldeman, Woods
President Nixon practiced a public address regarding the resignation of AFL-CIO President George Meany from the Pay Board. The speech frames Meany's departure as a rejection of anti-inflationary wage controls, specifically citing the Pay Board's decision to deny a 20% wage increase for longshoremen. Nixon announced his decision to restructure the Pay Board with remaining labor and business leaders to ensure the continuation of his economic policies aimed at halving inflation.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler met to coordinate the President's upcoming speech regarding the Pay Board. The discussion focused on preparing Ziegler for potential press questions and ensuring the administration's messaging remained consistent. Nixon directed Ziegler to contact George P. Shultz to finalize the briefing strategy and clarify specific policy points.
President Nixon met with Marshall Green, John H. Holdridge, and Alexander Haig to provide strategic guidance for Green's upcoming appearance on 'Meet the Press' following Nixon's historic visit to the People's Republic of China. The discussion focused on projecting a message of regional stability and reassuring U.S. allies in Asia about the sincerity of American treaty commitments. The President emphasized that the China initiative was a necessary, proactive step toward global peace rather than a policy of isolationism, and he urged Green to dismiss rumors regarding secret deals or State Department disagreements.
President Nixon met with Ronald L. Ziegler to coordinate White House messaging regarding George Meany's resignation from the Pay Board and the broader administration strategy for handling public attacks on the economy and key officials. They discussed tactics for Nixon's upcoming press conference, specifically emphasizing a firm, "fight to the finish" stance against critics while deflecting questions about Arthur K. Watson and Peter M. Flanigan to subordinate departments. The conversation concluded with plans to frame the President’s weekend at Camp David as a period dedicated to reviewing stalled domestic policy initiatives, thereby pressuring Congress to act before the Democratic National Convention.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to refine his upcoming schedule, specifically focusing on a meeting with Republican leadership. The discussion addressed the agenda for that session, with a particular emphasis on the status of the Pay Board and the involvement of George P. Shultz. Additionally, the President briefly discussed correspondence intended for Luci Johnson Nugent and noted a requirement to allocate time for a matter involving Hayward.
President Nixon met briefly with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Oval Office to facilitate the delivery of a specific item. The discussion was extremely short and lacked substantive political discourse, concluding immediately upon the item's handover. This brief interaction served administrative or logistical purposes rather than policy formulation.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, Charles Colson, and others to strategize on managing the political fallout from George Meany’s resignation from the Pay Board and the ongoing ITT controversy. The participants discussed crafting the President’s public response to minimize criticism of his labor policies, focusing on the "special interests" narrative to isolate Meany and neutralize Democratic attacks. Additionally, the President issued directives to accelerate government spending through federal agencies and instructed his staff to aggressively challenge congressional misconduct, including the potential release of derogatory information on political opponents.
President Nixon met with his personal aide Manolo Sanchez and secretary Rose Mary Woods to discuss plans for an evening social gathering. The participants coordinated their schedules, specifically addressing time constraints regarding Woods's departure and dinner plans. The meeting served as a brief administrative arrangement for their personal logistics before the group concluded the discussion.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman briefly discuss the perceived orchestration of news coverage by major networks and publications, specifically referencing the "Alan Drury theory" regarding coordinated media agendas. Nixon expresses frustration over a recent negative news treatment and seeks validation from Haldeman regarding the synchronicity of these media outlets. The conversation concludes with a recognition of the conflicting motivations behind the press's reporting efforts.
President Nixon met briefly with Rose Mary Woods and an unidentified male visitor in the Oval Office to engage in informal, general conversation. The discussion was limited in scope, focusing on routine matters before the group departed together after approximately one minute. No substantive policy decisions or political developments were recorded during this brief interaction.