Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 699
Nixon White House Tape 699 (March 31, 1972)
8 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 27 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Woods, Bull, White House photographer, Sanchez
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger to discuss critical foreign policy and domestic political strategies, including the ongoing North Vietnamese offensive and potential U.S. military responses. The two reviewed preparations for the upcoming U.S.-Soviet summit, the status of diplomatic relations with various heads of state, and Nixon’s desire to delay military actions until after the Wisconsin primary to avoid negative press. Additionally, they critiqued the intellectual community's hostility toward the administration and discussed strategies for managing the 1972 campaign against Democratic opponents.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to coordinate his immediate schedule and manage upcoming appointments. The brief interaction focused on the status of specific administrative preparations and ensuring that Woods was ready to enter the Oval Office with necessary materials. This exchange highlights the routine logistical planning conducted by Nixon and his close staff to maintain the daily flow of executive operations.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, and assistant Stephen B. Bull to address various administrative tasks and personal matters. The discussion covered the disposition of presidential gifts, the handling of sensitive campaign finance inquiries involving C. Arnholt Smith, and the scheduling of upcoming events, including a meeting with the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Additionally, the group reviewed family photographs and handled correspondence, with the President providing guidance on how his staff should respond to unsolicited mail and inquiries.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and members of a fire prevention commission to receive a status report on their activities and efforts to reduce fire-related injuries and costs. During the session, which included a formal photo opportunity and the presentation of gifts, the commission members advocated for national attention to fire safety, specifically proposing that the White House hold a fire drill. The President accepted this proposal, directing that a fire drill be organized for the Executive Residence and offices to highlight the importance of fire safety protocols.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate administrative details regarding an upcoming appointment. The discussion centered on logistics for a scheduled meeting with Eugene S. Cowen. The brief interaction concluded with Bull exiting the Oval Office to facilitate the President's itinerary.
President Nixon met with Eugene S. Cowen and Richard K. Cook to bid farewell to Cowen, who was departing his White House staff position to become a network executive. The President expressed his appreciation for Cowen’s service and presented him with a gift in the form of a money clip. A photographer was present to document the occasion, marking a formal end to Cowen's tenure.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, Ronald Ziegler, and others to strategize on public relations, specifically regarding the media appearances of Henry Kissinger and the Nixon family. They decided to postpone Kissinger's prime-time television appearances until after the upcoming Moscow summit to maximize impact and avoid premature foreign policy debates. The group also discussed the logistics of a potential television special featuring Pat Nixon's China trip, the strategy for handling press conferences, and ways to shift the narrative regarding the administration's performance.
President Nixon met with Alexander Butterfield, Rose Mary Woods, and Stephen Bull to coordinate administrative tasks and White House scheduling. Key discussions involved entertainment arrangements for an upcoming state dinner honoring Mexican President Luis Echeverria Alvarez, including deliberations on presenting a Medal of Freedom to Fred Waring. The President also dictated personal notes to Dinah Shore and Susan Alsop regarding a recent television appearance and a literary reference to Edmund Burke.