Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 7 › Conversation 007-038

Nixon phone call with Harris on Public opinion polling and Economy

Friday, July 30, 1971 · 10:27 AM–10:34 AM ET · White House Telephone ·7 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Harris, LouisConversation007-038 onTape 7 (tape position 01:55:10–02:02:08)StartFriday, July 30, 1971 at 10:27 AMEndFriday, July 30, 1971 at 10:34 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 007-038 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon consults with pollster Louis Harris regarding a proposed study on public sentiment toward domestic issues, particularly the economy. The two discuss the potential benefits of integrating foreign policy topics, such as the China initiative and Vietnam, to better understand their influence on the public's overall economic optimism. Harris agrees to coordinate with staff members Chuck Colson and Edwin Harper to develop a comprehensive survey that probes beyond surface-level polling data.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello.
Mr. Lou Harris, sir.
Yeah.
Hello.
Hello.
Mr. President.
Yes, how are you?
Well, just fine.
Fine.
I wanted to call you to tell you that I talked to Chuck Colson and some of our people here, and that I've learned that they've talked to you about the possibility of doing a poll on the domestic issues, you know.
It was my suggestion because I've been very interested in, I mean, of course,
basically your specialty are the ones that I'm concerned about.
And the things that you've been so good to give to Chuck on some of the raw data has been fascinating to me because it goes into that.
So if you could find in your, I know that you've probably got a lot of business at this point, but if you could find in your plans the opportunity to take this proposal of ours, I'm not in any great hurry for it.
And I don't know
uh but in any event what i'm really interested in is to get beneath the surface not just you know what i mean not just the usual questions that everybody asked and then dig right in and right in fact i really got turned on the other day talking with uh chuck and dr harper and uh uh i uh i've gone to work personally this one i want to put a lot of considerable amount of my own time because i think there's a mix here mr president issues which
that you probably should throw in just to sort of keep it on a, so that you, I know it's always helpful to throw in some foreign policy questions too, just a couple.
Because, well, what I meant is that relates to it.
I mean, you can't talk about people's attitudes toward the economy unless they, you know, their feeling about the economy really is very greatly affected by how they, whether they're depressed or optimistic about
Yes, I do indeed.
I agree very much.
And you can't really ask both questions.
Now, that, of course, you can work out with the staff, but don't hesitate to do that if you feel that that will give us more information.
I didn't wonder because it was for the domestic council.
Well, you can take it for the domestic, in taking it for the domestic council, I mean, you could, if you could, only if you determine that it will relate to the other, you could throw it in.
Mr. President, is what really triggers people, as opposed to the sort of flip service they give to a lot of things.
I think you're absolutely right.
The relation of foreign policy, Vietnam, their hopes over this China thing, and so on, how that relates to their feeling of optimism about the economy.
I think the two really do tie in very much together.
And also there's your delayed reactions.
When did you think was the good time to get in the
I think this might be a good time in terms of foreign being having the basis for formulating some things in the fall.
I see.
And I think there is a sense in the China policy of yours, some sense of buoyancy about the foreign policy.
Right, right.
The economy, I have some things there I talked about.
I think one thing I don't know.
I have a feeling that if you can kind of agree with people about, well, the price of lettuce is high and that it's bad and we ought to really do something about it, but then if you notice that the price of this and this and this isn't that bad, it's a selective feeling, I think.
And if they can, I think the problem stems really,
they always say it's all great or all terrible.
And I don't think the public feels either, you know?
The produce is very high and things, the meat for example, I think has been pretty good.
But if you come in and say everything's great, they'll say, yeah, but gosh, what about the price of lettuce?
I want to do some real work in that area and see if we can't come up with something for you.
Let me tell you, I find it a great pleasure to work with Chuck and I want very much to be helpful to you.
Well, I appreciate it.
He's a good operator and I've appreciated your giving him some information on these things.
how to talk to them, right?
Fine, well, one of these days,

NARA Description

On July 30, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Louis Harris talked on the telephone from 10:27 am to 10:34 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 007-038 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 7-38

Date: July 30, 1971
Time: 10:27 am - 10:34 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Louis Harris.

[See Conversation No. 552-3A]

     Proposed polls
          -Domestic issues
               -The President's talk with Charles W. Colson

          -Issue polls
                -Colson
          -Request for poll
          -Harris’ talk with Colson and Edwin L. Harper
          -Foreign policy questions
                -Impact on domestic issues
          -Domestic Council
                -Vietnam
                -The People's Republic of China [PRC]
                -Economic situation
          -Timing
                -PRC
                -The economy
                      -Harris’ talk with Colson
                      -Food prices
          -Colson
          -Foreign policy
          -Domestic Council
          -Importance of polls
                -Defense
                 -The President's use of polls
          -Possible meeting
                -Colson
          -Daniel Lufkin

Also recorded on July 30, 1971

  • 067-002 9:54 AM · 2 min — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 067-003 9:54 AM — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 067-004 9:54 AM — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 067-005 9:54 AM — unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 067-006 9:54 AM — unknown person(s) met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 067-007 9:54 AM · 22 sec — a White House tour group met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:54 am and 10:10 am.
  • 552-003 10:23 AM · 2 hr 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), Louis Harris, Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:23 am to 12:30 pm.
  • 007-039 10:34 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:34 am and 12:09 pm.

All 45 conversations from July 30, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 007-038, July 30, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/007-038 (accessed September 18, 2026).