Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 704
Nixon White House Tape 704 (April 6, 1972)
4 conversations · Oval Office · about 26 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, United States Secret Service agents
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to discuss domestic political strategy and various administrative challenges. They focused on refining the administration's messaging on property taxes and tax reform, while criticizing the IRS for overly complicated withholding procedures that were negatively impacting public sentiment. Additionally, Nixon touched upon foreign policy risks, specifically the sensitivity of commenting on military operations in Southeast Asia, as he awaited further developments before committing to a public stance.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate upcoming administrative schedules. The discussion focused on finalizing the arrangements for Henry Kissinger’s meeting with Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin and setting the timing for the President’s meeting with General John W. Vogt, Jr. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative check-in.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to discuss political strategy for the 1972 election, focusing on leveraging economic issues and Catholic support to counter Democratic opponents following the Wisconsin primary. They analyzed the administrative failures surrounding IRS tax withholding complexities and discussed the necessity of framing property tax reform as a core Republican platform. Additionally, the President consulted with Haldeman on the risks of holding a press conference regarding the ongoing Vietnam conflict, emphasizing the need for caution based on the unpredictable military situation.
A brief telephone exchange between a Secret Service agent and an unidentified individual serves as the primary content of this recording. The majority of the interaction is either unintelligible or restricted under federal statutes, preventing a substantive analysis of the dialogue. Consequently, no specific decisions, developments, or policy discussions can be discerned from the available audio.