Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 724
Nixon White House Tape 724 (May 15, 1972 – May 16, 1972)
10 conversations · Oval Office
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Butterfield, Connally, Haldeman
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and Alexander P. Butterfield to finalize logistics for several upcoming events, including a meeting with John Cardinal Krol and a large reception in the Blue Room. Discussions focused on scheduling the Cardinal’s visit aboard the Sequoia and coordinating protocol for the reception, specifically the introductions of guests and the flow of the receiving line. Nixon emphasized the need for efficient crowd management and clear identification of attendees to streamline the social proceedings.
President Nixon met with John B. Connally and Stephen B. Bull to discuss the transition of the Treasury Secretary position from Connally to George P. Shultz, including plans for an upcoming cabinet announcement. The conversation also covered international affairs, specifically the blockade of North Vietnam and negotiations with the Soviet Union, as well as the President’s desire for tighter controls on the political and professional appointments of Jewish individuals within his administration. Additionally, Nixon and Connally explored future post-resignation roles for Connally, including diplomatic missions to Latin America and an appointment to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB).
President Nixon met with George Shultz and later John Connally to finalize Shultz's appointment as the new Secretary of the Treasury, replacing the outgoing Connally. The discussion covered the upcoming formal announcement and cabinet meeting, the transition of responsibilities, and the need for a firm economic strategy regarding the budget and international monetary policy. Additionally, they reviewed potential leadership changes, specifically the appointment of Caspar Weinberger to head the Office of Management and Budget, while briefly noting the continued domestic support for the President’s Vietnam War policies.
President Nixon met with Donald Kendall and Peter Flanigan to coordinate strategy for upcoming trade negotiations with the Soviet Union, specifically regarding the Pepsi-Vodka agreement and Most Favored Nation (MFN) status. The participants emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level control over economic diplomacy to prevent lower-level bureaucratic gridlock and discussed leveraging credit offers to secure long-term grain commitments. Additionally, Nixon and Kendall exchanged frustrations regarding the lack of political support from the business establishment, contrasting it with the perceived necessity of building a new, more reliable coalition.
President Nixon met with George Shultz, Caspar Weinberger, and H.R. Haldeman to discuss the immediate aftermath of the attempted assassination of George Wallace and to formalize upcoming cabinet shifts. The group reviewed the details of the shooting and coordinated the administration's public response and schedule. Additionally, Nixon confirmed the appointment of George Shultz as Secretary of the Treasury and Caspar Weinberger as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, emphasizing the necessity of a stringent fiscal policy and budget control.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to receive an urgent update regarding the assassination attempt on Governor George Wallace, including details about the assailant, the victims, and the severity of Wallace’s injuries. Following this, the President consulted with H. R. Haldeman and First Lady Pat Nixon to assess how to handle a scheduled Blue Room reception in light of the national tragedy. They ultimately decided to restrict press access to the event to avoid optics that would appear inappropriate given the gravity of the shooting.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, in the Oval Office to address administrative matters regarding the executive schedule. The primary focus of the discussion concerned the President's upcoming meeting with Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman. No substantive policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative briefing.
Following the assassination attempt on Governor George Wallace, President Nixon and John Connally discussed the political fallout and the immediate need to provide enhanced Secret Service protection to other presidential candidates, specifically Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Representative Shirley Chisholm. The participants deliberated on how to frame these security measures publicly while bypassing legal obstacles that previously barred the Secret Service from covering non-candidates. During the discussion, Connally recounted his personal experience surviving the John F. Kennedy assassination, providing a grim context for the ongoing concern over the safety of political figures.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig reviewed the ongoing military situation in Vietnam, focusing on the effectiveness of ground operations, South Vietnamese resistance, and the psychological impact of recent U.S. air strikes. They discussed the tactical deployment of B-52s and the positive morale shifts resulting from recent military successes and the blockade policy. Nixon emphasized the importance of aggressive counter-offensive action, while Haig provided updates on enemy attrition and the strategic positioning of naval assets to deter Soviet interference.
President Nixon spoke with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. This interaction served a purely administrative purpose to connect the President with another party. No substantive policy discussions or decisions occurred during this brief communication exchange.