Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 726 › Conversation 726-009

Nixon with unidentified visitors in the Oval Office on Soviet Union

Friday, May 19, 1972 · 1:04 PM–1:08 PM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  [Unknown person(s)]Conversation726-009 onTape 726 (tape position 02:26:25–02:27:46)StartFriday, May 19, 1972 at 1:04 PMEndFriday, May 19, 1972 at 1:08 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 726-009 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with an unidentified individual to discuss international objectives, specifically regarding the capabilities and motivations of the Soviet Union. The dialogue touched upon the perceived inefficiencies caused by Soviet bureaucracy and the tendency of media networks to engage in speculative reporting. Nixon emphasized the necessity of avoiding bureaucratic entrapment as they navigated these complex foreign policy challenges.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 168.1 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 165.8 MB

This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 02:26:25 into the tape and ends around 02:27:46.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) ·JSON data · Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.

2:26:25Because they still have to ask if they haven't achieved their objectives.
2:26:28If they haven't achieved their objectives, they can't knock them over, and they're asking us to knock them over.
2:26:34Don't you think that if they thought they could do it, they'd look at us the hell out of it?
2:26:41they'd be proceeding with us separately, figuring that it's just a question of getting down close.
2:26:45I don't know if you're aware of the most time that these networks all are doing wishful writing and wishful talking at the day of work.
2:26:57And I won't.
2:26:59Let me say it no more.
2:27:01Well, we appreciate what you're doing.
2:27:04Mr. President, .
2:27:05Well, there are lots of good, lots of good .
2:27:09It's bureaucrats.
2:27:11That's the problem.
2:27:13I mean, that's the trouble with the top-down Russians.
2:27:18You've got too many bureaucrats.
2:27:20But don't ever become a bureaucrat. .
2:27:26Right over there.

NARA Description

On May 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:04 pm and 1:08 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 726-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 726-9

Date: May 19, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:04 pm and 1:08 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with an unknown man.

     Order

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 1:08 pm.

Also recorded on May 19, 1972

  • 726-005 12:19 PM · 23 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:19 pm to 12:49 pm.
  • 726-006 12:49 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:49 pm and 12:51 pm.
  • 726-007 12:51 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:51 pm to 12:55 pm.
  • 726-008 12:55 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, William J. Porter, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:55 pm to 1:04 pm.
  • 726-010 1:04 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:04 pm and 1:08 pm.
  • 726-011 1:08 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:08 pm to 1:27 pm.
  • 024-159 1:58 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:58 pm and 3:20 pm.
  • 339-021 1:58 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:58 pm and 3:20 pm.

All 47 conversations from May 19, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 726-009, May 19, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/726-009 (accessed September 18, 2026).