Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 729
Nixon White House Tape 729 (June 10, 1972)
8 conversations · Oval Office · about 33 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Butterfield, Haig
Alexander P. Butterfield meets with unidentified individuals in the Oval Office to facilitate an upcoming administrative interaction. The dialogue serves as a brief coordination point for transition or movement within the office space. No substantive policy matters or major historical developments are recorded during this exchange.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to review the positive status of the Vietnam conflict, specifically noting that U.S. air and naval strikes were effectively disrupting North Vietnamese supply lines and morale. They discussed diplomatic responses to a recent Chinese grievance in Stockholm, with Nixon deciding on a restrained approach to avoid unnecessary public escalation while maintaining a private channel with Beijing. Additionally, the President and Haig evaluated the successful impact of the U.S. bombing campaign, addressed plans for a posthumous Medal of Freedom for John Paul Vann, and reviewed the favorable political fallout from the President's recent international initiatives.
President Nixon requested that Alexander Haig return to the Oval Office to address a brief, previously overlooked matter. The discussion was cut short as the transcript captures only the initial invitation to reconvene. No substantive policy decisions or specific topics were elaborated upon in this brief interaction.
President Nixon held a brief, five-minute meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual. The interaction was limited to a routine request for coffee and concluded without any substantive policy or political discussions recorded. No further information regarding the visitor's identity or the purpose of the meeting is available.
President Nixon and Alexander Haig met to discuss concerns regarding Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird and his stance on an ongoing, sensitive political or military issue. Nixon expressed a desire to move away from Laird’s current position and instructed Haig to coordinate with relevant staff members to quiet the matter. The pair agreed that maintaining positive reporting would be essential to successfully distancing the administration from this long-term liability.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield held a brief, informal coordination meeting in the Oval Office to discuss logistics regarding a subsequent engagement. The participants arranged to reconvene at another location, identified as the AOE, after confirming their respective schedules. The discussion focused primarily on managing the President's immediate movements and ensuring the appropriate staff presence for the upcoming meeting.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to inquire about the health status of Speaker of the House Carl Albert. Butterfield confirmed his awareness of Albert's recent hospitalization and initiated efforts to obtain further updates on the Speaker's condition. The discussion was limited strictly to gathering information regarding Albert’s medical situation.
President Nixon met briefly with Alexander P. Butterfield to discuss the health of Speaker of the House Carl Albert. The conversation served to provide the President with a status update regarding the Speaker's medical condition. No major policy decisions were recorded during this brief exchange.