Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 744 › Conversation 744-021
Nixon, MacGregor & Bull on Social Security and Presidential Veto
Friday, June 30, 1972 · 2:55 PM–3:18 PM ET · Oval Office
AI Summary
President Nixon met with Clark MacGregor to discuss the political implications of a potential veto of the Social Security bill, specifically addressing the fiscal impact of the Frank Church amendment and concerns regarding debt ceiling extensions. They strategized on managing Congressional support and navigating the Ways and Means Committee, while also weighing the administration's stance as a campaign issue against Democratic opposition. The meeting concluded with a brief interruption to host Ernesto V. Lagdameo, his wife, and Anna C. Chennault for scheduled greetings and photographs.
- Social Security
- Presidential Veto
- Debt Ceiling
- Congressional Relations
- Campaign Strategy
- Ways and Means Committee
Audio
Audio for this conversation has not been released by the National Archives.
Transcript (AI-generated)
No transcript is available because the audio has not been released.
NARA Description
On June 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Clark MacGregor, Stephen B. Bull, Ernesto V. Lagdameo, and Mrs. Ernesto V. Lagdameo met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:55 pm to 3:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 744-021 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 744-21
Date: June 30, 1972
Time: 2:55-3:18 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Clark MacGregor.
[This recording began at an unknown time while the meeting was in progress.]
Social Security bill
-Frank T. Church amendment
-Possible veto
-Cost to Social Security reserves
-Fears of elderly
-The President's position
-Effects of veto of debt ceiling bill
-Future debt ceiling bills
-Congressional support
-Samuel L. Devine
-Ways and Means Committee
-John W. Byrnes, Barber B. Conable, Jr.
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Possible testimony
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Byrnes
-Effects of passage
-Welfare reform bill (House Resolution [HR] 1)
-Administration plan to delay Congressional adjournment
-Possible statement about the President's feeling on Social Security
-Record of the President's administration
-Richardson
-George P. Shultz's opinion on administration's fight
-Richardson
-Fight in committee
-Possible amendments
-Rules of debate
-Byrnes
-Leslie C. Arends
-Jackson E. Betts
(rev. Feb-02)
-Arends
-Conable
-John B. Anderson
-John J. Rhodes
-George H. Mahon
The President’s forthcoming meeting with Ernesto V. Lagdameo
-MacGregor's trip to Manila
Social Security bill
-Possible veto
-MacGregor’s view
-Fight in committee
-Campaign issue
-Reasons for veto
-Debt ceiling extensions
-Political motivations of Congressional Democrats
George S. McGovern
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 37s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:55 pm.
The President's schedule
-Anna C. Chennault
Bull left at an unknown time before 3:12 pm.
The President's schedule
-MacGregor
(rev. Feb-02)
Social Security bill
-Shultz
-Caspar W. Weinberger
Chennault, Lagdameo, and Mrs. Ernesto Lagdameo entered at 3:12 pm.
Greetings
Arrangements for photograph
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:12 pm.
The President's schedule
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Ronald L. Ziegler
Gifts
Photographs
bull left at an unknown time before 3:18 pm.
MacGregor
Chennault
Presentation of gifts by the President
Parties
The President's schedule
MacGregor, et al., left at 3:18 pm.Also recorded on June 30, 1972
- 347-005 2:10 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 2:10 pm and 2:55 pm.
- 347-006 2:10 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 2:10 pm and 2:55 pm.
- 744-022 3:18 PM — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:18 pm to 3:24 pm.
- 026-055 3:24 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger talked on the telephone from 3:24 pm to 3:28 pm.
- 744-023 3:24 PM — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 3:24 pm.
- 744-024 3:24 PM — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Richard G. Kleindienst, and Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:24 pm to 4:22 pm.
- 745-001 3:24 PM — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Richard A. Moore met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:24 pm to 4:29 pm.
- 026-056 3:28 PM · 47 min — The recording device engaged on an unknown date, sometime between 3:28 pm on June 30, 1972 and 8:01 am on July 1, 1972, but the conversation appears to be blank.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 744-021, June 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/744-021 (accessed September 18, 2026).