Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 747
Nixon White House Tape 747 (July 19, 1972)
16 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 13 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Sanchez, Butterfield, White House photographer
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to provide specific directives regarding the organization and management of documents. The discussion centered on the proper placement and filing of sensitive materials, specifically designating certain items for inclusion in a private file. This interaction underscores the President's strict personal oversight of his records and administrative filing systems.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to address administrative matters, including the securing of the President's signature on pending documents. The discussion covered arrangements regarding the death and funeral of William T. Pecora, as well as the appointment of Thomas Bradford Curtis to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These brief interactions underscored the routine management of executive personnel and institutional oversight during the Nixon administration.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed potential vacation retreats, specifically evaluating Thomas B. McCabe’s Assateague Island property as a private alternative to Camp David. The conversation shifted to media strategy, with Nixon and Haldeman reviewing Ronald Ziegler's approach to press relations, the benefits of Oval Office press conferences, and upcoming political events. Finally, they planned a summit meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister in Hawaii, emphasizing the importance of managing local ethnic sensitivities and coordinating with Senator Hiram Fong.
President Nixon met with Bradford Mills, Thomas S. Sedlar, and Peter M. Flanigan to discuss the operations of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and its potential role in expanding U.S. business interests in Eastern Bloc countries. The participants explored the legal challenges of providing investment insurance in nations like the Soviet Union, Poland, and Hungary, emphasizing that such economic outreach must be treated as a strategic diplomatic tool. Nixon ultimately directed the group to coordinate with Henry Kissinger to integrate OPIC's capabilities into the broader framework of U.S.-Soviet trade negotiations.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate the logistics and scheduling for an upcoming appointment with Arthur S. Flemming. The discussion focused on managing media access, specifically regarding the timing of press photographs and briefings. The brief exchange addressed the administrative delays caused by late funding, ensuring the President's schedule remained organized.
President Nixon met with officials from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) to discuss the administration's efforts to enforce federal standards within the nursing home industry. The participants reviewed progress in state-level surveys and compliance, acknowledging that while many facilities had been brought into line or decertified, the industry remained in need of significant improvement in quality of care. Nixon emphasized that beyond regulatory oversight and federal funding, the government must encourage volunteerism, combat the isolation of the elderly, and elevate the social status of healthcare workers. The meeting concluded with informal discussions regarding the President's personal schedule and recent diplomatic gifts.
President Nixon interacts with a White House operator in the Oval Office to facilitate telephonic communication. The brief exchange serves as a standard administrative check for connecting the President to an external party. No substantive policy discussions or significant political decisions were recorded during this brief technical connection.
President Nixon and Charles Colson met in the Oval Office to discuss political strategy and administrative matters. The conversation focused on internal White House dynamics and the management of sensitive personnel issues. While a specific portion of the discussion remains classified, the meeting reflects the ongoing coordination between Nixon and his special counsel regarding executive priorities during the 1972 election cycle.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The participants exchanged brief remarks, during which the President expressed his gratitude. The meeting concluded quickly without the discussion of substantive policy or strategic matters.
President Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the Oval Office to facilitate communication with domestic advisor John D. Ehrlichman. The primary action taken during this brief interaction was an unsuccessful attempt to contact Ehrlichman by telephone. The session concluded following a technical error resulting in the party reaching the wrong telephone line.
President Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met to coordinate their upcoming legislative schedule and domestic policy agenda. They specifically discussed the arrangements for a Friday meeting between the administration and congressional leaders. The conversation functioned as a logistical briefing to ensure alignment on pending executive-legislative priorities.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull coordinate the scheduling of a meeting with John D. Ehrlichman to discuss pending legislation. Bull seeks clarification on how to manage Ehrlichman’s access and whether a formal appointment is necessary for reviewing specific bills. Nixon instructs Bull on protocols for facilitating this meeting and ensuring efficient communication between the two offices.
President Nixon held a brief, private meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual. A short portion of the conversation, designated as a personal returnable item, was withdrawn from public release. The remainder of the discussion remains undefined due to a lack of available transcriptions or metadata regarding the specific subject matter addressed.
President Nixon met with John Ehrlichman to discuss a broad range of domestic political strategy, upcoming legislative vetoes, and the ongoing investigation into the Watergate break-in. The President emphasized a campaign strategy focused on law and order, specifically highlighting the threat of domestic radicals and the need to capitalize on the administration's judicial appointments. Regarding Watergate, Ehrlichman briefed the President on the potential criminal liabilities of Jeb Stuart Magruder and the legal maneuvers intended to manage the unfolding scandal, including efforts to distance the White House from the burglars and avoid implicating John Mitchell.
Stephen B. Bull and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office to coordinate and verify the President’s upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on administrative logistics, with Bull confirming his intention to review the President's itinerary. The meeting concluded without further documented developments due to the recording being cut off.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to provide a specific instruction regarding the removal of an unknown item. The meeting concluded immediately following this directive, lasting less than one minute. No further details regarding the nature of the object or the identity of the visitor were recorded.