Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 754 › Conversation 754-006

Nixon, Cash & Brock on Prison reform and Recidivism

Wednesday, July 26, 1972 · 12:05 PM–12:22 PM ET · Oval Office ·49 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Cash, Jonny;  Brock, William;  Timmons, William E.;  White House photographer;  Cash, June;  Hancock, Reba Cash;  John, BobbieConversation754-006 onTape 754StartWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 12:05 PMEndWednesday, July 26, 1972 at 12:22 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 754-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with Johnny Cash, William Brock, and William Timmons to discuss prison reform and Cash's recent testimony before the Senate. The participants explored the logistics of a potential presidential prison visit and evaluated strategies to address recidivism. Following a formal photograph session, the meeting concluded with informal discussions regarding White House furnishings, personal gifts, and Cash’s upcoming professional commitments.

Audio

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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All right, so Jenny Cash is sitting down.
Senator Baraki, don't send this.
All right, Wendy McGuire just said that Jenny Cash's wife, Jean Carter, is coming in.
And she's waiting in the cabinet.
We're all operating.
So she's reporting.
How do you think of the White House?
All right, go on.
Press for one minute.

NARA Description

On July 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Jonny Cash, William Brock, William E. Timmons, White House photographer, June Cash, Reba Cash Hancock, and Bobbie John met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:05 pm to 12:22 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 754-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 754-6

Date: July 26, 1972
Time: 12:05 pm - 12:22 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Johnny Cash, William E. Brock III and William E. Timmons. White
House photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of this meeting.

     Greetings

     Arrangements for photograph
[Photograph session]

          -Testimony
          -Background

     Prison reform
          -Cash's testimony, July 26, 1972
                -Marlow W. Cook
          -The President's schedule
                -Possible prison visit
                      -Secret Service
                      -Compared to the Soviet Union
                      -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                          -Secret Service
                      -George C. Wallace

     Prison reform
          -Brock's schedule
                -Tennessee State Prison
                     -Warden

                                           (rev. Oct-06)

                       -Meeting with prisoners
            -Attica Correctional Facility
            -Recidivism
                  -Reduction
            -Cash's conversation with William F. (“Billy”) Graham
                  -Possible television special
                       -Concert, speech

     Cash
            -Schedule
                 -Dallas [Explo ‘72]
            -Music
                 -The President’s view
                 -Glen Campbell

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration:     25s    ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

     [June Carter Cash]

     [Reba Cash Hancock, Bobbie John]

     [June Cash]
          -Camp David

     Unknown man

     John W. Rollins
          -Home in Jamaica
               -Johnny Cash’s concerts

June Cash, Hancock, and John entered at 12:14 pm.

     Oval Office furnishings

                                          (rev. Oct-06)

           -Arrangements for photograph
                  -Flags
                       -President’s
                           -Presidential seal
                       -Armed services
           -[Photograph session]
           -Walter H. Annenberg's gift
                  -Steuben glass
           -Item from the People's Republic of China [PRC]
           -Music box
           -Gift from Prime Minister of Australia
           -Forthcoming presidential library
           -Julie Nixon Eisenhower's crewel work
                  -1968 election

      Johnny Cash’s work

      Presentation of gifts by the President
           -Cufflinks, bow pins, ash tray

      Johnny Cash's schedule
          -Los Angeles
          -Nashville

      Families of Cash, Hancock, and John
          -Gifts

      Oval Office furnishings
           -Painting of the White House by British artist
                 -Potomac River
                 -White House renovation
                      -Theodore Roosevelt
                      -Truman Balcony

      [General conversation]
          -Photographs
                 -Unknown Nixonette

Cash, et al. left at 12:22 pm.

Also recorded on July 26, 1972

  • 027-074 11:39 AM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 11:39 am.
  • 027-075 11:39 AM · 11 sec — Stephen B. Bull and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 027-076 11:39 AM · 15 sec — Stephen B. Bull and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:39 am and 11:52 am.
  • 027-078 11:52 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Golda Meir talked on the telephone from 11:52 am to 11:55 am.
  • 754-004 11:55 AM · 15 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 12:05 pm.
  • 754-005 11:55 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 12:05 pm.
  • 027-079 12:22 PM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:22 pm and 1:10 pm.
  • 754-007 12:22 PM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Manolo Sanchez, Rose Mary Woods, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, and John B. Connally met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:22 pm to 1:38 pm.

All 81 conversations from July 26, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 754-006, July 26, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/754-006 (accessed September 18, 2026).