Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 773
Nixon White House Tape 773 (September 8, 1972)
18 conversations · Oval Office · about 1 hr 56 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, White House photographer, Haldeman
President Nixon and H.R. Haldeman met to discuss ongoing political crises, including the Watergate investigation, the fallout from the Soviet grain deal, and the management of their 1972 reelection campaign. Nixon instructed Haldeman to develop a strategy for discrediting political opponents and hostile media figures, specifically tasking Charles Colson with building a loyalist 'Nixon-Washington establishment' after the election. The conversation also covered personnel shifts within the Executive Office, the management of Cabinet meetings, and the potential political impact of the murder of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President's upcoming daily schedule, focusing on coordination for meetings with General Marader Panggabean, Henry Kissinger, and Maurice Stans. The discussion emphasized logistical planning for a campaign tour of the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP) headquarters, including the management of press coverage and internal communication between Clark MacGregor and H.R. Haldeman. The session concluded with final arrangements regarding the President's departure for Camp David.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger and General Marader Panggabean of Indonesia to reinforce the United States' commitment to Indonesian security and military strength in Southeast Asia. Nixon identified Indonesia as a critical strategic partner against communist expansion and promised continued support, noting that formalizing specific military aid requests should be deferred until after the 1972 election to avoid political controversy in Congress. The meeting included a ceremonial photograph session and the exchange of presidential gifts, underscoring the personal and diplomatic ties between the two nations.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review his upcoming daily schedule. The brief discussion focused on logistical arrangements for an afternoon meeting involving Myles J. Ambrose, Egil Krogh, and legal counsel. Following the coordination of these appointments, the two departed the Oval Office to attend to the President's scheduled engagements.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate logistical details regarding a scheduled visit with Charles R. Jonas of Charlotte, North Carolina. The conversation focused on ensuring the President appeared presentable for the upcoming meeting following his time at the Carolina Center. The discussion served as a brief administrative check to maintain proper appearances before the scheduled engagement.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to finalize logistical arrangements for an upcoming public event involving several Congressmen and Senators. The discussion centered on a planned outdoor walking tour, ensuring the inclusion of photographer Oliver F. Atkins to document the proceedings. Bull received explicit instructions regarding the sequence and flow of the event to ensure the photography session proceeded as scheduled.
President Nixon and Rose Mary Woods discussed the political implications of providing Secret Service protection to Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The conversation centered on the visibility of such security details, with Woods analyzing how Kennedy’s status might draw more public attention than Democratic opponent George McGovern. Stephen B. Bull joined briefly to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule with various senators.
President Nixon met with Mark I. Goode to coordinate the logistical details for an upcoming promotional filming session. Goode outlined specific movements and blocking for the President, including interactions with Senators John G. Tower and Howard H. Baker, Jr. The President approved the choreography while emphasizing the need to keep the total filming duration strictly limited to approximately five minutes.
President Nixon met with Senators John Tower and Howard Baker, William Timmons, and photographer Ollie Atkins to discuss 1972 campaign strategies and a photograph session. The participants analyzed the political landscape in Tennessee, focusing on local congressional candidates and polling data regarding George McGovern. Nixon emphasized that the Vietnam War remained a potent campaign issue that would work to his advantage if framed effectively against Democratic opponents.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to review and finalize the details of his upcoming daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion concerned meetings with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and Representative Robert L. F. Sikes. The exchange concluded with plans for a formal photograph with Representative Sikes.
President Richard Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office for a brief, five-minute encounter. The conversation consisted of personal matters, as indicated by the withdrawal of the discussion from the public record for being of a personal, returnable nature. No substantive policy matters or administrative decisions were documented during this short meeting.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate foreign policy strategies and political messaging leading up to the 1972 election. They discussed the administration's response to the Munich Olympic massacre, secret negotiations with Egypt, and the management of a proposed bipartisan delegation to the People's Republic of China. Additionally, the two finalized plans for upcoming Soviet relations, including high-level visits by Andrei Gromyko, prospective trade agreements, and the timing of announcements for SALT II and other diplomatic initiatives to maximize domestic political impact.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to discuss updates regarding the President’s official schedule. The primary focus of the brief conversation concerned logistical arrangements for an upcoming engagement involving Representative Robert L.F. Sikes and his wife. No major policy decisions were recorded during this exchange.
President Nixon met with Representative Robert L.F. Sikes and his wife to discuss the political climate of the 1972 campaign and the importance of maintaining a strong national defense. Sikes expressed his support for Nixon’s policies, particularly regarding defense spending, while criticizing the platform of Democratic challenger George McGovern as potentially damaging to U.S. global standing. The brief meeting also included a photo opportunity, the presentation of presidential gifts, and casual conversation regarding White House history and the administration’s views on wealth distribution.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to discuss adjustments to the President's upcoming schedule. The conversation focused on coordinating logistics and commitments for the two-week period following the meeting. No major policy decisions were reached, as the discussion remained centered on administrative oversight of the President’s calendar.
President Nixon met with an unknown woman in the Oval Office to briefly discuss the schedule of domestic policy advisor John D. Ehrlichman. The conversation appears to be a formal or routine interaction regarding administrative arrangements. No major policy decisions or significant developments were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon and John Ehrlichman met to coordinate political strategy ahead of the 1972 election, focusing on tax policy reform, the potential veto of a water pollution bill, and the administration's response to the Watergate scandal. Nixon emphasized a proactive, offensive campaign strategy—advocated by aides like Charles Colson and Melvin Laird—that prioritizes attacking political opponents over defensive postures. Additionally, the President and Ehrlichman discussed gathering damaging financial information on Lawrence O'Brien and McGovern campaign associates to neutralize political pressure.
This recording captures a brief, unidentified interaction occurring in the Oval Office during a window in September 1972. The participants exchange short pleasantries and logistical farewells before exiting the room. Due to the lack of intelligible dialogue beyond these parting remarks, no substantive policy decisions or political discussions were recorded.