Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 780
Nixon White House Tape 780 (September 16, 1972)
19 conversations · Oval Office · about 2 hr 28 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Ziegler, Kissinger
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger and Alexander Haig to evaluate the status of ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations following Kissinger’s discussions with North Vietnamese representative Le Duc Tho. The group assessed North Vietnam’s potential willingness to reach a settlement before the 1972 presidential election, while weighing the impact on South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu and domestic political considerations. Additionally, they reviewed progress on various U.S.-Soviet agreements, including trade, maritime, and arms control issues, to ensure timely coordination and public announcement strategies.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to review and finalize details regarding his upcoming schedule. The primary focus of the discussion concerned arrangements for a meeting with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. Following the briefing, Bull exited the Oval Office to facilitate the President's administrative planning.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review and organize the daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion concerned the timing and arrangements for an upcoming meeting with Henry A. Kissinger. This interaction served to coordinate the President's immediate administrative agenda.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to initiate a telephone call. The sole purpose of this brief interaction was to facilitate a direct line of communication with Charles W. Colson. No further policy or administrative matters were discussed during this exchange.
President Nixon met briefly with H. R. Haldeman to coordinate the schedule of National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. This discussion was strictly limited to administrative planning regarding Kissinger’s upcoming itinerary. No other policy matters or significant executive decisions were recorded during this brief two-minute exchange.
President Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, and Ronald Ziegler met to coordinate logistics and media strategy surrounding Henry Kissinger’s recent diplomatic mission to the Soviet Union. The participants specifically discussed the staging and aesthetics for upcoming photography sessions, including lighting and outdoor locations to capture Kissinger’s meetings with the President and Secretary of State William Rogers. Nixon emphasized a desire for natural interaction, moving away from formal, static poses to highlight the significance of the diplomatic briefings.
President Nixon and his advisors met to coordinate upcoming foreign policy announcements, specifically focusing on the timing of SALT II, maritime agreements, and trade deals with the Soviet Union to maximize domestic political impact. The President instructed H.R. Haldeman to identify and fire any staff members responsible for leaking CIA documents, while also assessing potential personnel changes for his second term. Additionally, Henry Kissinger briefed the President on ongoing secret peace negotiations with North Vietnam, discussing the scheduling of talks to avoid undermining the President's public appearances.
Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler met with an unidentified woman in the Oval Office to retrieve personal items, including notebooks, from Henry A. Kissinger’s desk. The brief interaction focused on the logistical collection of materials from the office. Following the retrieval of these items, Ziegler and his guest promptly departed the premises.
Alexander P. Butterfield met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to coordinate administrative logistics regarding the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused primarily on the travel plans and commitments of National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. No definitive policy decisions were reached, as the conversation served as a brief briefing on official calendar management.
United States Secret Service agents met with President Nixon in the Oval Office to conduct internal security or logistical business. Although specific details regarding the discussion are restricted under withdrawal protocols, the interaction pertains to the operational duties of the presidential detail. The meeting concluded after approximately eight minutes of deliberation.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met to discuss the logistics of the First Family's upcoming travel plans, specifically regarding departures to Camp David. They reviewed the scheduled arrivals of Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower to the White House. Additionally, the conversation briefly touched upon matters involving Henry A. Kissinger.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone call to Harold T. Rigley, the leader of the Utility Workers Union of America. This interaction served an administrative purpose to initiate contact with organized labor leadership. The conversation focused exclusively on the logistical arrangements required to connect the President with Rigley.
President Nixon met with Harold T. Rigley to discuss the Utility Workers Union’s recent convention in Miami and the geographic reach of the union's membership. The conversation touched upon the organization's influence in regions like Detroit and Southern California, specifically referencing Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison. Nixon expressed a desire to meet with the union leadership, facilitated by Willie J. Usery, Jr., following the conclusion of the 1972 election.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield in the Oval Office to review and finalize the President’s upcoming daily schedule. The discussion focused on logistical planning and the management of Nixon's appointments. No further details regarding specific developments were recorded, as the meeting concluded shortly thereafter.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, and other staff to discuss the messaging for upcoming speeches, particularly regarding international narcotics control and the administration's broader foreign policy achievements. The participants reviewed the status of Vietnam peace negotiations, the implications of Watergate-related news coverage, and the political necessity of contrasting Nixon's record against George McGovern's platform. Furthermore, Nixon and Kissinger strategized on diplomatic maneuvers concerning the Middle East, specifically addressing Israeli military actions in Lebanon and the need to maintain strong U.S. influence in international affairs.
President Richard Nixon met briefly with his longtime valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office. The conversation remains undocumented due to the unavailability of a transcript and the presence of a withdrawn personal segment. Consequently, no substantive policy discussions or significant official actions were recorded for this encounter.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and Manolo Sanchez to coordinate logistical details and daily schedules for the First Family and White House staff. The discussion centered on the specific agendas of Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Julie Eisenhower, alongside a request regarding Charles Colson’s availability. These arrangements focused on managing lunch appointments and personal itineraries for the President’s inner circle.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to conduct a brief review of his upcoming official schedule. The discussion focused on managing the President's calendar and logistical arrangements for his departure later that afternoon. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this short administrative check-in.
Secret Service agents and unidentified individuals met briefly in the Oval Office to conduct security-related business. While specific details of the discussion remain unavailable due to the absence of a transcript, the interaction pertains to routine administrative or protective protocols managed by the Secret Service. The meeting concluded shortly after its commencement, with no record of specific policy decisions or executive actions.