Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 798
Nixon White House Tape 798 (October 14, 1972)
16 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 6 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Kissinger
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met briefly to review the President's upcoming daily schedule and internal communications. The discussion focused on coordinating a planned meeting with H.R. Haldeman and reviewing the morning's news summary. No major policy decisions were reached during this administrative briefing.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to request a specific receipt. During the brief exchange, the President focused on administrative tasks related to document retrieval. The meeting concluded with Bull carrying out the President's request for the document.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman to coordinate the end-of-session legislative strategy, including maneuvering around the debt ceiling and potential vetoes of the water bill. The group discussed the 1972 campaign, specifically criticizing Senator Charles Percy for his public antagonism toward the White House and strategizing on how to support primary opponents like Roman Pucinski. Additionally, they reviewed sensitive foreign policy developments regarding Vietnam negotiations and leaks, while also managing the President’s logistical schedule, including upcoming radio addresses and security protocols for telephone access.
President Nixon met with a delegation of medical professionals from the People's Republic of China to discuss ongoing scientific and medical exchanges, a topic previously addressed during his trip to Beijing. Following the delegation's departure, Nixon and Henry Kissinger transitioned to a private discussion regarding sensitive geopolitical negotiations. They reviewed the status of U.S.-Soviet trade and maritime agreements and engaged in a detailed, strategic planning session concerning the impending Vietnam War settlement. Kissinger outlined a high-stakes itinerary involving visits to Saigon and Hanoi, aimed at finalizing a ceasefire agreement before the 1972 election while maintaining operational secrecy and managing the potential political fallout.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his daily schedule and manage upcoming briefings. They discussed the logistics surrounding Henry Kissinger's return and scheduled meetings with John D. Ehrlichman and William E. Timmons. Additionally, the President requested that Alexander Butterfield deliver a revised speech draft to the Oval Office for his review.
President Nixon met with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate logistical arrangements regarding the President's upcoming travel plans. The primary focus was the President's tentative departure for Camp David and potential schedule adjustments contingent upon the status of Congressional adjournment. Ultimately, they concluded that the President would remain in Washington for dinner if the Congressional situation remained unresolved.
President Nixon met with John Ehrlichman and William Timmons to strategize on congressional adjournment and potential vetoes of key legislation, specifically a costly water bill and H.R. 1. The President expressed frustration with the spending implications of these bills and debated whether to sign them, veto them immediately, or force a stalemate to pressure Congress. Ultimately, Nixon decided to gamble by withholding action and stalling, intending to blame Congress for the resulting legislative gridlock and budget issues if they were forced to return from recess for an override attempt.
President Nixon consulted with a White House operator to facilitate an outgoing communication. This interaction served a logistical purpose, as the President utilized the operator's services to initiate a phone call. No substantive policy discussions or major administrative decisions occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to provide specific instructions regarding administrative or scheduling matters. The brief encounter focused on the direct delegation of tasks from the President to his staff. No further details regarding the nature of the instructions were recorded.
President Nixon and speechwriter Raymond K. Price, Jr. discuss the final draft of a televised address, specifically addressing concerns regarding word count and broadcast timing requirements for the Committee to Re-elect the President. Nixon mandates changes to a personal anecdote in the speech, ordering the removal of his brother David's name to maintain anonymity and avoid press scrutiny. The two also coordinate the scheduling of upcoming meetings related to the drafting process.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to review the status of pending peace negotiations with North Vietnam and assess the viability of the proposed agreement. Kissinger walked the President through the deal's key provisions, including ceasefire terms, prisoner releases, the removal of U.S. mines, and the withdrawal of military personnel. The two discussed the political implications for South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu, ultimately deciding that a post-election meeting between Nixon and Thieu would be necessary to manage regional tensions and solidify the settlement.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to strategize on ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations, specifically addressing the sensitive issue of prisoner release and the potential for post-settlement civilian violence. Nixon emphasized that despite his upcoming re-election, he lacked a mandate to continue the war and urged Kissinger to pressure South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu into accepting the proposed agreement. The President planned to offer Thieu significant long-term economic and military support, suggesting a high-profile meeting at the Western White House in San Clemente to project a unified front and secure Thieu's cooperation.
President Nixon met with Soviet Minister of Merchant Marine Timofey B. Guzhenko and Ambassador Anatoliy F. Dobrynin to discuss the resolution of a difficult maritime agreement between the two nations. Nixon emphasized the broader diplomatic importance of the deal, framing it as a constructive step toward improved political relations and greater cooperation at sea. The discussion also included social exchanges regarding the recent positive reception of Julie Nixon Eisenhower aboard a Soviet ship in Baltimore and invitations for the President's family to travel to the Soviet Union.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to review the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on coordinating a subsequent meeting involving key staff members Raymond K. Price, Jr., John D. Ehrlichman, and H.R. Haldeman. This brief encounter served to finalize the President's immediate administrative agenda for the day.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Raymond Price, and other staff members to coordinate his campaign messaging and media strategy for the final weeks of the 1972 election. The discussion centered on drafting a series of radio speeches covering foreign policy, economic issues, and social concerns, specifically addressing paternalism and property tax reform for the elderly. Nixon emphasized maintaining a non-partisan, uplifting tone in his speeches and decided against directly attacking George McGovern, opting instead to focus on his own "New American Majority" and the broader philosophy of his administration.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to discuss logistical details regarding the President's upcoming schedule. The brief exchange centered on coordinating arrangements for Nixon's movement to and presence at the Executive Office Building. No further policy or administrative decisions were recorded during this short encounter.