Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 817
Nixon White House Tape 817 (November 8, 1972 – November 30, 1972)
19 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 30 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Woods, Monzon
President Nixon met with television and radio technicians in the Oval Office to coordinate the technical logistics and countdown for a televised address regarding his 1972 election victory. Following final preparations and seating adjustments, Nixon delivered a live speech expressing appreciation for his electoral support and emphasizing national unity, peace, and his goals for a second term. The brief session concluded immediately after the broadcast, with the President departing for a celebration at the Shoreham Hotel.
President Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Zosimo T. Monzon met to coordinate the administrative processing of presidential correspondence and official White House mail. The discussion focused on establishing protocols for drafting, reviewing, and tracking responses to ensure letters were not duplicated or handled improperly. Additionally, the group briefly addressed logistical matters concerning the maintenance and condition of official pens used by the President.
President Nixon met with Rose Mary Woods, Stephen B. Bull, and Zosimo T. Monzon to discuss a wide range of administrative, personal, and scheduling matters. Key topics included office supply procurement, preparations for the 1973 Inauguration, holiday travel plans, and the management of family-related requests. The President also discussed foreign visitor scheduling, the selection of state gifts, and personnel issues involving members of his extended family.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler, H. R. Haldeman, Henry Kissinger, and Stephen Bull to coordinate the second-term reorganization of the State Department and other federal agencies. The group discussed managing press leaks, the implementation of a 'youth movement' to bring fresh talent into government, and the strategic replacement of several senior officials, including the transition of leadership at the Republican National Committee from Robert Dole to George H. W. Bush. Additionally, the President reviewed the status of Vietnam peace negotiations with Kissinger, emphasizing the need for strict confidentiality and preparing contingency plans for responding to potential North Vietnamese treaty violations.
President Nixon met with his senior military and national security leadership, including Henry Kissinger, Melvin Laird, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to align the administration on the status and defense of pending Vietnam peace negotiations. The discussion focused on the current terms of the settlement agreement, the importance of maintaining public and congressional support, and the necessity of contingency planning should North Vietnam violate the terms. Nixon emphasized that the agreement was the best obtainable outcome and instructed his team to present a unified, positive front while preparing for potential retaliatory actions if the cease-fire collapsed.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate logistical adjustments to his official schedule. The discussion centered on delaying a meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc and arranging the timing for a presidential helicopter trip to Florida. Nixon provided specific instructions for Bull to relay to Henry Kissinger regarding these itinerary changes.
President Nixon met with Zosimo T. Monzon in the Oval Office to briefly discuss scheduling logistics and coordination regarding personnel located in the Roosevelt Room. The conversation focused on directing individuals, including John D. Ehrlichman, to adjust their positioning to avoid potential interference with ongoing proceedings. The exchange concluded with the participants coordinating the movement of staff members before Monzon departed the office.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to conclude a budget discussion and review his upcoming schedule, specifically regarding a meeting with Nguyen Phu Duc. Following Bull's departure, Alexander P. Butterfield entered to facilitate a meeting between the President and George P. Shultz. Nixon instructed Butterfield to delay his helicopter departure so that Shultz could accompany him for an informal walk.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull coordinated the scheduling of several urgent meetings, specifically involving Henry Kissinger, Nguyen Phu Duc, and Tricia Nixon Cox. Nixon instructed Bull to arrange a noon meeting with Kissinger and to determine if his daughter could visit the Oval Office immediately or receive a telephone call instead. The conversation focused on managing the President's immediate agenda and ensuring clear lines of communication with his staff and family.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his upcoming daily schedule. The primary focus of the discussion was planning an appointment with the President's daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox. No further administrative actions or policy decisions were recorded during this brief logistical consultation.
President Richard M. Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office. The brief interaction focused on the service of coffee. No significant policy discussions or administrative developments occurred during this exchange.
President Nixon met with his daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, and NSC staffer Jeanne Wilson Davis to plan Tricia's upcoming private travel itinerary through the Soviet Union, the Middle East, and Europe. The President provided specific guidance on balancing public appearances with private exploration, advising against university visits to avoid potential heckling while emphasizing cultural and historical sites. Additionally, they briefly discussed staffing arrangements for First Lady Pat Nixon, with the President offering support for maintaining her current team.
President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discussed the preparation of reading materials and folders for his upcoming travel. The President ensured that all necessary documents were secured in his briefcase for his scheduled trip, which included meetings with George P. Shultz and Henry Kissinger. They briefly coordinated the logistics of managing his paperwork while he remained occupied with official duties during his time away.
President Nixon and his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, discuss the logistics of procuring high-end gifts, specifically music boxes, for cabinet members and major political contributors. Nixon reviews song lists for the boxes and instructs Woods to coordinate orders while maintaining discretion regarding the recipients. The pair also considers the acquisition of high-quality writing pads during Woods' upcoming trip to New York to ensure appropriate presidential gift-giving materials.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the ongoing negotiations regarding the Vietnam settlement agreement and the status of diplomatic communications with South Vietnamese officials, Nguyen Phu Duc and Tran Kim Phuong. Nixon emphasized his firm position that the North Vietnamese must accept the existing terms, ruling out further changes to the agreement. Furthermore, they considered the strategic necessity of a direct meeting between Nixon and President Nguyen Van Thieu to reinforce U.S. commitments regarding retaliatory action against potential cease-fire violations.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, and South Vietnamese representatives Nguyen Phu Duc and Tran Kim Phuong to finalize the U.S. position on Vietnam peace negotiations. Nixon emphasized that the U.S. would not continue military or economic aid if the South Vietnamese government rejected the current settlement framework, stressing that congressional opposition made further support unsustainable. The President proposed a meeting with President Nguyen Van Thieu at Midway to provide personal assurances of U.S. retaliation against potential North Vietnamese ceasefire violations, while instructing his team to continue pressuring Saigon to accept the agreement terms.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and key staff members met to discuss communication strategy and the status of ongoing peace negotiations. The discussion focused on managing public perception regarding diplomatic briefings and the potential implications of Congressional opposition to current foreign policy goals. Kissinger affirmed that the administration had achieved more success than initially projected, while the group considered the risks and tactical necessity of continuing high-level diplomatic meetings.
Stephen B. Bull met with Secret Service agents in the Oval Office to facilitate a brief administrative or security-related transition. The exchange consisted of repetitive, procedural language indicating the formal transfer of responsibility or access for the room. No substantive policy discussions occurred, as the participants concluded their business within three minutes.
This recording captures a brief, unidentified interaction in the Oval Office between President Nixon and unknown participants. Due to the lack of intelligible content in the transcript, no substantive policy discussions, decisions, or action items can be identified. The meeting concluded without a clear record of its purpose or the identity of the attendees.