Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 833
Nixon White House Tape 833 (January 4, 1973)
22 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 43 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Haldeman, Sanchez
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed logistical arrangements, including an offer of the Blair House to Margaret Truman and her children. They also reviewed the President’s daily schedule, specifically addressing requested meetings involving John Ehrlichman, Gerard C. Smith, and Elliot L. Richardson. The discussion focused on coordinating the timing of these engagements with key staff and cabinet members.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and Manolo Sanchez to coordinate his daily schedule and manage administrative logistics. The discussion focused on facilitating upcoming calls with John Ehrlichman, Henry Kissinger, and Alexander Haig, as well as arranging a meeting with H.R. Haldeman. Additionally, Nixon provided instructions regarding the handling of private files for filing by Rose Mary Woods.
President Nixon initiates a brief request for the White House operator to connect him with Charles Colson. This interaction serves as a functional administrative step to facilitate a direct communication between the President and a key aide. The conversation reflects the routine procedural efforts taken by the President to coordinate staff consultations.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss efforts to cultivate a relationship with attorney Edward Bennett Williams, emphasizing the necessity of discretion and indirect communication. Nixon expresses his desire to maintain a positive rapport with Williams despite potential political tensions and public scrutiny. The discussion centers on leveraging Williams's influence and connections while ensuring his involvement remains confidential.
President Nixon received an invitation to attend an informal awards ceremony honoring Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The participant emphasized that the gathering would be small, limited to only a few of Haig's close associates. This brief exchange served as a social request for the President's attendance at the upcoming event.
President Nixon held a brief administrative interaction with the White House operator to facilitate a telephonic connection. This routine engagement served to initiate a communication bridge for an unrecorded or separate external discussion. No substantive policy matters or major strategic decisions were documented during this short exchange.
President Nixon and Charles Colson discuss the nuances of legal or professional representation, specifically debating the ethics of representing an individual on a personal basis while engaging in aggressive rhetoric. The participants contemplate how to frame a client's public stance to avoid the appearance of personal grievances or specific demands. The conversation ends abruptly with instructions to move forward with their established approach.
President Nixon instructed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Paul Martin, a journalist affiliated with U.S. News and World Report. The brief exchange served solely to facilitate this communication request. No further substantive policy matters or decisions were discussed during this interaction.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to provide specific instructions regarding the guest list for an upcoming social event at the White House. The President directed that the usual attendees from the press, specifically women reporters, be excluded except for wire service representatives. Nixon further instructed Bull to coordinate with Ronald Ziegler to ensure new members of Congress and their wives were included on the guest list.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors, including H. R. Haldeman and Henry Kissinger, to coordinate White House press strategy, manage staff morale, and discuss the status of Vietnam peace negotiations. Nixon emphasized his desire for a disciplined administration that would avoid unauthorized media contacts and prioritize loyalist staffing appointments, particularly in the Defense Department and research sectors. A significant focus was placed on the sensitivity of the Paris peace talks, with Nixon maintaining a firm stance on the necessity of an honorable settlement and expressing frustration with the defense establishment's overlapping intelligence and tactical structures.
President Nixon met with Henry Kissinger, William Rogers, Melvin Laird, Admiral Thomas Moorer, and Colonel Richard Kennedy to coordinate the administration's public relations and congressional strategy regarding Vietnam. The participants discussed the military effectiveness of recent bombing campaigns, the necessity of countering negative media reports by highlighting North Vietnamese civilian destruction, and the importance of maintaining a unified front. Nixon directed his team to avoid a defensive posture and to provide briefings for key congressional allies using photographic evidence of military targets, while stressing that the administration must remain cautious about disclosures until upcoming negotiations conclude.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to finalize logistical details and media management for an upcoming award ceremony honoring Alexander M. Haig, Jr. The discussion focused on controlling press access during the event and perfecting the delivery of the official citation, which had been vetted by Melvin R. Laird. Henry A. Kissinger joined the brief session to coordinate the preparation of a statement regarding Secretary of State William P. Rogers.
President Nixon hosted a ceremony in the Oval Office to honor General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. The event, attended by Haig’s family and high-ranking administration officials, served as a formal recognition of Haig’s significant contributions to national security and his diplomatic efforts, including his work supporting Henry Kissinger. The gathering concluded with photo opportunities and brief discussions regarding Haig's transition out of his White House role.
President Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler reviewed Gerald Warren’s recent press briefing and assessed public reaction to the December 1972 bombing campaign in North Vietnam. Nixon dismissed critical congressional and media sentiment, arguing that Washington’s hostility toward his war policies was detached from the sentiments of the broader American public. The two men concluded the meeting by shifting their focus to upcoming staffing and reorganization plans for the second term.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed a scheduling misunderstanding regarding an upcoming meeting with Secretary of Defense Elliot L. Richardson. Nixon clarified his preference for meeting durations, specifying that all appointments should be limited to thirty minutes unless he explicitly directs otherwise. Additionally, the President requested a meeting with Henry Kissinger to be arranged.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President’s daily schedule and finalized protocols for upcoming meetings with foreign dignitaries. The discussion focused on establishing strict guidelines for interactions with heads of state, specifically limiting meetings while granting exceptions for Carlos P. Romulo and Vice President Yen Chia-Kan of the Republic of China. Additionally, the President issued explicit instructions to close the attendance list for an upcoming reception, prohibiting any further additions to the guest list.
President Nixon met with incoming Secretary of Defense Elliot Richardson and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to outline the President's expectations for a major overhaul of the Department of Defense. Nixon emphasized the need to dismantle the existing management systems, reduce the number of assistant secretaries, eliminate bureaucratic duplication, and assert civilian control over the military establishment. He also directed Richardson to prioritize strategic thinking over administrative brokering, specifically highlighting the importance of reevaluating defense spending, intelligence operations, and R&D programs in coordination with the National Security Council.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss mundane domestic arrangements regarding a food order. The brief interaction focused on logistical details related to the President's personal staff support. No significant policy developments or strategic decisions were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman and Stephen B. Bull to coordinate upcoming logistical requirements for his executive schedule. The discussion focused on arrangements for meetings with Gerard C. Smith and Vice President Yen Chia-kan of the Republic of China. The participants finalized details regarding a photo session involving Henry Kissinger and addressed administrative preferences for managing the President’s daily calendar.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met with Gerard C. Smith to discuss Smith's transition out of government and his future plans involving international research councils. The conversation covered the development of a collaborative executive committee focused on US, European, and Japanese relations, with a particular emphasis on the critical role of energy security and the necessity of constructively integrating Japan into Middle Eastern diplomacy. Nixon expressed his support for Smith's new endeavors and promised to lend presidential backing to the formation of the research council, while also discussing the historical context of global governance and the League of Nations.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and Stephen Bull to discuss administrative logistics and presidential scheduling. The conversation focused on refining protocol arrangements for upcoming events, managing the President's public appearances to ensure more efficient time management, and addressing personnel matters within various agencies. Nixon also instructed Haldeman to secure and maintain control over his private memoranda recordings.
This recording captures a brief meeting in the Oval Office between President Nixon and unknown Secret Service agents. The discussion pertains to logistical or security matters concerning the President's movements between the White House and the Executive Office Building. No further details regarding specific decisions or operational developments are available due to the lack of an existing transcript.