Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 840
Nixon White House Tape 840 (February 3, 1973)
19 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 55 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Ziegler, Sanchez, Colson
President Nixon and aide Stephen B. Bull reviewed the President's upcoming schedule, focusing on key meetings with economic boards, Republican leadership, and political advisors like Clay T. Whitehead and Charles W. Colson. They discussed preparations for Lincoln Day speeches, the distribution of materials regarding Vietnam, and the evaluation of a new podium for use in the Roosevelt Room. Additionally, the pair coordinated logistics for a trip to Camp David, adjusting the departure time for the President's helicopter.
President Nixon met with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to discuss administrative and logistical matters regarding White House personnel. The conversation focused on the scheduling of Henry A. Kissinger, specifically concerning his upcoming travel plans to New York. Additionally, the President addressed topics related to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and Barbara Walters to discuss media strategy, specifically focusing on the administration’s handling of the press regarding Henry Kissinger's upcoming trip to Hanoi and the potential for press participation. Nixon emphasized his desire to remain firm against media demands for access, criticized the press's coverage of his recent conference, and expressed his intent to control future press relations by limiting access and maintaining a tough, authoritative posture. Additionally, Nixon directed Ziegler to grant Walters an exclusive interview following Kissinger's return to leverage positive coverage.
President Nixon consulted with Stephen B. Bull and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler regarding the status and return of Henry Kissinger, who was meeting with Elliot Richardson. The participants coordinated the timing of Kissinger’s reappearance at the White House to facilitate a follow-up meeting with the President. Additionally, the group discussed upcoming communications strategy surrounding an official announcement regarding the People's Republic of China.
President Nixon and his secretary, Rose Mary Woods, met to discuss various administrative and political matters, including the handling of official correspondence, guest lists for state dinners, and public relations strategies. They reviewed the President's recent interactions with cabinet members and contributors, specifically focusing on balancing invitees to ensure both political loyalty and donor recognition. Additionally, they touched upon the ongoing political fallout from the Vietnam War, the President’s recent press conference, and the importance of personal communication, such as written notes, in maintaining support among key figures.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate immediate access to key members of his inner circle. During the brief discussion, the President requested that Bull locate and summon either Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler, National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger, or Special Counsel Charles W. Colson. The meeting served as a logistical instruction to facilitate direct communication with these senior officials.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate administrative logistics regarding White House communications. The discussion primarily focused on preparations for Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler’s upcoming press briefing and scheduling details for the President’s meeting with Charles W. Colson. No specific policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon met with his personal valet Manolo Sanchez and aide Stephen B. Bull to receive refreshments, specifically coffee intended for Charles W. Colson and consommé. During the brief encounter, the participants coordinated the scheduling and timing of the President's upcoming meeting with National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. The discussion concluded shortly thereafter as Sanchez and Bull exited the Oval Office.
President Nixon and Charles Colson met to strategize on managing press relations, the ongoing Watergate investigations, and the recent Vietnam settlement. The President emphasized a need for an "outside capability" to apply public pressure and instructed Colson to coordinate with John Dean regarding potential counter-investigations into Democratic senators implicated in scandals. They also discussed ways to influence Henry Kissinger's public messaging and debated how to best defend the administration against media hostility and Watergate-related inquiries.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephonic connection with Charles W. Colson. The operator clarified Colson's current availability, noting that he was likely still working in his office rather than at the police station. This exchange served as a logistical attempt to locate and establish contact with a key advisor.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to facilitate logistical coordination regarding the schedules and activities of Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler and National Security Advisor Henry A. Kissinger. This brief session functioned primarily as an administrative check-in to manage the President's immediate access to key members of his inner circle. No major policy developments occurred during the brief exchange, which focused on routine staff management.
President Nixon met with his senior advisors, including Henry Kissinger and Ronald Ziegler, to manage public perception and diplomatic strategy following the announcement of Kissinger's upcoming trip to North Vietnam. The discussion focused on maintaining strict control over press coverage to ensure the secrecy and productivity of the negotiations, while simultaneously addressing the sensitive reintegration of returning POWs and the ongoing cease-fire efforts in Laos and Cambodia. Additionally, the President engaged in a wide-ranging geopolitical review, discussing potential appointments to the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, strategies for dealing with European allies like Great Britain, and the administration’s mounting frustration with the United Nations.
President Nixon and Stephen Bull met to coordinate the President’s logistical schedule, including arrangements for a helicopter trip to Camp David with First Lady Pat Nixon. Bull also relayed a request from First Lady Nixon for advance notice regarding their departure time to ensure she would be ready. Additionally, Bull informed the President that Senator Mike Mansfield had requested a phone call to discuss a personal matter following Nixon's meeting with Henry Kissinger.
President Nixon initiates a brief request for the White House operator to place an outgoing call. This short interaction serves a purely administrative function to facilitate telecommunications from the Oval Office. No substantive policy matters or political developments are addressed during the brief exchange.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to briefly discuss logistics regarding an upcoming meeting with Charles W. Colson. The conversation focused on the current whereabouts of William E. Timmons to coordinate the scheduling of administration officials. The brief exchange concluded with final instructions as the participants prepared to depart the office.
President Nixon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield met to coordinate on administrative appointments and foreign policy developments. The two discussed potential candidates for a congressional committee, with Nixon expressing a preference for experienced figures like governors who could provide significant contributions. Additionally, Nixon provided a status report on the ongoing ceasefires in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, noting that current U.S. air operations serve as an incentive for continued compliance.
President Nixon consulted with staff regarding legislative strategy and foreign policy coordination, specifically concerning Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield's interest in visiting the People's Republic of China. Nixon directed Bill Timmons to contact Mansfield to discuss the potential trip and to address the appointment of nominees to an unspecified foreign policy board. Additionally, the President reviewed a list of potential board candidates provided by George H.W. Bush, emphasizing the need for loyal supporters, and prepared for an upcoming meeting with Charles Colson.
President Nixon directed the White House operator to place a telephone call to Mrs. Johnson in Texas. The interaction was strictly administrative, focusing on the logistical coordination of a communication between the President and the former First Lady. No further policy or political discussions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with Charles Colson and others to discuss administrative appointments, the management of Henry Kissinger, and the fallout from recent media relations. The group reviewed low television ratings for a recent Kissinger appearance and discussed the necessity of keeping Kissinger under tighter control, including having Colson oversee his foreign policy project appointments to ensure ideological alignment. The President also emphasized the importance of securing conservative-leaning personnel for future advisory committees and reiterated his strategy of maintaining personal oversight to counteract Kissinger’s perceived tendency to play both sides with the media.