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.
On February 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:29 am to 10:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 840-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 840-5
Date: February 3, 1973
Time: 10:29 am - 10:59 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
The President’s correspondence
-Letters
-Forms
-Telephone calls
-News summary
-Roy L. Ash
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
The President's comment
-Woods's role
-Personal call to senders
-Ash
-News summary
-The President’s comments
-Cabinet members
-John D. Ehrlichman's call to senders
-Morale
Bombing of North Vietnam
-Reactions
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
The President’s press conference
-Reactions
-White House cars’ drivers
-Vietnam Veterans
-Amnesty for draft evaders
-Jail
-Nixon supporter
-Grandmother
-Patriotism
Press relations
-Patriotism
-Goldthwaite Dorr
-Anger at press and Congress
-Health
-The President's 1973 inauguration
-Henry A. Kissinger briefing of treaty
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Vietnam settlement
-Helen Frick
-Support for the President
- United Nations [UN] response to the President's peace efforts
-Chicago Tribune
-December 1972 bombing
-Explanations
-Jack Drown's call to Woods
-Press conference
-News coverage
-The President's actions
-Congressional critics
- J. William Fulbright
-William E. Timmons
-Invitations to state dinners
-Edward R. G. Heath
-Hussein ibn Talal [Hussein, King of Jordan]
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Invitation to state dinner
-Golda Meir
-Samuel L. Devine
-Support
Access to the President
-Cabinet
-William P. Rogers
-State Department
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Defense Department
-Frederic V. Malek
-Maurice H. Stans
-Contributors
-Compared to political operatives
-Clark MacGregor
-George H. W. Bush
-Heath
-Meeting with [Hussein, King of Jordan] Hussein ibn Talal
-Queen Alia
-List of contributors
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Stephen B. Bull
-Blacks
-Supporters of the President
-Symbolism
-Campaign contributors
-Lists
-Blacks
-Symbolism
-Number
-Mayors
-Robert S. Brown [?]
-Hussein dinner
-Walter E. Washington
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Leonard Garment
-Jews
-Gold Meir dinner [?]
-Max M. Fisher’s list
-United Jewish Appeal
-Jewish supporters of the President
-Hubert H. Humphrey's worker
-New York rabbi
December 1972 bombing
-Difficulties
-Cabinet
-Cambodia bombing
-1972 Moscow summit
**********************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Reactions
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
**********************************************************************
-Press coverage
-Editors
-Chicago Tribune
-Los Angeles Times
Press relations
-Opposition to the President
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Consensus
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Soviet Union
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Attacks on President
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-New York Times editorial
-Vermont Royster
-Column
-Vietnam peace
-Praise for Kissinger
-Jewish influence
Jews
-Garment
-Kissinger, Arthur F. Burns, William L. Safire
-Sense of inferiority
-Garment
-The President’s view
-Kissinger
Vietnam
-Bombing
-Kissinger
-Negotiations
-Wires to the President
-Camp David
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-The President’s view
-Bombing recommendations
-Television [TV] appearance by the President
-Impression
-“Peace is at hand”
-Announcement
-North Vietnam
-Congress
-Kissinger
-Press coverage
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Jews
-Self-preservation
**********************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
The President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Wood’s schedule
-Haircut
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Chicago
-Woods’s schedule
-Christmas cards
-Weather
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
**********************************************************************
Heath
-Camp David
-Public statement
-The President’s courage
Great Britain
-World War II contribution
-Empire
-India
-Pakistan
-Benefits
-Africa
-Sir Alexander D. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home
-Heath
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Rogers
-Development
-United Nations [UN]
-The President’s view
-Commonwealth
-Heads of states
-Cadillacs
-Bahamas
-Robert H. Abplanalp, Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Investment
-Blacks
-Independence
-Confiscation
Pamela Powell
-Dick Powell
-Trip to Washington
-June Allyson
-Job in ACTION
-California
June Allyson
-Heath
-The President’s reception
Daniel B. Brewster
-Anne Bullitt Brewster
-William C. Bullitt
-Divorce
-Senate
-Bribes
Woods's call to Coy Stennis
-John C. Stennis
-Chance of infection
-The President's visit
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Sep.-09)
Conversation No. 840-5 (cont’d)
-Gift
- Support for the President
John A. Volpe's telephone call
-The President’s response
-Note
-Telephone calls
John Stennis shooting
-The President’s call to Coy Stennis
-The President’s press conference
-Prayer breakfast
-Stennis family
-Mississippi
-Blacks
-Robbery
-George C. Wallace shooting
Weather
Woods left at 10:59 am.This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.