President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, Stephen Bull, and Ronald Ziegler to manage administrative staffing, personnel appointments, and public relations strategies. Key discussions focused on Henry Kissinger’s upcoming press briefing regarding the Vietnam settlement, the logistics for the White House Correspondents' dinner, and resolving job placement issues for Patricia Hitt and other administration figures. The group also addressed concerns regarding the tendency of staff members to over-expand their own bureaucracies and the importance of message discipline when communicating budget and policy stances to Congress.
On February 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:33 pm to 6:00 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 860-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 860-16
Date: February 21, 1973
Time: 5:33 pm - 6:00 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
President's meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
Kissinger's press briefing
-Live broadcast
-Cameras
-Advisability
-Kissinger’s ego
-Press conference
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Vietnam
-Statement
-Questions
Aid to Vietnam
-Williams P. Rogers
-Statement
-Kissinger
-Selling of aid package
-36-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 860-16 (cont’d)
Kissinger
-Discussion with President
-Consumer price index
Congressional relations
-Briefings
-Rogers [?]
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:33 pm.
John D. Ehrlichman
-Rose Mary Woods
-Patricia R. Hitt
-Job with ACTION
-Program cuts
President's trip to Camp David
-Scheduling
-Transportation
-Departure time
-Lunch, dinner
-Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, Kissinger, Charles J.
DiBona
-President’s radio broadcast
Bull left at an unknown time before 5:41 pm.
-Attitude
-Ehrlichman
-Job offers
-Anne L. Armstrong
-Ehrlichman
-Counsellor position
-California
-Herbert G. Klein
-37-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 860-16 (cont’d)
-Personal traits
-Robert H. Finch
-Haldeman's call
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 5:41 pm.
Kissinger’s press conference briefing
-Live broadcast
-Filming
-Evening news
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s role
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Trip to New York
-Meeting with Nicholas P. Thimmesch
-Article
-Vietnam settlement
White House Correspondents dinner
-Letter
-Invitation
-President's acceptance
-Date
-Robert Pierpoint
-Garrett D. (“Jack”) Harner
-Entertainment
-Sonny and Cher Bono
-President’s supporters
-Peace
-Karen and Richard Carpenter
-President's response to invitation
Kissinger’s press briefing
-Importance
-Cameras
-Meeting with Thimmesch
-38-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 860-16 (cont’d)
Ziegler left at 5:46 pm.
Armstrong
-Appointment
Job for Hitt
-Difficulties
-Michael P. Balzano, Jr.
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Ehrlichman
-Qualifications
-State Department
-ACTION
-Balzano
-Politicization
-John F. Kennedy administration
Howard Phillips
-Harry S. Dent
-Performance in job
-Outspoken
-Charlie Walker
-Congressional relations
-Enthusiasm
Balzano
-Public relations
-ACTION
-Concern for poor
-Budget
Hitt
-New job
Armstrong
-Relations with Hitt
-39-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 860-16 (cont’d)
-Rose Mary Woods
-Staff
-Expansion
-New positions
-Cost of Living Council
-Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish Speaking Americans
-Donald H. Rumsfeld [?]
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Television [TV]
-Secretary of Labor
Ehrlichman, Kissinger
-Staff
Haldeman
-Staff
Hitt
-State Department job
-Abilities for job
Balzano
-Ehrlichman
-Domestic Council
President’s schedule
-Cabinet meetings
-Meetings with President
-Bull
-Counsellors
-Ehrlichman
-Domestic council
-Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.
-Cabinet
-NSC
-Kissinger
-40-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 860-16 (cont’d)
William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Letter
Taxes
-Budget battle
-National committee
-Tax increase
-Citizens committees
Letters
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Missing in Action [MIA] families
-Confirmed deaths
-President’s approval
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
Job for Hitt
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with President
-Woods
-Assistant secretary
-Armstrong
-State Department compared to ACTION
Haldeman left at 6:00 pm.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.