Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 862
Nixon White House Tape 862 (February 23, 1973)
24 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 44 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, White House photographer, Sanchez
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discussed the enforcement of the Vietnam peace agreements, focusing on the potential consequences for violations. The conversation emphasized the necessity of a firm stance regarding military breaches to ensure adherence to established protocols. Kissinger later met with an unidentified individual, marking a transition in the morning's proceedings.
President Nixon met briefly with his personal aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate his daily schedule. The primary objective of the discussion was to address the timing of a planned meeting with John D. Ehrlichman. The interaction concluded with the President deciding to postpone the appointment.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate an outgoing call. The interaction was brief, focusing primarily on the mechanics of connecting the President to his intended party. No substantive policy discussions or major administrative decisions occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with John D. Ehrlichman to discuss legislative strategy, political damage control, and personnel issues, including the administration's stance on executive privilege regarding congressional inquiries. The two reviewed tactics for managing the Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on the involvement of White House staff and the potential impact of public testimony by administration officials. Additionally, they addressed upcoming tax reform proposals, the cultivation of key support groups like farmers and veterans, and the potential intervention required to prevent Jimmy Hoffa from assuming a leadership role in a Detroit labor union.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to coordinate his daily schedule and logistical arrangements for an upcoming weekend trip to Camp David. The discussion focused on rescheduling various meetings with officials, including Peter J. Brennan and Henry Kissinger, and designating the Executive Office Building for specific briefings. Additionally, Nixon provided instructions regarding transportation and travel plans for himself and Pat Nixon, contingent upon weather conditions.
President Nixon met with Attorney General Richard Kleindienst and Stephen Bull to discuss potential post-government career options for Kleindienst, including offers from law firms and international business ventures. The conversation also touched upon the strategy for handling investigations, particularly concerning the Watergate affair and the handling of FBI documents, with Nixon emphasizing a hard-line approach and the importance of executive privilege. Nixon also instructed Kleindienst to take action regarding Jimmy Hoffa's parole if he attempted to run for office.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull briefly met in the Oval Office to discuss an upcoming meeting. The conversation focused on press relations and potentially using a meeting with Secretary Shultz as an opportunity to reach an agreement, with Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. also mentioned as a participant in future discussions.
President Nixon met with Secretary of Labor Peter J. Brennan and members of the National Committee of Jobs for Veterans to discuss the status of veteran employment programs and strategies for their eventual phase-out. The participants reviewed progress on job placement goals, addressed concerns regarding the competition between returning veterans and draft evaders, and finalized plans for an "Honor Veterans Week" to coincide with the return of the final POWs. Nixon emphasized the importance of a robust economy and addressed potential tensions surrounding affirmative action and minority hiring programs in the private sector.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss various personnel appointments and high-stakes foreign policy strategies in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The conversation focused on the loyalty of potential administration appointees, such as J. William Middendorf and William P. Clements, as well as the need to manage Secretary of State William P. Rogers's involvement in Egyptian negotiations. Nixon emphasized the importance of maintaining a firm, strategic negotiating posture and expressed concern that Israeli leadership adopt a more conciliatory approach to facilitate progress toward a peace settlement.
President Nixon met with Egyptian officials Hafez Ismail and M. Hafez Ghanem, along with Henry Kissinger and Brent Scowcroft, to discuss the Middle East conflict and the potential for peace. Ismail conveyed a message from Sadat and emphasized Egypt's desire for normalized relations with the US and a balanced approach to regional stability. Key topics included the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Palestinian question, security concerns for Israel, and the US role as a peace guarantor, with a focus on establishing a clear process for future negotiations.
President Nixon briefly met with Stephen B. Bull and an unidentified man in the Oval Office to discuss arrangements for upcoming meetings and events. Key topics included the President's meeting with Ambassador John A. Volpe, arrangements for Norman Vincent Peale's visit (including breakfast and a sermon), and the involvement of actors like Debbie Reynolds and John Gielgud. The conversation also touched upon Mrs. Nixon's departure and a meeting in the outer office.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a connection for an outgoing telephone call. This brief interaction served as a routine administrative step to bridge the President to an external party. No policy discussions or significant substantive developments occurred during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon discussed domestic arrangements and the reorganization of furniture in their private living quarters. The conversation focused on the practical placement of bedroom furniture, specifically regarding nightstands, mattresses, and the installation of dictaphones and lighting. No policy or administrative matters were addressed during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate administrative details regarding the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on managing the logistics and sequence of subsequent meetings for the day. No substantive policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative encounter.
President Nixon met briefly with White House photographer John A. Volpe and Henry Kissinger in the Oval Office. The primary purpose of the meeting was to arrange a photograph session for Volpe before his departure, with Nixon suggesting a walk in the Rose Garden to allow press photographers to take pictures. The conversation also touched upon Volpe's schedule and briefly mentioned upcoming visits and personnel matters.
President Nixon met with outgoing Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe and Henry Kissinger to discuss Volpe’s transition to his new role as U.S. Ambassador to Italy. They reviewed strategic objectives for the ambassadorship, focusing on strengthening ties with Italian political factions to ensure stability and navigating the country's complex economic and political climate. The discussion also addressed broader administration goals, including improving outreach to ethnic communities, managing public perception of domestic achievements, and the logistical challenges of a potential presidential tour of Europe.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to coordinate preparations for an upcoming radio address. The brief discussion focused on logistical readiness for the broadcast. No further substantive details regarding the content of the address were captured in this recording.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual and his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office. The primary activities during the meeting included the dictation of material to be typed and the provision of refreshments. No significant policy decisions or substantive political developments were recorded during the brief exchange.
President Nixon met with an unknown female staff member in the Oval Office to provide administrative instructions. The brief interaction focused on the specific task of retyping a document. No policy or political matters were discussed during this exchange.
President Nixon met with an unknown female staff member to review and approve specific language for an upcoming radio address. The discussion centered on revising the press copy for the broadcast to ensure the messaging aligned with the President's requirements. Nixon instructed the staffer to finalize these changes and ensure the updated text was distributed accordingly.
President Nixon requests administrative assistance from an unidentified staff member to secure copies of his daily schedules for the current and previous day. The President specifies a desire for these schedules to be presented in a graphic format. The brief exchange concludes with the staff member acknowledging the task and preparing to retrieve the requested documents.
President Nixon met with his valet, Manolo Sanchez, to discuss logistical arrangements and the President's upcoming schedule. The conversation focused on the President's transition between the Oval Office and the Executive Office Building for a scheduled meeting with George P. Shultz. The interaction served primarily to coordinate these movements and confirm the administrative details of the President's afternoon itinerary.
This brief two-minute Oval Office meeting involved two unidentified individuals. The conversation appears to have focused on logistical or physical inspections, with fragmented references to a book, a bird, and a road. Due to the lack of a formal transcript and ambiguous subject matter, no significant policy decisions or administrative actions can be confirmed from the surviving recording.
This recording captures an unidentified individual or individuals engaged in a brief, low-level office interaction in the Oval Office. The content is limited to routine physical logistics, specifically addressing seating arrangements and a potential room check. The brief nature of the exchange and lack of identifiable participants result in no substantive policy developments or executive decisions.