Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 862 › Conversation 862-008
Nixon, Brennan & Cole on Veterans Employment
Friday, February 23, 1973 · 10:53 AM–11:13 AM ET · Oval Office · 22 min
AI Summary
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.
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NARA Description
On February 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Peter J. Brennan, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., James F. Oates, James H. Cavanaugh, Col. H. Spencer Faircloth, William H. Ayers, Lawrence L. O???Conner, Richard Gerstenberg, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:53 am to 11:13 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 862-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 862-8
Date: February 23, 1973
Time: 10:53 am - 11:13 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Peter J. Brennan, James F. Oates, Jr., Lt. Col. H. Spencer Faircloth,
William H. Ayres, Lawrence L. O'Conner, Richard Gerstenberg, James H. Cavanaugh, Kenneth
R. Cole, Jr., Louis Power; the White House photographer and members of the press were present
at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
-Labor Secretary
Photograph session
-Arrangements
-Brennan
[Photograph session]
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Impact on the nation
-Patriotism [?]
-Veterans
-Obligations
-National Committee of Jobs for Veterans
-Report
-Facts, table, charts
-Unemployment rate
-Reading by press
-Charts and pictures -Gerald R. Ford
-Report recommendations
-Phase-out of committee
-Honor Veterans Week
-Local affairs, media, advertising
-Registration Day
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 862-21 (cont’d)
-Unemployed veterans
-National Association of Businessmen
[NAB]
-Employment services
-Post Offices
-Number
-Cities
-Minority groups
-Percentage
-Reduction
-Disabled veterans
-Robert K. Dole
-Unemployed veterans
-Business support
-Job information
-International
-Asia, Europe
-Returning veterans
-Marijuana
-Cynicism
-Continued funding
-Defense Department
-NAB
-Honor Veterans Week
-Memorial Day
-Last POW returned
-Returning veterans
-Manpower training
-NAB, Defense Department
-Draft evaders
-Numbers
-Competition for jobs
-Amnesty
-Committee’s view
-Alternatives
-Congress
-Amnesty
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 862-21 (cont’d)
-Peace Corps
-“Draft dodgers”
-Jail term
-Brochure
-Effectiveness
-Chairman Oates
-Col. Faircloth
-Defense Department
-Capt. Metcalf [?] Mower
-Addis Abada
-President’s visit to Defense Department
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Melvin R. Laird
-Ethiopia
-Naval aide
Job for Veterans Program
-Employment placement totals
-Fiscal year current
Economy
-Upswing
-Food prices
-George Meany
-Meat prices
-Imports
-Domestic cattle
-President’s constituencies
-Price controls
-Cheese
-President’s supporters
-Cost
-Protein
Goals
-Next year
-Difficulties
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 862-21 (cont’d)
-Compared to golf scores
-President’s score
-Hardcore unemployment
-Handicapped workers
-Talents
-Intelligence
-Motivation
Disabled veterans [?]
President’s appreciation
-Enthusiasm
-Gifts for wives
-Congressional Medals of Honor
Economy
-Sears
Gifts for women
-Cuff links
NAB
-Hardcore unemployed
-Brennan
-Statements
-Minorities
-Blacks
-Motivation, training
-Business reluctance
-Affirmative action
-Reverse discrimination
-President’s appreciation
-Enthusiasm
-Ash tray
Brennan, et al., left at 11:13 am.
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Conversation No. 862-21 (cont’d)Also recorded on February 23, 1973
- 043-180 9:34 AM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 9:34 am.
- 043-181 9:34 AM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:34 am and 12:32 pm.
- 862-003 9:34 AM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at 9:34 am.
- 862-005 10:05 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 10:08 am.
- 862-006 10:08 AM · 43 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Richard G. Kleindienst, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:08 am to 10:52 am.
- 862-007 10:52 AM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:52 am to 10:53 am.
- 862-009 11:14 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:14 am to 11:21 am.
- 862-010 11:22 AM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Hafez Ismail, M. Hafez Ghanem, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, White House photographer, unknown person(s), and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:22 am to 12:30 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 862-008, February 23, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/862-008 (accessed October 1, 2026).