Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 865
Nixon White House Tape 865 (February 28, 1973)
29 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 12 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Ziegler, Bull, Haldeman, Kissinger
President Nixon initiated a call to the White House operator to inquire about the Asian service. The purpose of this brief interaction was to obtain information regarding this specific service. No significant developments or action items were recorded beyond the President's query.
This brief exchange in the Oval Office involved President Nixon and the White House operator. The primary purpose appears to be a routine connection or perhaps a test of the taping system, as the transcript is largely undefined. No significant decisions or action items were recorded.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office to discuss the President's schedule, specifically a potential "Quadriad" meeting. The conversation was brief, with Bull departing before 8:42 am. No specific decisions or action items were recorded.
President Nixon met with an unidentified man in the Oval Office. The primary purpose of this brief meeting was for Nixon to request that Henry Kissinger be summoned to join them. The unknown individual departed before the end of the recording period, and no further details on the discussion or its outcomes are available.
President Nixon briefly met with an unidentified man in the Oval Office. The primary purpose of the meeting appears to have been to discuss the President's schedule, specifically regarding upcoming meetings with Henry Kissinger and General Brent Scowcroft. The conversation was very brief, with the unknown visitor departing before 8:42 am.
President Nixon dictated a memorandum to H.R. Haldeman expressing distress over the administration's failure to meet directives for employing minorities and ethnics, particularly Mexicans and Italians. He emphasized the need to increase minority appointments, especially in advisory roles, and suggested a goal of two out of five appointments. Nixon also discussed congressional relations, criticizing the effectiveness of social events and advocating for meetings with small groups of congressmen to secure votes for vetoes, tasking Haldeman with developing a plan.
President Nixon briefly met with an unidentified man in the Oval Office. The conversation appears to have been initiated by a buzzer system, and the visitor departed shortly thereafter. The transcript is largely unintelligible, offering no clear indication of the meeting's purpose or topics discussed.
President Nixon met with an unknown woman in the Oval Office for a brief, informal exchange. The conversation appears to be a procedural discussion about tape duplication, with Nixon instructing the woman to make only one copy of a tape and return the original to him. No substantive policy discussions or significant decisions were recorded.
President Nixon briefly interacted with the White House operator in the Oval Office. The purpose of this interaction was likely to initiate a phone call or request assistance. No substantive topics or decisions were recorded, as the transcript is unavailable.
President Nixon inquired about Roger E. Johnson's health following a hospital stay. The brief exchange focused solely on Johnson's recovery, with no other substantive topics or decisions being addressed during this short meeting.
President Nixon inquired about Henry Kissinger's availability, specifically asking when he would return. The purpose of the call appears to be to coordinate schedules or potentially discuss matters requiring Kissinger's input. The brief exchange suggests a desire for a meeting or discussion with Kissinger.
President Nixon requested that Alexander Butterfield summon John Dean to the Oval Office. The purpose of this brief meeting was to facilitate Dean's arrival for a subsequent discussion. Butterfield departed before Dean arrived, and no further substantive topics were addressed in this segment.
President Nixon briefly discussed his upcoming schedule with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The conversation appears to have been a routine check-in regarding the President's daily agenda and office-related matters. No significant decisions or action items were recorded.
President Nixon, John Dean, and Stephen Bull discussed potential judicial appointments, focusing on diversity and qualifications for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals positions. They also touched upon the issue of "leaks" within the administration and the handling of investigations, particularly concerning W. Mark Felt. A significant portion of the conversation involved strategies for managing public perception and congressional inquiries related to ongoing investigations, including the potential impact of certain individuals testifying.
President Nixon briefly met with an unknown woman in the Oval Office. The primary purpose of the interaction appears to have been to inform the President that Mrs. Inger needed to see him. Nixon acknowledged this and also inquired about the whereabouts of Henry Kissinger, indicating a need to connect with him.
President Nixon, Stephen Bull, and Ron Ziegler discussed the President's schedule, including upcoming events like the Golda Meir dinner and a Governors' Conference, as well as arrangements for astronauts and Sammy Davis Jr. A significant portion of the conversation focused on the Vietnam War, specifically the status of POW lists, potential press briefings by Secretary of Defense Elliot Richardson, and the timing of a presidential press conference. Decisions were made to postpone any public statements regarding POWs or military actions until more definitive information was available, and to schedule the President's press conference for Monday, February 5th, after the Golda Meir visit.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The primary topic of discussion, as indicated by the available segment, was the ordering of food. No significant decisions or action items were recorded beyond this personal matter.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed scheduling and personnel matters, including potential cabinet offers, sub-cabinet appointments, and departing staff. They specifically addressed the handling of contributors lists, the logistics of photo opportunities for certain individuals like Mr. and Mrs. Banks, and the recognition of award recipients such as Patricia R. Hitt. The conversation also touched upon briefing schedules for John Ehrlichman and the Quadriad group.
This Oval Office meeting involved President Nixon and an unidentified individual. The conversation appears to have been brief, with the unknown person departing before 10:59 am. The provided transcript excerpt is too short to ascertain the specific topics discussed or any significant developments.
President Nixon briefly interacted with the White House operator in the Oval Office. The purpose of this interaction was likely to initiate a phone call or request assistance. No significant topics or decisions were discussed beyond the immediate operational need.
President Nixon met with Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler in the Oval Office to discuss Henry Kissinger's activities. Ziegler briefed the President on Kissinger's meeting with Yitzhak Rabin and Kissinger's contacts with the press. The conversation touched upon how to manage press relations and potentially influence public perception.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Ronald Ziegler discussed the ongoing negotiations and press management related to the Vietnam War, including potential cease-fire violations and the status of POWs. They also touched upon US military aid to Israel, the upcoming press conference, and a critical review of John F. Kennedy's presidency. A key action item involved strategizing how Ziegler should handle press inquiries regarding troop withdrawal and mine removal.
President Nixon met briefly with Manolo Sanchez in the Oval Office. The conversation appears to have been very short, with the only noted content being the offering and acceptance of refreshments. Sanchez departed the Oval Office shortly thereafter.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Ronald Ziegler discussed the aftermath of Secretary Rogers' meeting with North Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Duy Trinh regarding the Paris Agreement. The primary focus was on North Vietnam's assurances about the full release of POWs within the 60-day period and their commitment to discuss the next phase of releases through the Joint Military Commission. Nixon expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived softness of the public statement and the lack of progress on key issues like mining, while also considering how to frame the developments for the press.
President Nixon met briefly with Manolo Sanchez in the Oval Office. The conversation was extremely short and focused solely on the weather, with Sanchez remarking on the cold. No significant decisions or action items were discussed or decided upon during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler discussed the upcoming International Conference on Vietnam, focusing on a Washington Star headline that appeared to stem from North Vietnamese comments about ceasefire violations. Ziegler briefed the President on the context, noting that the headline likely originated from statements made by Madame Nguyen Thi Binh and Nguyen Duy Trinh following a meeting with the four foreign ministers. The conversation also touched upon the release of Prisoners of War (POWs), with the understanding that North Vietnam had assured the US of their release according to the agreement.
President Nixon briefly conferred with an unidentified man in the Oval Office. The conversation appears to have been a preliminary check before a subsequent meeting, as indicated by a question about whether "they all hear us?" The meeting was extremely short, lasting only a couple of minutes, and no substantive topics or decisions were recorded.
President Nixon met with his top advisors, including Roy Ash, George Shultz, John Ehrlichman, and H.R. Haldeman, to discuss the administration's budget, revenue sharing proposals, and congressional relations. Key topics included the perceived partisanship surrounding revenue sharing, potential program cuts, the impact of budget decisions on human resources versus defense spending, and strategies for communicating the administration's fiscal policies to Congress and the public. A significant development was the discussion around managing public perception of the administration's spending priorities and the need to counter negative press narratives, particularly concerning social programs and the effectiveness of federal expenditures.
This Oval Office recording captures an unknown conversation that took place late on February 28, 1973. The discussion's specific purpose and participants remain unclear due to the limited transcript and unknown attendees. No significant topics, decisions, or action items can be identified from the available information.