Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 866
Nixon White House Tape 866 (March 1, 1973 – March 2, 1973)
23 conversations · Oval Office · about 4 hr 17 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Ziegler, Dean, Sanchez, Kissinger
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The purpose and specific topics of discussion are unknown due to the absence of a transcript and the presence of unknown participants. The meeting occurred during a period when the Oval Office taping system was active, but the clock malfunctioned, leaving the exact duration and content unrecorded.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. The primary focus of their brief exchange was a request concerning John W. Dean III. No specific decisions or action items were recorded beyond the initial request.
President Nixon met with John Dean and Manolo Sanchez to discuss the handling of FBI information and potential leaks to Congress. Dean reported on his conversations with L. Patrick Gray III regarding the FBI's cooperation with Senate investigations, noting Gray's surprising stance on making FBI records available. They also discussed the 1968 bugging incident and the possibility of Cartha "Deke" DeLoach lying about it, with Nixon instructing Dean to gather information on past administrations' use of the FBI for espionage.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Ronald Ziegler, and John Dean discussed the upcoming signing of international agreements on Vietnam, including the release of POWs and the implementation of the ceasefire. They also reviewed President Kennedy's foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding Europe and the Skybolt missile crisis, contrasting them with Nixon's approach. Additionally, the conversation touched upon National Security Council meeting protocols, potential personnel changes within the Treasury Department, and the ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning Golda Meir's visit and Middle East arms sales.
President Nixon held a brief, recorded interaction with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. Due to the lack of intelligible transcript content, the specific subject matter and any resulting policy decisions or action items remain undocumented. The recording serves primarily as a logistical record of the President's daily schedule and access.
President Nixon consulted with the White House operator to facilitate a telephone call to William L. White, who was reportedly ill at his residence in Emporia, Kansas. The brief exchange focused on coordinating the logistics of reaching White despite his poor health. The President confirmed his readiness to speak once the connection was established.
President Nixon met with a staff member, identified as Greg, to discuss scheduling arrangements for upcoming visits from international delegations. The conversation focused on coordinating ten-to-fifteen-minute meetings with visiting governors from Japan and the Soviet Union expected in the spring. Additionally, the President briefly addressed the handling of gifts for Israeli Ambassador Yitzhak Rabin.
President Nixon briefly met with an unidentified man in the Oval Office. The conversation appears to have been very short, possibly interrupted by a presidential conference or the news. The only discernible topic mentioned was the exchange of gifts, specifically ashtrays and cufflinks.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to address administrative duties. The brief session focused exclusively on the processing of various documents requiring the President’s official signature. No other policy matters or strategic developments were recorded during this meeting.
President Nixon initiates a brief, informal interaction with a White House operator to place an outgoing telephone call. The exchange serves as a functional administrative task to facilitate external communication. No substantive policy discussions or significant political developments occur during this brief connection.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to receive refreshments and briefly discuss the status of an unnamed individual. The exchange focused on the health of the individual, who was described as showing slight improvement following a recent contact. No major policy or administrative decisions resulted from this brief, informal interaction.
President Nixon and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst discuss strategies for handling congressional oversight and the handling of sensitive investigative files, specifically concerning L. Patrick Gray's confirmation process. Nixon emphasizes the importance of protecting the executive branch's confidentiality and warns against succumbing to pressure from the press or individual congressmen to surrender sensitive records. The President stresses that while officials should appear cooperative, they must avoid establishing precedents that would allow Congress to bypass executive privilege in future investigations.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on facilitating a meeting between Nixon and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. Bull promptly exited the office following these brief administrative instructions.
President Nixon held a brief, cordial exchange with journalist and author William L. White to reminisce about their past acquaintance and exchange personal pleasantries. Beyond the social nature of the call, Nixon briefly touched upon his aggressive approach to foreign policy negotiations, highlighting his use of leverage—specifically regarding mine clearing and troop withdrawals—to force concessions from adversaries. Nixon concluded the conversation by encouraging White to maintain his fighting spirit and praising his past literary contributions.
President Nixon met with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, Yitzhak Rabin, and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to discuss the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and ongoing US-Israel relations. The participants focused on negotiating strategies for peace with Egypt, the potential role of the Soviet Union, and the continuation of US military and economic support for Israel. Nixon emphasized a 'two-track' approach, utilizing both public diplomatic channels and private, high-level discussions led by Kissinger to maintain Israeli security while exploring opportunities for a regional settlement.
President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and Henry Kissinger to coordinate the administration's public messaging regarding ongoing Middle East negotiations and the President's recent meetings with foreign leaders. They discussed managing expectations to avoid premature hopes for peace while maintaining a firm diplomatic stance that emphasizes eventual direct talks between the involved parties. Additionally, Nixon and Kissinger reviewed Soviet relations, the strategic arms balance, and their shared concern that domestic political pressure regarding the emigration of Soviet Jews could undermine U.S. foreign policy objectives.
President Nixon and John Dean discussed strategies for managing the Watergate investigation, specifically focusing on the administration’s position regarding executive privilege and the release of FBI information to Congress. Dean reviewed historical precedents, such as the Truman administration's refusal to release investigative files, to support a policy of providing relevant information while resisting congressional demands for White House staff testimony. The two also addressed the perceived political vulnerability of former Attorney General John Mitchell and the necessity of managing Attorney General Richard Kleindienst’s loyalties during the ongoing inquiry.
President Nixon met briefly with an unidentified individual to coordinate a consultation with a medical professional. The discussion centered on arranging this specific meeting, though no further details regarding the nature of the consultation or the identity of the doctor were captured. The interaction concluded quickly after the President signaled the need to speak with the doctor.
President Nixon met with representatives from the Gridiron Club to discuss his attendance at their upcoming events and potential skits or performances for the dinner. The conversation covered the President's scheduling priorities among various press organizations, the ongoing return of prisoners of war from Vietnam, and the possibility of inviting foreign heads of state, such as Edward Heath, to future dinners. Nixon ultimately decided to skip the 1973 dinner due to political tensions involving figures like George McGovern, while signaling his intent to attend in future years.
President Nixon held a brief, undocumented meeting with one or more unidentified individuals in the Oval Office. Due to the lack of a transcript or accompanying documentation, the specific subject matter and any resulting policy decisions remain unknown to researchers. The interaction concluded within a thirty-six-minute window, leaving no discernable record of administrative or political action.
This brief exchange, recorded in the Oval Office, appears to be a post-meeting or post-event cleanup discussion between President Nixon and an unidentified individual. The primary topic was the "clean up" of something, suggesting the need to remove evidence or finalize arrangements after a prior event. No specific decisions or action items are discernible beyond the general instruction to clean up.
This recording captures a meeting in the Oval Office involving unidentified Secret Service agents. The primary topic appears to be security, though the specifics are unavailable due to the lack of a transcript. The agents were present for a period of time before departing before 3:06 pm.
This recording captures a brief, undocumented interaction in the Oval Office involving President Nixon and United States Secret Service agents. The conversation appears to be a casual exchange, possibly related to the President's movements or security arrangements, with mentions of the Executive Office Building and a question about readiness. The agents departed at an unspecified time before the morning of March 2, 1973.