Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 868
Nixon White House Tape 868 (March 3, 1973)
23 conversations · Oval Office · about 5 hr 25 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Sanchez, Haldeman, Shultz
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met briefly in the Oval Office to review the President’s upcoming schedule. The primary focus of the discussion was confirming the timing and arrangements for meetings with White House staffers David R. Gergen and Raymond K. Price, Jr. No major policy decisions were made during this logistical briefing.
President Nixon held a brief, unscheduled meeting with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office. Although the specific nature of the discussion remains unclear due to the brevity and indistinct content of the recording, the participant provided a name to the President before departing shortly thereafter. The exchange appears to be a quick administrative or personal update, as the meeting concluded in under seven minutes.
President Nixon initiates a request to the White House operator to place a telephone call to Secretary of Labor Peter J. Brennan. This brief interaction serves as a routine administrative step to facilitate direct communication between the President and a member of his Cabinet. No further substantive policy discussions occur during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed logistical adjustments to the President's upcoming social schedule, specifically addressing the cancellation of a meeting with boxer George Foreman due to his wife's illness. They discussed rescheduling Foreman's visit and refined plans for an evening White House entertainment event. The conversation prioritized selecting high-profile musical guests, such as Sammy Davis Jr. or the Carpenters, to ensure the event's stature was maintained without negative press implications.
President Nixon met with Secretary of Labor Peter Brennan to discuss a recent industrial accident and the administration's response to it. Nixon encouraged Brennan to personally visit the site to demonstrate federal concern for worker safety and to emphasize the administration's commitment to safety regulations. Brennan was directed to investigate whether any federal safety violations occurred and to report his findings back to the President.
President Nixon held a meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual to discuss matters pertaining to Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The discussion centered on instructions for Ziegler, though the specific nature of these directives remains undocumented due to the lack of a transcript. The meeting concluded when the unknown participant departed shortly before 9:40 am.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discussed several administrative and political matters, including coordinating entertainment for White House events and managing personnel issues related to the Department of the Navy. They also reviewed political strategy regarding L. Patrick Gray’s FBI confirmation hearings, the potential testimony of Maurice Stans concerning Watergate, and the media impact of the President's press conferences. Additionally, the President expressed interest in publicizing a letter from Captain Jeremiah Denton Jr. to counter anti-war narratives regarding the recent release of prisoners of war.
President Nixon met with his economic advisors—including George Shultz, Arthur Burns, and Paul Volcker—to discuss the state of the domestic economy, concerns regarding inflation, and the ongoing volatility in international monetary markets. The participants debated the merits of federal intervention in currency exchange rates versus allowing a transition to a more flexible floating regime. Nixon emphasized that any economic strategy must account for his broader foreign policy objectives and the need to maintain strong political relationships with European allies, ultimately tasking Henry Kissinger to join the group to further weigh these options.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate the logistics for an upcoming swearing-in ceremony for G. Bradford Cook. The conversation focused on the arrival status of the attendees and logistical preparations, specifically regarding the availability of a microphone for the event. Bull proceeded to manage the group's entry and ensure the necessary equipment was ready for the President.
President Nixon met with his aide, Stephen B. Bull, to conduct a brief review of the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion focused on the coordination of daily activities and administrative logistics within the Oval Office. No significant policy decisions were recorded during this brief encounter, which concluded in less than eleven minutes.
President Nixon met with G. Bradford Cook and a large group of his family members, friends, and associates, including William J. Casey and Judge Kevin Duffy, to commemorate Cook’s recent appointment. The primary focus of the meeting was a ceremonial photo session held in the Oval Office to mark the occasion. The participants engaged in informal conversation regarding the appointment, family introductions, and brief mentions of current policy matters such as the administration's work on Latin American issues.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics regarding the arrival of an individual named Dreyfus. The brief exchange focused primarily on managing the schedule and movements of this visitor. No further substantive policy matters were recorded during this short meeting.
President Nixon met with Jack J. Dreyfus, Jr. to discuss the therapeutic potential of the drug Dilantin (DPH). Dreyfus sought to enlist the President's help in persuading the medical establishment and government officials to re-evaluate the drug for its use in treating a wide array of conditions beyond epilepsy, including heart arrhythmias, psychiatric disorders, and emotional volatility. As a result, Nixon directed his personal assistant, Rose Mary Woods, to arrange for meetings between Dreyfus and his former physician, Dr. Arnold A. Hutschnecker, as well as high-level officials to facilitate an expert review of the drug's benefits.
President Nixon met with an unknown individual to facilitate a photo opportunity for Julienne L. Pinneau, a departing secretary for National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. The brief interaction served as a formal gesture of appreciation for Pinneau's service. The President consented to the request, allowing the photograph session to proceed immediately in the Oval Office.
President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and George Shultz met to discuss the administration's strategic response to a European proposal for a "common float" of currencies. Kissinger and Shultz expressed concern that European leaders were attempting to force a policy shift without adequate U.S. consultation, using rhetoric about European integration to obscure potential damage to American interests. The President decided to draft firm letters to Willy Brandt and Edward Heath insisting on formal consultation and asserting that European integration should not serve as a substitute for Atlantic cooperation. They also addressed Shultz's upcoming trip to Europe and the Soviet Union, specifically regarding trade authority and the Jackson Amendment.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office to discuss matters related to the President's schedule. Due to the limited nature of the available record, the conversation is documented only as a brief administrative interaction regarding official programming. No significant policy decisions or major strategic developments were recorded during this brief encounter.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull reviewed various logistical and scheduling matters, including upcoming social arrangements, personal errands, and the arrival of Bebe Rebozo. The discussion included planning for a birthday gift for First Lady Pat Nixon and coordinating travel for Julie Nixon Eisenhower. Additionally, the participants addressed diplomatic protocol regarding the farewell for West German Ambassador Rolf Pauls and arrangements for a meeting with H.R. Haldeman.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate the President's upcoming travel, social obligations, and administrative personnel appointments. The discussion covered scheduling for a California trip and a potential visit to a Pittsburgh baseball game, as well as planning future White House social events for POWs and the diplomatic corps. They also evaluated recent political optics, including the perceived shift in press sentiment toward the administration and the need to fill executive vacancies with a broader, more diverse pool of loyalists.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull briefly conferred regarding a recent meeting between the President and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler. The discussion served as a follow-up to coordinate staff movements and communications. No further policy decisions were recorded during this brief administrative exchange.
President Nixon and Ronald Ziegler discussed press relations, specifically evaluating the effectiveness of recent media coverage and planning the timing of future press conferences. They reviewed positive New York Times editorial support regarding the administration's stance against paying ransom for hostages in Sudan. Furthermore, the two discussed strategies for addressing the ongoing Watergate investigations, with Nixon emphasizing a public commitment to cooperation while maintaining institutional separation of powers.
President Nixon met with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, for an extremely brief administrative encounter in the Oval Office. Given the immediate departure of Woods at the same time the recording began, the interaction served as a quick exchange of instructions rather than a formal policy discussion. No significant substantive developments or policy decisions were recorded during this session.
Two unidentified individuals met briefly in the Oval Office for a short exchange that likely centered on administrative or social arrangements. The discussion touched upon matters of appreciation, personal availability, and the distribution of tickets. The encounter concluded without further substantive documentation or specific action items recorded.
President Richard Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Oval Office for a brief informal interaction. The exchange consisted of routine personal discourse rather than substantive policy deliberation or administrative decision-making. No significant political developments or official actions were recorded during this segment of their meeting.