Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 876
Nixon White House Tape 876 (March 12, 1973)
14 conversations · Oval Office · about 6 hr 33 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Bull, Kissinger, Haldeman, Kleindienst
President Nixon dictated a memorandum to H.R. Haldeman outlining a strategy to utilize the presidential box at the Kennedy Center for outreach. The plan instructs Haldeman and William E. Timmons to coordinate the attendance of members of Congress, cabinet officers, and White House staff over a 60-day period. This initiative aimed to foster political relations by ensuring the box was consistently occupied by influential guests.
President Nixon held a meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual, during which Rose Mary Woods served as the recording secretary for the session. While the specific transcript is unavailable, the meeting took place amidst a period of intense focus on administrative management and internal White House operations. The engagement concluded before 9:30 am, though the substantive content of the discussion remains undocumented due to the lack of a surviving transcript.
President Nixon held a brief, high-level discussion with an unidentified male visitor in the Oval Office. The dialogue, which appears to conclude with a directive regarding Henry A. Kissinger, remains largely fragmentary due to the limited transcript. The conversation highlights the President's focused administrative oversight and reliance on Kissinger for ongoing policy matters.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss a wide range of international issues, focusing on the recent election results in France, ongoing concerns in Cambodia and Vietnam, and the strategic complexities of the "three-corner" relationship between the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China. They reviewed U.S. military responses to cease-fire violations, including planned B-52 strikes, and the necessity of managing Congressional and public opinion regarding Vietnam. Additionally, the pair discussed long-term foreign policy philosophy, the importance of retaining sensitive diplomatic records for security, and the challenge of maintaining their unique geopolitical strategy after they leave office.
President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule, focusing on state visits, foreign policy, and domestic priorities. They discussed specific ambassadorial appointments—most notably for Germany and Taiwan—and planned the sequence of visits for international leaders including the Shah of Iran, Willy Brandt, and African heads of state to build momentum before the USSR summit. Additionally, the group reviewed strategies for managing the press, addressing congressional relations, and navigating domestic economic concerns, with Nixon emphasizing the need for his staff to focus on capitalizing on opportunities rather than merely managing crises.
President Nixon consulted with an unidentified individual regarding background information pertaining to Adele Rogers. The discussion focused on gathering specific details about Rogers, though the transcript remains too fragmentary to ascertain the broader strategic purpose of the inquiry. No further concrete actions or substantive policy decisions were documented during this brief exchange.
President Nixon consulted with an unidentified individual regarding a scheduled or prospective phone call to Adele Rogers St. Johns. The brief discussion centered on the logistics of the call, including the timing and potential concerns regarding service or protocol. No significant policy decisions were reached during this short interaction.
President Nixon hosted a meeting with family members of Frank Tummillo and federal agent Thomas Devine to present the Henry L. Manfredi Award and honor the service of law enforcement officers in the war on narcotics. During the ceremony, Nixon drew parallels between the fight against drug traffickers and the war in Vietnam, emphasizing the importance of legislative measures, including potential death penalty provisions for drug pushers. Following the departure of the families, Nixon and Attorney General Richard Kleindienst transitioned to a brief discussion regarding upcoming administrative scheduling and the status of pending crime legislation.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his upcoming schedule, including meetings with Congressional leaders, a planned farewell call to John J. McCloy regarding his resignation from the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and a briefing with Hermann Kahn. The conversation also covered administrative details for the President’s public events, specifically regarding the handling of drug enforcement personnel and protocol for White House reception lines. Nixon provided instructions to Bull on streamlining these social duties to improve efficiency and personal comfort during official engagements.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull to review a list of individuals, specifically inquiring about those who remained. The brief exchange focused on vetting personnel or associates, as evidenced by the President's request to identify the remaining names. No specific decisions were finalized during this short window, though the discussion served as a follow-up on staffing or administrative personnel matters.
President Nixon met with Colonel Robinson Risner, a recently returned prisoner of war, to discuss the conditions of his captivity in North Vietnam and the strategic rationale behind U.S. bombing campaigns. Risner provided detailed accounts of the brutal torture, isolation, and psychological tactics employed by North Vietnamese guards, as well as the POWs' resilient efforts to maintain communication and morale. The conversation also touched upon the necessity of providing reconstruction aid to North Vietnam as a pragmatic tool to guarantee the ceasefire and maintain U.S. influence, and the President sought Risner’s perspective on handling the small number of POWs accused of collaboration.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review his daily schedule and manage routine administrative tasks, including signing disaster assistance documents for Texas. The two discussed a scheduled telephone call from Julie Nixon Eisenhower and logistics regarding the President’s upcoming meetings with returning Prisoners of War. No major policy shifts occurred, as the session focused primarily on managing the President's public engagements and correspondence.
President Nixon met with Captain Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr. to discuss the experiences of American Prisoners of War (POWs) and plan a welcoming reception at the White House. The conversation focused on the personal resilience of POWs, the importance of an honorable conclusion to the Vietnam War, and the strategic necessity of U.S. involvement in global affairs to counter Soviet and Chinese influence. Nixon also solicited Denton's insights on the psychological endurance required during captivity and finalized logistical arrangements for an upcoming dinner honoring the returned servicemen.
President Nixon met with unidentified individuals in the Oval Office to conduct official business, though the specific nature of the discussion remains undocumented due to the lack of an available transcript. The interaction took place during a mid-afternoon block of time, concluding before 3:06 pm. Because no audio record or descriptive log of the subject matter exists, the historical purpose and specific outcomes of this meeting cannot be determined.