President Nixon met with George H. W. Bush to discuss Republican candidate recruitment and election strategy for the 1974 cycle. The two reviewed primary race scenarios, including potential endorsements and the necessity of managing internal party conflicts, specifically regarding House and Senate campaigns. They also discussed the administration's policy on dispersing campaign funds through a candidate trust fund and reviewed controversial ambassadorial appointment processes.
On March 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and George H. W. Bush met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:00 am and 11:16 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 878-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 878-5
Date: March 13, 1973
Time: Unknown between 11:00 am and 11:05 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Stephen B. Bull.
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President’s schedule
-George H. W. Bush
Golf clubs
-Location
-Burning Tree Country Club
-Charity events
-MacGregors
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President's meeting with Bush
-Arrival
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Golf clubs
-Location
-Key Biscayne
-San Clemente
-Burning Tree Country Club
-MacGregors
-Arnold D. Palmer
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)
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President's schedule
-Meeting
-Tax increase
-Bryce N. Harlow
-John Burns [?]
-Allen Wallace [?]
-Announcement
-Meeting of Agriculture Department leadership
-Foreign service wives
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Meeting with John J. McCloy
Bush entered and Bull left at 11:05 am.
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Republican candidates
-Illinois senate race
-John Anderson
-President’s commitment to Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Rumsfeld
-Philip M. Crane
-Decision to run
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-Poll
-Primary
-President’s conversation with Robert W. Galvin
-Stag dinner
-Adlai E. Stevenson, III
-Vulnerability
-Rumsfeld
-Work with White House
-Capability
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)
-Galvin
-Anderson
-Bush’s message
-President’s commitment to Rumsfeld
-Abilities
-Commitments
-Rumsfeld
-Need for decision
-Primary
-Anderson
-Power in House of Representatives
-Liberalism
-Rumsfeld
-Abilities
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Republic candidates
-New Jersey governor’s race
-William T. Cahill
-Bush's conversation with John N. Mitchell
-Internal Revenue Service [IRS] check by John D. Ehrlichman
-Campaign contributions
-Joseph McCrane
-State treasurer
-Son-in-law
-Money laundering
-Race track window
-Charles Sandman
-Justice Department
-Publicity
-Linwood Holton
-Endorsement questions
-Mitchell
-Rumsfeld
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)
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-California senate race
-President’s endorsement in primary
-Robert H. Finch
-Governor
-Rumsfeld
-Finch
-Anderson
-Primary endorsements
-New York mayor’s race
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Talk with Alex Rose
-[First name unknown] Wagner
-John G. Schmitz
-Rejoining Republican Party
-“Bircher”
-Attacks on President in 1972 campaign
-John B. Connally
-Image
-Candidacy against incumbent Congress member
-California
-John Birch Society
-President’s opposition
Republican Party
-Committee to Reelect the President [CRP]
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s suggestions
-Data
-Funds
-Bush’s conversation with Maurice H. Stans
-Republican National Committee [RNC]
-Use
-Future campaigns
-Incumbents
-Congressional campaign committees
-Clarence J. (“Bud”) Brown, Jr.
-Dinner
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)
-Work with Bush
-Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
-Meeting
-Announcement
-Gerald R. Ford
-Robert Michel
-Brown
-Reorganization
-Staff
-Wilson
-Meeting with President and Bush
-Michel
-William E. Brock, III
-Work with incumbents
-Candidate recruitment
-Brown
-Reorganization
-Michel
-Role of RNC staff
-1972 election
-Brown’s analysis
-Candidates’ age
-Women candidates
-South Carolina
-Candidate recruitment
-Outside of Washington, DC
-Local districts
-Work with state chairmen
-Quality of advice
-Galvin, Leslie C. Arends
-California
-CRP funds
-Demands
-Plans for dispersal
-New candidates for 1974 election
-Emphasis on House of Representatives
-Expense of Senate candidates
-Candidate trust fund
-President’s approval
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)
-Haldeman
-RNC
-Importance of Bush’s position
-Contrasted with United Nations [UN]
-Internal conflicts
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Ambassadorial appointments
-Financial contributors
-Stans
-Amounts
-Haldeman’s role
-Germany
-William P. Rogers conversation with Bush
-Concerns
-Stans
-Jerry S. Jones
-Robert L. Vesco
Bush’s schedule
-Speech
Gridiron dinner
-Bush's attendance
-George S. McGovern's performance
-Quality
-Democrats
-Internal divisions
-George Meany
Bush left at 11:16 am.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
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Conversation No. 878-5 (cont’d)This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.