Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 879
Nixon White House Tape 879 (March 14, 1973 – March 15, 1973)
6 conversations · Oval Office · about 1 hr 19 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Shepard, Acree, Seeley, Boulad
President Nixon met with Customs officials and staff, including Vernon D. Acree, to acknowledge a significant heroin seizure and commend the agents' efforts in drug interdiction. The discussion focused on the impact of drug trafficking on American lives, with Nixon highlighting the need for stricter drug laws, including mandatory sentencing and limited probation. The President also emphasized the importance of aggressive federal enforcement and expressed his personal appreciation for the agents' work and risks.
President Nixon held a brief, informal exchange with a White House operator. The conversation focused on social pleasantries and the operator's well-being. No substantive policy decisions or administrative actions were recorded during this interaction.
President Nixon held a brief, unscheduled exchange with John A. Scali, his newly appointed Ambassador to the United Nations, to touch base regarding his recent appointment. The conversation lasted only one minute and appears to have served as an informal check-in rather than a substantive policy discussion. No significant developments or specific action items were recorded during this brief interaction.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office with an unidentified individual, possibly a member of the Navy. The conversation consisted of a single directive from the President to convey a message of encouragement for the unnamed subject to "keep on living." No other substantive policy or political discussions were captured during this short encounter.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate the White House's public relations strategy, focusing on managing upcoming veteran-related events, Prisoners of War (POW) ceremonies, and appearances by the President. They discussed the logistics of balancing high-profile social events with press access, specifically aiming to mitigate negative press while maintaining a controlled public image. Additionally, the pair evaluated the effectiveness of recent presidential communication strategies, debating the merits of televised press conferences versus speeches to Congress to regain control over domestic policy narratives.
The Oval Office taping system recorded an interaction involving unknown individuals and United States Secret Service agents. Due to the lack of an available transcript or specific contextual markers, the precise purpose and content of this meeting remain unidentified. The recording serves primarily as an administrative artifact confirming the physical presence of security personnel within the executive space during this period.