Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 882
Nixon White House Tape 882 (March 17, 1973)
14 conversations · Oval Office · about 3 hr 9 min of released audio
Featuring Nixon, Haldeman, Woods, Bull, Haig
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual in the Oval Office to briefly discuss his official schedule. The meeting concluded quickly, with the visitor departing shortly before 10:14 am. No substantive policy matters or major decisions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual to discuss the performance and recent activities of White House Counsel John W. Dean, III. The brief exchange resulted in the President offering a commendation for Dean's work. The conversation highlights the President's ongoing oversight of his legal staff during a period of escalating political pressure.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review and manage the presidential schedule, including adjusting upcoming appointments and public appearances. The discussion centered on postponing a veterans' speech, coordinating meetings regarding court reform and economic legislation, and arranging briefings with George P. Shultz. Nixon emphasized clearing his calendar of specific minor events to prioritize key meetings and labor-management discussions.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office to coordinate the arrival of White House Counsel John W. Dean III. The dialogue primarily concerns the logistics of Dean's whereabouts and efforts to locate him. The exchange confirms that staff members were actively facilitating a meeting between the President and Dean, though no substantive policy discussions occurred during this window.
President Nixon initiates a brief request for the White House operator to connect him with General Alexander Haig. This interaction serves as a routine administrative step to facilitate a direct line of communication with his chief military advisor. No further substantive policy matters or decisions were recorded during this brief exchange.
President Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. coordinated a brief meeting to take place later that morning at 11:00. The participants briefly touched upon the status of their current agenda and the involvement of staff members, including someone identified as Bobby. The primary objective of the interaction was to finalize scheduling for their subsequent substantive discussion.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman engaged in a brief, distress-filled interaction in the Oval Office. The participants expressed immediate alarm, as evidenced by an exclamation regarding a significant, though unidentified, development. This brief exchange reflects the high-pressure environment of the administration during this period of intensifying crisis.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to coordinate White House scheduling, public relations, and political strategy. They discussed establishing a regular bi-weekly schedule for meetings with Congressional leaders and cabinet members to maximize efficiency and political impact. Additionally, they reviewed historical polling data to analyze the correlation between televised events, foreign trips, and public support, ultimately deciding to rely on strategic, high-impact televised appearances rather than frequent, low-value activities.
President Nixon met briefly with his personal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, to discuss his daily schedule. The exchange was limited to a brief arrival confirmation, lasting only one minute before Woods departed. No significant policy decisions or substantive actions were recorded during this brief encounter.
Following an initial social segment with Pat Nixon and guests regarding White House events and gifts, the President met with Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler to discuss administration strategy. They analyzed the political landscape surrounding rising food prices, focusing on shifting the narrative to emphasize farmer cooperation in increasing production. The conversation also shifted to Watergate, where Nixon and Ziegler assessed the impact of recent press conferences on cooling Senate investigations and discussed Henry Kissinger’s problematic press relations as highlighted in a recent book by Henry Brandon.
President Nixon met with an unidentified individual to specifically address the schedule of White House Counsel John W. Dean, III. The brief encounter focused on coordinating or reviewing Dean's itinerary amidst the growing tensions surrounding the Watergate investigation. No further details are available regarding specific directives, though the focus on Dean's movements underscores the administration's heightened scrutiny of its legal staff during this period.
In this meeting, President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, and John Dean discussed strategies for managing the unfolding Watergate scandal and associated congressional investigations. They focused on ways to contain the political fallout, including potentially limiting the scope of Senator Sam Ervin's hearings and establishing a favorable narrative regarding the White House's lack of prior knowledge. Additionally, the participants reviewed legislative priorities with Wilbur Mills regarding tax and trade policy and considered the political utility of providing access to presidential records for sympathetic journalists.
Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office to confirm President Nixon’s location, noting that he was at the Executive Office Building. This brief exchange served as an operational status update regarding the President's whereabouts during the workday. No further substantive policy matters were recorded before the brief segment concluded.
President Nixon met with unidentified individuals to discuss travel logistics and the conclusion of a specific itinerary or project. Rose Mary Woods briefly joined the participants to coordinate the President's upcoming schedule. The discussion remained brief and administrative in nature, focusing primarily on travel arrangements.