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Conversation 900-009

TapeTape 900StartWednesday, April 18, 1973 at 12:12 PMEndWednesday, April 18, 1973 at 12:20 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Volpe, John A.;  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office
AudioNARA Description

On April 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, John A. Volpe, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:12 pm to 12:20 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 900-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 900-9

Date: April 18, 1973
Time: 12:12 pm - 12:20 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John A. Volpe.
                                       -19-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                 (rev. July-2012)

                                                         Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)

[Rainer Barzel’s meeting with President]
     -West Germany
           -Willy Brandt

Poland [?]
     -News story [?]

Volpe’s activities
     -Giulio Andreotti
            -Luncheon
            -Strength
     -Meetings with Italian political leaders, ambassadors [?]
            -Aldo Moro, Amitore Fanfani, and Emilio Colombo
                   -Informality

Ambassadorship to Poland
    -Polish ancestry
    -Recommendations
          -Sent to Henry A. Kissinger
          -Federal Bureau of Investigations [FBI]
    -Gen. Leo John Dulacki
          -Biography for President
    -Duties
          -Part-time arrangement
          -Military service
                 -Retirement
    -Dombrowski
          -John Cardinal Krol
                 -Recommendations
    -President of Polish-American alliance
          -Alyosius Mujeski
          -Political career
          -Polish-American Congress
    -Volpe’s meetings
          -Luncheons
                 -Adm. [First name unknown] Wright [?]
                                                -20-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       (rev. July-2012)

                                                             Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)

                      -Bishop [First name unknown] Mancincris
                 -Catholicism

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:12 pm.

     President’s schedule
           -Telephone call from Spiro T. Agnew

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:20 pm.

     Italy-Vatican relations
           -Press relations
                 -Italy
           -Andreotti

     Andreotti
          -Strength as Prime Minister
                -Compared to Alcide De Gasperi, Fanfani, Columbo

     Italian government
            -Andreotti
                 -Strength

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National security]
[Duration: 2 m 23 s ]

     ITALIAN DOMESTIC POLITICS
                                             -21-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       (rev. July-2012)

                                                            Conversation No. 900-9 (cont’d)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************

Volpe left at 12:20 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

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.

Get out of the car.
I see him.
You see, he's the leader of the only good Germans.
The Bronx.
That's all he's got.
Well, if he knows that he'll be in, he's only going to be in unless he sees me.
Yeah, this is good.
Oh, yeah, they had him this morning.
This is all very difficult in his presence.
This is an experience I...
I shall perish for the rest of my life.
I'm not going to waste any time just telling you that it's been just a fascinating experience and awfully hard work.
I haven't slowed down, I haven't stopped to do it, but I have really made the rounds, and the prime minister, I had the lunch with Bill, and he just said, that's just a job we're doing, you know.
Oh, he's the first strong prime minister we've had.
I visited him in three weeks.
I spent an hour with him.
Well, it was Craig and Conrad.
No, they're not going to pass it.
They should have visited me.
They're going to pass it.
You know, you never even get to see me.
And so I've seen every one of them before in my life.
And I've seen Morrow.
I've seen Hunter Brown.
All the old, old people.
So, you know, they're crumbled.
Of course, I spent an hour with him.
And these have been honored.
And now, now, and now, and now, and now, and now, and now, and now.
And it's the man.
And it's just man to man, you know.
There's no nothing.
Of course, they let their hair down.
I said, look, take my hat off as an ambassador now.
Yeah.
That's, you know, what do you have to do with that?
But I settled with that.
Now, remember you and I talked about Polish, American, Polish ancestry.
I sent two names to Henry, which he's, I think, sent to the FBI.
And one of them is a...
I did it about ten days ago.
One of them is a General Dulackey.
And I'll leave you his file, Mr. President.
He's still in the service.
It's a question, Mr. President, of whether you want to maintain it still as a part-time post with a man coming over every couple of months, six weeks...
I suppose this is probably about the only way... Only way you could go without raising hell.
Raising hell.
Now, a man in the service, I don't imagine that would be possible unless he retired first.
He's in the service now?
He's still a gentleman in the service, yes.
I say they're both damned as men.
These credentials are excellent.
I've checked this out with Cardinal Crowe and a few people who want to know, and Cardinal Crowe, these two men in particular, he recommended very, very, very highly.
Very highly.
Now, there are others like Aloysius Majewski, you know, the president of the Polish-American Alliance.
But these two people here are not associated with any of the groups.
They're well-known by the groups, but they're not pro-Polish-American Alliance or pro-Polish-American Congress and so forth.
And they, neither one of them, I'd say that the boss looks awfully good to me, and I have watched that operation a little bit.
I've talked to Cardinal Wright, I had lunch with him.
Ah, you're right.
I had lunch with Bishop Monsinkas at the Fielder.
At the old college.
And I've seen Cardinal Ramon, he'll be a tremendous help to me.
I've had him at the... You ought to do the best you can.
Well, I will be, sir.
Hale, let's face it, you can't do it.
They have this separation.
You tell your government, good job, John.
You're a Catholic.
You don't want to use it.
You ought to kill it there.
Well, I will be able to, Mr. President, with your permission, but at least for me, I'll see.
Vice President, shall we go to the first meeting?
Just wanted to talk to you.
Yeah, just a minute.
It's a simple check, John.
I was just going to talk to you.
Ah, just this, uh, I think it's a question of...
I think it's a question of...
I think it's a question of...
But I said, that doesn't mean that there's a Captain Lehman.
No, no, sir.
I have all done it.
Don't forget it.
Don't let them convince you.
You're good.
You're good.
I play it right flat out.
And you tell me what I want to do.
that somebody's got to report to the back of the mix.
This guy's from the back.
He is the best crime in the history of his history.
The best.
And you told me, I said that.
I told you that this morning, almost.
But I know the rest.
I know Bon Bon and Columbo and all the rest.
But this guy is a cut above them all.
He's a character, a character, too.
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