Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 911 › Conversation 911-006

Nixon & Kissinger on Personnel appointments and David Packard

Thursday, May 3, 1973 · 9:31 AM–9:36 AM ET · Oval Office · 5 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation911-006 on Tape 911StartThursday, May 3, 1973 at 9:31 AMEndThursday, May 3, 1973 at 9:36 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 911-006 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss high-level personnel appointments and administrative staffing, specifically evaluating candidates like David Packard and Kenneth Rush for key roles. The discussion centered on Packard's potential hesitance regarding his stock holdings and his stance on U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe, as well as the political implications of considering John B. Connally. Ultimately, Nixon and Kissinger agreed that Kissinger would pressure Packard to accept a position before his departure, with the understanding that Rush would serve as the secondary choice for the assignment.

Audio

Download MP3 · 9.5 MB

Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Oh, yeah, Rogers, you know, the legal language will be in all years.
Also to, uh, John Sennett, he said we'd like him.
But I don't mean to go into complications.
Oh, no, no, sir.
I know it's a terribly difficult situation because the law apparently hasn't changed.
You see, uh, I had the impression when I talked to him outside for a minute that he was going to try to do it.
with you.
There's only not that one other man that we could have, which means we'll have to think of another direction for our purposes.
I think it would be Rush.
I agree.
I thought that too.
So, uh, shall we?
I will hear from him late today or in the morning.
And if it's all right with you, let's go with Rush.
Now, Rush would be a good member of the team.
Oh, yeah.
That's true.
And, uh, that will keep you up for the other thing, which is
I'd rather have Park, I'd rather have Paget, because you know Paget.
Well, I know Rush, too.
Paget wants to go through with us.
You know that Paget really wants to go through with us.
Rush there.
That's why I think Paget.
He's in the wings.
You can't take Casey, Secretary of State.
No.
I guess we don't want Connolly.
Well, there's a lot to be said.
I mean, I couldn't work with Connolly, not because I don't like him.
I think he'd be an outstanding president.
But I'd be glad to serve with him if he were president.
But I don't see that Connolly would tolerate my operation.
Well, I think he would tolerate it.
He would be tolerating the president.
That's what it's basically.
He's basically a number one man, I don't know.
That's right.
So the trouble with Connolly would be that if he came in, he would, he should, it should be clear, whatever he takes, he'll... Well, let me ask you this, Dr. Dickman and Henry.
If you could be here, sort of be on top of the... You see, I went to the floor, trying to get my little rest.
You must.
And I don't have a... None of you.
Would you, would you then, just between us, let's, let's, let's decide that we, I'll call you when we make the... Well, I'll be in Moscow.
With Rush?
Rush is fine.
Rush would be good.
I mean, he would be very good.
Packet, you know, wants to pull about half our troops out of Europe, but we just have to overrule them.
But that Packet would be honorable, decent.
I have the impression that he was going to take it.
I think he'll take it, Mr. President.
I think he'll take it, but I don't...
He says he doesn't even work at the stock company.
Look, would you... Would you do this before he goes, or he's still around here?
Son, look, the word at the stock company, you've got to do it.
Don't be just desperate.
Would you hit that word again before you leave?
What time do you leave?
Oh, none until midnight.
I figured out that.
Would you get a hold of Packer sometime today and say, Mr. President...
He's not a man that puts arms up.
They've got to do their job.
Right.
Put it on his heart and he can't do that.
Absolutely.
And if he doesn't do it, it'll go with rush.
Right.
Exactly.
By the time you get back, we'll have all problems in the world set on fire.
No, I... No, no, just...
I'm coming back Thursday.
Well, you're not going to do that.
I'll do him the following week.
I'll go over for three days, etc.
I thought I should be able to...
We have to hear from them.
I don't think it will ever work out in time.
Okay.
All right, thanks.
Good luck with your day.
All right.

NARA Description

On May 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:31 am to 9:36 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 911-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 911-6

Date: May 3, 1973
Time: 9:31 am - 9:36 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

       President’s previous meeting with David Packard
              -Packard’s forthcoming conversations
                      -William P. Rogers, Elliot L. Richardson and John C. Stennis
              -Finances
                      -Impact of legislation
              -Possible position with administration

       [David] Kenneth Rush
              -Kissinger
              -William J. Casey [?]
              -Packard
                      -Kissinger
                      -US troop withdrawal from Europe
              -[State Department]
              -Secretary of State
                      -Casey

       John B. Connally
              -Kissinger
                     -Presidential potential
                                                 -12-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No. 911-33 (cont’d)

                       -Tolerance

       President’s forthcoming trip to Florida
              -Rest

       Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Moscow

       Rush
               -Kissinger’s approval

       Packard
              -US troop withdrawal from Europe
                     -Compared with Rush

       Kissinger’s conversations with Packard
              -Packard’s possible role with administration
              -Stock issue [?]

       Rush

       Kissinger’s schedule
              -Le Duc Tho
              -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] [?]

       President’s schedule
              -Radio speech

Kissinger left at 9:36 am.

Also recorded on May 3, 1973

  • 911-002 8:51 AM · 18 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Richard G. Kleindienst met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:51 am to 9:09 am.
  • 911-003 9:09 AM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:09 am and 9:11 am.
  • 911-004 9:11 AM · 17 min — President Richard M. Nixon, David Packard, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:11 am to 9:30 am.
  • 911-005 9:30 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 9:31 am.
  • 911-007 9:36 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:36 am and 9:48 am.
  • 911-008 9:36 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:36 am and 9:48 am.
  • 911-009 9:48 AM · 37 min — President Richard M. Nixon, David K. E. Bruce, White House photographer, members of the press, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:48 am to 10:12 am.
  • 045-156 10:12 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:13 am.

All 42 conversations from May 3, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 911-006, May 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/911-006 (accessed October 15, 2026).