Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Disaster relief
15 conversations · frequently with Nixon, Bull, Haldeman, Lincoln
President Nixon and General George A. Lincoln discuss the federal response to a severe drought in Texas, weighing the implications of a full disaster declaration versus narrower agricultural relief. Nixon expresses concern that a full declaration would trigger unmanageable unemployment claims and complicate the status of migratory workers. Ultimately, Nixon directs Lincoln to have Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin coordinate with Senator John Tower, prioritizing a swift, politically advantageous release of aid information.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman to discuss strategies for tightening executive control, specifically ordering a mass resignation of all government holdovers—excluding J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Helms—prior to the next school year. Nixon directed the administration to increase its public visibility regarding disaster relief and mandated that Secretary of State William P. Rogers publicly defend administration policies on Vietnam and Laos during his upcoming press conference. Furthermore, the President expressed intense frustration with staff performance and internal dissent, ordering the immediate dismissal of specific personnel in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and urging a purge of disloyal staffers at the United Nations.
President Nixon met with Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin, General George A. Lincoln, and Peter Flanigan to coordinate a strategic response to a severe drought in Texas and Oklahoma. The President emphasized that the administration must appear highly responsive and concerned to mitigate political fallout, even if a full disaster declaration was not yet legally or fiscally advisable. Nixon directed the team to facilitate a high-profile visit to the region, including securing appropriate aircraft and media presence, to reassure farmers and political allies like John Connally and John Tower that the administration was proactively exhausting all available relief channels.
President Nixon consulted with Congressman George H. Mahon regarding an upcoming visit by Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin and General George A. Lincoln to evaluate the drought conditions in Texas. While the administration aimed to provide assistance through loans, grain, and feed, Nixon explicitly rejected declaring the region a major disaster to avoid setting a broad federal precedent. Mahon expressed his support for this approach, agreeing that federal over-commitment should be avoided while maintaining necessary support for the cattle market.
President Nixon consulted with Alexander P. Butterfield to coordinate a potential last-minute visit to a flood-stricken area in West Virginia while en route to Florida. The President emphasized the need to gather logistical details from staff—including Darrell M. Trent, General George A. Lincoln, and Senator Robert C. Byrd—without prematurely raising public expectations. Butterfield was tasked with confirming the feasibility and specific location of the stop to ensure a smooth, low-profile excursion.
President Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield discussed the logistical feasibility and political implications of a potential presidential trip to assess flood damage in West Virginia. Butterfield provided a detailed breakdown of flight times and the limited activity in the disaster zone, noting the presence of refugees and reconstruction crews. Ultimately, Nixon decided against the visit due to the lack of substantive purpose and the political sensitivity surrounding the cause of the dam failure. The conversation concluded with a brief mention of upcoming travel plans to Key Biscayne.
President Nixon held a wide-ranging series of meetings with advisors and staff to discuss economic policy, pending legislation, and emergency disaster responses. Key discussions included plans to reduce government stockpiles, the political implications of food prices and busing legislation, and the federal government's mobilization efforts following Hurricane Agnes and the Rapid City flooding. The session also incorporated administrative coordination for upcoming film projects involving the President and members of the Wolper Organization.
President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman, Charles Colson, and Henry Kissinger to coordinate administration strategy regarding the 1972 reelection campaign, foreign policy outreach, and logistical planning for upcoming domestic travel. The group discussed utilizing surrogate outreach to build bipartisan support for the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) and managing the President's visits to flood-stricken areas in Wilkes-Barre and Elmira to highlight disaster relief legislation. Additionally, Nixon emphasized the need for aggressive political tactics—specifically the use of derogatory campaign literature linking opponents to George McGovern—and reviewed economic data concerning food prices and inflation with his staff.
President Nixon and Charles W. Colson discussed the need to improve public relations support for Frank C. Carlucci regarding disaster relief efforts in Pennsylvania. The conversation shifted to political strategy, specifically managing Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird’s public comments on the all-volunteer army and Vietnam policy to avoid credibility issues. Nixon directed Colson to control the timing of these announcements, favoring a mid-September rollout, while also coordinating a response to political attacks from George McGovern and Democratic figures like W. Averell Harriman and Cyrus R. Vance.
President Nixon directs Stephen B. Bull to urgently coordinate a visit to Nicaragua to provide earthquake relief and demonstrate personal support for the victims. Nixon intends to arrive with a substantial financial donation and plans to visit devastated areas via helicopter while minimizing press fanfare. He instructs Bull to bypass the State Department and senior staff, tasking only Col. Richard T. Kennedy of the NSC with facilitating the logistics for a departure the following morning.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull coordinate the logistics for a trip to Nicaragua to provide earthquake relief. Nixon plans to depart immediately following the funeral of Harry S. Truman to ensure he arrives in the region by late afternoon. The President intends to conduct a helicopter tour of the disaster area, interact directly with survivors, and deliver aid.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discuss the feasibility of a presidential visit to Managua, Nicaragua, following a devastating earthquake. Nixon expresses his desire to visit refugee centers to demonstrate American concern, while Bull raises concerns that a high-level visit might disrupt ongoing evacuation efforts. Ultimately, the President directs Bull to coordinate with Ambassador Turner Shelton and provide a definitive recommendation the following morning, with a tentative plan to depart on December 29th.
President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed the relief efforts following the recent earthquake in Nicaragua, specifically noting Ambassador Turner B. Shelton's gratitude for the administration's support. Nixon also provided instructions to facilitate follow-up telephone communications with Maurice J. Williams. Furthermore, the President emphasized maintaining discretion regarding his prior contacts with Williams, requesting that this information not be shared with Gerald L. Warren.
President Nixon calls Maurice J. Williams while he is on vacation to appoint him to lead the U.S. relief mission to Nicaragua following a devastating earthquake. Nixon grants Williams full authority to coordinate all government and volunteer agencies and emphasizes the necessity of managing public relations to highlight the U.S. aid effort throughout Latin America. Williams is instructed to leverage his discretion in staffing and reporting, with Nixon noting that Ambassador Turner B. Shelton would provide local support.
President Nixon recruited Maurice J. Williams to lead a high-level humanitarian mission in response to a crisis, tasking him with coordinating efforts across both government and volunteer agencies. Nixon emphasized that Williams should maintain a high media profile to highlight U.S. aid efforts, specifically for both domestic and Pan-American audiences. The President directed Williams to provide brief, regular updates while managing the complex inter-agency response to the disaster.