Nixon White House Tapes › Topic
Nixon Tapes on Gift exchange
20 conversations · frequently with Nixon, White House photographer, Bull, Nidecker
President Nixon met with James Udall, Murray M. Chotiner, David N. Parker, and Raymond K. Price, Jr. to exchange pleasantries and present commemorative gifts during a brief White House visit. The casual discussion touched on various social topics, including a recent Life magazine article, mutual acquaintances such as Jimmy Stewart, and personal updates. The meeting concluded with the President extending an invitation to Udall and his wife, Lydia, for a future social evening at the White House.
President Nixon met with Senator Robert A. Taft, Jr., Richard Dusterberg, and Mrs. Dusterberg for a brief ceremonial encounter in the Oval Office. The primary purpose of the visit was a gift exchange, during which the Dusterbergs presented the President with inaugural medals related to a collaborative publication project involving the Library of Congress and the National Archives. Nixon reciprocated with presidential gifts before the group concluded their visit.
President Nixon met with Representative Manuel Lujan, Jr. and John E. Nidecker in the Oval Office for a brief, informal photo opportunity. The discussion centered on the exchange of gifts, specifically highlighting Lujan’s presentation of a ticket to a Little League baseball game to the President. This meeting served as a routine ceremonial engagement and concluded with the President reciprocating by presenting gifts to his guests.
President Nixon met with Stephen B. Bull and the DeMarco brothers, Frank and John, for an informal social visit in the Oval Office. The participants engaged in light conversation, exchanged gifts, and posed for photographs. The discussion touched briefly on sports, specifically commending baseball player Carl Yastrzemski for his advocacy work in anti-drug campaigns for high school students.
President Nixon met with his daughter, Tricia Nixon, along with Ann Coffin and photographer Howell Conant, to exchange gifts and discuss logistics for upcoming wedding photography. The group engaged in casual conversation regarding urban life in major American cities and the President's upcoming travel schedule. The discussion primarily served as a social prelude to planning portrait sessions for Tricia’s wedding, weighing the aesthetic and practical benefits of settings in California versus the White House.
President Nixon met with John McCowan, Alexander P. Butterfield, and White House photographer Oliver Atkins to facilitate a brief, cordial exchange of gifts and correspondence. During the meeting, the President presented McCowan with official pens and cufflinks while also arranging for the autographing of items for the visitor. The session concluded with the scheduling of a follow-up photograph and informal well-wishes regarding McCowan's travel plans.
President Nixon met with leaders of the Retail Clerks International Association, including James Suffridge, James Housewright, and William McGuire, alongside aide Charles W. Colson for a brief, ceremonial visit. The participants engaged in light conversation, exchanged gifts including golf balls and cuff links, and discussed a prayer shared by a local pastor. The interaction concluded with a photo opportunity and a brief discussion regarding a gift received from Saudi Arabia intended for the presidential library.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting in the Oval Office with Phoenix Mayor John W. Driggs, his wife, several of his sons, and Jon M. Huntsman. The conversation focused on social pleasantries, family history, and the presentation of a Phoenix centennial coin to the President, as well as an exchange of gifts. Before the group departed for a White House tour, Nixon offered brief words of encouragement to the mayor regarding his political efforts and upcoming testimony.
President Nixon held a brief, informal meeting with Alexander P. Butterfield and guests Christian de Guigne III and IV to exchange gifts and engage in light social conversation. The discussion covered the security challenges associated with potential presidential travel, including a proposed visit to Bohemian Grove, and touched upon regional politics and professional Bay Area sports, specifically the performance of Vida Blue and the San Francisco Giants. The meeting concluded after the presentation of commemorative gifts featuring the presidential seal.
President Nixon met with Senator John L. McClellan and Clark MacGregor to accept a ceremonial Bowie knife and exchange gifts before shifting the discussion to the recent leak of the Pentagon Papers. Nixon and his guests analyzed the implications of the unauthorized disclosure, comparing the publication of the classified documents by the press to the illegal sale of stolen property. They expressed frustration over the media's defense of the act as protected speech, framing the situation instead as a dangerous institutional threat that necessitated government censorship.
President Nixon met with A. Blaine Huntsman and Jon M. Huntsman in the Oval Office for a brief, ceremonial encounter. A White House photographer was present to document the session, which centered on the formal exchange of gifts, specifically golf balls. The meeting concluded after approximately one minute with no substantive policy matters discussed.
President Nixon held two separate brief, informal meetings in the Oval Office to host visitors including Sherman P. Lloyd, Marjorie Sharp, and the family of journalist Carroll Kilpatrick. These sessions primarily served ceremonial purposes, involving the exchange of gifts, photography sessions, and light conversation about regional backgrounds and university experiences. The President also engaged in casual discussions regarding medical practice, specifically emphasizing the importance of bedside manner and the high prevalence of psychosomatic illnesses in patient care.
President Nixon met with Alexander R. Larzelere and James D. Hughes to facilitate a ceremonial meeting and the presentation of gifts to Larzelere’s family. The discussion remained informal, focusing on the presence of the Coast Guard and the recognition of Larzelere’s professional background. The interaction concluded with the President ensuring that photographic mementos and copies of the event were provided to the attendees.
President Nixon met with his personal valet, Manolo Sanchez, in the Old Executive Office Building. The brief interaction centered on the President receiving a gold pen from Sanchez. The meeting concluded shortly thereafter as the two men departed the office together.
President Nixon met with his aide Stephen B. Bull to review logistical arrangements for an upcoming visit from Irish Ambassador William Warnock. The discussion focused on protocol for the meeting, including the coordination of a photograph and the exchange of gifts between the Ambassador and First Lady Pat Nixon. This brief briefing ensured the East Wing was prepared for the presentation and the reciprocal gift-giving process.
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the potential public relations fallout regarding the exchange of high-value gifts between the United States and the Soviet Union. Nixon emphasizes the need to frame the situation by highlighting the reciprocal nature of the gift-giving—specifically the trade of a Soviet hydrofoil for an American car—to mitigate concerns about ostentatiousness. The President instructs Haldeman to consult with staff to craft a narrative that frames these exchanges as balanced and diplomatic rather than extravagant.
President Nixon met with Cecelia D. Bellinger, Ann M. Morgan, and Raymond K. Price, Jr. to facilitate a brief ceremonial gathering in the Oval Office. During the meeting, the President presented gifts to the attendees while White House photographer Oliver F. Atkins documented the event. The interaction concluded quickly after the exchange of tokens and photographs.
President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon hosted the British Ambassador, George R. S. Baring (The Earl of Cromer), and his wife in the Oval Office for a diplomatic courtesy visit. The discussion primarily centered on the exchange of commemorative gifts, including a medal and a box associated with St. Paul’s Cathedral and architect Christopher Wren. The participants also reminisced about the President’s past visits to London and briefly compared the differences in campaign finance and electoral processes between the United States and the United Kingdom.
President Nixon met with NATO Secretary General Joseph M. A. Luns, accompanied by Donald Rumsfeld and Henry Kissinger, to conduct diplomatic discussions regarding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The meeting commenced with a formal photograph session and included an exchange of gifts, specifically cufflinks. While the majority of the policy discussions remain classified, the interaction served as a high-level engagement to maintain relations with the NATO leadership.
President Nixon met with Congressman Stanford E. Parris and a group of Virginia representatives to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Manassas, Virginia. The participants discussed the history of the Manassas battlefield and exchanged ceremonial gifts, including commemorative coins for the presidential library and presidential cuff links. The meeting served as a brief formal engagement to acknowledge the delegation's support for the administration.