Conversation 531-015

TapeTape 531StartMonday, June 28, 1971 at 4:56 PMEndMonday, June 28, 1971 at 5:07 PMTape start time00:33:03Tape end time00:33:35ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office

President Nixon met with Treasury Secretary John Connally and Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur Burns to coordinate the administration's economic policy and messaging. The discussion focused on establishing a unified stance on wage and price controls, tax legislation, and fiscal stimulation to combat inflation. They emphasized the need for disciplined public communication, specifically designating Connally as the primary administration spokesman to prevent conflicting signals from officials like Burns.

Economic PolicyWage and Price ControlsInflationTax LegislationFiscal PolicyAdministration Spokesman

On June 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:56 pm and 5:07 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 531-015 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 531-15

Date: June 28, 1971
Time: Unknown between 4:56 pm and 5:07 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     President's schedule
           -Barber

          -Upcoming meeting

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:07 pm.

                                                                       Conversation
                                                                       Conv. No. 531-31
                                                                                    No. 531-16
                                                                                        (cont.)

Date: June 28, 1971
Time: 5:07 pm - 5:58 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John B. Connally and Arthur F. Burns.

     Greetings

     Refreshments

     National economy
          -Burns’ letter to President
          -Wage and price controls
          -Taxes
          -Inflation
          -Fiscal stimulation
                -Tax issue
                -Government spending
                -Taxes
                      -Acceleration of personal exemption
                      -Corporate tax
                      -Depreciation allowance
                            -Hearings
                            -Connally's conversation with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
                            -Possible lawsuit
                                  -Common Cause
                                  -Ralph Nader
                            -Effect on tax receipts
                            -Creation of jobs
                      -Investment tax credit
                            -Burns’ view
                      -Personal income tax
          -Prospects for tax legislation

      -Wilbur D. Mills
            -Conversation with Burns
            -Revenue-sharing
            -Political ambitions
            -Health
      -1971, 1972
-President's comments to Cabinet
      -Connally as spokesman
      -Quadriad
-Need for single administration spokesman
      -Burns
-Burns’ relationship with President
      -William McChesney Martin's relationships with Dwight D. Eisenhower,
            Lyndon B. Johnson, and John F. Kennedy
-Connally as administration spokesman
      -James G. Hodgson
      -George W. Romney
      -Maurice H. Stans
      -Impact of Burns’ statements
-Responsibility
      -President
      -Advisors
            -Joseph W. Martin, Jr.'s comments
      -President's work habits
-President's policy
      -Jawboning
      -Forthcoming meeting with steel industry representatives
      -Possible settlements
            -Connally
      -President’s meeting with the Productivity Council
      -Federal budget
            -Accelerated public works
                  -Forthcoming veto
            -Teenage unemployment
            -Forthcoming veto
                  -Reasons
                  -Inflation
            -Pending legislation
                  -Blue-collar workers
            -Federal salaries
                  -Post Office

                       -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount
                 -Forthcoming veto
                       -Wage and price control
                 -Comparison with construction workers
     -Wage and price board, freeze
     -Firmness
     -Jawboning
           -Quota legislation from Congress
           -Balance of trade
     -Discipline within administration
     -President's schedule
     -Fiscal year 1973 budget
           -Camp David meeting
           -Difficulties
     -Discipline in public comments
           -Burns
                 -Monetary policy
                 -Wage and price controls
                 -Taxes
                 -Budget
                 -New economic policy
                 -Need for unity in position
           -Connally
                 -Articulation of policy
-New York Times article
     -Burns’ Pepperdine College address
           -Impact
-Burns’ conversation with President
     -Economic policy
     -Dissemination of Burns’ views
     -Public statements
-Burns’ Pepperdine College speech
-Burns’ forthcoming Congressional testimony
     -Wage and price controls
-Burns
     -Integrity
     -Role
     -Views on incomes policy
-Wage and price controls
     -John J. Sparkman's possible hearing
           -William Proxmire

            -Burns’ forthcoming testimony
                  -President's support
                  -Expression of views
-Burns’ testimony
      -Possible statement
-Incomes policy
      -David M. Kennedy's comments
      -Impact of events
-Wage and price controls
-President's responsibility
      -Burns’ policy
            -Effect on President's policy
-Burns’ comments
      -Possible public perception
-Connally as administration spokesman
-Martin's comments on federal budgets
-Burns’ comments on incomes policy
      -Forthcoming testimony
            -Incomes policy
            -Wage and price controls
      -Pepperdine College speech
      -Public confusion
-President's policy
      -Effect
-Burns’ meeting with President
      -Thomas E. Dewey's funeral
      -Burns’ forthcoming public statements
            -Unity
-Burns’ letter to the President
      -Investment tax credit
      -Analysis of changes in economy
-Inflation
-President’s perception
-Connally
-Burns’ public comments
      -Changes from previous positions
      -Munich
-President's policy
      -Antagonism of financial press
      -Burns’ letter
            -Federal employees' wages

          -Burns’ public comments
               -Monetary policy
               -Connally's testimony
               -Range of subjects
               -Possible Congressional testimony
          -Connally's forthcoming statement
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Burns’ forthcoming testimony
               -Incomes policy
               -President's policy
                     -Wage and price controls
                     -National Commission on Productivity
                     -Welfare
                     -Jawboning
                     -Lockheed
                     -Labor settlements
                           -Steel

     President's schedule
           -Barber

     National economy
          -Burns’ letter
          -Burns’ relationship with Connally
                -Burns’ views

Connally and Burns left at 5:58 pm.

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.

Yeah, 6 o'clock.
You say the Senator is here.