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Listening to the Presidency

Candid, unscripted glimpses of American presidents

Explore audio recordings along with contextual materials from several presidential administrations. Miller Center scholars have selected and edited each recording to help visitors gain insights into the presidency.  

 

You can filter Listening to the Presidency conversations by president, topic, and keyword.  
Richard Nixon campaigning
Secret White House tapes

Hear conversations from the secret White House tapes. The Presidential Recordings Program lets users listen in on presidents and their advisers at critical historical moments.
Madeline Albright portrait
Oral histories

Review key excerpts from the Presidential Oral History Program as senior decision-makers reflect on their time in the White House.
LBJ at his desk
Sample conversation

President Johnson asks his mentor, Senator Richard B. “Dick” Russell Jr. [D–Georgia], for advice on the Vietnam War. “It’s the damned worst mess I ever saw,” Russell declares. 
President
Conversation Topics
Frances Fragos Townsend discussing national security with different administration officials
George W. Bush
'I Start Dialing'
Frances Fragos Townsend
Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, speaks to a crowd of more than 200 people at the official opening of the Sadr City Rusafa Water Treatment Facility
George W. Bush
'A Hard People'
Ryan Crocker
President Bush and advisors consulting following the September 11th attacks.
George W. Bush
'I'll Talk to You Later'
Condoleezza Rice talking with President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
'On Behalf of American Principles'
Condoleezza Rice
President George H. W. Bush sitting across from President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev at the Malta Summit in 1989
George H. W. Bush
'Doesn’t Malta Sound Great in November?'
Timothy J. McBride
Secretary of State Colin Powell talking to President George H. W. Bush and others in the Oval Office
George H. W. Bush
'Internalizing the Arguments'
Colin Powell
George H. W. Bush giving a thumbs up at a podium with Barbara Bush standing next to him
George H. W. Bush
'Campaigning versus Governing'
Colin Powell
The National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters in Maryland.
George W. Bush
'We're Kind of Hearing the Celebratory Gunfire'
Michael Hayden
Presidential Daily Brief's from the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies
George W. Bush
'He’s Going to Be Very Interactive'
Michael Hayden
President George W. Bush onboard Air Force One en route to Barksdale Air Base.
George W. Bush
'You Want It to Be Instinct'
President George W. Bush on Air Force One en route to Offut.
George W. Bush
'I'm Going to Win a Pulitzer'
General Tommy Franks and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld answering questions at a press conference.
George W. Bush
'What Are You Going to Do About It?'
Tommy Franks
President George W. Bush and Vice President Cheney walk outside the White House.
George W. Bush
'There’s Nothing Much Going on Today'
Vice President Cheney watching the 9/11 attacks unfold
George W. Bush
'This Could Be Serious'
Ashley Estes Kavanaugh
Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and Joshua Bolten in the PEOC.
George W. Bush
'He Very Calmly Issued the Order'
Joshua Bolten
Vice President Cheney meeting with national security officials
George W. Bush
'It's Too Much Time to Lose'