Conversation No. 35-90

Date: January 4, 1973
Time: 8:13 pm - 8:34 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Public statements
                  -Henry A. Kissinger’s view
                  -Timing
                  -Melvin R. Laird, William P. Rogers, Kissinger, White House staff, John A.
                   Scali
                  -Press relations
                         -Scali
                              -84-

     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Oct.-07)

                                               Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

                -Stewart J. O. Alsop
                      -Pham Van Don
                            -Kissinger’s view
                -Kissinger’s view
                -Time
                -Compared to Kissinger
                -Network coverage
                      -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                -Compared to Kissinger
     -Sensitivity
     -Timing
           -Harry S. Truman’s memorial service
           -Talk shows
           -Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Paris
                  -Settlement agreement
                         -Kissinger’s view
     Settlement agreement
           -Failure
                  -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                  -Rogers
                  -Laird
     -Kissinger and public relations [PR]
           -Cambodia invasion
           -The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
           -Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
                  -The President’s appearance on television [TV]
                         -Effect
                               -Major confrontation
                  -Louis P. Harris’s article, January 4, 1973
                         -Kissinger’s credibility on Vietnam War
                         -Kissinger’s skill as negotiator
     -“Hawks”
-Congressional relations
     -“Hawks” opposition to Charles H. Percy’s resolution supporting the
      President on Vietnam
           -Colson’s forthcoming conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
           -William E. Timmons
           -Thomas C. Korologos
           -John G. Tower
                  -Invitations to the White House
                               -85-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                        Tape Subject Log
                          (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                 Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

             -Norris Cotton
                   -Principle
             -Instruction for Colson
                   -Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman
             -Timmons
             -Clark MacGregor
             -Congressional schedule
             -MacGregor
                   -1972 election
             -Haldeman
                   -Instruction for Colson
                   -Recent conversation with the President
             -Ehrlichman
                   -Loyalty
                   -Demeanor
             -1972 election
             -The President’s meeting with Barry M. Goldwater
             -Tower
             -William E. Brock, III
             -Haldeman
             -Ehrlichman
             -Administration failures
                   -1972 election
             -The President’s Vietnam policies
                   -Correctness
-Public statements
      -Kissinger’s view
      -Congressional relations
             -Ehrlichman
             -Haldeman
             -George P. Shultz
      -Scali
             -Time
             -Network coverage
             -Wires
-The President’s recent conversation with Haldeman
      -Congressional relations
             -End the war legislation
                   -Effect
                          -Washington, DC
                                  -86-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                     Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

                        -Network coverage
             -Scali
-Congressional relations
       -End the war legislation
             -Washington, DC press
             -Democratic Senators
                    -Washington Post
             -Network coverage
                    -Tone
                          -Howard K. Smith
       -Colson's meeting with James Roosevelt
             -Mood
             -Roosevelt compared to MacGregor
             -Possible appointment for Roosevelt
             -[Franklin D. Roosevelt]
             -James Roosevelt’s recent call to Colson
                    -Los Angeles Times editorial
             -Public support for the President
             -James Roosevelt’s experience
                    -Samuel Rayburn
                          -Dwight D. Eisenhower
             -Public support for the President
       -“Hawks” opposition to Percy’s resolution
             -Ehrlichman
             -Haldeman
             -Shultz
             -House of Representatives
       -House of Representatives
             -Office contests
                    -Vote
             -Gerald R. Ford
                    -Kissinger’s briefing of J. William Fulbright
       -Kissinger’s briefing of Fulbright
             -Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
       -Kissinger’s mood
             -Composure
             -Suspiciousness
-Settlement agreement
       -Kissinger’s view
                              -87-

     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Oct.-07)

                                               Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-Congressional relations
     -Republicans
           -Timmons
                 -Compared to Bryce N. Harlow, MacGregor
                 -Technical ability
                        -Compared to inspirational ability
     -Need for leadership
           -MacGregor
     -Korologos
           -Percy’s resolution
     -Percy’s resolution
           -Senate Republican Conference
                 -Office contests
                        -Votes
                 -Percy
                        -Kissinger
                        -Cotton
           -News coverage
     -House Republican Conference
           -Ford
           -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.’s motion
     -Kissinger
     -Melvin R. Laird
           -Briefing of loyalists
                 -January 6, 1973 vote
                 -Effect on North Vietnamese
                        -Kissinger
                        -End the war legislation
                              -Democrats
                              -Kissinger
                 -John J. Rhodes
                 -Instruction for Colson
     -Haldeman, Ehrlichman
           -Bipartisan leadership meeting
     -Republican support for the President
           -McCloskey
           -Importance
-Resumption of talks
     -Public opinion
           -TV
                                             -88-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-07)

                                                               Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

                  -End of US bombing
                        -Time headline
                  -Rhodes
                        -Laird briefing
                        -Loyalty
                  -Republican support for the President
             -Goldwater
                  -Letter to the New York Times
                        -Timing
                        -Analogy to Dwight D. Eisenhower
                               -Korean War
                        -US bombing
                               -Purpose
                               -Effect
                        -Distribution
                               -Laird
                               -Loyalists