Conversation: 050-009
Prev:  050-008 Next: 050-010Start Date: 23-Mar-1971 8:03 AM
End Date: 23-Mar-1971 9:55 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President); Volpe, John A.; Connally, John B.; Scott, Hugh; Griffin, Robert P.; Smith, Margaret Chase; Cotton, Norris; Allott, Gordon L.; Dominick, Peter H.; Ford, Gerald R.; Arends, Leslie C.; Anderson, John B.; Stafford, Robert T.; Poff, Richard H.; Rhodes, John J.; Conable, Barber B., Jr.; Wilson, Robert C. ("Bob"); Smith, H. Allen; Dole, Robert J.; Shultz, George P.; Weber, Arnold R.; MacGregor, Clark; Timmons, William E.; BeLieu, Kenneth E.; Klein, Herbert G.; Buchanan, Patrick J.; Dent, Harry S.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Rouse, Andy; Harlow, Bryce N.; Recording Device: Cabinet Room
NARA Description:
On March 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, and Republican Congressional leaders, including John A. Volpe, John B. Connally, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Margaret Chase Smith, Norris Cotton, Gordon L. Allott, Peter H. Dominick, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, Robert T. Stafford, Richard H. Poff, John J. Rhodes, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Robert C. ("Bob") Wilson, H. Allen Smith, Robert J. Dole, George P. Shultz, Arnold R. Weber, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, Kenneth E. BeLieu, Herbert G. Klein, Patrick J. Buchanan, Harry S. Dent, Ronald L. Ziegler, Andy Rouse, and Bryce N. Harlow, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 8:03 am to 9:55 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 050-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 50-9 Date: March 23, 1971 Time: 8:03 am - 9:55 am Location: Cabinet Room The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, John A. Volpe, John B. Connally, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Margaret Chase Smith, Norris Cotton, Gordon L. Allott, Peter H. Dominick, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, Robert T. Stafford, Richard H. Poff, John J. Rhodes, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson, H. Allen Smith, Robert J. Dole, George P. Shultz, Arnold R. Weber, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, William E. Timmons, Kenneth E. BeLieu, Herbert G. Klein, Patrick J. Buchanan, Harry S. Dent, Ronald L. Ziegler, Andy Rouse, and Bryce N. Harlow [Recording begins while the conversation is in progress] Supersonic Transport [SST] -Need for support for President’s transportation programs 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Environmental concerns -Sonic boom -Flight patterns -Engine noise -A film from Illinois -Reduction -Compared with sub-sonic planes -Leo L. Beranek [?] committee -National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] -Climate and health hazards -Volpe’s previous conversation with freshman Congressmen -William M. Magruder’s appearance on “Dick Cavett Show” -Soviet Union -Research program -NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA], National Science Foundation -Possible cancers -President’s and Volpe’s concerns -Federal Aviation Administration -Certification -US technology -Funding -Comments by head of El Air Airlines -French Concorde -SST -International considerations -British and French -Testing -Funding -British, French, Soviets -Landing rights -Possible delay -Soviet SSTs at upcoming Paris Air Show -Advertisement -Effects -Possible cancellation -Effects -Termination costs -Costs -Need -Employment potential -Possible cancellation 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Effects -Unemployment -Costs -Confidence -Effects on President’s reelection -Volpe’s efforts -French and British competition -Technology -DC-3 -Emissions -Need for support -Decibel levels -Priority -Compared with urban mass transit -Need for support -Senate -Scott -House -Republicans -Environmental concerns -Senator James L. Buckley -Industrial technology -Skin cancers -Economic considerations -DC-3s, DC-6s, jets -Foreign competition -British, French, German, Russian -Council of Economic Advisors’ report -Science Advisory Committee Report -Priorities -Welfare, hunger, mass transit, urban problems -Food stamps -President’s record 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) ****************************************************************************** Burma [To listen to the segment (54s) declassified on 02/28/2002, please refer to RC# E-511.] ****************************************************************************** SST -Priorities -Cost considerations -Sources of revenue -Defense budget -Need for industrial progress -Effect on tax revenues -Use -Environmental considerations -Economic considerations -Priorities -Poverty -Upcoming Senate and House votes -Public opinion -Wright Brothers, jets, DC-3 -Foreign competition -Japanese electronics -Technological spin-offs -Computers -Space program -Domestic priorities -Compared with space program -Historical precedents -Need for support -US leadership -Compared with Christopher Columbus -King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I -Compared with early days of the automobile -New York Times Government reorganization -Ash Council -Connally’s work 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Effect on Cabinet -Connally’s presentation -Length -Ash Council -History -Membership -Roy L. Ash, president of Litton Industries -Frederick R. Kappel, American Telephone and Telegraph [AT&T] -Dr. George P. Baker -Dean of Harvard Business School -Richard M. Paget -McCormick, Richardson, and Paget -Walter N. Thayer -Lawyer, publisher of New York Herald-Tribune -Connally -Purpose -Operation -Study of other reorganization reports -Herbert C. Hoover -Price -Highlands -Rockefeller -Comparison -Proposals -Office of the President -Relations with Congress -Office of Management and Budget [OMB] -Domestic Council -Assumptions -Cost of government -President’s television appearance with Howard K. Smith -Effectiveness of government -Popular opinion of government -Smith -Need for reorganization -Period of change -Popular opinion -Purpose -Overlapping jurisdictions -Mayors, governors -Regional headquarters -Proposals 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Functional divisions -Presentation to President -Presentation to Congress -Congressional concerns -Committees -Extension Service -Purpose -Compared with SST issue, economic issues -Need -Public opinion -Lines of responsibility -Office of the President -Needs -Benjamin Disraeli -Delegation of authority -Effectiveness -Congressional policies -Importance -Revenue sharing -Connally’s position -President’s position -OMB -Purpose -Departmental reorganization -Human resources -Community development -Economic affairs -Natural resources -State, Treasury, Defense, and Justice Departments -Core departments -Natural resources -Interior, Agriculture Departments, Atomic Energy Commission [AEC] -Human resources -Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW] -Labor Department functions -Agriculture Department functions -Community development -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO], Agriculture Department, Community Action Agencies -Economic affairs 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Compared with Gulf and Western -Commerce Department -NOAA -Labor Department -Agriculture Department -OEO -Budgets -Natural resources -Economic affairs -Community development -Human resources -Social Security -Staffs -Natural resources -Economic affairs -Coast Guard -Transportation units -Community development -Human resources -Human resources -Secretaries of Agriculture and HEW -Division of labor -Community development -Urban and rural -Transportation -Housing -HUD -Federal insurance -Highway program -Kansas City, Los Angeles, I-66 -Staff support -Natural resources -Staff support -Land and recreation -Water -Minerals -AEC -Glenn T. Seaborg -Oceanic, atmospheric and earth services -NOAA -Bureau of Indian Affairs -Consultation 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Economic affairs -Commerce, Agriculture, and Labor Departments -Small Business Administration [SBA] -Economic Development Administration [EDA] -Agriculture Department programs -Department of Labor programs -Transportation -International economic developments -Food programs -Division -Human resources -Economic affairs [A transcript of the following portion of the conversation was prepared under court order for Special Access [SA] 65, Pauline W. Kitts, et al. v. General Motors Corporation, Civil Action No. 85-967 JC. The National Archives and Records Administration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.] [End of transcript] -US farmers -Business Council meeting -Productivity -President’s trip to Des Moines -Productivity -”Salute to Agriculture” day -Effect of departmental reorganization -Effect of current programs -Special briefing for Congress -Peter G. Peterson, Allott, Ford -Productivity -Des Moines, Chicago appearances of the President -President’s upcoming meeting with leaders of the dairy industry -German, British, and French productivity -Relation to other domestic problems -Requirements Arends’ anniversary as congressman Government reorganization -Departmental reorganization -Human resources 22 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Health, human development, and income security -Comments of reporters -Program coordination -Social Services, Manpower, Work Incentive programs -New York City Whip Inflation Now [WIN] program -Martin’s Ferry, Ohio -Elliot L. Richardson -Proposed field officials -Management system -Appointments -Budgets -Delegation of authority -A news briefing -Weber and Donald H. Rumsfeld -Effect on news bureaus -Charts -Publicity Ranches in California, Texas Government reorganization -Charts -Department of Interior -Departmental structure and titles -Ash -Level III -Administrator -Undersecretary -Assistant Secretary -Level IV or III -NASA -Administrator -Army Corps of Engineers -Natural resources -Other water and soil projects -Volunteer agencies -President’s speech at the University of Nebraska -Peace Corps, OEO -Departmental name -Volunteers in Service to America [VISTA], Foster Grandparents, Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, student volunteer program, retired executives, SBA executives 23 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Peace Corps -Secretary of State -Teacher Corps -Purpose -Budget -Emphasis -Effect on management -Local initiative -Peace Corps -Business programs -Status -Edwin D. Etherington -Purpose -Announcement -Legislation -Reports -Congressional study -Committees -Timmons, MacGregor -Government Operations Committee -Compared with revenue sharing -OMB work -President’s position -Governmental growth -Des Moines -Need -Ash Council, OMB [General conversation/Unintelligible] The President, et al. left at 9:55 am