Conversation: 158-040
Prev: 158-039 Next: 158-041Start Date: 30-Dec-1972 11:06 AM
End Date: 30-Dec-1972 11:42 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Scali, John A.;Recording Device: Camp David Study Table
NARA Description:
On December 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, and John A. Scali talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:06 am to 11:42 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-040 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 158-40 Date: December 30, 1972 Time: 11:06 am - 11:42 am Location: Camp David Study Table The President talked with Charles W. Colson. [See Conversation No. 237-51/238-1] Vietnam War -Cessation of US bombing north of 20th Parallel -Announcement -Gerald L. Warren’s press conference -Henry A. Kissinger -Preparation -The President’s meeting with Warren and Col. Richard T. Kennedy -Questions -Review -Press relations -Reaction -Number of reporters -Reaction -Resumption of negotiations -Kissinger, Le Duc Tho -49- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Timing -Technical talks -Timing -Questions -William B. Saxbe’s statement -US bombing of North Vietnam -Halt -Resumption of negotiations -Tone -Responsibility for initiative -John A. Scali’s view -“No comment” response -US military operations -“No comment” response -Kissinger’s view -Kissinger’s conversation with Colson -Scali -Resumption of negotiations -Responsibility for initiative -Message -Kissinger and Le Duc Tho -Kissinger’s press conference, December 16, 1972 -Kissinger’s “peace is at hand” comment, October 26, 1972 -Warren -Ronald L. Ziegler -Warren’s performance -Statement -Kissinger’s concern -Avoiding “crowing” about victory -The President’s conversation with Kissinger -Warren -William P. Rogers’s schedule -Melvin R. Laird’s schedule -Congressmen and Senators -Kissinger’s conversation with Colson -Negotiations -Statements -Effect -50- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Resumption of negotiations -Kissinger’s press conference, December 16, 1972 -Exchange of messages -Warren’s statement -Kennedy -Scali -Announcement -Scali -Knowledge, conversations with reporters -Kissinger’s concerns -Kissinger’s press relations -John F. Osborne -Palm Springs, California article -Kissinger’s telephone calls from the President -Announcement -Wire reports -Warren audio report -Ziegler -Scali -Radio stories -Resumption of negotiations -Kissinger, Le Duc Tho -Ziegler -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -John D. Ehrlichman -Ziegler -Kissinger’s role -Warren -Warren’s performance -Scali’s conversation with Stewart M Hensley -Hensley’s article -Scali’s conversation with Robert Pierpoint -The President’s demeanor -Confidence in settlement agreement -Decisiveness -Kissinger -Wire reports -Resumption of negotiations -Kissinger -51- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Timing -Warren -US bombing of North Vietnam -US policy -Scali -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Bombing and mining north of 20th Parallel -Suspension -Negotiations -Tone -Resumption -Possible Hensley article -Scali -Announcement -Colson’s conversation with Scali -Hensley, Pierpoint -The President’s possible conversation with Scali -Scali’s view -Warren’s performance -Tone -Congressional relations -William E. Timmons -Colson’s conversation with Kissinger -Kissinger’s telephone calls -Michael J. Mansfield -Gerald R. Ford -Barry M. Goldwater -Carl B. Albert -Ronald W. Reagan -F. Edward Hebert -Thomas C. Korologos -Kennedy -US bombing of North Vietnam -William B. Saxbe’s statements -Response -Request for apology -[Donald E. Lukens] -Hugh Scott -Colson’s conversation with Korologos -52- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Appointments -Keith McNamara -Effect -Ohio -“Doves” -New York Times -Washington Post -New York Times -Reaction to US bombing of North Vietnam -Sweden, Australia -Britain, France, Italy -Democrats -Study group -Wilbur D. Mills’s statement -Hubert H. Humphrey -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Criticism -Public relations [PR] -US bombing of North Vietnam -PR -Negotiations -Build up -Demonstrations -Press relations -The President’s November 3, 1969 speech -Congressional relations -Colson’s possible call to an unknown person -Colson’s conversation with Timmons, Korologos -Kissinger -Korologos -Telephone calls -Dr. Thomas E. (“Doc”) Morgan -Robert J. Dole -Republican National Committee [RNC] -William S. Mailliard -George D. Aiken -Korologos -53- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Announcement -Press relations -Scali’s note -Hensley -Gaylord Shaw, Associated Press [AP] -William Gill, American Broadcasting Company [ABC] -Pierpoint -Richard G. Valeriani Scali -Conversation with the President -Appointment -Ambassadorship to United Nations [UN] Vietnam negotiations -Congressional relations -Mansfield -The President’s conversation with Kissinger -Briefing -Timing -J. William Fulbright The President talked with Scali at an unknown time between 11:06 am and 11:42 am. Vietnam War -US bombing of North Vietnam -Reaction -Appointments -Letters -Scali -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan -Cessation north of 20th Parallel -Announcement -Warren’s press conference -Kissinger -Preparation -The President’s meeting with Warren, Kennedy -Warren’s performance -Scali’s conversation with Kissinger -54- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Press relations -Exchange of messages -Kissinger’s press conference, December 16, 1972 -Christmas 1972 -Press relations -Hensley -Shaw of AP -The President’s demeanor -Gill -Resumption of negotiations -North Vietnam -Liberals -Pierpoint -Attribution to Scali -Kissinger’s press conference, December 16, 1972 -Prisoners of War [POWs] -North Vietnam’s signal -The President’s demeanor -Valeriani -National Broadcasting Company [NBC] -Meeting with Scali -Critics -Statements -Kissinger’s concern -Avoiding “crowing” about victory -The President’s conversation with Kissinger -Congressional relations -Commentators -Negotiations -North Vietnam -Power -The President’s demeanor -Realism -Announcement -Press relations -Warren’s press conference -Scali’s conversation with Valeriani -Surprise -55- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Congressional relations -The President’s decision -Kissinger -Necessity -Negotiations -North Vietnam’s delays -Duration -Effect -Return of POWs -Military build up -Surface to air missiles [SAMs] -Infiltration rates -Forthcoming US bombing -Trucks th -Cessation north of 20 Parallel -Announcement -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Consistancy -Explanation -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Bombing and mining north of 20th Parallel -Suspension -Negotiations -Resumption -Ziegler -Possible Hensley article -North Vietnam’s delays -Congressional relations -Cut off of funds -Cessation north of 20th Parallel -Warren’s press conference -Kissinger’s schedule -Consultation with the President -Telephone calls -Telephone calls -Richard (“Dick”) Wilson -William S. White -Crosby S. Noyes -Washington Star -56- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Moynihan -State Department briefing -Meeting with scientists -Washington Post -Harvard University -Korologos -Compared to Timmons -Morgan, Mailliard, Aiken -Media relations -Scali -The President’s demeanor -Determination, decisiveness -Announcement -Effect -Walter L. Cronkite, Jr. -John Chancellor -David Brinkley -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid -New York Times op-ed article -Demonstration -Dean Francis Sayre -Reaction -Telephone calls -Washington National Cathedral -Possible appearance -Likelihood -Reaction -Charles P. Collins, III -Blind veteran -John M. O’Neill -Possible appearance -Likelihood -Colson’s possible call to John B. Connally -Explanation -The President’s television [TV] appearance -Advisability -Press and media relations -Washington, DC -North Vietnam -57- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. May-08) Conversation No. 158-40 (cont’d) -Kissinger’s view -Self-interest The President’s schedule -Call to Kissinger