Conversation: 276-004
Prev: 276-003 Next: 276-005Start Date: 10-Sep-1971 3:03 PM
End Date: 10-Sep-1971 3:51 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:01:22
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:41:00
NARA Description:
On September 10, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:03 pm to 3:51 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 276-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 276-4
Date: September 10, 1971
Time: 3:03 pm - 3:51 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.
Refreshments
Environment
-Offshore oil drilling
-Santa Barbara Sound
-Offshore oil leases
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-William T. Pecora
-Drilling
-Responsibilities
-Offshore oil
-Jobs
-Amount of cash flow
-Local economy
-Existing lessees
-Additional drilling
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-California
-Moratorium on leasing and drilling
-Santa Barbara Channel
-Administration policy
-Moratorium
-Two-year freeze
-Drilling
-Exceptions
-Department of the Interior
-Proposals
-Los Angeles Times
-Headline
-Santa Barbara drilling
-John C. Whitaker
-Robert H. Finch
-Political effect of government action
-California
-Options
-Denial of permits
-Suits by oil companies
-Legal advice
-Lessees
-Union Oil Company
-Sun Oil Company
-Observers familiar with issue
-Possible result of suits
-[Fred L.?] Hartley
-Possible administration response
-Political problem
-Suit
-Redress
-Environmental arguments
-Drilling
-Geologists
-Whitaker
-Public opinion
-Council on Environmental Quality
-Position on drilling
-Report
-Dr. Lee A. DuBridge's committee
-Drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-Public opinion
-Problem
-Public relations
-Possible poll
-Los Angeles Times
-Circulation area
-Los Angeles County, Orange County
-Santa Barbara, Ventura
-Southern California
-San Diego
-Geologists
Site for Nixon Presidential Library
-Nixon Foundation land
-San Clemente
-Surveys of land
-Legislation
-Clark MacGregor
-General Services Administration [GSA]
-Site for presidential library
-GSA and the National Archives
-Nixon Foundation
-Construction of building
-Improvements
-Lyndon B. Johnson Library
-Ownership of land
-GSA
-State
-GSA
-Administration of buildings
-Personnel
-Maintenance and services
-Ownership of building
-Land on beach
-Meeting of trustees of the Nixon Foundation
-Selection of site
-Meeting with F. Edward Hèbert
-Legislation
-Whittier College
Medicine
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-Jack J. Dreyfus, Jr.
-Telephone calls
-New medicine
-DPH [Diphenylhydantoin anticonvulsant]
-Finch
-Degree of federal co-operation
-Finch
-Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
-Dreyfus's conversations with Dr. Walter R. Tkach
-Drug
-Use
-Epilepsy
-Dreyfus
-Effects
-Dreyfus's involvement in research
-Tkach
-Use of drug
-Effect
-Finch
-Tkach
-Dreyfus
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Dr. Sidney P. Marland, Jr.
Research and Development [R&D]
-Briefing
-William M. Magruder
-Length of briefing
-Meeting of the Domestic Council
-Time
-Timetable
-Private sector
-Dr. Edward E. David, Jr.
-Peter G. Peterson
-Media interest
-Reaction to the President's speech, September 9, 1971
-National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
-Peter Lisagor
-Charles L. Bartlett
-Announcing ideas and programs to the public
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
Budget
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Support
-Ehrlichman
-Dialogue with farmers
-Rural development
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Model cities
-Peace Corps
-Volunteers in Service to America [VISTA]
-Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Ehrlichman
-Bill for reduction
-Economy
-Grievances
-Benefits
-Weinberger
-Problems
-Reduction of government
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon and the President's drive to Capitol Hill
-Number of federal employees
-Five per cent personnel cut
-Government
-William M. Magruder
-Traffic safety
-Highway fatalities
-Design for stop signs
-Anti-collision devices
-Government
-Governors
-Congress
-Parochial interests
Magruder
-Congress
-Work
-Magruder's staff
-Committee meetings
-The President's speech
-The press
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-NASA
-Supersonic transport [SST]
Pentagon Papers
-Congressional hearings
-Status of progress on report
-Robert C. Mardian, Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr., David R. Young
-Congressional committee
-Control of scope
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Relations with Leslie H. Gelb, Morton H. Halperin, Daniel Ellsberg
-Outcome of investigation
-Kissinger
-Concern
-Attacks
-Repression
-Pentagon Papers issue
-Ellsberg
-Investigation
-Paul H. Nitze
-Gelb
-Halperin
-Nitze
-Secret documents
-National Archives
-Deposit
-Nitze, Gelb, Halperin
-Ehrlichman's forthcoming actions
-Robert L. Kunzig, Administrator [GSA]
-Archivist of the United States
-Documents
-Storage and safekeeping
-Agreement
-Access to documents
-Safe-deposit box analogy
-Nitze
-Clark M. Clifford
-Discussion of issue
Krogh’s and Young’s schedule
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's office
-Ehrlichman's telephone call
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
The President left at an unknown time after 3:03 pm.
Ehrlichman talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 3:03 pm and 3:51 pm.
Meeting with Krogh and Young
-Time
-Location
-Ehrlichman's location
-Question
Ehrlichman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 3:03 pm and 3:51 pm.
Request for Krogh
Pentagon Papers
-Halperin
-Gelb
-Nitze
[End of telephone conversation]
The President returned at an unknown time before 3:51 pm.
-Paul Warnke
-Nitze
-Clifford
-Position at Department of Defense
-Clifford
-Congressional investigation
-Memorandum
-Richardson
-Cooke episode
-Ellsberg
-J. William Fulbright
-Hearings
-Johnson decisional process
-Administration's participation
-Witnesses
-White House staff
-Effort
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-Administration's strategy
-Media release
-Declassification of documents as response
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Sources of leaks and information
-Democrats
-Fulbright
-Hearings
-Declassified version of the Pentagon Papers
-Congress
-Kissinger
-Acquaintances
-Gelb, Halperin
-Appearance at congressional hearings
-Dilemma
-Self-defense
-Immunity
-Nitze
-Ehrlichman's forthcoming conversation with the President
-Ehrlichman's conversation with Haldeman
-Documents
-Journalists
-Surveillance
-New York Times
-William Beecher
-Tad Szulc
-Ehrlichman's forthcoming conversation with Haldeman
-Beecher
-Szulc
-Surveillance
-Within the government
-Identity of contact
-Department of Defense
-State Department
-Hired by Nixon Administration
-Paris bureau
Leaks
-Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson's office
-Beecher
-Edmund S. Muskie
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-Jackson
-Department of Defense contacts
-Ehrlichman's forthcoming conversation with Haldeman
The Economy
-The President's speech, September 9, 1971
-Public reaction
-Phase II
-The President's meeting with union leaders
-Cooperation
-Union leaders' position
-Public support
-Democrats
-End of 90-day freeze on prices and wages
-Extension
-Inflation control
-Phase II
-Poor
-Administration's efforts
-Public opinion
-Edward W. Brooke
-Jobs
-Welfare
-National spirit
-Reaction
-Youth
-Degree
-Hardin-Simmons College
-Mindset
-Work ethic
-Parents
-Professors
-Evaluation of system
-Haldeman’s family
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 12s ]
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
-Ehrlichman's family
-Summer jobs
-reaction
-Arnold A. Hutschnecker
-Effects of physical work
-"I Remember Mama"
-Winston S. Churchill
-Bricklaying hobby
-Problems of modern society
-Labor-saving devices
-Leisure time
-Television
Speechwriting
-The President's speech, September 9, 1971
-Quality
-The President's delivery of speech
-Structure of speech
-Outline
-The President's conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Speechwriters
-Price
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-William L. Safire
-Staff
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-"Speech doctor"
-Examination of speech
-Cheerlines
-Speech to Congress
-Text of speech
-Price
-Safire
-Substance
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
-Timing
-President’s September 9 speech
-Text on welfare program
-Richardson
-Change of system
-State, local governments
-Incentives to work
-Welfare
-Public reaction
-Line of text
-"Workfare"
-Safire
-Welfare system
-Provisions
-The President's new welfare system
-Incentives to work
-Text of speech
-Speech doctor
-Samuel I. Rosenman
-Raymond C. Moley
-Domestic Council
-Kissinger's first drafts of speech
-Quality
-Public statement
-Oral delivery
-Written delivery
-Speeches
-Staff member
-Rewriting and editing of speech for President
-Economics
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
-Perception as dull subject
-Required style of speech
-Uplifting
-John B. Connally
-The President's delivery of speech
-Arthur F. Burns
Welfare reform
-Eugene S. Cowen
-Senate
-Abraham A. Ribicoff
-Compromise
-Ribicoff
-Day-care centers
-Riders to welfare reform bill
-Division of support for welfare reform
-No reform
-Ribicoff's supporters
-House Resolution [H. R.] 1
-Compromise
-Senator Russell B. Long
-Strategy
-December
-The President's meeting with Long
-Subject of conversation
-Long
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Privacy]
[Duration: 20s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
**********************************************************************
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 276-4 (cont.)
School busing
-Support
-Representative Albert H. Quie
-Amendment
-Emergency school money
-Possible motivation
-Conviction
-Clark MacGregor's conversation with Quie
-Office of Education
-Technical work on legislation
-Technical requirements
-Control over amendment
-Endorsements
-Congressional request for technical assistance
-MacGregor
-Passing of amendment
-Use of federal money for busing under court order
-Southern support
-Administration's position
-Reiteration of past statement
-Use of federal money for education
-Connection between transportation and education
-Busing
-Local decision
-Possibility of amendment passing
-Legislation
-Mandate to bus
-Financing
Ehrlichman left at 3:51 pm.