Conversation: 277-010
Prev:  277-009 Next: 277-011Start Date: 15-Sep-1971 1:05 PM
End Date: 15-Sep-1971 2:10 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:16:35
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:09:44
NARA Description:
On September 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:05 pm to 2:10 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 277-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 277-10 Date: September 15, 1971 Time: 1:05 pm - 2:10 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. Weather -Temperature -President’s schedule, September 14, 1971 -[Truman] balcony The press -Instructions to Ronald L. Ziegler regarding contacts with the press -Response -Call from James B. (“Scotty”) Reston to Ziegler -Time -Appointment request -Max Frankel -Robert B. Semple, Jr. -New York Times -Henry A. Kissinger -Conversation with Reston -Strategy involved -Pressure -Contacts -Ziegler’s handling -Kissinger -Clearance with Ziegler, Haldeman -Joseph C. Kraft -In-depth interviews with newspapers -Handling prior to election time -Timing -Richard L. (“Dick”) Wilson -Stewart J.O. Alsop -Attitude towards the administration -Agreements by Ziegler 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 55s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ********************************************************************** The press -Alsop -Handling during forthcoming year -Written articles compared with interviews -US News & World Report -Possible article by the President -Associated Press [AP] and United Press International [UPI] -Reston -Edmund S. Muskie -Ziegler -Thomas W. Braden -Semple -President’s view -The New York Times interviews -Frankel, Reston -Protection of the administration -Semple, Edward Dale -Strategy towards the press -Exclusive interviews -George P. Shultz’s view -Dale, Semple -The administration’s relations with the press -Ziegler -Press attitude -Type of support for the administration -Los Angeles Times -Relationship with the administration -Claude Erwin -New York Post 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Don Erwing [sp?] -Reston’s inquiry to Kissinger -Haldeman’s involvement -Response -Estimation of newspaper response -The President’s relationship with the press -Possible outcome -Question of interviews -Alsop, Chalmers Roberts -Ziegler -George Putnam -Influence -Compared to Reston -Votes The President’s schedule -National Security Council [NSC] -Meeting -Time -John B. Connally -Return from trip -Time -Date -Schedule for meeting -Date -Time -Camp David -Florida -Problems -Discussion -Chain of events -Type of schedule -Days of the week -Scheduling of days -Wednesday -Preparation for possible press conference Press relations -Briefing book for press conferences -Patrick J. Buchanan -Responsibility for briefing book 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Current situations -Updating -Day of the week -Preparation for the President -Reduction of questions for the President -Update of events -Day of the week -Weekly review for the President -Local news -Accuracy -John N. Mitchell -Connally -Shultz -Edwin Hoyt’s use of contacts in the White House -Herbert G. Klein -Rose Mary Woods -Knowledge -Answers to questions -Duty as personal secretary -Position -Edward C. Nixon Publication of books -Individuals writing books -Time -Paul Healy -Administration reaction towards writing books about the President -Time period before the election -Lack of time -After election -Effects on the President -Rowland Evans and Robert D. Novak -Nixon in the White House: The Frustration of Power -Lyndon Johnson: An Exercise in Power -The People’s Republic of China [PRC] -Economic action -Inclusion at end of book -Publication of errata -Style of writing -Authenticity of book on the President -Kissinger 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Evans -Accuracy of facts, quotes -Hugh S. Sidey -Columns versus books -Effects -Effects of PRC developments -Buchanan’s opinion of Evans’ book -Bestselling book’s impact -Type of book -Reader’s Digest -Personal focus -Story of Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Klein, William L. Safire, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld -Buchanan’s view -Type of book -Possible effect of book -Comparison to Victor Lasky’s book on John F. Kennedy -Conservatives -Book on Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Effect of book about the President -Perceptions -Arthur F. Burns’ role in the administration -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan -Type of story -Buchanan -More books published about the President -Look magazine article about Haldeman -William Loeb -Unknown book -Evans -Kennedy -Reston Press stories -Pentagon Papers -Kissinger -Involvement of the New York Times -Interviews -Meeting between the President and Kissinger -Reston -Contact issue 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Question of interview with Kissinger -Instruction for Haldeman to talk with Kissinger Security of documents -Papers of the White House staff -[Forename unknown] Reitzel (sp?) -Retrieval system within the administration -NSC papers -Kissinger -Importance -Distribution among NSC staff -Handling -Post-election period -Kissinger -Possession -Location -Establishment of special safekeeping measures -Possible problems -Coordination of efforts -Kissinger -Contacts -George S. McGovern, Edward M. Kennedy -William P. Rogers -Handling of contacts -White House location Scheduling -Warren E. Burger -Meetings with groups -Value -Clark MacGregor -Congressional leaders, members -Presidential trips -Types of events -Focus -Type of meeting held at Camp David -Second line staff -Safire -Paul A. Volcker -Focus -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Safire, Kenneth W. Dam -Ehrlichman, Weinberger -Forthcoming economic action -Quadriad -Astronauts -Trip to Camp David Cabinet -Connally -Forthcoming talk with Haldeman -Leadership -Rogers -Rogers C.B. Morton -George W. Romney -Maurice H. Stans -Peter G. Peterson -John A. Volpe -Elliot L. Richardson -Politics compared with administrative work Press relations -Interviews in the Oval Office -Television -News hour -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Announcement -Timing -Press conferences -Editors -Question and answer [Q&A] sessions -Detroit -East Wing -News hour -Press conference scheduling -Number of appearances by the President since July 1 The President’s meetings with small groups -Effectiveness -Meetings -Education factor -Color reports on meetings 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Kennedy administration Evans and Novak book -Challenging of judgements, facts -Knowledge of details -Drew Pearson -Column -Columns The President’s schedule -Florida -Charlotte, North Carolina [William F. (“Billy”) Graham tribute] -Opening of Disney World -Veteran’s Day weekend -Possible preview visit by the President -Orlando, Florida -Importance -Publicity -Interest by foreigners in Disneyland -Visitors -Disneyland compared to Disneyworld -Southern California -Florida -Events -Jews -Dinner Evans and Novak book -Ehrlichman’s reaction -Campaign comparison -Focus -John R. Chamberlain Unknown woman Evans and Novak book Programs -Possible changes Polls 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Effectiveness of the President’s actions -Leadership -Meetings with groups of individuals -Influence -Productivity Economy -Connally -Burns -Monetary issues -Predictions -Shultz -Connally -Penn Central Corporation -Collapse of stock market The media -Publication of Edith Efron’s book Attica State Prison riots -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Position -Decision -Hostages -Killings -Number of killings -Sequence -Decision by Rockefeller -Convicts -Guard killings -Effect of kill ratio -Rockefeller -Relation of situation to Cambodia -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid, Harry Reasoner -Course of action by Rockefeller Presidential leadership -Perceptions -The PRC initiative -Public view of presidential authority -Use of power of presidential office 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) -Sidey’s column -Possible impact -Asia -Japan and China -Economic conditions -Cambodia -Use of power in foreign policy -PRC trip -Use of power in handling domestic issues -The economy The President’s staff Congressional relations Polls -Charles W. Colson -Imbalance of positive and negative [Unintelligible] Staff -Morale -Recent actions -News summary reports -Sense of activity ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 1m 12s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ********************************************************************** [Unintelligible] 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 277-10 (cont.) Opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -Leonard Bernstein - Mass -Reviews -Performances, architecture, theaters -Response -Emotional impact -Unknown person’s criticism ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 27s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 ********************************************************************** Buchanan -Evans and Novak book Haldeman left at 2:10 pm.