Conversation: 306-010
Prev: 306-009 Next: 306-011Start Date: 29-Nov-1971 3:11 PM
End Date: 29-Nov-1971 5:39 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:09:40
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:26:23
NARA Description:
On November 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:11 pm and 5:39 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 306-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 306-10
Date: November 29, 1971
Time: Unknown after 3:11 pm &&5:39 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.
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5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 29s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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White House Conference on Aging
-News summary
-Lobbyists
-The President's speech
-Draft
-Analysis of issues
-James W. McLane
-Previous work with Robert H. Finch
-Francis W. Sargent
-Arthur S. Flemming
White House speechwriters
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-William L. Safire
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
The President's forthcoming speech to White House Conference on Aging
-McLane
-Draft
-Analysis of issues
-Congress
-House Resolution [HR] 1
-George P. Shultz’s views
-Recommendations
-Long range goals
-The President’s concern about the elderly
-Administration's options
-Flemming
-Domestic Council
-Problems of elderly
-Goals
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Economic considerations
-Budget constraints
-Support for the Administration’s economic policies
-Polls
-Property taxes
-Federal budget
-Inflation
-Candor
-Problems of elderly
-The President's commitment
-Minority groups
-“Forgotten Americans”
-Youth
-Election year promises
-Possible reaction
-Nelson H. Cruikshank
-The President’s standard speech
-Labor
HR 1
-Medical care costs
-The President's conversation with H. R. Haldeman, November 29, 1971
-Senior citizen discounts
-Medicare
-Congress's possible action
-Prescription drugs
-Possible federal subsidy under Medicare
-Cost-sharing
-Haldeman's views
The President's forthcoming speech
-McLane's recommendations
-Administrations' options
-Volunteer program
-Costs
-Foster Grandparents program
-Costs
-Pension reform
-Value to elderly
-Andrews's work
-Price
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-McLane's recommendations
-Administration's options
-Medicare coverage
-Eyeglasses, dentures, and hearing aids
-HR 1
-Costs
-Compared with prescription drugs
-Prescription drugs
-Costs
-Deductibles
-British program
-Destitute people compard to others
-Shultz
-Ehrlichman's forthcoming call to Andrews
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Meeting with Golda Meir, December 2, 1971
-Key Biscayne
-Staff
-Ehrlichman's schedule
-North Carolina
-Shultz
-Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Staff meeting
-Haldeman
-Estate matters
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 4s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
Water filtering system
-Unknown Navy captain's development
-Oil and water
-Possible purchase by Navy
-The President's previous conversation with F. Donald Nixon
-John C. Whitaker
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 54s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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Busing
-Ehrlichman's memorandum
-Article by Alexander M. Bickel
-Possible meeting between Bickel and the President
-The President’s forthcoming State of the Union address
The aged
-Administration's actions
-Property taxes
Education and tax issues
-Washington Post article, November 28, 1971
-Unknown reporter
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Vagueness
Administration's accomplishments
-Publicity
-Individuals
Appointments
-Supreme Court nominations
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Robert C. Byrd
-Unknown person
-Treatment by press
-White House response
-Compared with Earl L. Butz nomination as Secretary of Agriculture
Butz
-Popularity
-Confirmation
-Vindication
-Alternative choice as Secretary
-Herman E. Talmadge
John B. Connally
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] program, November 28, 1971
Talmadge
-Relations with the President
-Agricultural background
-Gene [surname unknown]
-Possible position as Secretary of Agriculture
Connally
-CBS program
-News summary
-Ehrlichman's previous conversation with Mike Wallace
-Connally's brother
-Appearance on program
-Brother's statement concerning Connally
-Successes
-Jake J. Pickle
-George E. Christian
-Brother's statement
-Democrats
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Comments regarding possible Vice Presidential spot for Connally on Democrat
ticket
-Relationship
-Brunch for Texas friends, December 4, 1971
-Perry R. Bass and Phil [Surname unknown]
-Ehrlichman
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Trip to Florida
Texans
-Connally
-Johnson
Connally
-Compared with Johnson
-Speaking style
-Performance
-Views on issues
Value Added Tax [VAT]
-Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Treasury Department's views
-Connally
-Schedule for passage
-Timing
-Work by White House staff
-Charles W. Colson, Haldeman and Ronald L. Ziegler
-The President's speech on the aged
-Property tax relief
-Lee W. Huebner's work on draft
-Home ownership
-Democrats
-Aid to education
-Article by Newbold (“Newby”) Noyes, Jr.
-Democrats' fears
-Joseph W. Alsop
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Alsop
-Possible article
-Neil H. McElroy report
-State of the Union address
-Probable conclusions
-Crisis in public and private schools
-Significance of the President’s actions
-Burden shifting
-McElroy
-Lewis A. Engman
-Cincinnati
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Administration's stance
-Mills's work
The President talked with the White House operator at 3:53 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10A]
[See Conversation No. 15-158]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Mills's work
-Alsop
-Message from the President
-Connally
-Tax reform
-Significance of the President’s actions
-Compared to adoption of income tax
The aged
-Haldeman's views
-Congress
-Compared with environment as an issue
-Votes
Colson entered at 3:55 pm.
Busing
-Bickel
-Forthcoming meeting with the President
-Views
-Legislative route
-Ehrlichman's views
-Paper on issue
-Legislative route
-Timing
-Possible message
-Constitutional amendment
-Prospects
-Brown vs. Board of Education
-Civil Rights Act of 1964
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Bickel's views
-Meeting with the President
The President left at an unknown time before 4:00 pm.
Pay increase for federal employees
-Shultz
-Meeting with Colson, November 29, 1971
-Views
-Amendments
-Possible compromise
-William L. Gifford
The President entered at an unknown time after 3:55 pm.
-Amendment
-Congress's possible action
-Comparability
-Timing
-White House position
-Budget
-Pay Board
-Average ceiling
-Deferral
-Pay Board
-White House position
-Congressional legislation
-Shultz's proposals
-Compromise
-Timing
-Clark MacGregor's views on passage
-Delay
-Freeze
The President's schedule
-Budget
-Ehrlichman's schedule
-Duke University
-Forthcoming call
-[Robert H. Finch?]
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
Ehrlichman left at 4:00 pm.
Stock market
-Closing figures
-MacGregor's statement
Economy
-Public attitude
-Market
-Purchase of mutual fund shares
-Increase
-Leading business indicators
-Expected freeze
-International monetary situation
-The President’s meetings
-MacGregor's statement
-Compared with John F. Kennedy administration
-Business community
-Investment tax credit
-Automobile excise tax
-Tax Bill veto
-Work by Henry C. Cashen, II and Howard A. Cohen
-Automobile industry
-Colson's conversation with Archibald K. Davis
-Foreign cars
-American Motors Corporation
-Consumers
-Refunds
-Possible attack by Washington Post
-Check-off for political campaigns
-Past spending
-Democrats
-Connally's press conference
George Meany
-Hostility towards the President at American Federation of Labor-Congress of
Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO] convention
-Colson's meeting with Maurice A. Hutcheson [?]
-Unknown woman (doctor)
-Meany’s reaction to public response
-Public response
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Letters to the editor
-Los Angeles Times
-Political cartoons
-Victor Riesel article
-Labor's views
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-Fitzsimmons’s views
-Meany’s entourage
-Action
-Meany’s comments
-Media coverage
James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
-Pay board
-Executive clemency
-Parole Board
-Fitzsimmons
-Possible poll
-Meany
-Parole Board
-Fitzsimmons's views
-Christmas release
-Parole Board
-Meany
-Conflict with administration
Meany
-Hostility towards the President at AFL-CIO convention
-Editorials
-Discourtesy
-Comments on the President's courage
Campaign practices
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Cartoon
-Reprint
-Distribution
Edmund S. Muskie
-Statement in defense of Meany
-Supportive editorial
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-White House backing
-Public opinion
-Viability
-Stand on busing
-White House write-in campaign
-Polish-Americans in Chicago
-The Committee for Fairer Education through Busing
-Philip [Surname unknown]
-Success
-Statement in defense of Meany
-White House mailing
-Target groups
-Business
-Jews
-Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Democrat candidates' silence
-Labor
Economy
-Stock market
-Trade deficit
-News coverage
-CBS
-Christmas sales
-Federal Times
-Consumer confidence
-Effect on Democrats
-Tax Bill
-Congress's actions
-Excise tax
-Automobiles
-Personal exemption tax credit
-Compared to investment tax credit
-Paul W. McCracken's views
-Christmas sales
-Arthur F. Burns
-Statement on meeting with the President
-Connally
-Henry A. Kissinger and Shultz
-Money supply
-Compared to investment tax credit
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
Education
-Aid to parochial schools
-Democratic candidates with children in private schools
-Attack on administration
-Double standard
-Analogy to discrimination
-The President’s schedule
-Unknown country club
-Unknown place in Baltimore
-Jews
-Burning Tree
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington
-J. William Fulbright
-The President's membership
Education
-Democrat candidates with children in private schools
-Use in busing issue
-Muskie
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Muskie
-Kennedy
Democratic candidates
-Attack by White House on domestic issues
-Buchanan
-Louie B. Nunn
-Colson's work
-Spokesmen
Public relations
-Douglas L. Hallett
-Writing
-Youth
-Analysis
-The President's previous conversation with Haldeman
-Press conference
-Butz
-Meany
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Phase II
-Federal pay increase
-Timing
-People's Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Value
-Compared with Richard A. Moore and John A. Scali
-Colson’s conversation with Haldeman
-Romana A. Banuelos
-Confirmation
-Signing dollar bills
-Domestic programs
-Packaging
-Colson's use
-Feelings about work
-Compared with senior staff
-Judgment
-Herbert G. Klein and staff
-Hallett's work
-Environmental issues
-Views regarding the President's involvement
-Colorado River trip
-One-on-one television appearances
-Press conferences
-Students
-Workers
-“Day in the Life of the President”
-Scali's claim for credit
-Views on the President's strengths
-Candid formats
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5m 40s ]
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:00 pm.
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:52 pm.
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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The President talked with an unknown person in Haldeman's office at an unknown time between
4:00 pm and 4:52 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10B]
Forthcoming announcement
-Date of the President’s trip to the PRC
-Timing
[End of telephone conversation]
The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:52 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10C]
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Finch
-Kissinger's schedule
-Briefing, November 30, 1971
-Announcement
-State Department announcement
[End of telephone conversation]
The President talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:52 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10D]
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Finch and Klein, November 30, 1971
-Kissinger's schedule
-Finch’s trip
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
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-Colson
-Report on stock market
-Tax Bill veto
Stock market
-Closing figures
-Public attitudes
-California
-Closing figures
[End of telephone conversation]
Stock market
-Closing figures
-Predictions
-Inflation
-Unemployment
-Consumers
Unemployment
-John F. Kennedy Administration
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Vietnam veterans
-Use of unemployment benefits
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and
4:52 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10E]
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
[See Conversation No. 15-159]
[End of telephone conversation]
Unemployment figures
-Vietnam veterans
-Harris poll
-Exclusion from figures
-Compared with previous years
The President talked with Finch between 4:52 pm and 4:54 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10F]
[See Conversation No. 15-160]
[End of telephone conversation]
Administration officials
-Foreign trips
-1972
-The President’s schedule
-Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration
-John Foster Dulles
-Reports to William P. Rogers
-Maurice H. Stans
-Trip to Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Japan
-Connally
-Colson’s office
-Peter G. Peterson
-Connally
Economy
-Business community
-Connally
-Stans
-Connally's press conference
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Report to Chamber of Commerce
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Mood
-Recession
-Public psychology
-Automobile sales
-Christmas sales
-1970
-Forthcoming poll
-Press conference of November 27, 1971
-Advertisers
-Colson's visit to grocery store
The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and 5:02
pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10G]
William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Forthcoming trip to Taiwan, Republic of China
-Chiang Kai-shek
-Briefing paper
-[National Security Council [NSC]]
[End of telephone conversation]
Hoffa
-Possible executive clemency
-Timing
-Meany
-Fitzsimmons
-Parole Board
-Meany
The President talked with an unknown person [Manolo Sanchez?] at an unknown time between
4:54 pm and 5:02 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10H]
The President’s schedule
[End of telephone conversation]
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:54 pm and
5:02 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10I]
[See Conversation No. 15-162]
[End of telephone conversation]
Unknown person [Hoffa?]
-Administration support
The President talked with John C. Whitaker between 5:02 pm and 5:05 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10J]
[See Conversation No. 15-163]
[End of telephone conversation]
Public housing
-Conditions
-Blacks
-Whites and Puerto Ricans
-Washington, D.C.
-Southwest
-Northeast
-Trash pick-up
Business leaders
-Unknown man
-Unknown action
-Increase
Labor
-Current legislation
-James D. Hodgson
-Dock strike
-Fitzsimmons
-Meany
-Ehrlichman
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Domestic Council
-Meany
-Labor Bill
-Public opinion
-Meany's actions
-Timing
-Possible strike
-Public fears
-Unemployment
-Congress
-Ehrlichman's, Shultz's and Hodgson's work
-Wage increases
-Meany
-Letter
-Local unions
-Editorials
-Speeches
-Business
-Peter J. Brennan
-Support
-Editorial
-Meany
-Representation of labor
-The Administration’s position
-Shultz's and Colson's work
-Dale K. (“Kent”) Frizzell [?]
-Column
Education
-Parochial school aid
Young people
-Support of administration
-Polls
-PRC trip
-Vietnam
-Drafting military inductees
-Mood
-Colson's son's comments
-Haldeman's views
-PRC policy
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Blue collar workers
-Hallett's views
-Aged
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9m 35s ]
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and 5:35
pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10K]
[End of telephone conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
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Environmental issues
-Spokesperson position
-Offer to unspecified television commentator
-Russell E. Train
-Unknown member of committee
-Colson's conversation with Frederic V. Malek
-List of names
-Television personality
-Ability to inform public
-John A. Scali
-Daniel Schorr
-Malek
-Creation of position
-White House consultant for TV
-Train
-Unknown American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] producer
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
-Robert Pierpoint
-CBS and National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Herbert E. Kaplow
-Scali
-Schorr
-Television personality
-Slogan
-Handling
-Television
-Compared with Department of Agriculture
-Film
Butz
-Confirmation
-Democrats
-Public contact
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Compared with Walter J. Hickel
-Confirmation
Unknown announcement
-Edward Kennedy
Labor
-Dock strike
-Forthcoming call from Colson
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
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The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:05 pm and
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 306-10 (cont.)
5:35 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10L]
[See Conversation No. 15-164]
[End of telephone conversation]
The President’s reaction to unknown event
Colson’s schedule
The President talked with Ziegler between 5:35 pm and 5:39 pm.
[Conversation No. 306-10M]
[See Conversation No. 15-165]
Colson left at 5:35 pm.
[End of telephone conversation]