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Conversation: 318-003

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Start Date: 26-Jan-1972 3:29 PM

End Date: 26-Jan-1972 4:20 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Colson, Charles W.Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")White House operatorHarlow, Bryce N.Stanton, FrankCarruthers, William H.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:05:03

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:51:06

318a.mp3

318b.mp3

318c.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Bryce N. Harlow, Frank Stanton, and William H. Carruthers met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:29 pm to 4:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 318-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 318-3

Date: January 26, 1972
Time: 3:29 pm - 4:20 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

[Conversation No. 318-3A]

[See Conversation No. 19-108]

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 3:29 pm; the President conferred with
 Haldeman during the phone conversation.

[End of telephone conversation]

     Kissinger's briefing
          -Quality
                -Attitude, tone, content
          -Television
                -William P. Rogers's press conference
          -Distribution
                                              3

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/10)
                                                                       Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


                -Questions and answers [Q & A] format
                     -William L. Safire
                     -The President's previous conversation with Alexander P. Haig, Jr. and
                           Colson
                     -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

     Agnew
         -Consultation on peace plan
         -Leaders meeting
               -Performance
         -Policy-making role
               -Cabinet meetings
         -Leaders meeting
               -Bryce N. Harlow's possible reaction
                    -Forthcoming call from Haldeman

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and
3:58 pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3B]

[See Conversation No. 19-109]

[End of telephone conversation]

     The President's Vietnam speech of January 25, 1972
          -Television rating
          -Timing
               -Prime time
               -Network programs
                      -Interruption
                            -Welfare veto
          -Public reaction
               -East
               -West
                      -California
          -Rebroadcast on radio of January 26, 1972
               -The President's projection

[Haldeman talked with Harlow at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and 3:58 pm.]
                                              4

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/10)
                                                                      Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


[Conversation No. 318-3C]

[See Conversation No. 19-110]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Rogers's forthcoming press conference, January 27, 1972
         -Television
                -Kissinger's briefing
                -The President's previous conversation with Colson
                -Haldeman's forthcoming meeting with Rogers
         -Kissinger's Q & A
                -Delivery to Rogers

     Kissinger's schedule
          -Forthcoming National Press Club dinner speech
                -White House Communications Agency [WHCA]
                      -Phone hook-up
                -Phone call from the President during Kissinger's performance
                      -Projection to audience
                      -Possible format
                            -Conversation
                      -Humorous effect
                      -Identification of the President
                -The President's possible presence
                      -Compared with a telephone call

     The President's Vietnam speech
          -Delivery
               -The President's knowledge of subject
               -Compared with other Oval Office speeches
                      -Phase II
               -Compared with "podium speeches"
               -Reaction
                      -Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
                      -Paul W. Keyes
                            -Call to the President
               -The President's self-consciousness
          -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] crew
               -Work
               -Unknown man's reaction
                                              5

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/10)
                                                                      Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


                    -Previous work for the President on Christmas show
                -News commentators and producers

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 3:35 pm and
3:58 pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3D]

[See Conversation No. 19-111]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Forthcoming call to Frank Stanton
          -Colson
          -CBS crews
               -Interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
               -The President's Vietnam speech
               -Christmas special
               -Marvin L. Kalb

     George H. Gallup poll
          -George P. Shultz's theory on economy
          -Public attitudes on unemployment and inflation
               -Timing of polls
                      -Price freeze

     Haldeman’s schedule
          -Rogers

     Secretary of Commerce position
          -Announcement
                -Maurice H. Stans, Peter G. Peterson, Peter M. Flanigan
                     -The President’s appearance
                          -Stans’s possible comments

[The President talked with Stanton between 3:58 pm and 4:01 pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3E]

[See Conversation No. 19-112]
                                              6

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/10)
                                                                      Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


[End of telephone conversation]

     Secretary of Commerce position
          -Announcement
                -Possible comments
                     -Stans
                     -Peterson
                     -Flanigan
                -The President’s appearance

     White House staff
          -Vietnam speech of November 3, 1969
               -Haldeman’s role
          -Colson
          -Cambodia
          -John A. Scali
          -Contacts

     Richard A. Moore
          -View of the President's appearance during Vietnam speech
               -Possible call from Haldeman
               -William H. Carruthers
                     -Technical detail
                     -Forthcoming call from Haldeman

[Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:01 pm and 4:20
pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3F]

[See Conversation No. 19-113]

[End of telephone conversation]

     The President’s Vietnam speech
          -Handling of text
               -Camera shot
               -Lighting

     Vietnam
          -As issue
                                               7

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/10)
                                                                    Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)



[Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:01 pm and 4:20 pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3G]

     Kissinger's Press Club dinner speech
          -Phone call from the President
                -Technical set-up by WHCA
                      -Phone
                            -Public address system
                -Notification of Press Club staff
                -Possible conversation
                -Technical set-up
                      -WHCA
                      -Timing with the President

[End of telephone conversation]

          -First line
                -Reasons for tardiness
                      -Phone call from the President
                           -Timing

[Haldeman talked with Carruthers at an unknown time between 4:01 pm and 4:20 pm.]

[Conversation No. 318-3H]

[See Conversation No. 19-114]

[The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:01 pm and 4:20
pm; this conversation occurred concurrently with Haldeman's phone conversation.]

[Conversation No. 318-3I]

     The President's schedule
          -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland

[End of Haldeman's conversation]

                -Arrangements for meeting
                                               8

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/10)
                                                                  Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


[End of the President's conversation]

     The President's Vietnam speech
          -Carruthers's view
               -The President's first economic speech
               -The President's delivery
                      -Pace
                            -Subject matter
                            -Confidence
                            -Technical mistakes
               -Construction of speech
                      -Clarity, concision
                            -Confidence
               -Lights, cameras
               -The President's appearance
                      -The President's trip to Florida
                      -Lighting and setting
                      -Weariness
                            -Compared with economic speech
                            -Television
                                  -Close-up
                            -Makeup
                            -Preparation
                                  -[State of the Union Address]
                      -Attitude
                      -Trip to Florida
          -The President's delivery
               -Pacing
                      -Duration of speech
                            -Number of words
                      -Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
          -Carruthers's view
               -The President's delivery
                      -Pacing
                            -Length of speech
                            -Concern over time in TV industry

     Kissinger's Press Club dinner speech
          -The President's phone call
                -Timing
                      -Dinner
                                              9

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/10)
                                                                 Conv. No. 318-3 (cont.)


                -Master of ceremonies
                -Effect
                -Timing

     Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
          -Role with administration
               -Ronald W. Reagan's recent conversation with the President
                     -William French Smith
               -Haldeman’s forthcoming talk with Weinberger
                     -Richard G. Kleindienst
                     -Department of Justice
                     -Cabinet
                           -Attorney General
                           -Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
                           -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
          -The President’s view

Haldeman left at 4:20 pm.