Conversation No. 327-8

Date: March 28, 1972
Time: 3:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with John B. Connally and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     National economy
          -Connally’s schedule
                -Previous television appearance
                     -Charts
                     -Today show
                -Forthcoming meeting with Food chain executives
                     -Giant
                     -Wage and price controls
                           -Southland Corporation
                                 -7-11 stores
                     -Earl L. Butz
                     -Herbert Stein
                     -Clifford M. Hardin [?]
                -Food prices
                     -Connally’s charts
                           -Trends
                                 -Meat prices
                     -Price Commission hearing
                           -C. Jackson Grayson, Jr.
                     -Farm organizations
                           -Connally’s forthcoming meeting with Butz
                     -Butz’s statements
                           -Connally’s view
          -Automobile sales
          -Economic indicators
          -Balance of trade
                -Trade deficit
                -Competitiveness
                     -Currency exchange rates

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 5:16 pm.
                                   14

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


     -Connally’s view
           -Taxes
           -US dependents in Europe
           -Possible Defense Department activities
                 -Banking activities
           -The President’s possible action
           -US banking operations overseas
                 -Compared to domestic banking
                       -New York
                       -California
                       -Ohio
                       -Texas
                 -Currency speculation
                       -Deutsche marks
                       -Yen
                 -Convertibility
                       -Suspension
                             -The President’s August 15, 1971 statement
                 -Stock market
                       -Businessmen’s confidence
     -George P. Shultz
     -Arthur F. Burns
     -Peter G. Peterson
     -Grayson
     -Herbert Stein
     -Leaks
           0Burns
-The President’s Democratic opponents
     -Issues
           -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
           -Tax reform
           -George C. Wallace
-Tax reform
     -Connally’s efforts
           -Democrats’ intentions
                 -Raise taxes
                 -Close loopholes
                       -Mortgage interest
                       -Municipal bonds
                 -The administration’s possible response
     -Government spending
                                        15

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


                -Congress’s possible action
                    -Family support programs
                          -Welfare
                    -The President’s view
                          -Poor
                                -Example
                          -Labor leaders
                          -Senior citizens
                          -Media
     -Inflation
     -US business competitiveness in the world
           -Japan
           -Europe
           -Trading blocs
           -Japan
           -Europe
                -Consolidation
           -The President’s view
                -Europe
                -Japan
                      -US-Soviet relation
                -The People’s Republic of China [PRC]
           -Connally’s view
                -Japan
                      -US economic capacity
                      -National Defense
           -The President’s view
                -Possible trading bloc with South America
                -Japan
                -Europeans
                      -Soviets

US foreign policy
     -Middle East
          -Jewish influence
          -Dwight D. Eisenhower
                -Response to Suez crisis in 1956
                     -Gamal Abdel Nasser
                     -The President’s view
                          -British
                          -French
                            16

         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                    Tape Subject Log
                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                     Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


      -Lebanon
      -Relations with Israel
           -The President’s view
                 -Harry S Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson
                        Administrations and current Administration
                 -Arab nations
                        -United Arab Republic [UAR]
                        -Syria
                        -Iraq
                        -Saudi Arabia
                        -Jordan
                 -US financial support
                        -Bonds
-Soviet Union
      -Possible withdrawal from Egypt
           -Israeli territorial concessions
-US-Arab relations
      -Arab views
           -Great Britain
           -Japan
           -France
           -US
           -Soviet Union
-Democrats’ views
      -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
      -Edmund S. Muskie
-Israel
      -Occupation of territory
-Africa
      -Northern Africa
      -South Africa
      -Central Africa
           -The President’s view
      -Europeans
-Latin America
-Japan
-Indonesia
-Thailand
-India, Pakistan
-Middle East
                                              17

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


     National economy
          -Federal budget
                -Balance
                -Possible cuts
          -International economy
                -The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union
          -Tax reform
                -Connally’s possible role
                      -George S. McGovern
                      -Muskie
                      -George Meany
                      -Democratic candidates
                -Democratic candidates
                      -Social security
                      -Welfare education
                      -Defense spending
                      -Tax increases
                      -Price increases
                      -Press coverage
                            -Tax reform
                            -Connally’s review
                                  -Capital gains
                                       -Stock market
                                       -Real estate
                                  -Administration’s possible actions
                                       -Congress
                                  -Capital gains
          -Trade balance
                -Foreign exchange markets

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 3:15 pm and 5:16 pm.

          -Congress
          -The President’s role

     The President’s schedule
          -News
               -ITT case
               -The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union
               -Press conferences
                      -Frequency
                                             18

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


                     -Television
          -Speeches
          -Televised press conferences
               -1972 election
               -Democrats

     National issues
          -Possible Republican response strategy
                -Congress
                -Republican National Committee
                -Cabinet
                -Democratic primaries
                     -Wisconsin
                -Busing


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 26s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:15 pm.

     Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:16 pm.

     ITT case
          -Richard G. Kleindienst confirmation hearing
          Peter M. Flanigan
                -Harry F. Byrd
                -William E. Brock, III
                -Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
                -John N. Mitchell
                      -Clark MacGregor
                                              19

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


               -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
               -Roman L. Hruska’s possible letter
                     -John D. Ehrlichman
               -Executive Session
               -William P. Rogers, Arthur K. Watson
          -Executive privilege

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:15 pm.

                -Flanigan’s possible statement
                -Kleindienst’s confirmation
                -Kissinger’s conversations with Congressional committees

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:16 pm.

               -Hruska
          -Ervin’s opposition
          -Executive privilege
               -Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John .F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson
               -Separation of powers
                     -Congressmen
                     -Warren E. Burger
               -Flanigan’s possible statement
          -Witnesses’ affidavits
               -James O. Eastland
               -Harold S. Geneen’s conversations
                     -President
               -Haldeman
                     -Connally, Peter Peterson
                     -Mitchell, Spiro T. Agnew

     The President’s schedule
          -Jews
               -United Jewish appeal
                -B’nai B’rith
                -Kissinger
                -William L. Safire
                -Burns

     ITT case
          -Kleindienst’s confirmation
                                   20

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                       Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


     -Congressional hearings
            -Strategy
            -Floor vote
     -Michael J. Mansfield’s statement, March 28th
     -Prospects
     -Possible withdrawal
     -Erwin N. Griswold
     -Kleindienst’s possible statement
            -ITT settlement
            -Withdrawal
            -Strategy
     -Congressional hearings
     -Administration’s options
     -Democrats’ intentions
     -Committee’s actions
            -Mansfield
     -Kleindienst’s possible actions
            -Withdrawal
                  -Reaction
                        -Haldeman’s view
                  -Scenarios
                        -Haldeman’s view
                             -Continued hearings
                             -Vote on the nomination
                             -Withdrawal
                  -The President’s view
                  -Connally’s view
                  -Mansfield
                        -National economy
                             -Tax reform
-The President’s possible actions
-Emoluments for individuals
     -Flanigan, Mitchell, Kleindienst
-San Diego convention
     -Contributions
-San Diego convention
     -Contributions
-Democrats’ motives
-Effect of repetition
-Kleindienst’s possible actions
-ITT settlement
                           21

         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                    Tape Subject Log
                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                   Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


-Philip A. Hart
-Dita D. Beard memorandum
-Involvement of Mitchell and Kleindienst
-Hart’s possible actions
      -Eastland
-Haldeman’s view
      -President’s statement
-Mitchell’s views
-Robert J. Dole
-Kleindienst’s possible actions
-Senate
-Mansfield’s possible actions
      -Dole’s possible response
-Senate
      -Mansfield
      -Jack N. Anderson
            -The Administration actions
-Committee hearings
      -Eastland, Hart
      -Washington Post, New York Times
-Alternatives
-Kleindienst
-Alternatives
      -L. Patrick Gray, III
-Kleindienst’s possible actions
-Committee hearings
      -Abe Fortas’s nomination
            -Lyndon B. Johnson
            -Fortas
-Kleindienst’s possible actions
-Unknown man during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration
-Committee hearings
      -Effect of continuation
            -Television
            -Richard W. McLaren
            -Joseph McCarthy
            -Television
-Kleindienst’s possible actions
-Hugh Scott
      -Statement
-Connally’s conversation with John Chancellor
                                       22

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


          -Joseph C. Kraft
          -Senators
                -Hruska
                -Marlow Cook
                -Membership in the committee
          -Justice Department
          -G. Harrold Carswell, [Clement F. Haynsworth, Jr.]
          -William H. Rehnquist, Lewis F. Powell, Jr.

Leadership in the US
     -The President’s previous meeting with the General Advisory Committee on Arms
           Control and Disarmament
           -John J. McCloy
           -Lauris Norstad
           -William W. Scranton
                 -The President’s view
     -Middlesex Club
     -Governors
           -Ronald W. Reagan
           -Nelson A. Rockefeller
           -Preston Smith
           -Richard B. Ogilvie
           -Milton J. Shapp
           -John J. Gilligan
           -Reubin O. Askew
           -James E. (“Jimmy”) Carter
           -Republican Governors Conference
     -William T. Cahill
     -Thomas J. Meskill
     -Senate
     -House of Representatives
           -[Carl B. Albert]
           -[[Thomas] Hale Boggs]
           -Gerald R. Ford
           -Clarence J. Brown
           -James T. Broyhill
           -Elford A. Cederburg
           -Edward J. Derwinski
           -William J. (“Jack”) Edwards
           -John N. Erlenborn
           -Louis Frey, Jr.
                                       23

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


          -Jack F. Kemp
          -John H. Kyl
          -Robert H. Michel
          -Albert H. Quie
          -William A. Steiger
          -John B. Anderson
          -Barber B. Conable, Jr.
          -Richard H. Poff
          -John J. Rhodes
          -Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
          -Steiger
          -Kemp
          -Frey
     -Education system
     -Media
     -Vietnam War
     -“Captains of industry”
          -President of General Motors [GM]
          -President of US Steel
     -Cabinet
          -Kleindienst
          -Connally
          -Butz
          -George W. Romney
          -John A. Volpe
          -Elliot L. Richardson
          -Rogers
          -Melvin R. Laird
          -Possible changes
                -Connally’s view
                      -Necessity
     -The President’s opponents
          -Wallace
          -John N. Ashbrook, Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
     -Kleindienst

ITT case
     -Kleindienst’s confirmation
          -Committee hearings
                -Mansfield
                -Hart, Quentin Burdick, John V. Tunney
                                              24

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)


                      -Hart
                            -Beard
                      -Edward M. Kennedy
                 -Administration’s position
                 -The President’s forthcoming press conference
                 -ITT settlement

Connally left at 5:16 pm.

The President left at 5:16 pm.

The President returned at an unknown time before 5:30 pm.

     Connally
         -The President’s view
         -Charles W. Colson

     ITT case
          -Kleindienst’s confirmation
               -Administration’s position
               -Press
               -Committee hearings
                     -Mitchell
               -Duration
                     -Washington Post
                     -Possible allegations of cover-up
                     -Length
                     -Strategy

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:16 pm and
5:30 pm.

[Conversation No. 327-8A]

[See Conversation No. 22-37]

[End of telephone conversation]

           -Haldeman’s possible conversations with Colson and MacGregor

Haldeman left at 5:30 pm.
                                             25

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 327-8 (cont.)