Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 334-036

Prev:  334-035 Next: 334-037

Start Date: 2-May-1972 4:41 PM

End Date: 2-May-1972 6:17 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Sanchez, ManoloWhite House operatorCox, Tricia Nixon[Unknown person(s)]Tolson, Clyde A.Bull, Stephen B.Ehrlichman, John D.Ziegler, Ronald L.Gandy, Helen

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:29:47

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:47:12

334a.mp3

334b.mp3

334c.mp3

334d.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Manolo Sanchez, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, unknown person(s), Clyde A. Tolson, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Helen Gandy met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:41 pm and 6:17 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 334-036 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 334-36

Date: May 2, 1972
Time: Unknown after 4:41 pm - 6:17 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
                                            33

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 56s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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    J. Edgar Hoover
         -Death
              -Publicity
                    -Compared with Dwight D. Eisenhower's death
              -Press reports
                    -Past criticism

    Vietnam
         -North Vietnamese invasion
              -Refugees

    Hoover
        -Rotunda
        -Lying-in-state
             -Justice Department
        -Successor
             -Selection
                   -John D. Ehrlichman
        -Senate
        -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
             -Congressional investigation
                   -Problems
        -Successor
             -Selection
                   -Senate
                   -1972 election
                        -Climate of opinion
                   -Postponement
                        -Statement
                        -Political issue
                                              34

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

                -John N. Mitchell
                -Ehrlichman
                      -Forthcoming meeting with Haldeman
                      -Congressional testimony
                -L. Patrick Gray
                      -Present position

Alexander M. Haig, Jr. talked with the President between 4:49 and 4:51 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36A]

[See Conversation No. 23-114]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Vietnam
          -US air strikes
               -Concentration
          -US training programs
          -[Unintelligible]
          -Robert F. Kennedy

     Hoover
         -The President's statement
              -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
              -News reports
         -Funeral
              -Publicity
         -Detractors
         -Flags
              -Half-mast
                    -The President's order
         -1972 election
              -Issue

     John B. Connally

     Unknown person

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:51 and 4:57
pm.
                                             35

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

[Conversation No. 334-36B]

[See Conversation No. 23-115]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Meeting
          -Duration
          -Unknown person's speech

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:51 pm.

     Machine
         -Removal

Sanchez left at 4:57 pm.

The President talked with Tricia Nixon Cox between 4:57 and 4:58 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36C]

[See Conversation No. 23-116; one item has been withdrawn from the conversation.]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Hoover
         -The President's statement
              -Ehrlichman
              -Law and order
              -Detractors

     Jerry V. Wilson

     Byron R. White

     Robert C. Mardian

     Curtis W. Tarr

     Bill Woods

     Connally
                                             36

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)



    The President's statement
         -Unknown person's reaction

    Connally
        -Party at ranch
        -House
              -Tour by Haldeman
                    -Reaction of Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
        -Gift
              -World's Fair of 1939
              -Letter from the President
              -Shelly [sp?] Smith
              -Value
              -Location

    Vietnam


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 33s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

*****************************************************************


    Unknown person's views
        -New York Times
        -Indians
        -United Nations [UN]
        -Blacks

    Virgil Percy [sp?]
         -Union magazine editor
         -Time
         -Meeting with the President
                                              37

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

     The President's schedule
          -Trip to Annapolis
                -Transportation
                -Sequoia
                      -Naval Academy cadets
                -Publicity
                      -Compared with meeting with astronauts
                -Sequoia
                -Chapel service
                -Return to Washington
          -Domestic events
                -Ehrlichman
                -Problems
                -Scheduling
                -Hoover statement
                      -Timing
                           -Price
                -Radio
                      -Audience
                      -Replays

     FBI
           -Importance
           -Director
                -Nominee

     Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
          -Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters

     Vietnam
          -Refugees
               -News stories
               -Significance
               -News stories
               -Public support for the President
          -North Vietnamese invasion
               -Soviet aid
               -Soviet summit

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:58 pm.

     The President's schedule
                                               38

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

           -Sequoia cruise
                -Preparations
                -Time
                -Attendance
                -The President's pipes

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:26 pm.

     Vietnam
          -The President's policies
               -Polls
               -Soviet summit
                     -Approval rate
          -Enemy casualties in Laos

     The President's schedule
          -Hoover eulogy
          -Trip to Annapolis
                -The President's speech
                      -Subject

[Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 4:58 and 5:26 pm.]

[Conversation No. 334-36D]

     The President's schedule
          -Speech in Annapolis
               -Location

[End of telephone conversation]

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:58 and 5:26
pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36E]

[See Conversation No. 23-117]

[End of telephone conversation]

     FBI
           -Richard G. Kleindienst
                                             39

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

          -Hoover
              -Race tracks
              -Movie stars
              -Pictures
                    -Unknown person

     The President's schedule
          -Trip to Soviet Union
          -Announcement on steel quotas
                -Unemployment

The President talked with Clyde A. Tolson between 5:26 and 5:27 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36F]

[See Conversation No. 23-118]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Hoover
         -Tolson
         -FBI
         -Private files
               -Location
               -Access

Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:27 and 5:30 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36G]

     The President’s schedule

[End of telephone conversation]

     The President's schedule
          -The President's speech at Annapolis
               -Location
                      -Chapel
                      -Armory
                      -Mess Hall
                           -Problems
                      -Chapel
                                               40

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

                          -Problems
                          -Tradition
                     -Armory
                          -Arrangements
                     -Selection
                          -Criteria

     Hoover
         -Eulogy
         -John Foster Dulles
         -Succession
              -Tolson
                    -Age

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:27 pm.

     Meeting with Ehrlichman

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:30 pm.

Ehrlichman entered at 5:30 pm.

     Ronald L. Ziegler

     Hoover
         -Death
              -News stories
              -The President's announcement
                   -News release
                         -Ziegler

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:30 and 5:31
pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36H]

[See Conversation No. 23-119]

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman left at 5:31 pm.
                                              41

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

     Hoover
         -The President's announcement
              -Handling
              -Hoover's career

Ehrlichman talked with Ronald L. Ziegler between 5:35 and 5:37 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36I]

[See Conversation No. 23-120]

Ehrlichman conferred with the President at an unknown time during the conversation.

     FBI
           -Acting Director
                -The President's nomination
                      -Congress
                            -Timing

[End of telephone conversation]

     FBI
           -Acting Director
                -Appointment
                      -Timing
                -Gray
                      -Ehrlichman's recommendation
                -Nomination
                      -Permanent successor
                            -1972 election
                                 -Partisanship
                -Gray
                      -Nomination
                            -Conditions
                            -Congressional investigation
                                 -Martin Luther King
                                 -Wiretap
                                 -Preventive detention
                            -Possible questions
           -Hoover's successor
                -Announcement
                      -Kleindienst
                                            42

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

                    -Ziegler
                    -Ehrlichman
                -Appointment
                    -Gerald R. Ford
                    -Samuel L. Devine
                          -Preference on speed of nomination

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 5:37 pm.

     Unknown request

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 5:46 pm.

     Hoover's successor
         -Appointment
                -Devine
                     -Reelection


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 33s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

*****************************************************************


     Bicentennial in Philadelphia
          -Problem


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 3s ]
                                           43

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

AN UNKNOWN PERSON ENTERED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME AFTER 5:37 PM.

THE UNKNOWN PERSON LEFT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME BEFORE 5:46 PM.


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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    The President's schedule
         -Nelson A. Rockefeller
              -Statement
                     -Support from Republican governors
                          -Governors Conference in White Sulphur Springs
                     -Public support
              -Meeting with the President
                     -Length

    Bicentennial in Philadelphia
         -Frank L. Rizzo
              -Ehrlichman's call
         -Commission
              -Recommendation on Philadelphia
                     -Problems
                           -Finances
                     -Conversations with Rizzo
                     -State of Pennsylvania
                           -Highway funds
              -Appropriations
                     -Adverse recommendations
         -Rizzo
              -Meeting with Ehrlichman
                     -Alternative proposals

    Tax reform
         -Wilbur D. Mills's letter
              -Answer
              -Meeting with Mills
                   -Connally's recommendation
              -Problems
                                              44

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

     Welfare reform
          -Senate Finance Committee
                -Republicans
                      -Meeting with the President
                            -Ehrlichman's recommendation
                      -Proposals
                            -Criticism
                                  -Elliot L. Richardson and James D. Hodgson
                                  -Russell B. Long
          -House Resolution [HR] 1
                -Administration's position
          -The President's meeting with Senate Finance Committee
                -Meeting with Ehrlichman
          -Ehrlichman's appearance on Meet the Press
                -Question
                      -"Workfare"
                -Family assistance
                -Republican senators' proposals
                      -Criticism
          -Possible questions for the President during recent Texas trip
                -Budget
                -Inflation
          -Welfare costs

     Postal system
          -Ehrlichman's conversation with Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
                 -Subsidy
                      -Life
                      -Problems with elimination
                      -Life
                            -Future

     Unemployment
         -Plan
               -Lewis's article
                   -Title
                   -Connally
                   -Mailing
                   -Reprints

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 5:55 pm.
                                                45

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

     Phone call
         -Richard C. Valeriani

     The President's schedule
          -Haldeman
          -An announcement
          -Meeting with Rockefeller

     FBI
           -Acting director
                -Morning briefing

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with Rockefeller
               -Time
               -Duration
               -News story
                      -Acting Director of FBI
               -Time

     FBI
           -Acting Director
                -Nomination
                -A briefing
                -Senate
                -Partisanship
                      -Timing of selection
                -Successor to Hoover
                      -Kleindienst announcement
                      -Confirmation problems
                      -Announcement of interim director
                            -Public acceptance
                      -Selection
                            -Postponement
                                 -Election year
                                 -Senate approval

Ziegler left at 6:03 pm.

The President talked with the White House operator at 6:03 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36J]
                                            46

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)



[See Conversation No. 23-121]

[End of telephone conversation]


*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 46s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

*****************************************************************


     The President's schedule
          -Trip to Annapolis
                -Discussion with Haldeman
                -Possible stops
                -Hoover

The President talked with Helen Gandy between 6:06 and 6:07 pm.

[Conversation No. 334-36K]

[See Conversation No. 23-122]

[End of telephone conversation]

     The President's schedule
          -Grocery store visit
          -Trip to Annapolis
                -Stops
                -Value
                -University of Maryland
          -Dinner with midshipmen
                -Significance for youth
                -Discussion of issues
                -Arrangements
                                        47

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                           Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

          -Youth
                -Naval officers
                -University of Maryland students
                -The President's identification
          -Control of conversation
          -Emphasis on young members of staff
          -Control
     -Transportation
          -Stopover
                -Supermarket
                     -Planning
                     -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                     -Small store
                     -Jews
                     -Chains
                           -Connally
                           -Safeway
                                 -Sanchez
                                 -Victorio Delacruz
     -Dinner with midshipmen
          -Ziegler
          -Newspaperman
                -Robert Semple
                     -New York Times
                           -Pulitzer Prize
                -Wire service reporter
                     -Walter Meares [sp?]
     -Edward E. Carlson
          -United Airlines
          -Edward E. Carlson, Jr.
                -Hubert H. Humphrey
                -Ambition
     -John K. Andrews, Jr.

Andrews

Ziegler
     -Age

The President's schedule
     -Trip to Soviet Union
           -Soviet summit
                                               48

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 334-36 (cont.)

           -Summer trips

     Briefcase

Ehrlichman left at 6:17 pm.