Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 363-016

Prev:  363-015 Next: 363-017

Start Date: 8-Aug-1972 4:11 PM

End Date: 8-Aug-1972 4:54 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.[Unknown person(s)]White House operatorCook, Richard K.Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

363-016.mp3

NARA Description:

On August 8, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), White House operator, Richard K. Cook, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:11 pm to 4:54 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 363-016 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 363-16

Date: August 8, 1972
Time: 4:11 pm - 4:54 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

            Greetings

            1972 election
                -George S. McGovern
                    -Letter
                         -Briefings on foreign policy
                             -Paul Warnke
                             -Kissinger’s possible participation
                             -Richard M. Helms
                -Vietnam negotiations
                    -As a campaign issue

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:11 pm.

            Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:47 pm.

            1972 election
                -Kissinger's role
                    -Fundraising
                    -Vietnam
                    -Kissinger's schedule
                         -Forthcoming trip to Moscow

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:47 pm.

                 -Possible foreign policy briefings for McGovern
                     -Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson's briefings for Barry
                        13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                Tape Subject Log
                  (rev. Nov-03)

 M. Goldwater
-Administration’s reaction to McGovern's letter
    -Possible writer
        -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
        -Kissinger
        -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
        -Haldeman
    -Possible briefing for Warnke
        -Security clearances
        -Haig
        -Helms
-Warnke
    -Kissinger’s view
        -Pentagon Papers
             -Daniel Ellsberg
             -Clark M. Clifford
-Administration’s possible reaction
-McGovern's letter
    -Kissinger’s reading of text
        -Warnke
    -Haig
-Administration response to McGovern's letter
    -Possible writer
        -Kissinger
        -Haig
        -Haldeman
        -Alexander P. Butterfield
        -Haldeman
    -Offer of briefings
        -Warnke
        -Haig
        -Helms
        -Warnke
        -Location
        -Haig
        -Kissinger
        -Warnke
        -Haig
        -Helms
        -State and Defense Departments
                                              14

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                 -McGovern
                    -Speeches on Vietnam negotiations
                        -Impact on negotiations
                            -Publication of records of negotiations

             The President's meeting with Republican leaders
                 -Butterfield
                 -Foreign policy subjects
                     -Kissinger’s representative
                          -Presence
                 -End-the-war resolution in House of Representatives
                     -The President's possible calls to House members
                          -Gerald R. Ford
                          -Advisability
                               -William E. Timmons
                                    -Camp David
                               -Richard K. Cook
                 -Kissinger's actions
                     -Senate

            Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone conversation with Cook

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and
4:47 pm.

[Conversation No. 363-16A]

[See Conversation No. 29-56]

[End of telephone conversation]

             Antiwar Republicans
                 -House
                     -Number
                 -Senate
                     -Goldwater's evaluation
                         -Republican National Convention
                               -Edward W. Brooke
                 -Kissinger's meeting at Jacob K. Javits's house
                     -Warren Avis
                                                15

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                 -Hugh Scott

Kissinger talked with Cook at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and 4:47 pm.

[Conversation No. 363-16B]

[See Conversation No. 29-57]

[End of telephone conversation]

             The President’s possible telephone calls
                 -Cook’s view
                 -Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
                     -Meetings with the President
                 -Ford
                 -Senate

             Vietnam negotiations
                 -Status
                      -Ellsworth F. Bunker
                           -North Vietnamese proposal


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 58s     ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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


             Vietnam
                 -Effect of 1972 election
                 -Possible bombing halt
                     -Value
                     -Effect on 1968 election
                                 16

        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                        Tape Subject Log
                          (rev. Nov-03)

        -Possible effect on 1972 election
        -Extent of bombing halt
        -Negotiations
        -Justification
        -Populated areas
             -20th parallel
        -Mining
    -Negotiations
        -McGovern
        -Record
        -Effect of 1972 election
        -Casualties
             -Air war
        -Record
             -McGovern
             -Possible television appearance by Kissinger
                  -Effect

Kissinger's talk with young people
    -State Department
         -Interns
    -Questions
         -Opposition to the President's policies
    -Kissinger's statements
         -US interests abroad
         -Communist rule in other nations
         -Kissinger's visit to Europe in 1968
              -Prague
              -Paris
                  -Student revolt
                  -Gen. Charles A.J.M. DeGaulle
                  -Students’ view of establishment
              -Prague
                  -Czech view of Leninist doctrine
         -Response by audience
    -Questions on Vietnam
         -Kissinger's answer
              -Possible US withdrawal from South Vietnam
              -The President's policy in Vietnam
                  -The President's principles
                                              17

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Nov-03)

                     -Audience response to Kissinger's answers
                 -The President's Vietnam policies
                     -Compared with situation in 1968
                 -Questions on the People's Republic of China [PRC] and the Soviet Union
                     -Kissinger's answers
                     -US policy toward the Soviet Union
                 -Kissinger’s unknown assistant

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 4:11 pm.

             The President's schedule
                 -Meeting with [Boris V. Petrovsky]

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 4:47 p.m.

             Kissinger's schedule
                 -Camp David
                 -Return of telephone call

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:11 pm and
4:47 pm.

[Conversation No. 363-16C]

[See Conversation No. 29-58]

[End of telephone conversation]

             Kissinger's schedule

             The President's schedule

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull between 4:47 pm and 4:48 pm.

[Conversation No. 363-16D]

[See Conversation No. 29-59; one item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]
                                          18

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Nov-03)


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 46s        ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


          Possible foreign policy briefings for McGovern
              -Possible briefing by Kissinger
                   -Warnke
                        -The President’s instruction
                        -Security clearance
                            -Clifford
                            -Haig

          Kissinger's appearance with student group
              -PRC and Soviet Union topics
              -Audience response


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 57s     ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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


          Republicans
             -Doves
                                             19

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov-03)

                     -Javits
                  -Administration's Vietnam policy
                     -The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
                     -Cambodian incursion
                     -Laos
                     -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision

             Effect of 1972 election
                 -State Department
                 -Defense Department
                 -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
                 -Mathias
                 -McGovern

             The President's meeting with Petrovsky
                 -Time
                 -Substance
                     -Leonid I. Brezhnev
                     -Cooperation

             Kissinger's schedule
                 -Camp David

Kissinger left at 4:54 pm.