President Nixon met with H. R. Haldeman, Alexander Haig, and Stephen Bull to discuss the status of ongoing Vietnam peace negotiations, specifically the unresolved issues regarding prisoners of war and military equipment for South Vietnam. Beyond foreign policy, the group coordinated the President's administrative response to a recently vetoed water bill, strategizing to frame a potential clean water tax as a fiscal necessity. Finally, the President established protocols for upcoming public events, including a U.S.-Soviet trade pact signing and a SALT II announcement, opting to limit his direct involvement in formal photo opportunities to maintain presidential distance.
On October 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:20 am to 9:50 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 369-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 369-9
Date: October 18, 1972
Time: 8:20 am - 9:50 am
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at 8:20 am.
Henry A. Kissinger's schedule
-Le Duc Tho
-Vientiane
-Haldeman's conversation with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
October 17, 1972
-The President's forthcoming message to Kissinger
-Hanoi
-Vientiane
-Haig
-Saigon
-Paris
-Vientiane
-Possible settlement
Vietnam
-Negotiations
-Kissinger's memorandum
-Remaining issues
-Prisoners held by South Vietnam
-Replacement of military equipment for South Vietnam
-Haig's view
-Kissinger's Role
-William H. Sullivan
1972 Election
-Kissinger's view
-[Nancy S. Maginnes]
(rev. Nov-03)
-Possible settlement
-Bombing
-French embassy, October 11, 1972
-News summary
-US public reaction
-George S. McGovern
-R. Sergent Shriver
-Media and opposition
-W[illiam]Averell Harriman
-Air Force
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 20m 20s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
Pending legislation
-The President's schedule
-Water bill
-Veto of October 17, 1972
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Environment
-Joseph W. Martin's views on vetoes
-Overriding by Congress
-Effect on issues
-Ehrlichman
-Social Security
-Fiscal concern from the President
-Possible clean water tax
-The President's recent conversation with Ehrlichman
-Corporations
-Possible impoundment of funds
-Congress
(rev. Nov-03)
-1972 election
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-George Embrey's question regarding campaign contributions
-John B. Connally
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 59s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
Haig talked with the President between 9:03 am and 9:07 am.
[Conversation No. 369-9A]
[See Conversation No. 31-115]
[End of telephone conversation]
Haig
(rev. Nov-03)
The President's relations with press
-New York Times October 18, 1972 editorial [on the President's October 16, 1972
speech at National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in
Southeast Asia]
-The President's May 8, 1972 decision on Vietnam
-Raymond K. Price, Jr., Leonard Garment, William L. Safire
-The President's view
-Opinion leaders
-Business people
-College people
-The President's May 8, 1972 decision
-Press attitude
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 25m 26s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
The President's schedule
-US-Soviet Union trade pact signing ceremony, October 18, 1972
-William P. Rogers
-Nikolai S. Patolichev
-Unknown person
-Memorandum
-Congress
-Export - Import [Ex-Im] Bank
-Patolichev
-William D. Eberle
-Peter G. Peterson
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Possible photograph opportunity
-The President's possible comment
-Rogers's briefing
(rev. Nov-03)
-Peterson
-Photograph opportunity
-Timing
-Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] II announcement
-White House
-Rogers
-Responsibility
-Department of Defense
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Possible briefing
-Gerard C. Smith
-Possible location
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 23s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
The President's schedule
-[Masayoshi Ohira]
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 7m 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
*****************************************************************
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:07 am.
(rev. Nov-03)
The President's schedule
-[Ohira]
-Ehrlichman, William E. Timmons
-Location of meeting
-Ohira
-Location of meeting
-Oval office
-Talking points
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:50 am.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 1s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
*****************************************************************
The President and Haldeman left at 9:50 am.This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.