Conversation: 372-038
Prev:  372-037 Next: 372-039Start Date: 25-Oct-1972 3:25 PM
End Date: 25-Oct-1972 4:20 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On October 25, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:25 pm to 4:20 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 372-038 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 372-38 Date: October 25, 1972 Time: 3:25 pm - 4:20 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. The President’s forthcoming radio speeches -Address on the American Farmer, October 27, 1972 -Address on Foreign Policy -Raymond K. Price, Jr. -Timing compared with Post-Vietnam war settlement -Address on Defense Policy -Previous speech in San Francisco, September 27, 1972 -Massive retaliation -Small nations and conventional forces -Separate defense policy and foreign policy speech -Press coverage -Timing of speeches -John D. Ehrlichman -Address on urban affairs -Address on the American Farmer -Address on Foreign policy -Importance -Possible press coverage -Use of broadcast time -President’s preparation time -Radio -Fireside chat -William L. Safire -Camp David -Timing An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 3:25 pm. Refreshments The unknown man left at an unknown time before 4:20 pm. 34 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) The President’s forthcoming speeches -Timing of radio speeches -Camp David -Radio speeches -Address on Urban Affairs -Address on Foreign Affairs -Price -Chicago trip -Statements compared with radio speeches -Previous speech in Atlanta -Radio speeches -Address on Urban Affairs -Address on Foreign Affairs -Price -Timing -Compared with Address on Urban Affairs An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 4:20 pm. Advertisement of issues -Amnesty -Possible Television [TV] advertisement -Administration response to George S. McGovern's position -Possible radio advertisement -California -Massachusetts -South -Draft dodgers -Patrick J. Buchanan ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 19m 47s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ***************************************************************** 35 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) McGovern -Forthcoming TV appearance -Corruption -Sabotage and campaign practices -Edmund S. Muskie -Hubert H. Humphrey -Possible effectiveness of sabotage charges -Economic issues -Vietnam issue -Watergate as issue Washington Post story on Haldeman and campaign espionage -Ronald L. Ziegler’s press conference -Attack on the press -“Yellow journalism” charges -Washington Post -New York Times -Clark MacGregor -Veracity -Ziegler’s press conference -White House staff morale -National impact -Nashville -Ziegler’s press conference -Quality of journalism -Richard A. Moore, Ehrlichman -MacGregor’s statements -Future of story -Washington Post, TV news, news magazines -Allen S. Drury’s theory -Moore’s statement -Future plans -Attack on the Washington Post -Previous Washington Post story on Charles W. Colson -Ziegler’s press conference -Washington Post motivations -Benjamin C. Bradlee's statement -Time magazine -Haldeman’s view 36 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] leak -Ziegler’s press conference -White House subscription to the Washington Post -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Ziegler’s specific attack -Washington Post motivation -Quality of information -Desperation -Ehrlichman’s view -Possible libel charge -New York Times v. Sullivan -Moore’s theory -Bradlee and Katharine L. Graham -Plans to attack the White House -Possible Pulitzer Prize reward -Methods -Colson article Vietnam peace settlement -1972 election -Polls -Henry A. Kissinger -Willingness to make a statement -Ziegler -Coalition government issue -Telephone call to William F. Buckley, Jr. -Telephone call to Howard K. Smith -Telephone call to Richard (“Dick”) Wilson -Press speculation -Kissinger -Political effect -Public stance -Effect of 1972 election on negotiations -Coalition government in South Vietnam -Prisoners of war [POWs] -McGovern attack -Buchanan -Newspaper advertisement -Kissinger 37 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 1m 26s ] Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:25 pm. END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 ***************************************************************** Audio messages -Microphone -Format -Procedures -Reading -Wesley Powell -William Loch -Procedures -Reading Bull left at an unknown time before 4:20 pm. Camp David press accommodations -The President’s instructions -William C. Carruthers -Briefing room 1968 campaign practices compared to 1972 -1969 surveillance of Nixon campaign plane -Possible use in 1972 campaign -Lyndon B. Johnson’s possible response Possible appearance on Meet the Press -John B. Connally -McGregor News story on campaign financing -Richard Mellon Scaife’s contribution 38 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Source of revelation -The President's campaign coverage compared with McGovern's -Stewart Mott -Public perception Wisconsin campaign -McGovern claims of campaign sabotage -Possible sabotage by Humphrey campaign -MacGregor’s statement -White House strategy -FBI leak -Haldeman's conversation with Richard G. Kleindienst -Source of information -L. Patrick Gray, III. -Robert K. Kunkel -US Attorney's office -The President’s view -Possible response after 1972 election ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 1m 19s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ***************************************************************** Haldeman left at 4:20 pm.