Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 375-005

Prev:  375-004 Next: 375-006

Start Date: 26-Oct-1972 10:01 AM

End Date: 26-Oct-1972 12:16 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")White House operator[Unknown person(s)]Chapin, Dwight L.Sanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

375-005a.mp3

375-005b.mp3

NARA Description:

On October 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, unknown person(s), Dwight L. Chapin, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:01 am to 12:16 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 375-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 375-5

Date: October 26, 1972
Time: 10:01 am - 12:16 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
                                            4

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Oct-06)

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time
between 10:01 am and 11:04 am.

[Conversation No. 375-5A]

[See Conversation No. 32-44]

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman talked with an unknown woman from Dwight L. Chapin’s office at an unknown time
between 10:01 am and 11:04 am.

[Conversation No. 375-5I]

[See Conversation No. 32-44B]

[End of telephone conversation]

[Conversation No. 375-5J]

[See Conversation No. 32-45]

[End of telephone conversation]


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
                                              5

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)

[Duration:   1m 54s   ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


        Vietnam peace settlement negotiations
            -The president’s schedule
            -Henry A. Kissinger’s forthcoming briefing
            -Possible developments before election
            -Press statements
            -The president’s schedule
                -Ohio
            -Possible statements regarding Vietnam
                -Lack of a statement
                -Long Island
                      -“Peace with honor”
                -Negotiations
                -“Peace with honor”
                -“Peace with surrender”
                -Kissinger’s forthcoming statement
                      -Procedures
                      -Content
                          -Four party signatory compared to two party signatory
                      -Point of statement
                          -Tone
                               -Haldeman’s view
                          -Provisions of agreement
                               -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                               -May 8, 1972 proposals
                                     -POWs, cease-fire
                               -Coalition compared to self-determination for South Vietnamese
                          -Position
                          -The President’s involvement
                          -Press reaction
                          -US accomplishments
                          -Kissinger’s style

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:01 am and
                                             6

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Oct-06)

11:04 am.

[Conversation No. 375-5B]

[See Conversation No. 32 – 46]

[End of telephone conversation]

                 -Cancellation of trip
                     -Implication
                 -Kissinger’s view
                     -McGovern’s strategy
                         -Nguyen Van Thieu

Haldeman talked with Chapin at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 11:04 am.

[Conversation No. 375-5C]

[See Conversation No. 32-47; one item has been withdrawn]

        Vietnam peace settlement
            -Kissinger’s statement
            -Prospects for peace
            -McGovern’s advisor’s criticism
                -Timing of settlement compared to the 1972 election
                -Haldeman’s view
            -Kissinger
                -Thieu
                -Television [TV] appearance
                -Haldeman’s handling
                -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s handling
            -Public impression
                -Political considerations
                -Timing
                -Character of settlement
            -Compared with 1962 Laotian settlement
                -Kissinger’s view
            -Type of settlement
                -Kissinger’s view
            -Problems with public impression
                -Thieu’s role
                                     7

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. Oct-06)

        -North Vietnamese pressure
             -US
    -Importance of Kissinger’s statement
    -McGovern’s position on Vietnam
        -Strategy
        -Thieu
        -Kissinger
        -Timing of pact
             -October 31, 1972
        -Thieu
             -Military
    -Kissinger’s statement
        -Nature of argument
        -Translation issues
             -Ambiguity
        -Implementation of cease-fire

1972 campaign issues
    -Administration strategy
        -Patrick J. Buchanan’s view
        -Response to corruption charges
             -Reassurance of US allies
             -The President’s view
                      -Aggressive policy
        -Buchanan’s view
             -Public sentiment
             -Watergate
             -Vietnam issue
    -The President’s forthcoming speeches
        -Raymond K. Price, Jr.’s office
        -Campaign trip
             -Farm speech, “Radio Address on the American Farmer”
                 -Schedule
             -Motorcade
                 -Schedule
             -Possible statement on defense
                 -Defense foreign policy issue
        -Focus on defense issues
             -McGovern's changes in positions
             -Foreign policy
             -Scheduling
                                              8

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)

                         -Ohio
                              -Price
                     -Kissinger
                     -Timing
                 -Administration position review
                     -Haldeman’s forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
                 -Domestic issues
                 -Washington Post story on the President's October 25, 1972 speech
                     -Compared to story on McGovern’s television speech
                         -Vietnam
                     -Implications of story
                         -Education
                              -Aid to parochial schools
                         -Busing
                         -Catholics
                 -TV
                     -Vietnam
                     -Options
                     -Vietnam peace settlement possibility
                         -Timing compared with the election
                              -possible public perceptions


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 12s ]


Haldeman talked with Chapin at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 11:04 am.

[Conversation No. 375-5D]

[See Conversation No. 32-48; One item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
                                              9

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)

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

        House Resolution [HR] 1 legislation
           -John D. Ehrlichman’s view
           -Timing

        Vietnam peace settlement negotiations
            -Democratic Republic of Vietnam [DRV] [North Vietnam] strategy
                -Thieu
                -Desire to end war
                -US response
                    -The President’s view
                         -October 31, 1972
                    -Bombing halt
                         -Kissinger’s position
                         -Meeting with Le Duc Tho
                         -The President’s response
                         -Haig
                         -American public
                         -Lyndon B. Johnson
                             -Media commentator’s point, October 23, 1972
                         -Progress in negotiations
                    -Kissinger's conversations with Max Frankel,
                     Richard (“Dick”) Wilson, William F. Buckley, Jr.,
                     William White, Howard, K. Smith

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:01 am.

        Food request

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.

        White House schedule
           -Daily strategy meeting attendance
               -Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Colson
               -Clark MacGregor
               -Corruption issue
               -8:15 am meeting
                    -MacGregor, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld,
                      Peter M. Flanigan, Herbert G. Klein, Herbert Stein,
                      Caspar W.(“Cap”) Weinberger
                                             10

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)


        Kissinger and the Vietnam peace settlement negotiations
            -The President’s view
            -North Vietnamese actions

        Harry S. Dent

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 10:01 am.

        Telephone call request by William M. Colmer
            -Administrative assistant [Trent Lott]

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.

        Vietnam telephone poll
            -The President’s request
            -Release of prisoners of war [POWs]
            -Cease-fire
            -Non-communist government in South Vietnam
            -Issue of bombing halt during negotiations
                 -Public reaction


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 54s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

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


        Vietnam peace settlement
            -McGovern’s position
            -North Vietnamese position
                -Issue of provisional government
            -Possible impact of 1972 election
                -Kissinger’s concerns
                                            11

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Oct-06)

            -Polls
                -Haldeman’s recent conversation with Kissinger
                     -George H. Gallup
                          -Results
                     -Louis P. Harris
                          -Forthcoming results
                     -Timing of remaining polls
                     -North Vietnamese options
                          -Possible assassination of Thieu
                          -Possible bloodbath in South Vietnam
                -McGovern’s position
                     -North Vietnam
                     -Thieu
                     -Administration poll
                -Interpretation
                -Public perception
                     -Thieu
                     -Administration efforts
                     -Type of settlement
            -Kissinger's statement and briefing preparation
                -John A. Scali, Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Possible question and answer [Q&A] session
                -Colson, Ehrlichman


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 12s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

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


Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:01 am and
12:16 pm.

[Conversation No. 375-5E]
                                             12

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)

[See Conversation No. 32-49]

Haldeman talked with Chapin at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 12:16 pm.


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 9m 23s ]


[See Conversation No. 32-49; one item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

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


        Motorcade security
           -Robert H. Taylor
           -Speed
           -Small towns
           -Stopping for flowers from people
           -Hecklers
           -Communications between the President and driver
               -Microphone
               -Taylor
           -Chicago
               -Varying speed
               -Locations of bands in relation to the President
                    -Possible plans for demonstrators
                         -Atlanta
               -Richard B. Ogilvie, Charles H. Percy
               -Location of press
               -Highways compared with main streets
                    -Previous trip to Westchester County, NY
               -Observers
                                            13

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Oct-06)

                 -Crowd control
                 -Exposure to crowd
                     -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 7m ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14

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


        1972 campaign
            -Vietnam peace settlement negotiations
                 -Kissinger's statement
                 -Scali
                      -Kissinger
                          -Advice
            -Instructions for the staff
                 -Vietnam
                 -News summary
            -Public perception
            -Administration strategy
                 -Response to McGovern's Vietnam stance
                      -“Peace with surrender”
                 -Sabotage and campaign practices
                      -TV audience size for McGovern's speech

Haldeman talked with an unknown person on his staff at an unknown time between 10:01 am
and 12:16 pm.

        TV audience share figures
           -McGovern's speech on corruption
           -Connally's broadcast

[End of telephone conversation]
                                           14

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Oct-06)


       McGovern's speech on corruption
          -Audience for television broadcast
             -New York
             -Comparison to Connally's broadcast
                   -Share compared with rating


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 9m 37s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15

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


       1972 campaign and Vietnam
           -Administration strategy
               -POWs
               -Amnesty
                   -Attacks on McGovern’s position
                   -Cease-fire agreement
                        -POWs
                             -The President’s plan compared with McGovern’s plan
                                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
               -Press coverage
                   -McGovern’s approach
               -Bombing halt compared with continuation of bombing
               -Haig
                   -Public opinion and use of slogans

       1972 campaign issues
           -McGovern’s comments
           -National defense
           -Vietnam
           -Welfare
               -McGovern
                                              15

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct-06)

             -Vietnam
                 -Amnesty
             -Busing
             -Parochial school aid
             -Abortion
             -National defense
                 -Plant closings, spending cuts
             -Taxes
             -Federal spending
             -Welfare
             -Presentation of campaign practices issue
                 -Administration efforts
                      -Press reaction
                          -MacGregor, Ziegler
                      -The President’s position
                      -Colson

Chapin talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 12:16 pm.

[Conversation No. 375-5F]


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 58s ]


[See Conversation No. 32-50; one item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16

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


        Watergate
           -Colson’s analysis
                                     16

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Oct-06)

       -Effect on fund raising
       -Effect on campaign workers
       -Denials
           -Ziegler, MacGregor, Robert H. Dole
       -Effect on voters
           -Lower middle class blue collar workers
                -Understanding and care
                -Issues of concern
                     -Amnesty
                     -Abortion
       -Effect on upper income suburban voters
       -Results of effect on fund raising and party workers
       -Swing vote
       -Voters’ perceptions of the President
           -The President’s character
    -Combined impact on voters
       -McGovern’s previous speech, October 25, 1972
           -Campaign fund irregularities
           -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
           -Carpet manufacturers

US-Soviet Union wheat deal
   -Allegation of illegal profits
       -White House response
            -Administration denials
                -Advantages and disadvantages
            -Wait and see attitude
            -Administration defense
       -White paper
            -The president’s orders
            -MacGregor, Agnew
            -Defense against lying
                -Washington Post article, October 25, 1972
            -McGovern charges against the President and his administration
                -Effect
            -Lying
            -The President’s role
            -MacGregor
   -Accusations of McGovern’s lying
       -Proof
            -Charges against Haldeman
                                              17

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct-06)

                      -Evidence
                      -Ziegler, MacGregor
                 -Strategy of attack on Administration
                 -Administration strategy
                 -McGovern strategy
                 -Prominence of story after the election
                 -Weinberger’s view
                      -Post-1972 election investigation
                          -Richard G. Kleindienst
                          -Libel suit

Chapin talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 12:16 pm.

[Conversation No. 375-5G]

[See Conversation No. 32-51; one item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]

        1972 campaign and campaign practice allegations
            -Political campaign and previous allegations
                -Donald F. Nixon
                -The President’s residences
            -Watergate
            -MacGregor as spokesman for response to McGovern’s allegations
                -Agnew
                -Dole
                -Political nature of charges
                -Line of defense
                -Ziegler
            -Vietnam
            -Effect of McGovern’s charges on voters
                -California
                -Massachusetts
            -Colson's staff
            -1968 campaign

        Vietnam issue
            -North Vietnamese
            -Cuban missile crisis
            -Value
                                             18

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)


The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 10:01 am and 12:16
pm.

[Conversation No. 375-5H]

        Request for a meeting with Ziegler

[End of telephone conversation]

        Vietnam issue
            -Value to the administration compared with value to McGovern

        The President’s forthcoming trip to West Virginia and Kentucky
            -Arch A. Moore, Jr.
                -Schedule

        Speeches
            -Radio address on Defense Policy, October 29, 1972
                -Amnesty
                -Volunteer army
                -Israel
                -Defense
                -US supremacy
                     -Communism
                -Job growth


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 53s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19

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


        Campaign practices charges
                                             19

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct-06)

            -Response
                -Colson
                -Articles
                -Agnew
                -Strategy
                -MacGregor
                -Political charges
                     -Political answer

Haldeman left at 12:16 pm.