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Conversation: 386-004

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Start Date: 5-Dec-1972 6:30 PM

End Date: 5-Dec-1972 7:35 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Butterfield, Alexander P.White House operatorCox, Tricia NixonMonzon, Zosimo T.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

386-004.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, White House operator, Tricia Nixon Cox, and Zosimo T. Monzon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and 7:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 386-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 386-4

Date: December 5, 1972
Time: Unknown between 6:30 pm and 7:35 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Haldeman’s message to Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Breakdown in talks
                        -Kissinger’s recommendation
                              -The President’s possible television [TV] appearance
                        -Compared to impasse
                              -Consultations
                                    -Recess
                 -Kissinger’s possible statement
                        -Tone
                        -US military action
                              -Duration
                                    -Settlement agreement
                        -Resumption of talks
                 -The President’s possible TV appearance
                        -Breakdown in talks
                              -North Vietnamese intransigence
                                             -32-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. July-08)

                                                               Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)

                         -Doves
                         -Haldeman’s conversations with “hard liners”
                                -John B. Connally
                   -Possible effect on Kissinger
                   -Breakdown in talks
                         -Initiative
                                -North Vietnam

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:30 pm.

       The President’s schedule
            -Telephone call from Tricia Nixon Cox
                  -Manolo Sanchez

       Message to Kissinger

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 6:43 pm.

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:30 pm and
6:43 pm.

[See Conversation No. 34-148]

[Conversation No. 386-4B]

[End of telephone conversation]

The President talked with Tricia Nixon Cox between 6:43 pm and 6:44 pm.

[See Conversation No. 34-26]

[Conversation No. 386-4A]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Breakdown
                 -Kissinger’s recommendation
                        -The President’s possible TV appearance
                             -Connally’s view
                                     -33-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. July-08)

                                                       Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)

                       -Public relations [PR]
                       -US bombing of North Vietnam
                             -Pace
                       -PR
                             -Charles W. Colson’s view
                                    -Boston
                                    -Harvard University
                                    -Princeton University
                             -Announcement
                                    -Kissinger’s possible statement
                                    -Timing
                                          -Kissinger’s return to Washington, DC

The President’s schedule
     -Reception for California administration officials
           -Haldeman’s schedule
                  -Home
           -Robert J. Dole
           -Robert H. Finch’s recommendation
                  -California Republicans
                        -Possible meeting in San Clemente
     -George H. W. Bush
     -Oval Office
     -Telephone calls
           -Ronald W. Reagan
           -Herbert G. Klein
           -Strom Thurmond’s birthday
                  -Harry S. Dent
                  -Private line
                  -Compared to wire
                  -Timing
           -Apollo XVII astronauts
                  -Launch
                        -Timing
                  -Camp David
     -Harry S. Truman
           -Health
                  -Lyndon B. Johnson
                  -Telephone call
                  -Death
                                              -34-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. July-08)

                                                                 Conversation No. 386-4 (cont’d)


       Second term reorganization
            -John A. Volpe
                  -Ambassadorship to Italy
                        -Announcement
                             -Timing
                  -John D. Ehrlichman

       Connally
            -Presidency
                  -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

       Vietnam negotiations
            -Haldeman’s message to Kissinger
                 -Breakdown in talks
                        -Option
                 -Congressional relations
                        -Funds
                              -The President’s view
                 -Breakdown in talks
                        -Kissinger’s return
                              -California
                                    -Press relations
                 -The President’s possible TV appearance
                        -Necessity
                        -Ehrlichman’s and Colson’s views

       The President’s schedule
            -Reception for California administration officials

Zosimo T. Monson entered and Haldeman left at an unknown time before 7:35 pm.

       The President’s schedule
            -Reception for California administration officials

Monson left at an unknown time before 7:35 pm.
                                            -35-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. July-08)