Conversation: 401-016
Prev:  401-015 Next: 401-017Start Date: 9-Jan-1973 3:09 PM
End Date: 9-Jan-1973 4:25 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Colson, Charles W.; [Unknown person(s)]; Sanchez, Manolo; Romney, Lenore L.; White House operator; Bull, Stephen B.; Ehrlichman, John D.; White House operator; Rebozo, Charles G. ("Bebe"); Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On January 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles W. Colson, unknown person(s), Manolo Sanchez, Lenore L. Romney, White House operator, Stephen B. Bull, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, and Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:09 pm and 4:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 401-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 401-16 Date: January 9, 1973 Time: Unknown between 3:09 pm and 4:25 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. Haldeman's meeting with Richard M. Helms Melvin R. Laird The President's conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler -Francis L. Dale -Possible job -Washington Star Charles W. Colson entered at 3:10 pm. The President's birthday Washington Post -Future Washington Star -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Possible sale -Television TV station (WMAL) -William F. Buckley -Martin Agronsky -Rivals -Possible sale -Financial status -Television station (WMAL) -Value -Problems -Dale -Morning newspapers -Compared to afternoon newspapers -Circulation -Washington Post -Effect of sale of Washington Star -TV Station -Problems of morning newspaper -Compared to evening newspaper -Advertising -Circulation Otis Chandler [?] -Los Angeles -Advice to Colson -Letter to the President -Chandler family [?] Watergate -Legal case -Patrick J. Buchanan -1973 Inauguration -Washington Post -Katharine L. Graham Internal Revenue Service [IRS] -Nomination for commissioner -George D. Webster -Conversation with Colson on confirmation -The President's conversation with Haldeman -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Example for others -Webster -Confirmation possibilities -George P. Shultz -John B. Connally -Background -Statement to newspapers -Russell B. Long -Webster -Partisanship -Chairmanships of Lawyers for Nixon -John H. Alexander -Requirements for commissioner -Compared to Federal Communications Commission [FCC] -Securities Exchange Commission [SEC] -Colson's recommendation -John W. Dean, III -Lawsuit problem The President talked with Lenore Romney between 3:24 pm and 3:25 pm. [Conversation No. 401-16A] [See Conversation No. 35-116] [End of telephone conversation] IRS commissioner -Requirements -Webster -Tax payments ***************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] -The President’s and Colson’s experiences -Loans [End of segment reviewed under deed of gift] -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) ***************************************************************** -Qualities -Alexander -Investigation of the President's friends -Dependability -Timing -Webster -Knowledge -Exchange of correspondence -Work ethic -Colson's conversation with Haldeman Webster -Possible SEC or Federal Trade Commission [FTC] position -Qualities -Support of business -Donald McI Kendall -Confirmation possibilities -Compared to IRS William J. Casey -Confirmation with SEC Webster -Possible commission appointment -SEC -Compared to Lewis Engman -IRS -Compared to FTC Engman -Qualities -Work on revenue sharing -Age -Compared to Webster -Compared to [First name unknown] Fitzpatrick -Telephone call from the President -Credentials -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Philadelphia Webster -FTC -John D. Ehrlichman -Letter -Leonard Garment [?] -Conversation with Colson -Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Alternative position for Engman -Assistant secretary -SEC The President’s appointments -Choices -Casey -Recommendation of Connally's -Federal Power Commission -Civil Aeronautics Board [CAB] appointee -Robert D. Timm The President's schedule -Inaugural speech -Staffing -Recommendations from Colson and Haldeman -Timing Replacement for Colson -Kenneth W. Clawson -Age -Management skills -Buchanan -Management skills -Compared to Clawson -William J. Baroody -Readiness -Training -Colson’s presence -Importance -Clawson -Buchanan -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Baroody -Advantages -Responsibility -Intelligence -Clawson -Compared to Baroody -Campaign work Frederic V. Malek -Political work -Representatives of "New Majority" -Nixon loyalists -Ethnic candidates -Peter J. Brennan -Secretary of Labor -Undersecretary of Commerce -Background -General Electric [GE] -Lists of possible appointees -Qualifications -Business background, political acumen -Accomplishments -Compared to Dwight D. Eisenhower administration -Colson's experience -Brennan -Labor Department -Departments -Roy L. Ash -Director, Office of Management and Budget [OMB] -Confirmation possibilities -Reorganization plan -The President's conversation with Ehrlichman -Congressional relations -Chet Holifield -Compared to first term -Sequoia, Camp David, airplanes -Efforts evaluated An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 3:25 pm. -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) Refreshments The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:11 pm. The President's appointments -Colson's future role -Malek -Political loyalty -Confirmations -William P. Rogers -Justice Department -Honors program -Eisenhower's judicial appointees -Earl Warren, Potter Stewart, William J. Brennan, Jr. -Missouri judge -[First name unknown] Whitaker -New York judge -Death -Corporate lawyer -Hugo L. Black [?] -John M. Harlan -Stewart -Ohio -Clement F. Haynsworth, Jr. -Compared to Lewis F. Powell, Jr. -Corporate executives, lawyers, businessman -Democrats -Professors, lawyers, journalists -Political orientation -Speeches -Voters News story on a black sniper -Washington Post -Wire services -Witnesses -Racism American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] -Washington Post, New York Times -15- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Civil rights of a group -Racism Brennan -Comments on nomination in an editorial -Thomas W. Braden -“Patrick J. Brennan” -New coalition -Democrats -George S. McGovern -Walter F. Mondale -Racial discrimination -Snobbery The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time before 3:25 pm. Southern strategy -Importance -Democrats -Labor -Column -Election -Braden -Richard M. Scammon [?] Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 3:25 pm. Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo -Location -Meeting with the President Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:11 pm. The President’s schedule -Request for a car -Location -Escort -Timing -Limousine -Glass divider -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Location Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 4:11 pm. [Conversation No. 401-16B] [See Conversation No. 35-117] [End of telephone conversation] Haldeman talked with Stephen B. Bull at an unknown time between 3:25 pm and 4:11 pm. [Conversation No. 401-16C] [See Conversation No. 35-117] The President's schedule -Ride with Rebozo -Requirements -Timing [The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No. 401-16C] [End of telephone conversation] Ehrlichman talked with the President between 4:11 pm and 4:15 p.m. [Conversation No. 401-16D] [See Conversation No. 35-118] [End of telephone conversation] The President's schedule -Don Johnson, Russell Train, Counsellors The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:15 pm and 4:16 pm. -17- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) [Conversation No. 401-16E] [See Conversation No. 35-119] [End of telephone conversation] The President's birthday -White House staff observance The President talked with Rebozo between 4:16 pm and 4:17 pm. [Conversation No. 401-16F] [See Conversation No. 35-120] [End of telephone conversation] Car location [The above part of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No. 401- 16F] The President's birthday -White House staff observance -Timing -Bull -Roses Watergate -Guilty pleas -G. Gordon Liddy -Demands for trial -Reasons -Other defendants -James W. McCord, Jr. -Liddy -Possible effects of trial -Congressional investigation -Immunity -18- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Feb-09) Conversation No. 401-16 (cont’d) -Contempt charge -John’s [last name unknown] view -Surveillance The President, Haldeman, and Colson left at 4:25 pm.