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Conversation: 404-006

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Start Date: 23-Jan-1973 11:55 AM

End Date: 23-Jan-1973 12:08 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Ziegler, Ronald L.Haig, Alexander M., Jr.Bull, Stephen B.Price, Raymond K., Jr.Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")White House operator[Unknown person(s)]

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

404-006a.mp3

404-006b.mp3

404-006c.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Stephen B. Bull, Raymond K. Price, Jr., H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 12:08 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 404-006 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 404-6

Date: January 23, 1973
Time: Unknown between 9:29 am and 11:55 am
Location: Executive Office Building

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

       Vietnam settlement
            -Col. Richard T. Kennedy's call
            -Cabinet announcement
            -Henry A. Kissinger's schedule
                  -Lon Nol
            -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                  -Talking paper
            -Kissinger meeting with National Security Council [NSC] staff
                                         -3-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Feb-09)

                                                      Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

     -Call to Kissinger
            -Haig
     -Kissinger's staff briefing

The President's meeting with Stephen B. Bull
     -The President's schedule
           -Congressional leaders meeting on budget
                 -William E. Timmons, John D. Ehrlichman, Haldeman
           -Haldeman's conversation with Bull
                 -Ehrlichman
                       -Domestic Council

Lyndon B. Johnson’s funeral schedule
     -Lyndon Johnson Library
     -Arrival in Washington
           -Andrews Air Force Base
     -Motorcade to Capitol
           -Conflicting meeting

The President's schedule
     -Cabinet meeting
           -Day of national mourning
     -Congressional leaders meeting
     -Press briefing
           -Kissinger
           -William P. Rogers
     -Congressional leaders meeting
           -Haig
     -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
           -Congressional leaders
                  -Andrews Air Force Base
           -The President's role
                  -Church service, Capitol
                       -Claudia A. (Taylor)(“Lady Bird”) Johnson
           -Spiro T. Agnew's role
           -Motorcade and funeral service
                  -Day of national mourning
                  -The President's speech
     -Congressional leaders meetings and Cabinet meeting
           -Budget
                                       -4-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Feb-09)

                                                      Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

     -The President's broadcast
      -Meeting
      -Day of national mourning
      -Timmons or Kissinger
      -Ehrlichman and writers
           -Speech
           -William Carruthers
     -Congressional leaders meeting
     -Cabinet meeting
           -Ehrlichman
           -The President’s role
           -Agnew
                 -Possible role
                 -The President's role in Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
           -Ehrlichman, Domestic Council
     -Bull
     -The President's television [TV] speech
           -Final draft delivery
     -Cabinet meeting
     -The President's briefing
     -The President's speech
           -Final draft delivery
     -Congressional leaders meeting
     -Cabinet meeting
     -Taping of the President's speech
     -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
           -Capabilities
           -Speech writers
     -Congressional leaders meeting
           -Bipartisan
           -Republicans
     -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
            -The President's TV taping
            -Domestic Council
            -Cabinet meeting
           -The President's role
                 -Haldeman's call to Claudia Johnson

Second term reorganization
     -Lyndon Johnson’s letter writer
                                               -5-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Feb-09)

                                                             Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

             -Tom Johnson
             -Claudia Johnson
                  -Possible ambassadorship
                  -Call to John B. Connally
                  -Possible United Nations [UN] delegation job
                         -Shirley Temple Black
                         -Call to Connally
             -Lyndon Johnson’s letter writer
                  -Style
             -Tom Johnson

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:50 am.

       Vietnam settlement
            -Statement to press

Haig entered at an unknown time after 9:50 am.

                   -Foreign policy
                   -The President's report to nation
                   -Status of negotiations
                   -Kissinger's report to President
                   -Press Office
                   -NSC

       The President's schedule
            -Cabinet meeting
                  -Purpose
                  -Jerry Persons [?]
            -"Big Five" Congressional leaders
                  -Location
            -Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
                  -Announcements
                  -Haig, Haldeman

       Haig's schedule
             -Nguyen Van Thieu

       The President's schedule
            -Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
                                       -6-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Feb-09)

                                                        Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

           -Timmons
           -Barry M. Goldwater
           -Hugh Scott
           -Hubert H. Humphrey
           -Goldwater, Humphrey
           -Timing
                 -Kissinger's speech
     -Johnson’s funeral
     -Kissinger's speech
           -Timing
     -The President's TV speech
           -Johnson funeral ceremonies
           -Possible rewrite
     -The President's speech on Vietnam settlement
           -Location
           -Buchanan, Richard A. Moore, William L. Safire, Ronald L. Ziegler,
            Ehrlichman, Charles W. Colson and Timmons
           -Support from Congress
                 -Compared to support for 1972 Moscow summit
           -Johnson’s death
           -Ehrlichman, Buchanan, Ziegler, Safire, public relations [PR] staff
     -Cabinet meeting
     -Congressional leaders meetings
           -Bipartisan
           -Republican
           -Budget

Vietnam settlement
     -The President's TV speech
           -Location
                 -Congress
           -Congressional relations
                 -Effect
     -Peace
           -Duration
     -PR strategy
           -Congressional support for the President's policies
      -Request for TV time
           -Ziegler's press briefing
     -The President’s TV speech
                                               -7-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Feb-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

                    -Location
                          -Congress
                                 -Ehrlichman's and Ziegler's view
                                       -Supreme Court, Cabinet
                          -Oval Office
                          -Cease-fire
                    -Revisions
                          -Consultation with Congress
                          -Theiu
                          -Length
                          -Public release of agreement
                                 -The President's briefing of Congressional leaders
                    -New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune headlines
                    -Press relations
                          -Congress
                          -"Peace with honor”
                    -Reference to armed forces
                          -Possible Congressional response

       Proclamations
             -The President's signature

       The President's statements on deaths
            -Length
            -Zielger's advice
            -Revision of statement upon Johnson's death
            -Editing

Ziegler left at 10:08 am.

       The President's schedule
            -Congressional leaders meetings
                  -Budget
                  -Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech on Vietnam settlement
                  -Location
                  -Johnson's funeral
                         -Wording
                          -References to Johnson
                         -Youth opinion of Lyndon Johnson and war
                                      -8-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Feb-09)

                                                       Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

           -Revisions
                -Kissinger

Vietnam settlement
     -Thieu
     -Ellsworth F. Bunker
     -South Vietnamese
     -Kissinger
           -1972 election
     -Timing

Press relations
      -Kissinger
             -Strengths
      -John A. Scali, Kenneth W. Clawson, Ziegler, Safire, Buchanan, Price
      -Rogers
             -Relationship with Kissinger
             -State Department role in Vietnam settlement
                   -Senate Foreign Relations Committee testimony
      -Kissinger
             -Ego
             -Schedule
      -Vietnam Settlement
             -Kissinger's role
             -Other White House staff
             -Kissinger briefing
             -Kissinger's role
      -Domestic Council
             -Human Events
             -Kevin P. Phillips
      -Vietnam settlement
             -Kissinger's briefing of staff
             -Key points
                   -Colson
                   -"Doves"
             -Plans to date
                   -Buchanan
             -Kissinger's briefing for staff
                   -Purpose
             -Joseph Kraft, James R. ("Scotty") Reston
                                        -9-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Feb-09)

                                                         Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

            -Jerold L. Schecter, Time
                  -Possible retraction of story on Colson and John Mitchell
                  -Ziegler
                  -Jews
                  -Henry Grunwald and Schecter
            -Kissinger's briefing

Middle East
     -Kissinger
     -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
     -Joseph Sisco
     -Kissinger
           -Judaism
     -State Department
     -White House role
           -Kissinger
                 -1972 election
     -Regional situation
           -Golda Meir
           -Anwar el-Sadat
     -State Department
     -Kissinger
     -Israel
           -US military aid
           -Restraint
     -USSR

Rogers
     -Richardson
     -Kissinger
     -Departure from administration
           -Date
           -Kissinger's knowledge
     -Replacement
           -[David] Kenneth Rush
           -Connally
                 -Kissinger

Kissinger
      -Relations with Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Director of Central
                                       -10-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Feb-09)

                                                      Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

      Intelligence Agency [CIA]
     -NSC meetings
            -Frequency
            -Richardson
            -Melvin R. Laird
                  -Leaks
            -Rush
            -Rogers
                  -Kissinger
                        -Richardson, Rush
     -Health
     -Press relations
            -Kraft
            -Portrayals of the President, Kissinger
     -Ego
     -Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
            -Future position
     -Press relations
            -Abilities
                  -Negotiator

Vietnam settlement
     -Rogers, State Department’s role
     -The President's role
     -Rogers
           -Conversation with Haldeman
           -Testimony
                 -Importance
                 -J. William Fulbright
                 -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
                 -Tone
                 -EC-121
                 -Bombing

Press relations
      -Bombing
             -New York Times, Washington Post, and Washington Star
             -Editorials, advertisements
                   -Devastation in Hanoi
                                             -11-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Feb-09)

                                                               Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

            -George S. McGovern
                  -Dan Rather
                  -Washington Post
                        -The President’s inaugural speech
            -Kraft’s column
                  -1972 campaign
                        -McGovern

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


      Colson
           -Calling and letter writing campaign

      The President's letter to members of Congress
           -The President's supporters
                 -Democrats, Republicans
           -Purpose
           -"Doves"
           -New members
           -Charles H. Percy
                 -Congressional resolution on Vietnam War
                 -Reelection chances
           -The President's supporters and new members
           -Non-supporters
           -Carl B. Albert, Thomas P. ("Tip") O'Neill, Percy, Robert Taft, Jr.
           -Percy
                 -Vote for Mansfield amendment
           -Timmons, Tom C. Korologos

      The President's letters to other groups
           -Colson
           -Labor leaders, veterans and military organizations, civilian organizations
           -Preparation
                                              -12-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

       Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech
                  -Location
                        -Congress
                               -Views of Haig, Haldeman
                               -Price
                    -Kissinger
                        -TV cameras
                    -The President's handling
                          -Participation of others
                          -Possible response
                               -Peace settlement
                                      -Compared to cease-fire

The President talked with the White House operator at 10:47 am.

[Conversation No. 404-6A]

[See Conversation No. 36-68]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Kissinger's advice
             -People's Republic of China [PRC] trip
             -The President's speech to Congress upon return from Soviet Union, 1972

       Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech
                  -Content
                         -Cease-fire violations
            -Fragility of peace
            -Congressional relations
                  -Briefings for Congressional leaders
            -The President's speech
                  -Location
                         -Oval Office
                         -Haig's view
                         -Capitol Hill
                         -Signal to Hanoi
                                             -13-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Feb-09)

                                                            Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

Stephen B. Bull entered at 10:52 am.

       Order [?]

Bull left at 10:53 am.

       Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech
                  -Location
                       -Ziegler
                       -Price

       Lyndon Johnson
            -Death
            -Age
                 -Compared to the President
            -Conversation with Haig

       Vietnam settlement
            -Kissinger
                  -Message
                  -South Vietnamese
            -Kissinger
                  -Press relations
                  -Ziegler
                  -Clawson
                  -Departure from airplane
                  -Day of national mourning
                  -Clawson
                  -Congressional leaders
                  -Briefing for White House staff
            -The President's speech
                  -Location
                        -Congress
                               -Kissinger’s view

Price entered at 10:54 am.

                              -Ehrlichman, Ziegler, Buchanan, Moore, Roy L. Ash, George P.
                               Shultz, Timmons
                                                -14-

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. Feb-09)

                                                                 Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

                       -Content
                           -Day of national mourning
                       -Attendees
                             -Congress, government officials, Supreme Court Justices, diplomatic
                             corps
                       -Location
                             -Importance
                                   -Congressional relations
                       -Wording
                             -Cease-fire
                             -Kissinger's draft
                             -Appreciation to Congressional supporters
                             -"Peace with honor"
                             -Public release of agreement
                             -The President's briefing of Congressional leaders
                             -Briefings for other Congress members
                                   -Office of Congressional Relations
                             -Appeal to Deity [?]

An unknown woman entered at an unknown time after 10:54 am.

       Dentist visit

The unknown woman left at an unknown time before 11:02 am.

       Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech
                  -Location
                        -Congress
            -Compared to Korean War
            -The President's speech
                  -Congress
                  -Tone
                  -Ziegler
                  -Location
                        -Timing
                        -Speculation

Ziegler entered at 11:02 am.
                                      -15-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Feb-09)

                                                      Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

     -Ziegler's briefing
           -Kissinger's report to President
           -Statement by the President
     -Announcement
           -Timing
                  -Initialing
                  -Signing
                  -Congressional leaders
                         Mansfield, Albert
                  -Day of national mourning
                         -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
           -Price’s objection
           -Sensitive point
                  -Agnew

Vietnam settlement
     -Congressional relations
           -Resolution of support
           -Economic aid to South Vietnam
           -The President's meeting with Congressional leaders
           -North Vietnam
      -Public release
      -Thieu
      -Reconciliation
      -Military aid
      -Economic aid
     -Laos, Cambodia
     -McGovern

Press relations
      -Kraft
      -Washington Post

McGovern
    -Political left, right
    -Oxford speech
    -Attitude of followers
           -Hatred

Vietnam settlement
                                              -16-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Feb-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

             -Press relations
                   -Response to the President's policies
                   -Attacks on the President
             -The President's speech
                   -Pearl Harbor
                   -Impact
                   -Oval Office

Ziegler left at 11:32 am.

             -Long-term compared to short-term
             -Albert, Scott, Gerald R. Ford, Mansfield
                    -Call from Timmons to Albert
                          -Location of the President's speech
                                -Oval Office or Congress
             -Call to Ford from Timmons
             -Confidentiality
                    -Agreement with North Vietnam

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:44 am.

             -Gerald L. Warren's briefing
             -Ziegler's briefing
             -Connally
                   -Location

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:31 am and
11:44 am.

[Conversation No. 404-6B]

[See Conversation No. 36-69]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Vietnam settlement
            -Melvin R. Laird [?]
            -Rogers [?]
            -Congressional relations
                  -Timmons
                                                -17-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                              Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

                   -Scott
                   -Laird
                   -Bryce N. Harlow
             -The President's speech
                   -Intentions
             -Soviet Union
             -Cease-fire
             -Thieu
             -Congressional leaders' response
                   -1972 election
                   -Albert

Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 11:31 am.

       Congressional relations
            -Albert
            -Ford
            -Albert, Democrats

       Call to Connally
             -Purpose

       Vietnam settlement
            -The President's speech
                  -Kissinger
                  -Wording
                  -Draft
            -Haig's schedule
            - Kissinger

Haig and Price left at an unknown time before 11:55 am.

       The President's schedule
            -Yitzhak Rabin
            -President's meeting with Congressional leaders
            -Day of national mourning
            -The President's meeting with bipartisan Congressional leaders
             -Kissinger press briefing
             -Cabinet meeting
             -Meeting with bipartisan Congressional leaders
                                            -18-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                              Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

             -Cabinet meeting on budget
             -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
             -Kissinger's briefing
             -Rabin
             -The President's TV speech
                  -Ehrlichman's draft
             -Cabinet meeting
                  -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
            -The President's speech on Vietnam settlement
            -Cabinet meeting
            -Church service
            -Taping of the President's speech
            -Congressional leadership meetings
                  -Republican
                  -Bipartisan

       President's call to Connally

       President's dictation machine
             -Repair, malfunction
             -Operation
             -Larger machine
             -Lincoln Sitting Room, the President's bedroom, EOB office
             -Portable machine

       Possible call to Agnew

Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 11:31 am and 11:55 am.

[Conversation No. 404-6C]

       Request [?]

[End of telephone conversation]

       The President's dictation machine
            -Operation

       Vietnam settlement
            -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                                              -19-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Feb-09)

                                                            Conversation No. 404-6 (cont’d)

                  -Decision to normalize relations
             -Congressional relations
                  -Albert, Timmons
                  -Democrats
                  -Lyndon Johnson’s funeral
             -The President's speech
                  -Location
                        -Congress
                        -Importance
                               -TV coverage of Lyndon Johnson’s ceremonies
                               -TV coverage of Nixon era
                               -Great Wall
                               -Studio in California
                               -PRC announcement
                               -Cambodia
                  -Price's opinion

       The President's letter to Claudia Johnson
            -Rose Mary Woods

Haldeman left at 11:55 am.