Conversation: 404-011
Prev: 404-010 Next: 404-012Start Date: 23-Jan-1973 1:35 PM
End Date: 23-Jan-1973 1:39 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Price, Raymond K., Jr.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; [Unknown person(s)]; White House operator; Timmons, William E.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On January 23, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Raymond K. Price, Jr., H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), White House operator, and William E. Timmons met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:35 pm and 1:39 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 404-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 404-11
Date: January 23, 1973
Time: Between 12:15 pm and 1:35 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Raymond K. Price, Jr.
Vietnam settlement
-The President's speech
-Congress
-Location
-Carl B. Albert, Gerald R. Ford
-Wording
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Location
-Oval Office
-Briefing for bipartisan Congressional leaders and other members
-Revisions
-Agreement
-Kissinger, Tran Van Huong
-Nguyen Van Thieu and other allies
-Huong
-Kissinger
-Consultation with Thieu
-Official names for South Vietnam and North Vietnam
-Aid to South Vietnam
-Cease-fire violations
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Wording
-Peace
-The President's public statements during negotiations
-Wording
-George S. McGovern
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Congress
-Indochina, US
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Resolution
-John Kenneth Galbraith
-Neville Chamberlain
-Congress
-POWs for US withdrawal
-North Vietnamese
-Laos and Cambodia
-Agreement
-People of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
-Reference to POW and Missing in Action [MIA] families
-Reference to Lyndon B. Johnson
-Wording
-Economic aid
-Wording
The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at an unknown time between 12:15 pm and
12:40 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11A]
-Meeting with Haldeman and Ronald L. Ziegler
[End of telephone conversation]
-Expected response
-References to Congress
-Briefing for bipartisan Congressional leaders
-Economic aid
-Bipartisan support for the President's policies
Haldeman entered at 12:40 pm.
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Congress
-Location
-Mansfield
-J. William Fulbright
-John B. Connally
-Johnson
-Possible benefits
-Hugh Scott
-Kissinger
-Possible call
-Brent G. Scowcroft
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and
12:43 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11B]
[See Conversation No. 36-72]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Carl B. Albert, Mansfield
-William C. Timmons
-Mansfield
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 12:43 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11C]
[See Conversation No. 36-140]
[End of telephone conversation]
-John Stennis
-Haldeman's call to Timmons
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and
12:43 pm.
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
[Conversation No. 404-11D]
[See Conversation No. 36-73]
[End of telephone conversation]
Stennis
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 12:43 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11E]
[See Conversation No. 36-74]
[End of telephone conversation]
Vietnam settlement
-The President's speech
-Location
-Albert's and Mansfield's views
-Timing
-Location
-Connally's and Albert's views
-Bryce N. Harlow's view
Ziegler entered at 12:43 pm.
-Bella Abzug
-Connally
-Johnson
-Harlow
-Mansfield
-Scott
-Importance
-Announcement
-The President's speech
-Location
-Significance of Oval Office
-Cabinet
-Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Congress
-Television [TV] coverage
-McGovern, Abzug, Stennis
-Grandstanding
-Support for peace
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and 1:01 pm.
[Conversation No. 401-11F]
[See Conversation No. 36-75]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Oval Office
-Kissinger's view
-Ziegler's announcement
-Cabinet meeting
-Bipartisan Congressional leaders briefing
-White House staff briefing
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and 1:01 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11G]
[See Conversation No. 36-76]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Bipartisan Congressional leaders meetings
-Time and place
-Attendees
-Jack F. Kemp
-Richard S. Schweiker
[The above part of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No. 404-
11G]
-Senate and House Finance Committees
-Wilbur D. Mills, Russell B. Long, Wallace F. Bennett
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
Possible call from Kissinger
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and
1:01 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11H]
[See Conversation No. 36-77]
[End of telephone conversation]
The President's schedule
-Ziegler's announcement
-Cabinet meeting
-Senate Finance Committee
-Budget meeting
-Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
-Timing
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:43 pm and 1:01 pm.
[Conversation No. 404-11I]
[See Conversation No. 36-78]
[End of telephone conversation]
-William P. Rogers, Melvin R. Laird
-Rogers
-Ziegler's announcement
-Congressional leaders meetings, Cabinet meeting
[The above part of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No. 404-
11I].
-Meeting with Kissinger
Haldeman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 12:43 and 1:01 pm.
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
[Conversation No. 404-11J]
[See Conversation No. 36-79]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Republican Congressional leaders meeting
-Samuel L. Devine, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Kemp
-Purpose
[The above part of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No. 404-
11J]
-The President's speech
-Makeup
-Possible advance copies
-Possible press conference
-Distribution of text
-Agreement with North Vietnam
-Explanation to Congressional leaders
Kissinger
-Cook, maid
Ziegler left at 1:01 pm.
Soviet Union
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 1:01 pm.
The President's schedule
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 1:12 pm.
Vietnam settlement
-Possible response
-Congressional relations
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Timmons
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mansfield
-Stennis
-Johnson
-Timmons
-Congressional leaders
The President's schedule
-Vietnam settlement
-Speech draft
-Time of delivery
-Revisions
-Release of settlement
Haig left at an unknown time before 1:12 pm.
Price left at 1:12 pm
-Request
-Meetings
-Statement
Johnson’s funeral ceremonies
-Period of mourning
-Entertainment
-Dinner
-State visit
-The President's role
-Protocol
-Dwight D. Eisenhower's funeral
-Schedule
-Church service
-Motorcade
-Ceremony at Capitol
-Harry S. Truman's funeral
-Protocol for state funeral
-Possible meetings with heads of state
The President's schedule
-The President's speech on Vietnam settlement
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Cabinet meeting
-Meeting with George H. W. Bush
-TV technique
-William Carruthers
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Irving Kristol
-Sociologists
-Vietnam War
The President's role in history
-Charles W. Colson
-Understanding
-1973 Inauguration
-Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Unknown man
-White House staff understanding
-Kristol's comments
The President's schedule
-Cabinet meeting
-The President's appearance
-Ehrlichman
-The President's age
-Compared to Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Ehrlichman
-Scheduling technique
-Haldeman's role
-Inaugural receptions
-Meeting with Congressional leaders
-The President's appearance
-Next week's press conference
-Ehrlichman
-Scheduling technique
-Compared to the President as Vice President
-Effect
-Ehrlichman, Timmons
-Meetings with state Republican chairmen
-Bush
-Effect
-The President's trips to Florida or California
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Compared to studying for exams
-Recovery
-Ehrlichman
-Press conferences, Domestic Council
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Haldeman and Kenneth W. Clawson [?]
-Choices
-The President's speech on Vietnam settlement
-Haig's trip [?]
-White House staff's view
-Press conference
-Effect
-Oval Office
Buchanan
-Book project
-Review by the President
Press relations
-Coverage of Nixon family
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-White House News Summary
-Tone
-1973 Inauguration
-The President's concerns
-Haldeman's conversation with Mrs. Nixon
-Special reports
-TV
-Written coverage
-Tone
-Washington Post, New York Times, Washington Star
-White House News Summary articles from Phoenix
-Fargo, North Dakota, Lewiston, Maine
-Human events
-Ehrlichman
The President's schedule
-Ehrlichman
-Confirmation strategy
-Fulbright
-31-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
-Peter M. Flanigan, Virginia H. Knauer, Kissinger, Roy L. Ash
-Domestic Council
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Charles H. Percy
-Ash, Knauer
-Ash, Kissinger, Flanigan
-Johnson services at Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch
-The President's representative, Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo
-Letter from Johnson
-The President's conversation with Johnson
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Connally
-Agnew
-Cabinet meeting
-Agnew's attendance
-Congressional leaders meetings
-Agnew
-Agnew's schedule
-Budget process
-Possible trip to Camp David with Connally
-Press conference
-Eisaku Sato's visit
-Prayer breakfast
-Vacation in California
-Timing
-Counsellors' meeting
-Press conference
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift.]
-Possible vacation
-Florida, California
-Announcement
-1972 election
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift.]
*****************************************************************
-32-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Feb-09)
Conversation No. 404-11 (cont’d)
White House staff
-Price
-Work
Haldeman left at 1:35 pm.