Conversation No. 409-17

Date: February 6, 1973
Time: 2:52 pm - 4:26 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

       The President's schedule
              -Frank E. Fitzsimmons
                      -California
                              -Golf
                              -Cost of Living Council [?] [COLC]
              -American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
                      -Fitzsimmons
                      -George P. Shultz
                      -Telegram
                      -Peter J. Brennan
              -Florida
              -Fitzsimmons
                      -California

       Colson’s schedule
             -Speech at Brown University
             -Meetings
                     -Fitzsimmons
                     -Brennan

       New York Times article
             -Washington Star
             -The President’s administration’s support for Teamster’s union president
                    -Fitzsimmons
                    -James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
                            -John D. Ehrlichman
                            -Parole
                                         16

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                      Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                        -Fitzsimmons
                        -Justice Department
                        -Shultz
                -Fitzsimmons
                        -1972 election support
                        -The President’s support
                        -Justice Department
                        -Meeting in California

Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
      -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
      -Constitutional lawyer
      -North Carolina politics
              -1974 election
              -B. Everett Jordan
              -Publicity
              -Candidate for governor [James E. Holshouser, Jr.]
              -James C. Garner [?]
                     -Candidacy

States
         -Identification with the President
                 -North Carolina
                         -Duke University
                 -Maryland
                 -Iowa
                         -Ottumwa
                 -Arizona
                         -The President’s brother
                 -California
                 -New York
                 -Florida
                 -North Carolina
                                      17

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




Colson’s conversation with John W. Dean
      -1972 campaign
              -Demonstrators
                     -Paid
                     -Violence
                             -San Francisco
      -Justice Department

Second term reorganization and political appointees
      -Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
              -Congress members
              -Tax returns
                       -Robert J. Dole
                       -Edward W. Brooke
              -Shultz
                       -George D. Webster
      -Labor Department
              -Donald F. Rodgers
              -Peter J. Brennan
              -Richard Schneider [?]
              -Harvard University
              -Brennan
                       -Ehrlichman [?]
                              -Opinion
                              -Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Cabinet
      -Anne L. Armstrong
              -Invitation
              -atricia Colson
      -Labor Department
              -Frederic V. Malek, Ehrlichman, Haldeman
              -Clique
              -Brennan
              -Shultz
              -Brennan
                       -Budget cuts
                                        18

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                   Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                      -Bureaucrats
                      -Political appointees
               -Compared to first term
                      -Knowledge
                              -James D. Hodgson
                              -Shultz
               -Brennan
                      -Rodgers
                              -Influence
                              -Education
               -Reorganization
               -Democrats
               -Columns
                      -Thomas W. Braden
                      -Marquis Childs
                      -Clayton Fritchey
        -White House staff
               -Ehrlichman [?]
               -Haldeman
               -Donald H. Rumsfeld
               -Robert H. Finch

Voting patterns
       -White, blue collar, South
       -South
              -George C. Wallace
       -North
              -New York
              -Wallace
       -California

Polls
        -Gallup
               -Washington Post
               -Presidential approval rating
                                              19

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                             Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                             -Vietnam settlement
                                    -Press conference

       Press relations
               -News summary
               -Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
                       -News magazines
                       -Hugh S. Sidey
                              -The President’s image
                       -Performance
                              -Patrick J. (“Pat”) Buchanan

       The President’s opponents
              -Alger Hiss case
              -Fund speech [?]
              -Harold E. Stassen
                     -“Dump Nixon”
              -Nelson A. Rockefeller
                     -1960 election
              -Comeback
              -The President’s foreign policy
                     -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                     -Soviet Union
                     -Vietnam settlement
                     -Press relations

       Polls
               -Gallup

Stephen B. Bull entered at 3:15 pm.

       The President’s schedule

Bull left at an unknown time after 3:15 pm.
                                             20

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




       Polls
               -Vietnam War
                      -Bombing
                      -Gallup
               -Fluctuations
                      -Press’ role
                      -Uncertainty
                      -Laos

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 3:16 pm.

       Colson's schedule
              -Speech at Brown University
                     -Luncheon
                     -Foreign policy successes

Colson left at 3:17 pm.

       King Hussein’s visit

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods at an unknown time between 3:16 pm and 4:26 pm.

[Conversation No. 409-17A]

       The President’s schedule
              -Guest list
                     -States
                             -Maine, Ohio
                     -Republicans, Democrats
                     -Chairmen
                     -States
                             -California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas

[End of telephone conversation]
                                     21

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




Kissinger’s schedule
       -Trip to Southeast Asia
               -Bangkok
               -Vientiane
                      -Meeting with Souvanna Phouma
               -Hanoi
               -Hong Kong
               -Japan
               -Kissinger’s return

Vietnam settlement
      -Aid to North Vietnam
              -Courage
              -Reparations
                      -Congress
              -Defense funding
                      -Domestic programs
              -Economic commission
                      -Timing
                      -Congress
              -Shultz
                      -World Bank
              -Yearly sizes of program
                      -Annual Congressional appropriations
              -Hubert H. Humphrey
              -Economic commission
              -Reconstruction
              -Amount
              -Liberals
                      -Bombing of North Vietnam
                      -Lyndon B. Johnson’s proposal
                      -The President’s May 1969 speech
              -Letter to the North Vietnamese
                      -Secret deal
                      -Revisions
                                        22

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                        Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                       -US Constitution
               -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
               -Shianouk
               -Bipartisanship
               -US budget
                       -Roy L. Ash
                       -Shultz
               -Congress
                       -Source of money
                               -Defense spending
                               -“Hawks”

Polls
        -Gallup
        -The President’s approval ratings
               -1973 Inauguration
               -Publicity
               -New York
                       -Approval of Kissinger
                               -Rive Gauche restaurant [?]
                               -John Kenneth Galbraith
                                      -Telephone call
               -Critics of the President’s policies
                       -Foreign policy
                               -The President’s trip to PRC
                               -Spring 1972 offensive
                                      -Vietnam
                               -Soviet Summit

US foreign policy
       -Summit meetings in the upcoming year
              -Europe
              -Japan
                     -Location
                     -Soviet Union
                              23

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                      Tape Subject Log
                        (rev. Aug.-09)
                                             Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




               -Integrated package
               -Georges J. R. Pompidou
               -Edward R. G. Heath
               -Willy Brandt
               -Kakeui Tanaka
               -Charter
               -Arthur F. Burns
                        -Monetary situation
               -Shultz
                        -Trade matters
               -Compared to previous meetings with Soviet Union
               -Shultz
                        -Team player
               -Timing
-Latin America
       -Invitations from the President of Brazil
-Kissinger’s visit to Japan
       -[Emperor of Japan] Hirohito’s visit with the President
-The President’s meeting with Heath
       -Queen Elizabeth II
               -The President’s possible visit to Great Britain
-Head of State visits
       -US public opinion
               -Visit by Hirohito
               -Trips by the President
                        -Domestic issues
                               -Priority
-Middle East
       -Anwar el-Sadat
       -Israel
               -Timing of settlement
                        -US elections
       -Soviet Union
               -Arabs
       -Israel
                                               24

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                             -South Vietnam
                             -Jordan [?]
                    -Egypt
              -US position in the world
                    -The President’s opportunity
                             -Future presidents
                                    -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                                    -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
                             -The President’s legacy
                                    -Latin America

       Foreign relations
              -The President’s possible trip to Brazil
                      -State Department
                              -Scheduling on trips
              -Mexico
                      -The President’s trips
              -Canada
              -Africa
              -India
                      -PRC
                      -Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
                      -Military equipment

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 3:16 pm.

       The President’s schedule
              -Appointment

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:26 pm.

       Foreign relations
              -India
                      -Military equipment
                      -Pakistan
                                      25

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                    Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                       -Contracts
                              -State Department
              -Moynihan
       -Kissinger’s trip to PRC

Vietnam settlement
      -Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
              -Implementation of agreement
              -Economic issues
              -International conference
              -Diplomatic contacts
                      -PRC
      -Taiwan
              -Withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam
      -Southeast Asia
              -Peace
                      -PRC’s assistance
                              -Sihanouk
              -Lon Nol
                      -Meeting with the President
                              -San Clemente
                              -Demeanor
              -Charles Whitehouse
                      -Cambodia
                      -Laos
                              -Wife
      -Diplomats
              -G. McMurtrie Godley
              -Joseph J. Sisco
                      -Soviet Union
              -Pakistan
              -Ambassadors
                      -Lifestyle
                      -US foreign policy accomplishments
                              -Soviet Union
                                      26

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                    Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                             -PRC
                             -Vietnam settlement
              -Dean Rusk
       -Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
              -The President’s instructions
                       -Economic aid
                              -Handouts [?]
                              -Reparations
                              -Reconstruction
                                     -Japan
                              -North Vietnam’s expectations
              -Kissinger’s conversation with William H. Sullivan
              -Kissinger’s conversation with Robert S. McNamara
       -Budget
              -Congress
              -Cuts
              -Economic aid
                       -Model cities
                       -Poor
                       -Hiding appropriations
                       -Indochina program
                              -Richard Lowenthal [?]
                                     -Study
                       -Foreign aid

Foreign relations
       -Talks
               -Columnists
               -PRC
               -South Vietnam
               -Soviet Union
       -PRC
               -Balkanization of Southeast Asia
               -Attitudes
                       -Soviet Union
                                          27

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                       -Japan
                -Chou En-Lai
                       -Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting
                -Release of US prisoners
                       -John T. Downey
                -Michael J. Mansfield
                -Hugh Scott
                -Reaction to President’s policy
                       -Buchanan’s memorandum
                       -Soviet Union
                       -Kissinger’s Southeast Asia Treat Organization [SEATO] trip

Europe
         -The President’s conversation with Heath
                  -Great Britain’s business opportunities
                         -PRC
         -Kissinger’s view
                  -Compared to Japan
         -The President’s view
                  -Compared to Africa
         -Divisions
         -Heath
                  -Vision
         -Pompidou
                  -Economics
         -Brandt
         -Italy [?]
         -Gen. Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle

US foreign policy
       -The President’s leadership
       -State Department
               -De Gaulle
               -Task force
               -Latin America
                                        28

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




              -Africa
              -South Asia
              -Latin America
              -Japan

The President’s schedule
       -West Coast
       -Meeting with Kissinger
       -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
              -Golf
              -Schedule

The Presidency
       -Work schedule
              -Agnew
              -Nelson A. Rockefeller
              -Decisions
                     -Cabinet
                     -The President’s working relationship with Kissinger
                     -Newspapers
                     -Vietnam War
                            -1972 election
                            -Bombing
                                    -Melvin R. Laird
                     -Vietnam settlement
                            -Credit
                            -Peace
                            -Hugh S. Sidey’s article in Time
                            -Intellectuals
                                    -Honesty
                                    -The President’s opponents
       -The President’s accomplishments
              -PRC
              -Chemical weapons
              -Compared to John F. Kennedy & Lyndon B. Johnson
                                               29

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Aug.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




                              -1963 nuclear test ban treaty
                              -Foreign policy disasters
                              -Historians
                      -Laos
                            -Cease-fire
                            -Cost
                                    -Combing
                      -Economic aid to North Vietnam
                            -1974 budget
                                    -Elliot L. Richardson
                                    -Ash
                            -Investment
                                    -Peace
                            -Press conference

       Kissinger’s schedule
              -Dinner
              -North Vietnam
              -Lunch
                      -Secretary of State
                      -Secretary of Defense
              -National Security Council [NSC]
                      -Washington Special Action Group [WSAG]
                             -Southeast Asia
                             -Missing in Action [MIA]
                             -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                             -Vietnam negotiations
                                     -Haiphong Harbor mines
                                            -US ships

       The President’s schedule
              -Meeting with Kissinger

Kissinger left at 4:26 pm.
                                            30

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Aug.-09)