Conversation: 413-033
Prev:  413-032 Next: 413-034Start Date: 26-Feb-1973 5:40 PM
End Date: 26-Feb-1973 7:15 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Safire, William L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On February 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, William L. Safire, Henry A. Kissinger, and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:40 pm to 7:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 413-033 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 413-33 Date: February 26, 1973 Time: 5:40 pm-7:15 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. William L. Safire -Compared to Patrick J. Buchanan -Henry A. Kissinger -Press conference -Question and answer [Q&A] format -Time to complete assignment -Compared to Raymond K. Price, Jr. and Buchanan Press conferences -Unanticipated questions -Sarah McLendon -Clark R. Mollenhoff -Purpose -Questions -Submission in advance -Follow up -Unrehearsed format -50- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Problems -Advanced questions -Advantages to press -Follow up questions -Preparation -Q&A -Compared to free questioning -Avoidance of “No comment” Input for President -David N. Parker -Coordination -Telephone calls -Congress -John D. Ehrlichman -List of Cabinet -Response to President’s ideas Kitchen cabinet -William F. (“Billy”) Graham -John A. Scali -New York Franklin R. Gannon -Article -Qualities as a writer John F. Kennedy administration -President’s view of treatment of public -Game plan Administration’s game plan -List -Press -Congress -Political -Labor -[First name unknown] Kahn -51- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Business [?] -Weekly meeting on one issue -Competition -White House staff input -Buchanan -Usefulness -Ehrlichman -Goals of administration -Ehrlichman -Gannon -Analysis -Logic as writer -Price -Analysis -Meeting participant -Buchanan -Analysis -Age -Philosophical bent -Price -Ehrlichman -Kissinger -Public relations talents -Gannon Reorganization -President’s point to Ehrlichman -Reform Issues -Quality of life -Leisure -Environment -Crime [?] -Polls -Economy [?] Healthcare [?] -52- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) The President talked with William Safire between 6:03 pm and 6:07 pm. [Conversation No. 413-33A] [See Conversation No. 43-200] [End of telephone conversation] Safire Kennedy’s image -Dwight D. Eisenhower President's image -Enhancement -Amnesty -Press satisfaction -Public reaction -Price, Safire’s opinion -Public reaction -Prisoners of war [POWs] -Letters from mothers [?] -Poll numbers -Political fallout -William W. Scranton [?] Vietnam settlement -Peace with honor -Press criticism -Administration response White House staff reaction to President’s Vietnam War policy -November 3, 1969 speech -Controversial actions -Opposition -Fear of failure, risks -Riots -53- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) Congressional and public relations -John B. Connally -Public pressure -Respect for President -Caving -Budget -Tax increase -Effect on President’s popularity -Tax increases -President’s responsibility -Veto messages -Tax issues -Democrats’ Congress -Partisanship -Vietnam -Swedish television [TV] -Unknown person’s appearance -Legislature -President’s appearance at Trader Vic’s [?] -Former Presidents -Image -Image of President -Public desires Buchanan’s father-in-law -Funeral Press relations -Criticism of President -Response -Safire -Press -President’s conciliation -TV appearance -Display of anger -Statement about POWs being programmed -Public response -54- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Press response -New York Times -Editorial -Attack on POWs Vetoes -Statements -Tone -Bryce N. Harlow’s judgment -Wording -Effect on Congress -Press coverage Public mood -Sensitivity -Kissinger -Harvard University colleagues -State Department Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft -Weak link -Kissinger -Compared with Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Pressures Kissinger entered at 6:30 pm. Greetings Kissinger’s schedule -Egypt -Negotiations Haldeman left at 6:30 pm. -Hafiz Ismail [?] -Compared with Gamal Abdel Nasser [?] -55- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) Egypt -Negotiations -Egypt compared with Vietnam -Duration of meeting -Kissinger’s memo to President -Issues -State Department’s opinion -Arab initiative -President’s view -Effect Vietnam -Withdrawals -Timing -Data -B-52 strike -Scowcroft -POWs -Nguyen Van Thieu -Ellsworth F. Bunker -Withdrawal deadline -Bunker [?] -Quid pro quo -William H. Sullivan -Withdrawal and cease-fire -Negotiations -Laos and Cambodia -Bombing Middle East negotiations -Meetings with Joseph J. Sisco and William P. Rogers -Settlement -Palestinians -Negotiations -Kissinger’s role -Ismail [?] -US position -Promises -56- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Agreements -Negotiations -Back channel compared with official channel -Negotiations -Emotion -Procedure -General agreement of principles between Egypt and US -Talks with Israel -Interim settlement -Egypt -Detailed negotiations -Timing of first two stages -State Department’s knowledge -Israel -General principles -Interim agreement -Egypt-Israel negotiations -Syria, Jordan negotiations with Israel -Leverage for Israel, Egypt settlement -Jordan -Timing -Israel -US negotiations -Egypt -April 10 meeting -“Heads of an agreement” -Fundamental principles -US talks with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Ismail’s opinion -Heads of agreement -Israel’s agreement -Leonid I. Brezhnev’s role -Joint communication -US recommendations -Importance -Negotiations -Common principles between US and Egypt -Israel -57- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -US, Brezhnev joint communication -Interim settlement -Compared with full settlement -Syria, Jordan, Egypt -Israel’s withdrawal -Kissinger’s talks with Ismail -Israel’s security -Egypt’s sovereignty -Golda Meir ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [National Security] [Duration: 3s] ISRAEL END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ****************************************************************************** -Kissinger’s discussions with Brezhnev -State Department’s role -Rogers -USSR, People’s Republic of China [PRC] -State Department -Sullivan -Position on Middle East -Israel -Administration strategy Stephen B. Bull [?] entered at an unknown time after 6:31 pm. Schedule -Departure Bull [?] left at an unknown time before 7:15 pm. -58- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) Kissinger’s talks with Israel -Egypt’s negotiating position -US position -Conflict with Israel -Timing of negotiations -State Department -Interim settlement with Anwar el-Sadat, Israel -Kissinger’s strategy -Interim settlement -Principles -Arab cooperation -USSR support -May 1972 summit -Israel’s agreement -Two tracks -Interim settlement -Direct talks -Timing of settlements -Jordan, Egypt -US aid to Israel -US relations with Israel -Domestic support -Jews Criticism of President's policies -Time magazine [?] -News story -Success -Jealousy -Europe -US-USSR relations -December 1972 bombing -Justifications -POWs -New York Times [?] editorial -Attack on POWs’ integrity -Public reaction -59- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Credibility gap Vietnam War -Solicitation of opinion of McGeorge Bundy, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Scranton New York Times -Opposition to Soviet gas deal -Economic arguments -USSR’s persecution of scientists [?] -John B. Oakes -Position on USSR, PRC -Attacks on President’s foreign policy -Motives -John Kennedy -US liaison office -Support -Brezhnev’s visit to US -US-USSR trade relations -Private company -Wheat deal -US losses -Oil deal -US losses -New deal -Outrage -Market rate -US shipping -Opposition to President Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy -Relations with Taiwan -PRC relations with Taiwan -Kissinger’s conversation with Chou en-Lai -Satisfaction Attacks on President -Kissinger -India-Pakistan -60- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Press frustrations -Kissinger’s stories -Women -Attacks on Kissinger -Public reactions -Average citizenship -Attention -New York Times Foreign policy -PRC, USSR, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement, Vietnam settlement -Public support -Establishment opposition -Thomas W. Braden -Tokyo -Article -PRC initiative -Nuclear test bans -John Kennedy -Treaty -Chemical and biological warfare -Testing -Compared with [Supersonic Transport] SST [?] -Cancer -Radioactivity -Issue -Value -Press relations -POWs -Political benefits -Statements in support of President, December bombing -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer’s story -Clapping -December 1972 bombing -Washington Star, Chicago Tribune -Congressional opposition -Negotiations -61- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 413-33 (cont’d) -Breakthrough -POWs -Release -Bombing -Leverage -Deadline to North Vietnam Vietnam settlement -Success -Cambodia -Phnom Penh -Communist forces -Coalition [?] -Cambodia’s self-determination -Diplomatic protests -PRC [?] Kissinger -Report on Ismail meetings -President’s press conference -Talking paper for President’s Golda Meir meeting -Meeting with President Golda Meir -Talks with Kissinger -Meeting with President -Length -Dinner -Purchases -Effects -Kissinger’s opinion -Negotiating leverage Kissinger left at 7:15 pm. -62- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09)