Conversation: 416-018
Prev: 416-017 Next: 416-019Start Date: 1-Mar-1973 5:40 PM
End Date: 1-Mar-1973 6:40 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Sanchez, Manolo; Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.; Ziegler, Ronald L.;Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On March 1, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Manolo Sanchez, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:40 pm to 6:40 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 416-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 416-18
Date: March 1, 1973
Time: 5:40 pm-6:40 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Yitzhak Rabin's birthday
[Pause]
Rose Mary Woods [?]
-President’s tenure
-Term length
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Breeding of King Timahoe
-[First name unknown] Elderidge
-Female dog
-Right selection
-Pedigree
-Owners
-Litter
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Pick of the litter
-Age of puppies
-President’s choice
-Stud fee
-Puppies
-Number
-Irish setters
-Springer spaniels
-Labrador retrievers
-Litter
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Selection of puppies
John B. Connally [?]
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:40 pm.
King Timahoe
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:00 pm.
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Jerry H. Jones
-Conversation with Haldeman
-Personnel
Wilbur D. Mills
-Talk with Connally
-Drinking
-Health
-George P. Shultz
-Medication
-Surcharge
-Criticism of Shultz
-David L. Parr
-Milk producers
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Presence with Mills
-Milk subsidies
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Connally
-Party change
-Rumors
-George Christian
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Comments on Connally’s change in parties
-Marvin Watson
-Change in party allegiance
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Watson
-Post in administration
-Armand Hammer
-Integrity
-Support for President
-Abilities
-Post Office position
-Graham
-Appointment process
-Winton M. (“Red”) Blount
-Watson's desire for position
-Cabinet office
-Transportation Secretary
Veterans Administration [VA]
-Donald E. Johnson
-Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
-William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Deputy administrator
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Murray M. Chotiner
-Opposition to Johnson
-Reasons
-Deputies
-Controversy
-Firing
-Fred B. Rhodes
-Rufus H. Wilson
-Richard L. Roudebush
-John D. Ehrlichman
Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
-Elliot L. Richardson's proposal
-Defense Department position
-Robert S. McNamara
-Qualifications
-National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
-Systems analysis
-Scientist
-David Packard's support
-Air Force
-Richardson
-Henry A. Kissinger's opinion
-Softness
-[First name unknown]Wheeler [?]
-Richardson
-Reasons for nominations
John S. Patterson
-Ties to President
-Subversive Activities Control Board [SACB]
-Age
-Executive order
-SACB
-Discontinuation
-Funding
-Board members
-Retirement
-Alternative position
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Congress
Under Secretary of Commerce
-Candidates
-George D. Webster
-Bryan F. Smith
-Texas Instruments [TI]
-Connally ties
-William P. Clements, Jr.
-Qualifications
-Webster
-Desire for job
-Charles W. Colson
-Support
-Qualification
-Promises of job
-Discussion
Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5;40 pm.
King Timahoe
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6;00 pm.
-Smith
-Connally's support
-Background
-Support for President
-Texas
-Webster
-Problems
-Other job
-Qualifications
-Treasury Department
-General Counsel
-Shultz’s preference
-President's decision
-Discussion with Colson
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
Federal Loan Bank Board
-Appointment of chairman
-Problem
-John A. Stastny
-Home builder
-Opposition to Hunt Commission
-New legislation
-Candidate
-Qualifications
-Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
-Better candidate
Under Secretary of Commerce
-Frederick B. Dent
-Smith
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA] director appointment
-Candidates
-Kissinger's views
-Philip J. Farley
-Kissinger's recommendation
-[First name unknown] Hertzfeld
-Bell Laboratories
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Conflict of interest
-Safeguard software
-American Telephone and Telegraph [AT&T]
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Fred C. Ikle
-Rand Corporation
-Second choice
-Anti-Ballistic Missile [ABM] debate
-Confirmation chances
-Jackson's choice
-Ability
-Acceptability
-Kissinger
-Age
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Deputy directors
-Ikle
-Jackson’s favor
Ethnic appointees
-Blacks
-Italian-Americans
-Mexican-Americans
-Polish-Americans
-Honorary posts
Robert H McBride
-Ambassadorial post
-Mexico
Foreign Service Officers [FSOs]
Mexico
-US ambassador
-Qualifications
-[First name unknown] Reynolds
-Ecuador
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 6;00 pm.
Questions [?]
US ambassador in Sudan
-Kissinger
-Hostages
-Captor demands
-Airplane shoot down
Wounded Knee occupation
-“Custer’s Last Stand”
-Ziegler’s response
-Bureau of Indian Affairs
-Ehrlichman
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Update
Watergate
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] report
-Press questions for Ziegler
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III [?]
Haldeman talked with Cole at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:20 pm.
[Conversation No. 416-18A]
[See Conversation No. 37-25]
American Indians
-BIA
Watergate
-Investigation
-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-Dita Beard
-Comments to the press
[End of telephone conversation]
Wounded Knee occupation
-BIA involvement
-John C. Whitaker
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Marshals
-Negotiations
-Hostages
-BIA involvement
-Press questions for Ziegler
Capture of US ambassador
-Palestinians
-US policy on hostages
-Connection to American Indian affairs
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
Press relations
-North Vietnam
Watergate
-Donald H. Segretti
-Story in New York Times
-Charles W. Colson and E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-White House investigation
-Statement for press
-Executive privilege
-Statement
Press relations
-Prisoners of war [POWs] story
-Publicity
-Aid for administration’s standing
-George S. McGovern
-Policy on POWs
-Vietnam settlement
-Concessions
-Minesweeping
-POW issue
-Negotiations
-Linkage
-Saigon
-Agreements
-US contacts with all parties
-Vietnam settlement
-Cease-fire violations
-International Commission of Control and Supervision [ICCS]
-US contacts
-Ziegler’s comments
-Gen. Gilbert H. Woodward
-Decline
-Woodward
-Statement on missile sites
-US response [?]
Ziegler left at 6:20 pm.
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
United States Secret Service [USSS]
-Problem
-Agent's meeting with Haldeman
-Robert H. (“Bob”) Taylor
-James J. Rowley and Lilburn E. (“Pat”) Boggs
-Conflict with Taylor
-Taylor's departure
-Haldeman's meeting with Taylor and William H. Duncan
-Taylor's feelings
-Clinton J. Hill
-Dislike of Taylor, Haldeman, and President
-Alan Cox
-Supporter of Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Cover up
-Assignment to Treasury Department
-Assistant Director at headquarters
-Edward L. Morgan
-Ehrlichman
-Handling of problem
-Conversation with Taylor and Duncan
-Call from Rowley
-Boggs
-Drinking
-Richard E. Keiser [Kaiser]
-Presidential protection detail
-Acting director
-Clothing
-Haircuts
-Mustaches
-Grooming
-Respect for presidency
-Compared to Taylor
-Opinion of young agents
-Esprit de corps
-Marine Corps
-Agents drinking on a trip
-Opinion
-John F. Kennedy assassination
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-USSS failures
-Drinking the night before
-Impact on protection
-Warren Report
-Politics
-Compared with FBI
-Impact on President
-Helen A. Thomas article
-Source
-Rose Mary Woods
-Duncan
-Rowley and Boggs
-Hill
-Abilities
-Transfer
-Current responsibilities
-Rowley
-Other agents' opinions
-Retirement date
-Replacement
-Boggs
-Haldeman's plan
-Hill’s removal
-Taylor
-Promotion
-Hill
-Loyalty
-Respect of other agents
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**
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National Security]
[Duration: 13s]
PRESIDENTIAL PROTECTION
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
******************************************************************************
**
-Photographer
-Taylor
-Evaluation
-Boggs and Rowley
-Hill
-Taylor
-Source for Thomas story
-Need to transfer
-Kennedy loyalist
-Background
-Lyndon B. Johnson detail in Texas
-Hostility to Haldeman
-Need for shakeup
-Plan
-Morgan
-Duncan and Taylor
-Keiser [Kaiser]
-Appearance of agents
-Mustaches
-J. Edgar Hoover at FBI
-Taylor
-Loyalty to President
-Vice Presidency, 1953-1961
-Promotion
-Duncan
-Motivations
-Transfer
-Boggs
-Loyalty to administration
-Rowley
-Retirement date
-John Kennedy, Johnson, Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy
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-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Privacy]
[Duration: 50s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
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John V. (“Jack”) Brennan
-Johnson
-Promotion of unknown man
-Promotion
-Vietnam record
Maj. Gen. James D. Hughes
-Promotion
Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
-Promotion to general
Military aides
-Selection
-Army
-Air Force
-Navy
-Army
-Air Force
-Scowcroft
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 6:20 pm.
Order
Departure
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:40 pm.
Dwight L. Chapin
-Departure from White House staff
-Location
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 416-18 (cont’d)
-Delta Airlines
-Chicago
Dog
-Breeding
-Dignity
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Personal appointments [?]
-Answer
-Alternative candidate
-Unknown woman
-Unknown man
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Haldeman left at 6:40 pm.