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Conversation: 419-008

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Start Date: 12-Mar-1973 2:33 PM

End Date: 12-Mar-1973 3:02 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Ehrlichman, John D.

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

419-008.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:33 pm to 3:02 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 419-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 419-8

Date: March 12, 1973
Time: 2:33 pm - 3:02 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

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

       John E. Nidecker
            -Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
            -State Department
                  -Deputy Inspector general
                  -Travel
            -Bicentennial
                  -[First name unknown] Roosevelt [?]
                  -Travel the nations

       President's schedule
             -Associated Press [AP] appearance
                    -Paul Miller
                    -Henry A. Kissinger’s appearance
             -American Society of Magazine Editors [ASME] [?] function
                                               -7-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                               Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)




       President's press conference [?]
             -Format

       President’s schedule
             -ASME function
                   -Date
             -Latin America trip
                   -Timing
                         -Africa trip
                         -President's meeting with Giulio Andreotti
                   -Vacation planning
                   -One-day stops
                         -Compared to Europe
                   -Meetings
                   -Dinners
                   -Luncheons
                   -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                   -Africa
                         -Length of stay
                   -State dinner
                   -Brazil, Venezuela
                   -Peru [?]
                   -Mexico City
                         -Americans
                         -Radicals
                   -Argentina
                   -Central America
                         -Guatemala
                         -Nicaragua
                         -Costa Rica
                         -Panama
                         -Honduras
                         -El Salvador

John D. Ehrlichman talked with the President between 2:38 pm and 2:41 pm

[Conversation No. 419-8A]
                                          -8-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)




[See Conversation No. 37-96]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Congressional relations
            -John D. Ehrlichman
                  -Appearance before joint session of Congress
                         -Value
            -Publicity for President
                  -Appearances before Congress
                         -Public relations [PR]
                         -Richard A. Moore
                         -Utility
            -Ehrlichman’s view of Congressional appearances
                  -Symbolism
                  -Publicity
                         -Television [TV] audience
                  -President’s tax proposals
                         -Congressional response
                  -Timing
                         -National press conference
            -President’s appearance before Congress
                  -Issues
                         -Foreign and domestic
                         -Ehrlichman’s choice
            -Presidential staff viewpoint
                  -Patrick K. Buchanan
                         -Problems compared to opportunities
                                -Negatives
                                      -Indians
                                      -Impoundment
                                      -Executive privilege
                                      -Repression of press

             PR
                  -Haldeman’s study
                       -President’s public appearances, speeches, press conferences
                                    -9-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                       Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)



                       -President’s approval rating
                       -Polls
                       -George H. Gallup poll
                       -President’s desire for conclusiveness
           -Lead stories in press
                 -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                       -“Lucky break”
                 -Impact of President’s policies
                       -Economic suffering
                       -Food prices
                       -Negative compared to positive increase in approval rating
                              -POWs
                              -Role of domestic issues
     -President’s approval rating
                 -Economic conditions
                       -Prices and wages
                       -Press distortion
                              -Perfection
                              -Fault and blame

White House staff
     -Charles W. Colson
          -Contact with President
                 -Election campaign period
                 -Post-election period
                       -Utility to President
                 -Arrangements
                       -Frequency
                       -Forthcoming meetings with Haldeman
                              -Value
                              -Good ideas
                              -Balance
          -Domestic issues
                 -Credit
                 -Colson
                 -Patrick J. Buchanan
                 -Praise for Howard J. Phillips
                       -Rhetoric
                                      -10-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                     Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)



                       -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
            -“Great Society” programs
                 -Publicity for President's domestic programs
                       -Conservatives
                              -Patrick J. Buchanan
                       -Centrists
                       -Taxes compared to social services
                              -Concern for poor, cost

President's public appearances
      -National Press Club
      -Establishment of dominance of dialogue
             -Methods
                    -Travel
                    -Periodic stops in localities
                          -South Carolina
                          -Mississippi
                                -John C. Stennis
                          -Midwest
             -Watergate
             -End of Vietnam War
             -Foreign travel
      -State visits
      -Latin American travel
             -Value
             -Colombia
             -Venezuela
             -Brazil
             -Jamaica
             -Caribbean

PR
      -Domestic issues
          -Ehrlichman
          -Trade
          -Inflation
                 -Compared to Vietnam War
          -US News and World Report article
                                           -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                            Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)



                       -Survey, predictions
                       -Housewives
                       -Public complaints
                             -Prices, quality, services
                  -Crime
                  -Administration's strategy

       President's schedule
             -Vacation
                    -August
                          -Travel
                          -Congressional recess
             -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] convention
                    -New Orleans
                    -Arrangements
             -Congressional recess
             -California
             -Labor Day appearance
             -Vacation
                    -August
                          -Weather
             -July schedule
                    -Preparation
                    -Compared to State of the Union

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:41 pm.

       President's meeting with Col. Robinson Risner
             -Risner’s location
                   -West Wing

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:02 pm.

       Unknown person’s staff position
           -Extension
                -July
                -Camp David
                      -Haldeman’s opinion of staff member
                                            -12-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Sept-2010)
                                                           Conversation No. 419-8 (cont’d)



                         -Aspen Lodge
                         -Maitre d’ hotel
                         -Successor
             -Civilian employment

       Spiro T. Agnew
             -President’s return to Oval Office
             -Office space [?]
             -Roy L. Ash [?]

Haldeman left at 3:02 pm.