Conversation: 420-020
Prev:  420-019 Next: 420-021Start Date: 19-Mar-1973 2:37 PM
End Date: 19-Mar-1973 4:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Woods, Rose Mary; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On March 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Rose Mary Woods met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:37 pm to 4:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 420-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 420-20 Date: March 19, 1973 Time: 2:37 pm - 4:55 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Rose Mary Woods. White House social affairs -State dinner -List of guests -Cabinet officers -Contributors -State visits -Italian-Americans -Jeno Paulucci [?] -German-Americans -Germans -Requests -Lists of Democrats for Nixon -[Mickey?] Gardner -Leonard H. Marks - John B. Connally’s approval -Committee to Reelect the President [CRP] -28- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Chairmen -President's meeting with officials -Political influence -Financial influence -Guest list -Contributors -Dinners -Nguyen Van Thieu -Lee Kuan Yew -Wife -Wives -Stag dinner -Paul W. Keyes -Celebrities -Pro-, neutral and anti-President lists -Rosalind Russell -Danny Kaye -John Ford dinner -Barbara Streisand -Position on war -Support for George M. McGovern -John Ford dinner -Danny Kaye -Political positions -Charity work -Liza Minnelli -Cyd Charisse, Tony Martin -Support for President -Johnny Mann -Charisse, Martin -Irving Berlin evening -Entertainers after dinners -Length and start of show -Francis A. (“Frank”) Sinatra -Keyes -Return to Washington, DC -Show logistics -Risers -Volume of music -29- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Loudness -Lyrics -White House compared larger venues -Shady Grove Evenings at White House -Technical advice -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope -Problems with sound -Edward K. (“Duke”) Ellington -Les Brown band -Prisoners of War reception -White House as supper club -Sammy Davis, Jr. -Las Vegas entertainers -Arrangements -Technical advice -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Keyes -Lucy A. Winchester -Set-up -Country music -Lee Kuan Yew Dinner -Edward R. G. Heath -Intelligence -Arthur F. Burns -Invitation -Burns and George P. Shultz -Invitations White House social affairs -State dinners -Italy -Guilio Androtti -Willy Brandt -Date -White House Correspondents’ dinner -Church service -Easter week -30- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Congressional recess -Invitations -Evening at White House -Time, date -France dinner -POW dinner -Open period -POW dinner -Cabinet official -Secretaries of Defense and State -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS] -Spiro T. Agnew -William P. Rogers -Henry A. Kissinger -Alexander M. Haig -Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, Maj. Gen. James D. (“Don”) Hughes -Invitations -Limitations -Roger Shields -State Department official -Gen. William C. Westmoreland -Henry Cabot Lodge -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW], American Legion heads -Bob Hope -Staff Raquel Welch [?] -Margaret [Last name unknown] -Size -William F. (:Billy”) Graham, Francis Cardinal Spellman, Terence Cardinal Cooke -Visits to Vietnam -Graham -Bob Hope show appearance -H. Ross Perot -Unintelligible name -Adm. John S. McCain -Westmoreland -JCS -Invites for other military personnel -31- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -National Security Council [NSC] -Helmut (“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt -State dinners -Lee Kuan Yew -State Secretary -Defense Secretary -Brandt -Lee Kuan Yew -Italy -Androtti -Invitations -Peter J. Brennan -John A. Scali -Charles W. Colson -Italian dinner -Michael P. Balzano, Jr. -Attendance at dinner -Frank C. Carlucci -Nationality of invitees -Golda Meir dinner -John A. Volpe -Sons of Italy -Balzano’s suggestions -After dinner entertainment -After party -Carlucci -Italian dinner -Frank L. Rizzo -Celebrities -Nelson Riddle, Sinatra -Parties elsewhere -Peter Malatesta, Agnew -Scali -Peter Fosco [?] -Unknown woman -Hugh S. Sidey -Secretary -Scali -Files -32- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Labor leaders -Peter Fosco -Brennan’s advice -Perry Como -Doctors -[First name unknown] Hudson [?] -[First name unknown] Kaplan -Anthony T. Rossi and Ralph Persico -Keyes -Henry Salvatore -Edward J. Lavino, II -John Mulcahy -Wife -Leon Hess -Compared with Brandt dinners -Entertainment -Guest lists -[First name unknown] O’Hara -New York -[Unintelligible name] [Lehman?] -Chicago -Project work -Committee to Win the Peace -Clark MacGregor’s list President’s schedule -State dinners -Mohammed Reza Pahlan [Shah of Iran] -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] -Africa -Blacks Elliott Roosevelt -Franklin D. Roosevelt -William [surname unintelligible] -Marguerite ("Missy") LeHand -Lucy Mercer -LeHand -Death -33- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Mercer’s husband’s death -Book -Description of Mercer and Franklin Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt -Contraception -Number of children -Love letters -LeHand -Hyde Park -Warner Springs -Yacht ****************************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] White house social affairs -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Return to Washington, DC -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -Installation of risers in East Room -Keyes [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ****************************************************************************** White House social affairs -Installation of risers in East Room -Objections -Rex W. Scouten -Winchester -President’s idea -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Paintings -George Washington -Preservation -34- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) White House -Interior -East Room -Tricia Nixon Cox -Wedding -Ballroom -Entertainment -Risers -Congress members -Celebrities -Richard (“Red”) Skelton -Johnny Cash Church services -Invitations -Assistant secretaries -Congress members -Assistant secretaries -Children -Preference for evening at White House -Categories of people -Maurice H. Stans's list State dinners -Representation of Congressional leadership -Miguel J. (“Mike”) Mansfield -Charles H. Percy -Invitation -Southern Republicans -Hubert Humphrey -John F. Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Lyndon B. Johnson -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II's observation on use of Camp David, Sequoia, White House invitations -Winchester -Receiving people -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Welcoming people -35- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) White House social affairs -Church Services -White House dinners -Invites -Finance people -Colson [?] -Balance -Senators, contributors -White House staff -Kissinger -John D. Ehrlichman -Peter M. Flanigan -Attendance at pre-dinners, entertainment - Rizzo -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. -Monetary donation[?] -Report -Walter H. Annenberg -Number of guests -Dress for dinner -Willy Brandt -Shah of Iran -African leader Ralph H. Cake -Death -President's telephone call -Son -Death -President's telephone calls -Story -William L. Safire, Ronald L. Ziegler -Roger E. Johnson -John C. Stennis -Walter Williams White House dinners -After-dinner events -36- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -White House staff -Attendance -Congressional relations staff -MacGregor -Administrative Assistants -After-dinner events -Invitations -George H. W. Bush -List of guests -Agency heads -Wives -Eisenhower dinners -Activity level -Fred Waring -Merle Haggard -Performance at White House -Mrs. Haggard -Africa leader's dinner -Charlie Pride -Classical music -Roger Williams, Van Cliburn -Dress White House social affairs -Church services -Plans -Lower-level officials -After-dinner events -Mother's Day -Young people -Guest list -Julie Nixon Eisenhower's list -Mrs. Nixon's list -Pam Powell, Anne L. Armstrong -Chief of Protocol -Job, responsibilities, introductions -Astronaut [?] -Frank Borman -After-dinner events -37- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Sinatra -Popularity -Number of dinners, evenings, church services -Systematic creation of guest lists Guests -Problems with guests -Cabinet officer -George P. Shultz, Colson, Balzano -Criticism of Woods -Chief Justice Church service -Guests -Selection -Justices -Woods’s discussion with Chief Justice Judicial reception -Value -Courts and judges -Variety -Evening at the White House -Entertainment -Classical music -Handshakes -Congressional reception -Dancing -Handshakes -Liquor -Eisenhower White House social affairs -Diplomatic reception -William P. Rogers -Cabinet officers -Senior staff -Judicial reception -Judiciary Committee -38- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy -Invitation -Problems -Watergate -Frequency of Congressional invites -Dinner -Value -Toasts -Judicial reception -Dinner for Earl Warren -Warren E. Burger -Problems -Influence on court -Burger -Roger Roth, George McKinnon -Judges, Supreme Court -Byron R. (“Whizzer”) White, Thurgood Marshall, William H. Rehnquist, Potter Stewart, William O. Douglas, William J. Brennan, Jr. -Invitations -Appointments by Eisenhower -Warren -Stewart -Brennan -Missouri appointee - John M. Harlan Supreme Court -Eisenhower’s appointment of Warren -Burger -President's appointments -Burger, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Harry A. Blackmun, Rehnquist -Majority -Decisions -Distinguished appointments -Burger -Rehnquist -Powell -39- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) Congress -Republicans -Age -Hugh Scott -Milton R. Young -Norris Cotton -Wallace F. Bennett -George D. Aiken -Margaret Chase Smith -Vigor of leaders -Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson -House of Representatives -Gerald R. Ford -Young members -Average age -[First name unknown] Steiger -Jack F. Kemp -Alaska -Donald E. Young -Meeting with President -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy -Prospects for future -Nixon budget campaign -Corinne Claiborne (“Lindy”) Boggs Dinner invitation -Robert C. Byrd -Democratic leaders -Weaknesses Irving Berlin's gift to President -Manuscript score to "God Bless America" -Letter to President -Storage or display -New York -Berlin’s wife -Berlin’s disappointment at missing White House event -Keyes's conversation with Berlin -Display in Oval Office -POWs -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) White House dinner guests -Celebrities -Athletics -Publishers and editors -Lee Kuan Yew dinner toast -Star athletes -Arnold D. Palmer -Bobby Fisher -Chess popularity -Joseph P. DiMaggio -Support for Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy -Celebrities -DiMaggio -Whitey Ford -Supporters -Blacks -George Foreman -Scheduling -July and August -Next three years -Mulcahys, W. Clement Stone -Stag dinners -Disadvantages -Edward R. G. Heath and [Hussein, King of Jordan] Hussein ibn Talai dinner -Intellectuals -Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] philosopher -List from Don [surname unknown] -Advertisement Stag dinner -Advantages -Wives, Mrs. Nixon, Winchester -Frequency -New appetites -Don [surname unknown] -Labor leaders -New establishment -Teachers -41- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Professors Dinner for John Ford -Barbara Streisand [?] -Entertainment -Press coverage [?] -Taft Schreiber White House dinner entertainment -Sammy Davis, Jr. -Supper club entertainers -Johnny Mann Chorus -Senate wives event -Songs -Patriotism -Appeal to families -Merle Haggard -Johnny Mann Chorus -Keyes [?] -Showmanship -Enthusiasm -Relaxed audience -Peggy Lee -Health -Robert Goulet -Preparation -Compared with President’s speech preparation Briefings -Preparation -Kissinger [?] -Quality -Difficult problems -Artistic sense [?] Congressional relations -Invitations to the White House -Edward W. Brooke, Jacob K. Javits -Church services -42- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) Attendance -Effect on future invitations -Planning -Lee Kuan Yew state dinner invitation -Wives -Dresses Cabinet guests at White House dinners -Transportation Secretary -Invitations -Frequency -Rogers -Defense Secretary -Invitations -Shultz -Arthur F. Burns -Shultz -Kissinger -Staff member -Request for invitation White House social affairs -Invitations to state dinners -Agnew -Chief Justice Burger -Recommendations on invitations to justices -Woods's approach to Burger -Invitations to church services -Agnew, Carl B. Albert -Willy Brandt dinner -Soviet Union visit -Importance -Invitations to Blackmun, Stewart, White and Brennan -Marshall -State dinner for African visit -Top Blacks in government for state dinner for African visit -Burger -Soviet Union visit -43- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Church services State dinners -George H. W. Bush -Advice on guests -Italian dinner -Bush's recommendations -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Campaign help -Bush -Pre-dinner events Haldeman -Anne F. Armstrong -Bush -Abilities -United Nations [UN] -Barbara Bush -Social adeptness -Official representative of administration -Political knowledge -Blair House -Guests -Unnamed woman -Blair House employee [?] -Popularity -State dinner -Marital status -Golda Meir dinner -Tour of Blair House -Frank C. Carlucci or [Victor?] DeLucci -Paul Williams -Supporters of administration -Drafting of list by Woods -Assistance with President’s trips -Evening at the White House -Travel distance -New York -Haldeman as buffer -Bush -44- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Blame -Woods -Denied invitations -Haldeman’s role -Stans -Colson -William E. Timmons -List -Recommendations to Woods -Consolidation of lists -Criticism of President Kennedy Center -Work by Timmons with Congress members -Attendance by Congress members -Tickets -Matinee -Box seating -Roger Stevens -Comment on naming of Kennedy Center -President's background and appreciation of the arts -Compared with other presidents -Theodore Roosevelt, [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson -Press image -Image of John F. Kennedy as patron of the arts -Cellist Pablo Casals -Piccolo player People's Republic of China [PRC] -Invitation to Eugene Ormandy -Bob Hope -Previous trip to USSR --Anecdote about protocol -Kissinger -Letter to Chou En-lai -Irene play -Reviews of Arlene Dahl's performance -Story in New York Post -Theater section -45- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Review of play by President -Kennedy Theater -Wholesome plays -Popularity -Pre-prohibition era -Irene -Gower Champion's direction -Patsy Kelly, Debbie Reynolds Comedian -Ticket availability -Haldeman’s mother -Ticket prices -Out-of-town guests -President's supporters -Family-oriented shows -Motion picture musical of Tom Sawyer -United Artists Corporation -Radio City Music Hall -Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis -Visit to San Clemente -Motion pictures -John Wayne -Meeting with Lewis -Quality -Musicals -Columbia Pictures -Lost Horizon Theater -Audiences -Washington -New York Tourists -Washington -Visiting monuments -Shoreham Blue Room -Cost for families -46- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Marriott hotels -Food -Quality -Recipes -Prices -Entertainment -Employees Compared to Walter E. (“Walt”) Disney -Level of sophistication -New York -Treatment of visitors White House services -Manufacturers of cuff links -Invitation [?] -Flowers -Price of Bouquets -Delay in ordering White House social affairs -Number -President’s approval -Church service -Scheduling -Jewish dinner guests -Jewels -Elmer H. and "Dodo" Bobst -Appearance Woods left at 4:41 pm. President’s Schedule -Visit of Nguyen Van Thieu -Arrangements -Wife [?] -Century Plaza -Evening arrival -Reception -Los Angeles South Vietnamese Community -47- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Attendance by President -Arrival ceremony -Helicopter at Century Plaza -Parade -Honor Guards -Informal visit -Parade -Band -Location -San Clemente -Meeting With President -El Toro Base -Housing of staff of Thieu -Spanish hacienda -Homes for senior, mid-level staff -Rogers's luncheon for Thieu -Private residence -Dinner -President, Mrs. Nixon, Rogers and Mrs. Rogers, President and Mrs. Thieu, Mr. and Mrs. T V. Lam, Kissinger, Phu Duc -Ambassador Ellsworth F. Bunker, Pham Van Dong [?] -Formality -Black tie dinner -Luncheon -Official Party -Attendance of wives -Reciprocal luncheon -Invitation by Thieu -Dinner by Ronald W. Reagan for Thieu -Working visit -Trip to Washington -Arrangements -Haig -Image in US -Agnew -Necessity of trip to East coast -Demonstrators -Exclusion from official arrival ceremony -48- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d) -Coast Guard -Press corps -Luncheon -Arrangements -Century Plaza -Federal installation -Reagan’s misunderstanding White House social affairs -Guests -Problem in working up lists -Woods, Colson, Bush, Balzano, Timmons -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Responsibility in arrangements -Georgetown parties -Armstrong -Safire Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:41 pm. Anniversary -Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:55 pm. President’s Schedule -Rebozo -Safire’s discussion -Entertainment of politicians -Democrats, Republicans -Fishing -Receiving line -Unknown man -Key Biscayne -Television [TV] -Golf Haldeman left at 4:55 pm. -49- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Sep.-2010) Conversation No. 420-20 (cont’d)