Conversation: 432-026
Prev: 432-025 Next: 432-027Start Date: 9-May-1973 11:31 AM
End Date: 9-May-1973 12:03 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bush, George H. W.; Wilson, David K. ("Pat"); Brock, William; Michel, Robert H.; Timmons, William E.; [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On May 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, George H. W. Bush, David K. ("Pat") Wilson, William Brock, Robert H. Michel, William E. Timmons, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 11:31 am to 12:03 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 432-026 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 432-26
Date: May 9, 1973
Time: 11:31 am - 12:03 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with George H. W. Bush, David K. (“Pat”) Wilson, William E. Brock, III,
Robert H. Michel, and William E. Timmons.
Greetings
Photograph
Florida
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
Wilson’s new role as Republican National Committee [RNC] Finance Committee
chairman
-Difficulty
-Fundraising
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:31 am.
Refreshment
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:05 pm.
Wilson
-Bush’s support
-Compared to Brock, Michel
Effect of Watergate
-Involvement of Republican Party
-Finance officials
-Individuals responsible
-Motive
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Fundraising
-Meeting in Buffalo, Niagara Falls
-Richard B. Ogilvie
-William Miller
-Erie County
-Problems
-Concentration in Washington, DC
-Big donors
-Fundraising dinner
-Lobbyists
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
-Solicitations
-Timing
-Dinners
-Dinners
-Planning
-Timing
-Election
-Watergate as an issue
-Need to deflect interest
Republican Party
-Membership rolls [?]
-Candidate in North Dakota
-George S. McGovern
-Opinion poll
-Prisoners of war [POWs] as candidates
-President’s telephone conversation with Bush
-[First name unknown] Collins
-South Carolina
-Harry S. Dent’s support
-Dent
-Support for RNC
-Watergate
-Intelligence
-President’s role in helping candidates in 1974
-US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] summit
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Public perception
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III’s actions
-Violence in 1968 and 1972 campaigns
-Focus of issue
-June 1973 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Summit
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Media coverage
-Senate hearings
-Grand jury
-Senate hearings
-Possible effects
-John N. Mitchell, Jeb Stuart Magruder, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman,
John D. Ehrlichman
-John W. Dean, III’s appearance
-Effect on future trials
-Dean’s possible testimony
-Immunity
-Effect
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Special prosecutor
-Selection
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Benefit to Democratic Party
-John B. Connally
-Ervin Committee
-Minority counsel
Republican Party fundraising dinner
-Press coverage
-Speakers
-Supporters
Congressional relations
-Critical vote
-Transfer of authority
-Undecided votes
-Discussion at fundraising dinner
-Cambodia
-Funds for US operations
-Compared to Gulf of Tonkin resolution
-Opposition
-Democrats
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
-Funding of US operations in Cambodia
-Purpose
-House of Representatives
-Conference
-Joe D. Waggoner, Jr.
-Policy Committee
-Gerald R. Ford, Leslie Arends
-Defense Department [?]
-Conservative support
-Supplemental appropriations
-Length
-Limit
-War powers bill
-Foreign Affairs Committee
-Ford
-Alphonzo Bell
-John M. Ashbrook
-Constitutional question
-“Right-wing”
-Supplemental appropriations
-Continuity of US military operations
-Republican Congress
Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Role in White House
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Possible role with Congress
-Strengths
-Appearance before Congressional conference
-Timmons
-Ford, Arends
-Compared with William P. Rogers, Richardson
-Experience in Vietnam
-Managerial style [?]
-Staff
Transfer of funds from the Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP] to the Republican
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
National Committee [RNC]
-Legal problems
-Size of fund
-Losses
-Maurice H. Stans
-Transfers from RNC to CRP
-Returns
-Size of fund
-Losses
-Legal expenses
-Stans
-Wilson’s role
-Outstanding expenses
-Use of funds
-RNC dinner
-Immediate transfer
-CRP lawsuit
-Robert Strauss
-Impact on RNC
-Stans
-Impact on donors
-“Striped suits”
*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Transfer of funds from CRP to RNC
-Use of funds
-Selective candidates
Candidates
-Press coverage
-Bertie [?] Graham
-Profile
-Louise Hutchinson
-Chicago Tribune
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
-RNC event
-Selection
-House of Representatives
-Henry L. Bellmon
-Conversation with Shirley Bellmon
-John B. Connally
-Switch of party affiliation
RNC
-Fundraising dinner
-Connally’s attendance
-President’s attendance
-Computerized system of supporters
-J. William (“Bill”) Marriot, Jr. [?]
-White House support
-Haig
-Lists
-Release
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************
Congressional relations
-Vote on funding US operatives in Southeast Asia
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Support
-William J. (“Jack”) Edwards
-Grudging support
-Trent Lott
-Complaints
-Escalation
-POWs
-Constitutional issues
-Senate’s role
-Supplemental appropriations bill
-Loss of funding
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)
Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)
-Resubmission of bill
-Defense Department
-John L. McClellan, John C. Stennis
-Support
-Senate compared with House of Representatives
-House of Representatives
-Vote count
-Gerald R. Ford’s estimate
-Democratic support
-Joe D. Wagonner, Jr.’s leadership
-Robert L. F. Sikes, George H. Majon, Samuel S. Stratton
-Caucus
-Quorum
-Carl T. Albert
-Wagonner [?]
Watergate
-Public perception
-Resignations of Ehrlichman and Haldeman
Bush et al. left at 12:03 pm.