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Conversation: 444-014

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Start Date: 12-Jun-1973 12:45 PM

End Date: 12-Jun-1973 1:15 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Price, Raymond K., Jr.Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.)

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

444-014.mp3

NARA Description:

On June 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 444-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 444-14

Date: June 12, 1973
Time: 12:45 pm - 1:15 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Raymond K. Price, Jr.

       Price’s schedule
               -President’s address to nation about Watergate investigations, April 30, 1973
               -Statements about Watergate investigations, May 22, 1973

       President’s forthcoming address to nation announcing price control measures
              -President’s forthcoming economic policy meeting
              -Tone
                      -Strength, positivity      

              -Content         

                      -Status and prospects        

                              -Beginning and end of speech       

                                             -12-


                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                     (rev. October-2012)

                                                              Conversation No. 444-14 (cont’d)

                            -Use of superlatives
                            -Food, clothing, housing
                            -Food prices
                            -Jobs, wages
                            -Food prices
                                    -Inflation
                                            -Global demand, bad weather
                                            -Europe
                     -Actions
                            -Price freeze
                            -Wages
                                    -Current exemption from freeze
                            -Duration
                                    -Temporary measure
                                    -Free economy
                            -Possible effects
                                    -Boom contrasted with bust
                                    -Black markets, rationing, price increases
                                    -Recession
                            -Congress
                            -Free market economy
                            -Price freeze
                                    -Duration
                                            -Temporary nature
                            -Phase IV
                                    -Phase I, Phase II, Phase III
                                    -Gasoline prices
                            -White House actions
                            -Congressional action
                            -Possible effects
                            -Congress
                                    -Necessity for action
                                    -Possible vetoes
                                            -Costs to American people
                                    -Need for public support

Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft talked with the President between 12:52 pm and 12:54 pm.
                                             -13-


                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                      Tape Subject Log 

                                     (rev. October-2012)

                                                              Conversation No. 444-14 (cont’d)


[Conversation No. 444-14A]

[Begin telephone conversation]

[See Conversation No. 40-29]

[End telephone conversation]

       President’s forthcoming address to nation announcing price control measures
              -Content
                      -Congressional relations
              -Tone
                      -Strength, positivity
              -Content
                      -Goals
                             -Removal of controls
                      -End of speech
                             -Vietnam
                                     -Peace
                                             -Significance
                             -US-Soviet Union relations
                                     -Soviet Summit
                             -Shared responsibility
                             -Opportunity
                                     -Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
                                             -1955
                                     -“Prosperity without war and without inflation”
              -Format
              -Tone
              -Level of detail
                      -Phase III
                             -Public awareness
                             -George P. Shultz’s role
                                     -Ability as salesman
                             -Herbert Stein’s role
              -Goals of speech
                                     -14-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. October-2012)

                                                     Conversation No. 444-14 (cont’d)

              -Communication of White House action, care
                      -Compared to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s closing of banks in 1933
              -Price freeze
                      -Exemptions
                              -Rents, interest, wages      

              -Public attention          

              -Congressional action            

              -Phase IV          

                      -Compared to Phase III          

              -Education of public          

      -Timing of communication initiatives 

              -Forthcoming of Leonid I. Brezhnev meeting 

              -Possible radio talks        

                      -Frequency, schedule          

                      -Subjects         

                              -Budget, food, world markets
                      -Compared to political campaign
                      -Number
                      -Press relations
                      -Contrasted with television [TV] address
      -Price’s preparation         

              -Program

                      -Conclusion, introduction of speech      

              -Possible meeting with President          

                      -Draft review          

                      -Timing         

              -Length          

              -Drafts        

                      -President’s review         


Watergate
      -Firing of H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman
              -Eisenhower’s relationship with President
      -John W. Dean, III 

              -White House response         

              -Haldeman’s possible response         

              -Use immunity         

                                             -15-


                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 


                                       Tape Subject Log 

                                      (rev. October-2012)

                                                             Conversation No. 444-14 (cont’d)

                               -Compared with transactional immunity
                                      -Grand jury
                       -Compared to James McCord
               -Press relations
                       -President’s possible resignation      

               -President’s knowledge          

               -Ervin Committee hearings           

                       -Media coverage           

               -Dean and Jeb Stuart Magruder 

                       -Veracity
                               -Motives
                               -Haldeman, Ehrlichman, John N. Mitchell

       President’s forthcoming address to nation announcing price control measures
              -Tone         

                      -Confidence        

                      -Jobs, money, meat prices       


Price left at 1:15 pm.