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Conversation: 455-001

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Start Date: 22-Feb-1971 9:15 AM

End Date: 22-Feb-1971 10:09 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Butterfield, Alexander P.Sanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:08:18

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:54:26

455-001.mp3

NARA Description:

On February 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:15 am to 10:09 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 455-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 455-1

Date: February 22, 1971
Time: 9:15 am - 10:09 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Alexander P. Butterfield

     Letter to Fred J. Russell
           -Possible meeting with the President
                 -John D. Ehrlichman

     Public relations
          -Black artists’ exhibit
                 -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
                 -News coverage
                 -Ronald L. Ziegler
                      -Laos briefing
                      -Need for coordination
                            -Butterfield’s role
          -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] wives
          -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s schedule
                 -Reception for blacks
                 -White House press corps
                      -Ziegler
          -Negro History Week
                 -Black publications
          -Butterfield’s role
                 -Dwight L. Chapin
                 -Stuart
          -Forthcoming messages
                 -Education
                      -Timing
                 -Revenue sharing
                      -Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA]
                 -Education
                      -Possible television statement by the President
                 -Consumers
                      -President’s view

Butterfield left at 9:27 am
                                         2

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)



     -Press coverage of the President
          -Time magazine
          -Helen A. Thomas’ story
                -Manolo and Fina Sanchez
                     -Anecdotes

Public relations
     -Butterfield                                           Conv. No. 455-1 (cont.)
            -Role
            -Scheduling
     -Ziegler
     -Mrs. Nixon’s schedule
            -Forthcoming events
            -President’s schedule
            -Coordination
     -Radio talk
            -Radio versus television
            -Henry A. Kissinger’s role
            -William L. Safire
            -Preparation
            -Timing
            -Media coverage

President’s schedule
     -Briefing of businessmen
           -Possible photo opportunity with the President
                 -Open hour
           -Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead
           -David Packard
           -Paul W. McCracken
           -Ken Downing [?]
           -Peter M. Flanigan’s role
           -Haakon I. Romnes
           -Milledge A. Hart
           -Harold S. Geneen
           -Robert W. Galvin
           -Patrick E. Haggerty
           -Samuel E. Wyly
           -Meeting with the President
                 -Rationale
                       -Previous meetings
                 -Content
                                          3

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)



     -Federal Executive Board
           -Forthcoming meeting
                 -Participants
                 -Possible Presidential meeting
           -Donald H. Rumsfeld
                 -Briefing paper
                       -Style
           -George P. Shultz                                    Conv. No. 455-1 (cont.)
           -Timing
     -Prime Minister of Malaysia’s meeting with the President
           -Department of State
           -Rationale
     -Visit to Iowa
           -John C. Whitaker
           -Speech
           -Schedule
           -Preparation
                 -Administration policies
                       -Revenue sharing
                       -Rural growth
                       -Agriculture
           -Schedule

Personnel
     -Agriculture policy
          -Whitaker
          -Clarence D. Palmby
                -Murray Spitzer
                -President’s view
          -Need for public relations skills
                -Robert J. Brown
          -Spitzer
          -Palmby
          -Spitzer
          -Joseph E. Parker
                -Cotton Lobby
                      -Congress
                -Bryce N. Harlow
          -Unknown dividend

President’s schedule
     -Central Treaty Organization [CENTO] Secretary visit
                                           4

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 9/08)



           -William P. Rogers
           -Scheduling conflict
                 -Foreign policy speech
     -Press conference
     -Domestic policy trip
           -Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester
     -Trip to Florida
           -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II’s graduation     Conv. No. 455-1 (cont.)
           -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
     -Mrs. Nixon’s schedule
           -Congressional wives
                 -”Teas”
                      -Format
                      -Basis for attendance
                      -Entertainment
                      -Issues
                             -Revenue sharing
     -Portrait photos of the President
     -Herbert J. (“Jackie”) Gleason visit
           -Press coverage
     -VFW and American Legion conventions
           -Al Chamie
           -Pros and cons
           -Chamie
                 -Meeting with the President
     -Presidential note for Harriet Elam
           -Shelley A. Scarney

Public relations
     -Harry S. Dent
     -Letters to editors and columnists
            -Responsibility
                  -Herbert G. Klein
            -Crosby S. Noyes
            -Jeb Stuart Magruder
            -President
            -Wall Street Journal article
            -Christian Science Monitor
            -Agnes Waldron

Haldeman’s conversation with Arthur F. Burns
     -News story
                                          5

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)



          -Accuracy
     -Use of White House staff
          -Shultz
          -Burns’ earlier remarks
     -News story
          -Effect on President
          -Effect on economic policy
                                                          Conv. No. 455-1 (cont.)
Press coverage
      -Joseph J. Sisco
           -Briefing
      -Rumsfeld
           -Ehrlichman
      -Young Republicans meeting
           -President’s policy
                  -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
                  -Action by Young Republicans
           -Coverage by media
                  -Ehrlichman
                        -Lawrence F. O’Brien
                  -Rogers

Ronald W. Reagan
    -Person on White House staff to call
          -Ehrlichman and the Vice President

Media
    -Press coverage
          -Safire
                -Richard [?] Wilson
    -Office press conference
          -Analysis
    -Kissinger’s views
          -Possible Presidential press conference
                -Foreign policy report to Congress
                      -President’s view
                -Safire’s views
    -Talk on narcotics on educational television
          -”Fireside chat”
          -Technical aspects
                                              6

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 9/08)



     Laos
            -Press reaction
                 -Washington Post
                 -New York Times
                       -Thomas Grey (“Tom”) Wicker
                       -Editorial content

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 9:15 am                      Conv. No. 455-1 (cont.)

     Use of marijuana
          -Narcotics
               -Time magazine

Haldeman and Sanchez left at 10:09 am