Conversation: 464-012
Prev: 464-011 Next: 464-013Start Date: Tuesday, March 9, 1971 5:26 PM
End Date: Tuesday, March 9, 1971 6:30 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Woods, Rose Mary; Ziegler, Ronald L.; [Unknown person(s)]; White House operator; Kendall, William T.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:39:33
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:46:46
NARA Description:
On March 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, Ronald L. Ziegler, unknown person(s), White House operator, and William T. Kendall met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 1:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 464-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 464-12
Date: March 9, 1971
Time: 12:26 pm - 1:30 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Conv. No. 464-10 (cont.)
President’s schedule
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Time
Polls
-President’s credibility
-George H. Gallup poll
-Percentages
-Vietnam War
-White House-sponsored poll
An unknown person [Stephen B. Bull?] entered at an unknown time after 12:26 pm
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Time
The unknown person [Bull?] left at an unknown time before 12:36 pm
Polls
-President’s credibility
-Vietnam War
-White House-sponsored poll
-Gallup poll
-Louis Harris poll
-Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
-A 1967 Gallup poll
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Possible attendance at Congressional leaders meetings
Japanese textile trade negotiations
-Peter M. Flanigan’s role
-Kissinger
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Japanese industry
-Wilbur D. Mills’ involvement
Cabinet meetings
-Leader
-Cabinet secretary
-Alexander P. Butterfield
-John D. Ehrlichman Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-George P. Shultz
-President’s role
Polls
White House staff
-Public relations group
-Frequency of meetings
Polls
-Chilton poll
-Percentages
-Date
-Effect of President’s press conference, televised conversation, State of the
Union
-Gallup poll
-Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
-January figures compared with March figures
-Gallup poll
-1970 figures
-Chilton poll
Rose Mary Woods entered at 12:36 pm
Presidential gifts
-Robert H. Abplanalp, Elmer B. Bobst, and Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Pen set
-Clock
-White House glasses
Woods left at 12:38 pm
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Polls
-Effect of State of the Union address
-Harris poll
-Gallup poll
-Possible effect of Laos operation (Lam Son)
-January figures
-John B. Connally’s view
-Harris poll Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-December, 1970
-Before and after State of the Union address
-Gallup poll
-ORC poll
-Gallup poll
-Before President’s press conference
-Next polling
-Questions
-Vietnam War
-Gallup and Harris polls
-Approval ratings
-January and February figures
-Effect of Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Gallup poll
Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:38 pm
President’s schedule
-Kissinger meeting
-Time
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:05 pm
Polls
-Gallup poll
-January
Kissinger’s schedule
-Meeting at State Department
-Postponement
Peter G. Peterson
-Knowledge of textiles
-Foreign trade
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Polls
-Gallup poll
-Vietnam
-January
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 12:38 pm
A letter from the President Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 1:05 pm
[Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 1:05 pm]
[Conversation No. 464-12A ]
Delivery of poll information
[End of telephone conversation]
Polls
-A question regarding shortening the war
-Harris and Gallup polls compared with ORC poll
-Sample
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Cambodian operation
-Compared with Laotian operation (Lam Son)
-Approval ratings
-Results
-Compared with Cambodian operation
-Effect of events
-Press conference
-President’s foreign policy report
-State of the Union address
-President’s televised conversation
-President’s Cambodia announcement
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 12:38 pm
Poll information
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 1:30 pm
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Polls
-Changes
-President’s credibility
-Media credibility
-Commentators, press
-Congressional credibility
-President’s credibility
-Laos operation (Lam Son) Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-Television networks’ credibility
-A question on withdrawal from Vietnam
-Wording
-Question on credibility of press
-Vietnam War
White House staff
-Public relations group
-Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Effort regarding President’s credibility and effort
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.’s office
-A suggestion by Connally
Presidency
-Price’s view
-Traits
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Connally’s view
-Public perception of President
-President
-President’s public appearances
-Des Moines
-Campaign behavior compared with presidential behavior
-President’s view
-Press coverage
President’s schedule
-Meetings with Congressmen and young Senators
-Public relations
-Surrogate speakers
-Breakfasts
-A scheduled breakfast
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and
1:05 pm]
[Conversation No. 464-12B]
Call to Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen
[End of telephone conversation] Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
Campaigning
-Connally
-Scheduling
-1970
-President’s activity
-President’s actions
-Prospects for 1972
-Current
-Motorcade
-Crowd shots
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and
1:05 pm]
[Conversation No. 464-12C]
President’s call to Frelinghuysen
[End of telephone conversation]
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and
1:05 pm]
[Conversation No. 464-12D]
Call to Frelinghuysen’s secretary
[End of telephone conversation]
Frelinghuysen’s support for the President
-President’s appreciation
-William P. Rogers
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington’s comments
Polls
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Trends regarding President’s Vietnam policy
-Influential events
[The President talked with William T. Kendall between 1:05 pm and 1:06 pm]
[Conversation No. 464-12E]
Frelinghuysen’s statements Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-Congressional Record
-President’s appreciation for support
Mills
[End of telephone conversation]
Kendall’s statements to President
Polls
-Trends regarding President’s Vietnam policy
-Influential events
-Approval ratings
-Gallup poll
-White House-sponsored poll
Press credibility
-Possible White House action
-Need for public relations efforts
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Ehrlichman
-Kissinger
-Connally
-Buchanan
-Price
-William L. Safire
-Buchanan
-Leak of plan
Vietnam
-Possible White House public relations effort
-Laos operation (Lam Son)
-Kissinger’s view
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Tchepone
-Approval ratings
-Melvin R. Laird’s view
-Chou En-lai
-Hanoi trip
-Negotiations in Paris
-Kissinger’s view
-Effect of Lam Son Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-Possible Kissinger trip to Paris
-Secrecy
-President’s view
-Military action
-North Vietnam
-Possible White House public relations effort
-President’s leadership
-Laos operation
-Public comments
-Kissinger and Haig
-US accomplishments
-Military action
-Rogers
-Kissinger
Middle East
-Forthcoming meeting
White House staff meeting
-Connally
-Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-Kissinger
-Connally
-Kissinger
An unknown man [Bull?] entered at an unknown time after 1:06 pm
Call to Harry S. Dent
-Possible telephone call
The unknown man [Bull?] left at an unknown time before 1:30 pm
Public relations efforts
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Haldeman’s memorandum
-President’s leadership
-Kissinger, Ehrlichman, Shultz, Connally
-President’s view
-Johnson
-Meetings with the President
-Need for more effort
-Recognition of needs Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-Safire’s request of President
-Connally’s meeting with Haldeman
-Comments on President
Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:06 pm
Dent’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:30 pm
Public relations
-Connally
-Comments on President
-White House staff and Cabinet officers
Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-President’s meeting with Peterson
-Proposed action
-Mills
-Connally
-Mills’ dealings with Japanese
-Peterson’s actions
-Mills
-Peterson
-Peterson and Shultz’s position
-Compared with Mills
-Dent’s position
-Maurice H. Stans’ position
-Follow-up meeting between Peterson and Haldeman
-A proposed letter from the President to Connally
-Effects
-Alternatives
-Peterson
-Kissinger
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Peterson
-Shultz
-Rogers
-Stans
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Possible job as Special Trade Representative
-Loyalty to the President
-Role Conv. No. 464-12 (cont.)
-Possible meeting between President and Mills
-Bryce N. Harlow and Clark MacGregor
-Harlow’s role
-Mills
Polls
-Changes
-Effect of President’s press conference
-Effect of stock market
-Increases
Vietnam, Laos
-Haig
-Prospects
-Public statements
[Unintelligible]
The President and Haldeman left at 1:30 pm