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Conversation: 519-001

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Start Date: 14-Jun-1971 8:49 AM

End Date: 14-Jun-1971 10:04 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Butterfield, Alexander P.Ziegler, Ronald L.Woods, Rose Mary

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:02:00

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:58:07

519a.mp3

519b.mp3

519c.mp3

NARA Description:

On June 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:49 am to 10:04 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 519-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 519-1

Date: June 14, 1971
Time: 8:49 am - 10:04 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

     Wedding
         -Public relations
              -Press accounts
                     -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
                     -Washington Post story
                     -Credibility of press criticism
                     -Dan Rather comment
                     -John A. Scali [?]
                     -Explanation

     President’s schedule
          -Visit of Israelis

     Support for President
         -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
         -Melvin R. Laird
         -New York Times magazine article
                -Content
                      -Vietnamization
         -Laird television appearance [?]
                -Coverage by press
                -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

     Administration policy
         -Farm question
               -Clifford M. Hardin
               -John C. Whitaker role
                     -Concern for question
                     -Administration accomplishments
               -Bryce N. Harlow
               -Richard A. Moore role
         -Housing
               -Liberal
                                         2

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)



          -Reaction to administration action
               -National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP]

Pentagon Papers and control of classified material
     -New York Times story
     -Concern within staff
     -Leon E. Panetta
     -Release of classified documents                            Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)
     -Alger Hiss case
     -Henry A. Kissinger’s staff
     -Leslie H. Gelb
           -Brookings Institution
     -Tom C. Huston
           -Brookings access to classified material
                 -Security precaution
                 -Administration action
           -Brookings classified holdings
                 -Richard V. (“Dick”) Allen
     -Brookings staff
           -Morton H. Halperin and Gelb
           -Halperin status
                 -William A. K. (“Tony”) Lake
                 -Previous employment
                       -Edmund S. Muskie
           -Gelb
                 -J. Edgar Hoover
     -New York Times
           -Neil Sheehan
           -Herbert G. Klein role
           -Status
     -Use of classification system
           -Publishing of classified information by newspapers
                 -Action against violators of the law
                       -Timing
                 -Kissinger’s staff
                 -Kissinger visit to Brookings Institute
                       -Democratic National Committee [DNC]
     -George P. Shultz role
     -Charles L. Shultze role
     -Intellectuals
           -Morality
           -Hiss case
                                  3

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/08)



-Damage to administration by release of information
    -Donald H. Rumsfeld
    -Popular view of government credibility
          -Infallibility of President
    -Infallibility of President
          -Franklin D. Roosevelt
                 -Pearl Harbor
                 -Testimony by an admiral                Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)
    -Credibility of compromised information
          -Haig
    -Follow-up by media
    -New York Times publication
          -Chronological framework of New York Times story
                 -Gulf of Tonkin
                 -Reasons
          -Kissinger’s conversation with Max Frankel
          -Extent of information
                 -John F. Kennedy role
    -Administration response to New York Times story
          -Access
          -Press loyalty to country
    -Damage incurred
          -Barry M. Goldwater
          -Reflection on Lyndon B. Johnson
          -Reflection on Walt W. Rostow
    -Origination of story
    -Possible political repercussions
    -Damage to Democrats
-Administration response
    -Publication of administration story
          -Gelb
          -Huston role
          -Patrick J. Buchanan role
          -Victor Lasky role
          -Brookings role
    -Statement in Senate
          -Possible speakers
                 -Goldwater
                 -Robert J. Dole
    -Brookings rebuttal
          -Effect of published story on Senate speech
                                              4

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                      -Huston role
           -Leaks other than “Pentagon Papers”

    Haig

    Wedding
        -Replay of news coverage
                                                                Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)

******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 49s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************


    American Broadcasting Company [ABC] drug documentary
        -ABC request
             -Filming of “behind the scenes” meetings
                   -Method
             -Timing of release
             -White House input
             -Intrusion of equipment
             -Comparison with Kennedy documentary of “Wallace School Decision”
             -Effect of technique
             -Removal of objectionable scenes
             -Producer
                   -Scali role
                   -Public relations benefits

    Meeting with new appointees
         -Use of President’s time
         -Benefits
         -Restriction of meetings to secretaries
         -John A. Volpe
                                            5

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/08)



    President’s schedule
         -Other meetings
               -National Association of Real Estate Brokers [NAREB]
               -National Association of Home Builders [NAHB]
                     -Charles W. Colson
                     -Peter M. Flanigan
                     -President’s standing with business
         -Legislation                                               Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)
               -George S. McGovern-Mark O. Hatfield
         -Agnew
         -Camp David weekend
               -Upcoming Florida and California trips
                     -Timing
               -Midway Island
         -California meetings
               -Participants
                     -Shultz people
                     -John B. Connally [?] people
                           -Length of meetings
                           -Value of meetings
               -Scheduling
         -Budget meetings
               -Timing
                     -In relation to Camp David trip
               -Amount of material to be covered


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 10s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

******************************************************************************


                   -Return to Washington for meetings
              -Announcement on Rochester trip
              -Airport arrival
                                             6

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/08)




******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 42s ]
                                                             Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

******************************************************************************


         -Budget meeting
              -Length
                    -John D. Ehrlichman
                    -California meeting
                          -Content
              -Timing
         -Chicago trip
              -Timing of departure
              -Inclusion of other meetings
                    -Advantages
                    -Timing
         -Minot Island, Maine trip
              -Cancellation
                    -Florida trip


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

******************************************************************************
                                                7

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/08)



                              -Weather

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 9:40 am
          -Florida trip
                -Stephen B. Bull

Butterfield left at 9:43 am
                                                                   Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)
           -Florida trip
                 -Alternative to Maine


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 45s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

******************************************************************************


Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:44 am

     ABC drug documentary
         -White House control

Ziegler left at 9:45 am

           -Ziegler’s role
           -Scali’s role

     President’s schedule
          -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s schedule
                -July commitments
          -Summer schedule
          -Press conferences
                -Rochester visit
                -Use of prime time
                -Ratings in the summer
                                            8

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/08)



              -Television time
                    -Wedding
                    -Drug movie
                    -President’s upcoming meeting with American Association of Retired
                          Persons [AARP]
              -Cancellation
                    -Need for decision
              -Public relations                                      Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)
                    -Benefits
                    -Television overkill
                    -Press conferences and President’s position
                    -Need for California press conference
                          -Timing
         -Roger Milliken meeting with John N. Mitchell
              -Milliken request for meeting with President
              -Peter G. Peterson, Harry S. Dent meeting with President
                    -Handling of textile talks
                          -David M. Kennedy’s view
                          -Connally’s role
         -Mrs. Nixon’s schedule
         -Willy Brandt dinner
         -Rochester
         -Winton M. (“Red”) Blount dinner
         -AARP meeting


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

******************************************************************************


         -California
               -August 8th commitment
         -Midway Island meeting
         -Press conference
                                               9

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)




******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 18s ]
                                                              Conv. No. 519-1 (cont.)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

******************************************************************************


Rose Mary Woods entered at 10:00 am

          -Drug meeting with ambassadors
               -Jack [Surname unknown]

Haldeman left at unknown time after 10:00 am


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5m 19s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

******************************************************************************


Woods left at 10:04 am
                                                10

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)