Conversation: 520-003
Prev: 520-002 Next: 520-004Start Date: 15-Jun-1971 9:56 AM
End Date: 15-Jun-1971 10:37 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Bull, Stephen B.; Brown, William N.; Pontius, H. Jackson; Tucker, Fred C., Jr.; Hovde, Donald I.; Williamson, John C.; Romney, George W.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Cashen, Henry C., II; Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie");Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:06:18
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:47:08
NARA Description:
On June 15, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, William N. Brown, H. Jackson Pontius, Fred C. Tucker, Jr., Donald I. Hovde, John C. Williamson, George W. Romney, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry C. Cashen, II, and Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:56 am to 10:37 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 520-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 520-3
Date: June 15, 1971
Time: 9:56 am - 10:37 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Charles W. Colson
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
“Dick Cavett Show”
-Audience
-Youth and idealism
Pentagon Papers
-Memorandum from the President
-Staff contact with the New York Times
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Max Frankel
-George P. Shultz
-Robert H. Finch
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-William L. Safire
-John A. Scali
-Administration tactics
-Handling of New York Times’ questions
-Arguments against tactics
Personnel
-Unnamed person [John M. O’Neill]
-Colson handling
-Idealism
President’s schedule
-Arthur K. Watson meeting
-Meetings
-Policy
-Watson effort
Pentagon Papers
-Leaks
-Need to prevent leaks
-Congressional reaction
-Department of the Army
-Administration’s handling of the story
-John N. Mitchell
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Leslie H. Gelb
-Prosecution
-Mitchell
-New York Times role
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 29s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 Conv. No. 520-3 (cont.)
******************************************************************************
President’s schedule
-Willy Brandt State Dinner
-Invitation for Watson
Congressional situation
-Hugh Scott’s view of George S. McGovern-Mark O. Hatfield amendment
-Criticism of President
-Role of New York Times publication of Pentagon Papers
-Kissinger
-Neil Sheehan
-Counterattack
-Tom C. Huston
-Goal
President’s schedule
-Minot Island
-Notification of press
Alexander P. Butterfield and Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:56 am
-Preparation for visitors
-Watson
Butterfield and Bull left at an unknown time before 10:13 am
-Rochester trip
-Nelson A. Rockefeller [?] schedule
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
Wedding
-Guest list
-Rockefeller [?]
-Lyndon B. Johnson handling
-Press release
-Johnson Library release
-President’s handling
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart Conv. No. 520-3 (cont.)
-Ronald L. Ziegler
Midway Island trip
-Preparations
Vietnam
-Troop announcements
-Melvin R. Laird
-Text of announcements
-Meeting with General Nguyen Van Thieu on Midway Island
-Election impact
-Ellsworth F. Bunker role
-Television play
-Role of speeches
-Counter to critics
Drugs
-Role of speeches
-American Medical Association [AMA] role
-Robert P. Griffin
-Radio speeches
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.’s efforts
-Perception of problem
-President’s supporters
-Drugs and crime
-Marijuana users
-Support for President
-Vietnam demonstrators
-Eastern colleges
-University of Southern California group
Haldeman left at 10:13 am
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
William N. Brown, H. Jackson Pontius, Fred C. Tucker, Jr., Donald I. Hovde, John C.
Williamson, George W. Romney, John D. Ehrlichman, and Henry C. Cashen, II entered at 10:14
am; Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins was present at the beginning of the meeting
Greetings
Introductions
Conv. No. 520-3 (cont.)
Seating
Wedding
-Television coverage
-Viewing by population
Housing
-Revenue sharing
-National Association of Real Estate Boards [NAREB]
-Support for President
-Plight of cities
-Effect on property taxes
-Use in speeches
-Perception of people
-History of property taxes
-Correlation of taxes and revenue sharing
-Rationale
-John B. Connally role
-Effect on home buying and education
-Effects on individual taxes
-Newark, New Jersey
-High income versus low income effects
-Political issue
-Revenue sharing
-Taxation
-Basis for taxation
-Nature of tax burden
-Lack of planning
-Federal Housing Administration [FHA]
-Project defaults in Newark
-Effect on education
-School costs
-San Jose, California project
-Natural beauty
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Los Angeles
-Knott’s Berry Farm
-Taxes
-Appreciation of President’s stance on revenue sharing
-NAREB conference, San Diego
-Romney speech
-Quality
-Endorsement of President’s program Conv. No. 520-3 (cont.)
-Construction costs and interest
-Effect on home ownership
-President’s programs
-Davis-Bacon Act
-Construction cost stabilization
-Reduction of interest rates
-Effect of taxes and costs on ownership
-Role of labor costs
-Quadriad meeting
-Industry agreements
-Long-term nature of program
-Interest rates
-Priority of problem
-Romney efforts
-Action of Philadelphia bank
-History
-Effect on housing levels
-Relation to money supply
-Inflation possibilities
-FHA role
-Snowball effect of rate rise
-Discrimination
-Jackson Kearns of Civil Rights Commission
-Romney efforts
-Pressures on administration
-Economic and racial discrimination
-Pacific Northwest project
-Objections
-Reasons
-Use of public funds
-Weapon against discrimination
-”Black Jack” case
-Separation of economy and racial discrimination
-Romney efforts
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)
-Nature of man
-Supreme Court decision
-Lackawanna case
-Rationale
-Referendum intent
-Problems
-Need to sustain housing boom
-Revenue sharing support Conv. No. 520-3 (cont.)
-Relation to property taxes
General discussion
Gift presentation
State of the nation
Brown, et al. left at 10:37 am