Conversation No. 531-24

Date: June 28, 1971
Time: 6:50 pm - 7:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:50 pm.

     Items for the President
          -Signature

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 7:05 pm.

     Pentagon Papers
          -Daniel Ellsberg
          -Pending judicial action
                                              21

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                -Prior restraint
                -Theft of documents
                      -Intent
                -Government proof
                -Handling by government
                -Public reaction
                      -President's barber
                      -Poll                                      Conv. No. 531-22 (cont.)
                      -Colson's carpenter
          -Prosecution
          -Effect on Democrats
                -Congressional hearings
                -Pending judicial action
                -Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy
          -Possible additional leaks
                -Cambodia, Laos
                -Casualties
          -Reaction
                -Harry F. Byrd, Jr.'s conversation with Colson
                -Prosecution
          -Prosecution
                -Possible effect
          -Ellsberg
          -President's phrase "stolen documents"
                -Repetition
          -Press reaction
          -Prosecution
                -Martyrdom
                -Credibility of administration
                -Ellsberg's motives and associates

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 6:50 pm.

     Sanchez's schedule

     President's schedule

     Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 7:05 pm.

     Pentagon Papers
                                               22

                               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/08)



           -Prosecution
                -John N. Mitchell's views
                -Leonard Garment
                -Raymond K. Price, Jr.'s, Richard A. Moore's views
                -Credibility of administration
                -Effect on Democrats
           -Hubert H. Humphrey
                -Justification                                       Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)
                -Liberal media
                      -Phil Potter of the Baltimore Sun
                -Effect on career
           -Effect on Edmund S. Muskie
           -Administration’s efforts
                -1968 election
                      -Muskie's defense of Johnson’s war policy
           -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
           -Popular reaction
                -Administration polls
                      -Gallup and Harris polls
                      -Opinion Research Corporation [ORC]


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 31s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 7:05 pm.

     Presidential statement and event

Butterfield left at 7:08 pm.
                                             23

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 22s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2                                            Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)

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     Pentagon Papers
          -Impact on John F. Kennedy image
          -Robert S. McNamara
          -Public opinion

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 7:08 pm and
7:12 pm]

[Conversation No. 531-24A]

[See Conversation No. 6-10]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Pentagon Papers
          -Effect on public opinion
               -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
               -Duration

[The President talked with Rex W. Scouten between 7:12 pm and 7:13 pm]

[Conversation No. 531-24B]

[See Conversation No. 6-11]

[End of telephone conversation]

     President's schedule
          -Chowder and Marching Society dinner
                                         24

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/08)



Pentagon Papers
     -Impact on administration
     -Impact on Democrats

Polls
        -National economy
              -Public perception
        -President's standing                                Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)
        -Vietnam
        -Pentagon Papers
        -Economic changes
              -Effect

National economy
     -Unemployment
     -President's comments to Cabinet, June 28th
           -Administration statements

Polls
        -Public perception
        -Effect of media
        -National economy
        -Five-year performance
        -Trend
             -War issue

1972 election
     -John P. Roche's column
           -President's prospects
           -1956 election
           -Economy
           -War
           -Advantages
           -”Aura” of the Presidency
                                           25

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 21s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3                                          Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)

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    National economy
         -Harris poll
         -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] Television News reports
         -Public confidence
         -President’s previous meeting with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy
         -Council of Economic Advisors [CEA] leaks
               -Colson's comments to Paul W. McCracken
               -Dan Rather's statements
         -John B. Connally as spokesman
         -Arthur F. Burns

    Vietnam
         -Duration as issue

    Pentagon Papers
         -Ellsberg
         -Jury selection
         -Judicial process
               -Alger Hiss case
               -Duration
         -Ellsberg's possible testimony
         -Reaction
               -Byrd
               -Miami Herald
               -Detroit News
               -Copley chain

    Forthcoming issues poll
         -Louis P. Harris
                                                 26

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/08)



     Harris
          -Views on 1972 election

     Polls
             -Trial heats
                   -Contrast with election process

The President and Colson left at 7:25 pm.                           Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)