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Conversation: 542-001

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Start Date: 22-Jul-1971 9:35 AM

End Date: 22-Jul-1971 10:01 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:01:16

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:28:39

542a.mp3

542b.mp3

NARA Description:

On July 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:35 am to 10:01 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 542-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 542-1

Date: July 22, 1971
Time: 9:35 am - 10:01 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     National Review hoax on Vietnam War secret papers
          -Press reaction
                -Walter Cronkite
          -William F. Buckley, Jr.
          -Press acceptance of validity of documents
          -The Department of Justice response
          -Magazine issue
          -Press acceptance of validity
                -The Washington Post

     Lockheed loan
         -William Proxmire
         -Press coverage of issue
         -Congressional action
               -Campaign reform

     Congress
         -Henry A. Kissinger's briefing
         -Clark MacGregor
               -Attendance at Samuel L. Devine's group of Congressmen
                    -Nature of meeting
                          -The President's People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
                                -Philip M. Crane
                                      -Security
                                           -Taiwan [The Republic of China/(ROC)]
                    -House of Representatives
                          -Conservatives
                                -Attendees
         -Public nature of reaction
         -July 21, 1971 event
               -Congressmen
         -Kissinger
         -Charles W. Colson
                                                2

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



     US foreign policy
          -The PRC initiative
                -Forthcoming US-PRC summit
                      -Handling
                      -Amount of public comment
          -Trip to Tokyo, Japan
                -Robert Taft, Jr.
                      -Kissinger                                    Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
                      -The PRC
                           -Trips by Democratic Senators
                                  -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
                                  -George S. McGovern
                           -Combined trip
                -Briefings
                      -Japan trip
                      -PRC trip

     Issues
          -Pentagon Papers
               -Democrats
               -The Vietnam war
                     -Peace issue
          -The PRC initiative
          -Pentagon Papers
               -Focus of issue
               -The President's conversation with Kissinger
                     -Vietnam war issue
                          -Rhetoric of Democratic war, Republican peace
          -Offensive against the Democrats
               -Focus on the Pentagon Papers

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:35 am.

     The President's schedule

     Kissinger’s schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:01 am.

     The Pentagon Papers case
          -Lyndon B. Johnson
          -Response
                                         3

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/08)



          -The Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
          -The Department of Defense [DOD]
     -Daniel Ellsberg
     -Response of Democrats
          -Dean Rusk
          -Lawrence F. O'Brien
          -Administration’s focus
                -Hubert H. Humphrey                              Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
                -Edmund S. Muskie

Appeal to youth
    -Coordination of effort
    -Melville Stephens
    -Jeff Donfeld
    -Kenneth S. Rietz
    -Colson
    -Robert H. Finch
           -Efforts

Finch
     -Possible job
          -California
          -Ambassadorship
                 -Mexico
                 -1972 campaign

Issues
     -Vietnam war and the Pentagon Papers
          -Impact on 1972
                -The Democrats
          -Compared to 1970
                -Crime and peace
          -Contrast with the environment as an effective issue
                -Administration's attitude
     -The PRC initiative
          -Public relations
                -Presidential leadership
                -Connection to other issues, future action
          -Poll results
                -PRC initiative effect
                -The President as world statesman
                -The position of the US
                                             4

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



              -Foreign press
              -Reports on public opinion throughout the world
                    -Survey effort
                          -Expenditure of funds
                          -Leonard [Surname unknown]
                          -William L. Safire
              -Presidential leadership
                    -Courage, boldness, strength                       Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
                    -Fluctuation of perceptions on Vietnam war leadership
                          -November 3, 1969
                          -Cambodia, Laos
          -Domestic issues
              -Welfare reform
                    -Lack of support
              -Revenue sharing
                    -Narrow appeal of issue
                          -Mayors, governors
                    -Public understanding
                    -Senior citizens
              -Welfare reform
                    -John D. Ehrlichman
                    -Strategy
                    -Ronald W. Reagan
              -Busing issue
                    -Attempt to use issue to the Administration's advantage
                          -Supreme Court
                    -Public opinion among Blacks, Whites
                    -Legislative action
                    -Proposed executive order
                    -Constitutional action
                    -Strategy
                    -Bryce N. Harlow
                          -Emphasis on consistency of opposition to busing
                    -Effects in the South, the North

Haldeman left at 10:01 am.
                                              5

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)