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Conversation: 544-004

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Start Date: 23-Jul-1971 9:40 AM

End Date: 23-Jul-1971 10:21 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Kissinger, Henry A.White House operatorHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Alsop, Stewart J. O.Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:05:39

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:43:00

544a.mp3

544b.mp3

544c.mp3

NARA Description:

On July 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stewart J. O. Alsop, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:40 am to 10:21 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 544-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 544-4

Date: July 23, 1971
Time: 9:40 am - 10:21 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Kissinger's schedule
          -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's office
          -Meeting with Nelson A. Rockefeller

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:40 am and
9:45 am]

[Conversation No. 544-4A]

[See Conversation No. 6-194]

Haldeman entered at 9:45 am.

[End of telephone conversation]

     Hal Plumber (?)

     The US initiative towards the People's Republic of China [PRC]
          -Rockefeller
               -Reaction
               -The President
                      -Second term
                      -Forthcoming election
                           -Impact of initiative
                                 -New York State
               -Forthcoming speech to the Republican National Committee [RNC]
                                             3

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                    -Robert J. Dole
                    -Paragraphs about the President's foreign policy accomplishments
                          -Peace
               -John V. Lindsay
          -Barry M. Goldwater's speech
               -RNC
                    -Conservatives
                                                                       Conv. No. 544-3 (cont.)

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 53s ]


     CHINA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


               -Future of the Two Chinas
                     -Chiang Kai-shek
                           -Chou En-lai, Mao Tse-tung, Lin Piao
               -Opponents of the PRC opening
                     -John G. Schmitz
          -Rockefeller
               -Appearance on the David Frost Show
                     -The PRC, Vietnam
               -Stance towards the President's administration
                     -Domestic policy

[The President talked with Stewart J.O. Alsop between 9:48 am and 9:51 am]

[Conversation No. 544-4B]

[See Conversation No. 6-195]

[End of telephone conversation]
                                              4

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)




     Alsop
          -Health
               -Leukemia
                     -Prognosis
          -Kissinger's dinner

     Foreign relations                                                  Conv. No. 544-4 (cont.)
          -Maurice H. Stans
                -Trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
          -Melvin R. Laird
                -The President's July 22, 1971 meeting with Laird, Kissinger
          -US-PRC relations
                -Joseph W. Alsop's column
                      -Speculation about Kissinger-Chou conversation topics
                      -PRC
                      -USSR
          -Rockefeller
                -Meeting
          -PRC initiative
                -World peace
                -Haldeman's daughter
                      -Youth reaction
                      -Gordon Craig’s reaction
                -Vietnam
                -Speculation
                      -W. Averell Harriman

Kissinger left at 9:55 am.

     The President's PRC trip
          -Advance work
               -Kissinger's conversation with Haldeman
                      -John D. Ehrlichman's role
               -Perceptions
                      -Ronald H. Walker
                      -Ehrlichman
                            -Role
          -The press
               -Television networks
                      -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
                                                5

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:55 am.

     The President's schedule
          -Delay of budget meeting

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:21 am.

     The President's PRC trip                                          Conv. No. 544-4 (cont.)
          -The press
               -Preparations
          -Advance work
               -John D. Ehrlichman
               -Walker
               -Dwight L. Chapin
                      -Kissinger

     Robert H. Finch
         -Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP]
                -Peter G. Peterson
                -Herbert W. Kalmbach's effort
                      -Stans
                -Focus
                      -California
                            -Other states
                -Responsibilities
                      -Emergency preparedness, disasters, stockpiles

     David M. Kennedy
          -Ambassadorship to Japan
               -Haldeman's conversation with William P. Rogers
               -Background
                     -Business community
               -State Department

     Donald H. Rumsfeld
         -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] position
         -John N. Mitchell
               -White House compared to campaign role
                    -Chairman of citizens group
         -Value as spokesman
         -NATO
               -Effect
                                          6

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/08)



     -Finch
     -Abilities

Charles W. Colson
     -Job
     -Staff assistance
     -Finch
                                                          Conv. No. 544-4 (cont.)
Rumsfeld
    -Areas of attention
         -Suburbia
         -Youth

Issues appealing to young people
     -Peace
           -Environment, civil rights
     -The PRC initiative
           -College age
           -Coordination of student appeal effort
                 -The President's Ohio trip
                 -Meeting with Mitchell
                 -James W. McLane
                 -Charles McWhorter (?)
           -Blue collar youth
           -Coordination
                 -Chapin
                 -McLane
                 -Finch
                 -Rumsfeld
                 -Blue collar youth
                 -Rumsfeld

Finch
     -OEP
     -Areas of attention
          -Volunteers
          -Youth
     -Possible role
     -OEP
     -Ambassador to Mexico
                                              7

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Privacy]
[Duration: 16s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7                                        Conv. No. 544-4 (cont.)

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


            -OEP, National Security Council [NSC]
            -Counsellor to the President
                -Retention of post
                -Kissinger

    Rumsfeld
        -Roving ambassador to Latin America
        -Europe
              -Kissinger's attitude
        -Value
              -Relations with Mitchell
                    -Political matters
                    -Harry S. Dent
        -Citizen’s chairman

    The Bohemian Grove

    Polls

    The President's schedule
         -Canton, Ohio Football Hall of Fame ceremony
              -Vincent T. (“Vince”) Lombardi
              -Inductees, presenters
                     -Length of ceremony

    Polls
            -Release of White House poll
                 -Post-April poll as benchmark
                       -Compared to Gallup poll
                 -Questions to be asked
                                              8

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                     -Foreign policy
                     -Focus on PRC initiative
                          -The President's leadership
          -Timing
               -Forthcoming Gallup release
          -Momentum
          -Gallup
               -Possible overcompensation on Blacks, youth           Conv. No. 544-4 (cont.)
                    -Louis P. Harris
          -White House poll
               -John B. Connally's forthcoming television appearance

     White House staff
          -Colson's workload
               -Assistance
               -Tasks assigned by the President
                     -Follow-up

     Poll preparation
           -Questions
           -Focus of poll
           -Use of benchmark figure
           -Gallup, Harris
           -Perception of country's mood
           -PRC initiative's effect
                -Approval
                      -Youth
                      -Intellectuals

     News stories
         -Vietnam casualties
         -Sudan coup
         -John Patton Davis, Robert Service
         -Vietnam casualties

Haldeman left at 10:21 am.
                                                9

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)