On August 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, James L. Buckley, John N. Mitchell, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:35 pm to 5:16 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 555-010 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 555-10
Date: August 5, 1971
Time: 4:35 pm - 5:16 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with James L. Buckley and John N. Mitchell; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting.
President's schedule
-President's meeting with business group
-Consumers
Congressional relations
-Jacob K. Javits
-William Proxmire
-Buckley
US-People’s Republic of China [PRC] relations
-President's appreciation for Buckley's comments
-Experience of previous Presidents
-John F. Kennedy
-Vienna
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Glassboro
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Camp David
-Expectations
-Developments
-Henry A. Kissinger
-President’s recent press conference
-Conditions
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Anti-ballistic missiles [ABM]
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
-Offensive weapons
Berlin
-Willy Brandt
-Egon Bahr
-Treaty
US-PRC relations
-Taiwan
-Vietnam
-Detente
-USSR
-Japan
-USSR
-Japan
-PRC
-Southeast Asia
-Thailand
-India
-Negotiations
-Mutual interests
-PRC
-Political system
-Detente
-USSR
-Process
-Effect of current developments
-Taiwan
-Political support
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Idealogies
-Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson
-Buckley’s position
-Conservatives
-Trip to Watts [?]
-William P. Rogers
-Kissinger
-Location
National defense
-ABM
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
-Vote
-Spiro T. Agnew
-SALT
-Development of offensive weapons
-Robert S. McNamara
-Eisenhower Administration
-Nuclear submarines
-Polaris
-Minuteman
-USSR
-SALT
-Spending
-Republican senators
-Budget
-Melvin R. Laird
-Mitchell
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Laird
-Figures
-Naval Forces
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Sixth Fleet
-USSR ships compared to US ships
-Nuclear weapons
-Balance
-USSR
-US
-Offensive, defensive weapons or control
-USSR
-Congressional action
-1972 campaign issue
-Jackson
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Birch Bayh
-Fred R. Harris
-The President’s policy
-USSR
-US
-Air defense
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
-Missile and naval inferiority
-Support for the President
-Congress
-Hearst papers
-Chicago Tribune
-Time
-Newsweek
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
-President’s support for defense
-ABM
-Budget cuts
-Military view
-President’s use of television
-Perception of President’s move to left
-As political issue
-Conservative critics
-Buckley's view
-William F. Buckley
-ABM
-Bargaining chip
-Offensive weapons
-Press release
-US Mediterranean forces
-Compared to USSR
-Kissinger briefing
-Possible participants
-Rogers
-William A. Rusher
-Frank S. Meyer
-[David J., Jr.?] Mahoney
-New York Times
PRC
-Conservative support
-James B. ("Scotty") Reston
National defense
-Laird
-Rogers
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
-Congress
-John G. Tower
-Possible briefing
-President's schedule
-Rogers and Kissinger
-Budget
-Salaries
-Hardware
-Volunteer army
-Gates Report
-Republican platform
-Budget
-Hardware spending
-Military bureaucracy
-Reform
-Employment
-Military bases
Economy
-Employment
-Bill
-Spending
-Mortgage rates
-Federal Housing Administration [FHA]
-Maintaining current rates
-Subsidies
-Research and development
-Space program
-Desalinization
-Breeder reactor
-Defense
-Domestic Council
-Poll
-Space program
-Public relations
-Priorities
-Democrats
-Defense
National defense
-SALT
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
-USSR
-SS-9's
-ABM
-Consequence of failure
-Arms buildup
-President’s request
-Budget
-Navy
-Modernization
-Air defense
-Military industrial complex
-Effect on foreign policy
-Israel
-Jordanian crisis
-Sixth Fleet
-Israel
-Golan Heights
-USSR intervention
-Syria
-Greece
-Bases
-Airlift
-Analogy to Lebanon crisis, 1958
- From Germany to Turkey
-Naval power
-Foreign policy
-Adm. Albert Thayer Mahan
-Other forces
-USSR
-Indian Ocean
-Sixth Fleet
-Middle East
-Israel
-USSR
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 6s ]
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
ISRAEL
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
-USSR
-Destroyers
-Cruisers
-Guidance systems
-Message for conservatives
-ABM
-Congress
-Jackson
-Voting record
-ABM
-Offensive weapons
-Navy
-Law and order
-President
-US flag pin
-George C. Wallace
-As issue in South
-Message for conservatives
-President’s support for defense
-US
-Compared to USSR
-Public and Congressional support
-Jewish constituency
-Possible briefing
Martha (Beall) Mitchell
-Ghettos
Presentation of gifts by President
-Cufflinks
-Paperweight
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)
Buckley and Mitchell left at 5:16 pm.