Conversation: 577-017
Prev:  577-016 Next: 577-018Start Date: 20-Sep-1971 5:34 PM
End Date: 20-Sep-1971 6:19 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:53:18
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:36:59
NARA Description:
On September 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:34 pm to 6:19 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 577-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 577-17 38 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Date: September 20, 1971 Time: 5:34 pm - 6:19 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. The President's schedule -Henry A. Kissinger -Trip to Detroit -Types of press coverage -Electronic pool camera -Tape -Time of day -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] -Delay -Radio -Live -National news -Possible problems in Detroit -Oval Office press conference -Preparation -John B. Connally -Press coverage problems -Media -Newspaper editors -Questions -Radio -Film -Amount of work -Question of impact -Speaking schedule -Dates -Spiro T. Agnew -Banquet -Dates -Disney World opening -Eisenhower Theater appearance -Date -Changes -Mamie D. Eisenhower's appearance -Florida 39 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Eisenhower Theater -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II Polls -George H. Gallup poll -Weekend results -Edward M. Kennedy -Timing -August 15, 1971 speech -Approval vs. disapproval of the President's performance -Points -Weekend -Date -Point fluctuations Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 5:48 pm. [Conversation No. 577-17A] Gallup poll results -Request [End of telephone conversation] Polls -Gallup poll -Figures -Timing -Date -Louis P. Harris poll -Date -Gallup poll and Harris poll dates -Kennedy poll -Date Press coverage of the President -Detroit Economic Club trip -National television -Types of questions -Impact in polls -National television 40 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Impact -Oval Office press conference coverage -Question and answer [Q&A] type sessions -Detroit trip -Impact -Radio -Live television -Q&A format -Exposure -Amount of work -Commentaries -Press planning -Ronald L. Ziegler -Handling of press poll Miss America pageant winners -The President's meeting with Miss America 1971, 1972 The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 6:19 pm. [Conversation No. 577-17B] Request for Ziegler to join meeting [End of telephone conversation] Miss America pageant winners -Miss America 1971 -Miss America 1972 -Miss America 1971 -Phyllis George -Vietnam War issue -Domestic issues -Support for programs -Reaction to the press -Travel The President's conversation with J. Edgar Hoover -Status of job -Conversation 41 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Confidentiality -John D. Ehrlichman -Mitchell -Perceptions Ziegler entered at 5:48 pm. Detroit trip -Film coverage -Live coverage -Timing -Recent trend -Coverage -Ziegler's conversation with television executives -Neil Sheehan -Possible economic statement -News value -New Fall television programming season -Month -Coverage -Television coverage -Exposure -Radio coverage -Detroit Economic Club -Radio -Live coverage -Q&A -Number of cameras -Speech -Format -Panel -Comparison with American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE] event format -Businessmen and labor leaders -Questioning -Film coverage of press conference -Impact -Film coverage compared to electronic coverage of press conference -Types of preparation -Q&A press conference -Office press conference 42 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Q&A session in Detroit -Radio coverage -Television coverage -Q&A -Radio coverage -Press coverage -Types of preparation by the administration -Film coverage -Impact -Advantages for the administration -Radio coverage -Electronic camera coverage -News story -News programs -Time -Media -Q&A -Portland, Oregon -Presence of cameras -Q&A -Preparation -Press conference -Time differences between Washington, DC and Detroit -Q&A -Impact -Preparation -News stories -Connally's absence -The President's role -Live coverage -Press conference -Radio coverage -Ziegler's conversation with television executives -Camera coverage -Radio -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] -CBS -Attendance Ziegler left at 5:57 pm. 43 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) Polls -Gallup poll from August 27-30, 1971 -Recent percentage points -Date span -Trend -Percentage points -President's popularity rating -Intensity of ratings -Percentage points -Previous poll percentage points -Changes -Date -Percentage points -Changes -Previous poll figures -Date -Impact of People’s Republic of China [PRC] summit announcement -Percentage points -Month -Percentage points -Date -Disapproval -Current points -Date -Publication of polls -Gallup -Harris -White House poll -Dwight L. Chapin -Lawrence M. Higby -Kissinger's figures -Poll results -Current trend -PRC trip -The administration's poll -Percentage points -Increase -Comparison to Gallup -Differences in Gallup poll and White House poll -Percentage points -White House poll 44 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Discrepancy in comparison to Gallup -Telephone poll compared to field poll format -Factors -Lt. William L. Calley, Jr. case -April-September time span -Type of sample -Harris -Youth -Blacks -Doctors -Type of poll -Quality of polls -Types of issues -Possible bias -Gallup -Comparison of figures with White House poll -Dates -Question of issues -The President's speech before Congress US economic policy -Public perception -Wage and price controls -Continuation of process -Phase II -Wording of the President's speech -End of freeze -November 13, 1971 date -William L. Safire -Follow-up program -Announcement -Impact -Analogy to PRC initiative -Lyndon B. Johnson -Glassboro Summit -Announcement -Alexei N. Kosygin Forthcoming US-Soviet Union summit -Impact on polls 45 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) Polls -Impact of issues -PRC trip -Intentions -Leadership perception -Public reaction Campaigning Detroit trip -National television -Effect -Demonstrations -Public awareness of issue -National Security Council [NSC] meeting -Effect -West Coast -Portland, Oregon -Q&A format -White House press -Types of questions -Electronic coverage -Microphones Supreme Court -The President's appointment of judges -Ideology -Liberals -The President's choice -Reactions to choices -Patrick J. Buchanan's recommendations -Richard H. Poff -Conservatism of nominee -The South -Full court -Number -Democrats -Timing -Robert P. Griffin -Election year -Democrat senators 46 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 577-17 (cont.) -Reaction -Election year -Mitchell -Warren E. Burger, Harry M. Blackmun -Strict constructionism -Burger’s speech at Georgetown Center -Senate -Further appointment -Ethnic Catholic -Italians -Irish -Polish -Routing to Mitchell -Italian judge -Unknown person -Polish judge -Protestant -Catholic -William French Smith -Conservatism -Catholic -Conservatism Romana Acosta Banuelos -Swearing-in ceremony -Effect of naming Hispanic to post of Treasurer of the US Buchanan's memorandum -Mitchell The President and Haldeman left at 6:19 pm.