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Conversation: 578-002

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Start Date: 24-Sep-1971 8:13 AM

End Date: 24-Sep-1971 9:05 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")[Unknown person(s)]

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:12:23

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:41:19

578a.mp3

578b.mp3

NARA Description:

On September 24, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:13 am and 9:05 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 578-002 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 578-2

Date: September 24, 1971
Time: Unknown between 8:13 am and 9:05 am
Location: Oval Office

President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman; an unknown person was present at the beginning of
the conversation.

     President's schedule
          -September 24
                 -Afternoon
          -Departure for Northwest trip
                 -Day
                      -Time

     Press relations
           -The President’s question and answer [Q&A] session at Detroit Economic Club,
                  September 23, 1971
                 -Television coverage
                      -Evening news
                      -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
                      -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
                                    2

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)
                                                         Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


             -Time Length
             -Wage and price control Phase II question
       -News reporters coverage
             -Comparison to television coverage
       -Haldeman's conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
             -Type of coverage
                   -Effect
                   -Impact
       -Ziegler's analysis
             -Amount of coverage
                   -Demonstrators
       -Television coverage
             -"Today Show"
       -Lead story
             -Wage and price control
             -Type of coverage
                   -Still shots
       -Demonstrators
       -President's comments
             -Pollution
             -Employment
             -Amount of coverage
-CBS
       -Question on Supreme Court nomination
       -Television coverage
            -Impact
            -Frequency
            -Local telecasts
                   -Detroit
            -Coverage for administration
                   -Chicago
                   -Illinois
                   -Wisconsin
                   -Indiana
                   -Ohio
                         -Key States
                   -Michigan
                         -Time
                         -Length of coverage
                         -Effort
       -Ziegler's handling of press
                             3

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                     Tape Subject Log
                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


      -Ziegler's analysis on coverage
            -Administration's position
            -Type of impact
            -Amount of effort
                  -Pros and cons for results
-President's appearance
-Questions and answers
-Preparation
      -Type of question
      -Responses
      -President's responses
-Questions asked by newsmen
      -Politeness
            -Pros and cons
            -Antagonism
-Comparison to press conference
      -News coverage
            -Unknown person
            -Time of day
            -Television
            -Detroit
-News coverage
      -Night time
-Past experiences
-Coverage
-President's efforts
-Trips
-Guidelines by administration
      -Restrictions on questions
      -Balance of questions
            -Foreign
            -Domestic
-Questions
      -Vietnam
      -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
      -Conservative revolt
            -Patrick J. Buchanan
            -Significance
                  -Number of people
-Types of questions
      -Election in Vietnam
                                   4

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                           Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


                  -Number
                  -Nguyen Van Thieu
            -People’s Republic of China [PRC] initiative
            -Vietnam
-Technical preparation and staffing
      -Mark I. Goode
      -Type of individual needed
            -Richard A. Moore
            -Director of operations
      -President's experience in Detroit
            -Introduction of President for newsman
                  -Panel of questioners
                  -Television audience
                       -Awareness
                       -Type of introduction
      -Television and radio audience
            -Need for introductions
      -Radio audience in Michigan
            -Comparison to television audience
            -Lack of knowledge of President's appearance
-Demonstrators
      -Location
      -Moore
-Goode
-William H. Carruthers
      -Demonstrations
-Moore
-Goode
- Carruthers
      -Demonstrators
-Moore
-Completion of question period
      -Cut-off
            -Goode or Moore
                  -Control of situation
                       -Format
                  -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] speech
-Future press situations
      -Limitation on answers
            -Buchanan
            -Number of words
                                   5

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


      -Background information
            -Wage and price freeze question
                 -Number of words statement
                       -International monetary conditions
                 -Profits
                       -Preparation of answers
                             -Thought process
      -Type of response
            -Number of words
                 -"One liners"
      -Henry A. Kissinger's preparations
      -John B. Connally's preparations
      -Buchanan
      -George P. Shultz
      -Kissinger
      -Paul W. McCracken
-Questions
      -Types of questions
            -Question of who should answer questions
                 -Back ups
                       -Buchanan
-Review of speeches
      -Example
            -The President’s comment about welfare and work
-Speech writers
      -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
      -Buchanan
-Politics
-Repetition by President
      -Concern
      -John F. Osborne
      -John F. Kennedy
            -Quote
                 -Number of repetitions
-President's speeches to Congress
      -Type of lines
      -Repetition
      -Types of lines
      -Welfare and employment
            -Type of line
                 -Impact
                                    6

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


-Repetition of statements
     -Possible audience assumptions
     -Old material compared to new material
     -Listening ability of audience
-Appearances after 9:00 pm
     -Television coverage
     -Questioners
            -Atmosphere
            -Inhibitions because of television
            -Detroit television
            -Working people
                  -Location
                        -Office compared to home
-Detroit trip
     -Type of coverage
            -Preparation
     -Grand Rapids
     -Demonstration
            -Willie J. Usery
                  -Teamsters
                  -United Auto Workers [UAW]
                  -American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization
                         [AFL-CIO]
                  -Reasons for demonstration
                        -Anti-police
                              -Blacks
                        -Anti-war
                  -Organization
                  -Signs
                  -Actions
                        -Laughter
-Audiences
     -Type
     -Advance men
            -Planning for audience
                  -Program
            -Warm-up of audience
                  -Rock music
                  -Meeting with milk producers
     -Detroit Economic Club
     -Detroit response to President's appearance for Economic Club
                                                  7

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 578-2 (cont.)


                        -Amount of preparation time
                        -Precedent
          -Detroit
               -President's appearance
                     -Impact
               -Press reactions

     PRC announcement
         -Kissinger
         -Connally

     Press relations
           -Phase II
                 -Possible press conference
                      -Line of questioning
                            -Teachers’ salaries
                      -Specifics of questions
                 -Comprehensiveness
                 -Duration
                 -Connally

     Haldeman's conversation with Arthur F. Burns
          -Meeting
               -State Department

The President and Haldeman left at 9:05 am.