Conversation: 588-002
Prev: 588-001 Next: 588-003Start Date: Monday, October 11, 1971 3:31 PM
End Date: Monday, October 11, 1971 6:13 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Moro, Aldo; Ortono, Edgido; Kissinger, Henry A.; Seidenman, Neil A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Cortese, Americo; Gay, Peter; Montemuro, Frank; Landi, Paul; Cipriani, Nicholas; Cercone, William; Volpe, John A.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Mitchell, John N.; [Unknown person(s)]Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:03:13
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:42:10
NARA Description:
On October 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Aldo Moro, Edgido Ortono, Henry A. Kissinger, Neil A. Seidenman, Stephen B. Bull, Americo Cortese, Peter Gay, Frank Montemuro, Paul Landi, Nicholas Cipriani, William Cercone, John A. Volpe, Alexander P. Butterfield, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, John N. Mitchell, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:31 am to 2:13 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 588-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 588-2
Date: October 11, 1971
Time: 11:31 am - 2:13 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Aldo Moro, Edgido Ortona, Henry A. Kissinger, and Neil A. Seidenman;
members of the press were present at the beginning of this meeting.
Salutations
-Moro
-John A. Volpe
Photographs
Southern California
Members of the press left at an unknown time after 11:31 am.
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
The President's welcome to Moro
-Moro's schedule
-United Nations [UN]
-Italy
-Foreign policy
Moro's remarks to the President
-Outlook for the future
-Italian foreign policy
-US
-Italian coalition government
-Italian domestic situation
-Forthcoming election
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Communist Party
The President's analysis of world situation
-Free world nations
-Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain
-USSR
-Asia
-Japan
-Future of the world
-American foreign relations
-Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan
-US role
-Importance
-Communist countries
-Chad
World problems
-The President’s view
-William P. Rogers
-Previous meeting with Moro
-UN
-Possible expulsions
-The President’s view
-Possible effect
-US congress
-Implications
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Italian foreign policy
-Moro’s view
-European community participation
-Relations with the US
-UN
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
-US initiative
-US position
-Italy's position
-Domestic situation
-US diplomacy
-The President’s view
-Kissinger
-Comments
Italian-American relations
-Moro’s view
-Ambassador exchanges
Taiwan-PRC relations
-The President's reply
-Kissinger
-UN
-USSR example
-Representation
-PRC
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 2m 19s ]
PRC AND TAIWAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
**************************************************************************
-Italian domestic political situation
-The President's view
-US domestic concern
Moro's observations
-Middle East
-US efforts
-Israel and Egypt
-Positions
-Suez Canal
-Rogers efforts
-The president's reply
-Italy's role
-Moro's view
-Italy's objective
-US support
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:31 am.
The President’s schedule
-Sons of Italy
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:18 pm.
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Economic situation
-John B. Connally
-US objective
Americo Cortese, Peter Gay, Frank Montemuro, Paul Landi, Nicholas Cipriani, William Cercone
and John A. Volpe and members of the press entered at 12:18 pm.
Greetings
Introductions
-[Unintelligible]
-Standard of Ohio
Photo opportunity
Presentation to Moro
The President's presentation of gifts
-Columbus Day
-Paper weights
-Golf balls
Herbert G. Klein
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
Expressions of appreciation
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 12:26 pm.
[Unintelligible]
Moro et al. left at 12:27 pm; Butterfield and Volpe remained.
The President's schedule
-Butterfield
-Unknown person's telephone call to Volpe
Volpe left at 12:29 pm.
Weather
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
The President left and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 12:29 pm.
Proposal
Connally
The President entered and Butterfield left at 12:30 pm.
Weather
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:30 pm and
12:31 pm.
[Conversation No. 588-2A]
[See Conversation No. 11-32]
[End of telephone conversation]
Poll
-Popular approval of Nixon
-George Meany
The President talked with John N. Mitchell between 12:31 pm and 12:34 pm.
[Conversation No. 588-2B]
[See Conversation No. 11-33]
[End of telephone conversation]
Supreme Court appointment
-Mildred L. Lillie
-Catholic
-Husband
-Italian
The President talked with White House operator at 12:35 pm.
[Conversation No. 588-2C]
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
[See Conversation No. 11-34]
[End of telephone conversation]
-Name background
The President talked with John N. Mitchell between 12:35 pm and 12:36 pm.
[Conversation No. 588-2D]
[See Conversation No. 11-35]
[End of telephone conversation]
Supreme Court appointment
-Lillie
-Husband, A.V. Falcone
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Haldeman
-Wife's position on Women's Liberation
-Woman appointee
-Lillie
-Position
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Richard H. Poff
-Lillie
-Position on a woman appointee
-Mitchell
-Robert C. Byrd
-James O. Eastland
-Steve [Surname unintelligible]
-Horatio Alger story
-Membership in organizations
-The President’s view
-Judicial views
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Polls
-Approval ratings
-Meany's position
-Compared with the President’s position
-Labor
-The President's economic program
-Federal action
-Strikes
-Anti-inflation program
-The President's economic plan
-Union compared with non-union workers
-Meany
-Louis P. Harris
-Charles W. Colson
Media
-Reporting
-Local stations
-Public broadcasting
Gen. Albert Redman of White House Communications Agency [WHCA]
Forthcoming trip to PRC
-Dwight L. Chapin's preparation for PRC trip
-Kissinger
-Peter G. Peterson
-Use of telephones by staff
-The President's 1959 visit to USSR
-Redman
-Secret Service
-Car
-Ground station communications and media station
-Boeing 747
-Set-up
-Capability
-Instructions for Kissinger
-Inspection by PRC
-Communications
-Telephones
-Use by the President
-Speaker of the House, Carl B. Albert
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-Ground station
-Purpose
-Congress
-Videotapes
-John A. Scali
-Public interest
-Europe
-American networks
-Coverage
-Kissinger
-Rogers
-Secret Service car
-The President's experience with Soviets
-Yugoslavs
-Rumanians
-Chinese
-Use of car
-The President’s view
-Communications
-Secret Service
-Secretaries
-Kissinger
-Women
-Rose Mary Woods
-Military men
-Ability
-Navy yeomen
-Stewards
-Women accompanying the President to PRC
-Woods
-Chou En-lai
-Mrs. Nixon
-Adele (Langston) Rogers
-Woods
-Kissinger
-Mrs. Nixon
-Rogers
-Public relations
-Constance M. Stuart
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-John A. Scali
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-Klein
-USSR
-Robert H. Finch
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 12:36 pm.
Polls
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 2:13 pm.
-Unions
-Meany compared with Nixon
-Ehrlichman
-Strength
-Strikes
-Harris
-US economy
-The President's handling
News magazines
-Evaluation
-Kissinger
-Disney World
-Time, Newsweek articles
-Life
-Florida economy
-Television special
The President's schedule
-Disney World
-Television special
-Republican women event
-Walt Disney's widow
-Haldeman’s role
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Privacy]
[Duration: 38s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
Press story
-Veracity
Newspapers
-Ziegler
-Los Angeles Times
-Newsday
-Claude Irwin
-Roland Evans and Robert D. Novak
-Administration’s dealings
-The President’s view
-Marty Schram’s article
-Haldeman’s view
-New York Times
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-Administration's relations
-Klein
-Editorial policy
-Max Frankel
-Semple
-Los Angeles Times
-Administration’s position
-Irwin
-Semple
-Kissinger
-Availability to press
-Romana A. Banuelos
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Newspaper story on Banuelos
-[Forename unknown] Rosenberg
-Harry Bernstein
-Justice Department
-Mitchell
-Los Angeles office
Evans and Novak
-Kissinger
-Book
-Foreign policy
-Richard J. Whalen's review
-Access to White House staff
-Kissinger
-William L. Safire
-Rumsfeld
-Finch
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Jimmy Allison
-Hugh Scott
-Clark MacGregor
-Columns
-J. Edgar Hoover
-Jack N. Anderson
-Approach
-William C. Sullivan
-Responses
Television
-Comments regarding the President's Phase II economic speech
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Edith Effron
-Theory of network intent
-Novak, et al.
-Compared with isolation presentation
-Slanting of presentations
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Media
-The President’s Phase II speech
-Peter Lisagor
-Revenue sharing speech
-Mark Hueres [?]
-Ziegler
-Safire
-Possible administration approach
-New York Times
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Los Angeles Times
-Otis Chandler
-Norman Buck
-Washington Post
-Relations with editorial boards
-Associated Press [AP], United Press International [UPI], Scripps-Howard
-The President's memories of the campaign
-Klein
-UPI
The President's schedule
Press
-Coverage of church services
-Mrs. Nixon
-Mitchell
Pictures
The President's schedule
-Press briefing, October 12, 1971
-Bipartisan meeting
-Leaders' meeting
-F. Edward Hebert
-Cabinet meeting
-Phase II
-George P. Shultz
-Ziegler
-Announcement of US-USSR Summit
-Kissinger
-Rogers
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-Editorial writers
-Pittsburgh
-Phase II
-Oklahoma City
-Vermont Royster
-World Series
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Film work
-Robert P. Griffin [?] birthday salute
-March of Dimes
-National Association of Manufacturers [NAM]
-Connally, James D. Hodgson, Maurice H. Stans, Paul W. McCracken,
Herbert Stein
-Possible radio statement
-Charles H. Percy
-Chicago
-Testimonial dinner
-Griffin
-State Department
-Singapore
-International Telecommunications Satellite [INTELSAT]
-Morocco
-Television stations
-Sickle cell anemia
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mrs. Nixon, Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Telephone calls
-Griffin
-Percy
-Otto Passman
-Grand Commander of the Conference of English-speaking Scottish [Unintelligible]
Free Masonry and Supreme Council in Amity
-Congressmen petition
-Support for Taiwan
-UN
-Possible presentation to the President
-Clement P. Zablocki, Joe D. Waggonner, Robert L.F. Sikes, Unintelligible
Name, William J. Scherle, and Passman
-George H.W. Bush
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Ceremonial duties
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-The President’s position
-INTELSAT events
-Sickle cell anemia
-NAM events
-Republicans
-Radio
-Percy and Griffin
-[Forename unknown] Miller
-Television
-Radio
-Telephone calls
-Visit of Robert S. McNamara
-Mayor and Chief of Police of Washington, D.C.
-Crime
-Ehrlichman
-Harris
-Colson
-Fort Detrick
-Cancer research, biological warfare laboratory
-Possible visit by Prime Minister of Turkey
-Kissinger
-National Municipal League
-Revenue sharing
-Welfare
-American Nurses Association
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Salvation Army
-Norman Vincent Peale
-New York
-New York Hilton
-Mrs. Nixon
-Knights of Columbus
-Volpe
-Presidential box at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
-President Hubert Maga
-Republic of Dahomey
-Reaction
-Visit to UN General Assembly
-American Federation of Labor-Council of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
-State Department
-Vietnam Prisoner of War [POW] resolution
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-African nations
-Louise Gore
-United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization [UNESCO]
-Richardson
-Frank Shakespeare
-Kissinger
Chief Zosimo T. Monzon
-Military record
-Future plans
-Family life
-The President’s appreciation and support
-Family
-Possible future assignment
-Lyndon B. Johnson's staff as ex-President
-Vocation
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[National Security]
[Duration: 1m 3s ]
PRC
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
**********************************************************************
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
**********************************************************************
Walter J. Hickel
-Future role in government
-Alaska development
-Stans
-Mitchell
-USSR
-Siberia
-Kissinger
-Plans
Buchanan
-Briefing Book
-Press Conferences
-Staff morale
The President's schedule
-Film appearances
-Standard Oil
-Big business
-Connally, Hodgson
-Eisenhower Theatre
-Opening
-Reception
-Mrs. Nixon
-Alice Marriott
-North Carolina
-Trip
-Connally
-Idanell B. (“Nellie”) Connally
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
-Charles R. Jonas
-Size of delegation
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
**********************************************************************
-Congressional delegation
-Wives
-Sects on Air Force One
-The President's planes, Air Force One
-Maintenance and refurbishing
-Gen. James D. Hughes
-Air Force
-Back-up plane
-George H. Mahon
-Purposes
-PRC trip
-USSR trip
-Old Air Force One
-Rogers
-PRC trip
-USSR trip
-Campaign
-Very Important Persons [VIPs]
Unions
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
Public support for the President's economic policies
-Prospects in good times
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Unemployment
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 18s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
**********************************************************************
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
Item for the President
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 2:13 pm.
Press
-Announcement of Soviet Summit
Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Shultz
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
Bull left at an unknown time before 2:13 pm].
-Shultz and Rumsfeld
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 588-2 (cont.)
The President's schedule
-Meany
The President and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman left at 2:13 pm.