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Conversation: 607-014

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Start Date: 29-Oct-1971 11:33 AM

End Date: 29-Oct-1971 12:25 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Ruckelshaus, William D.Ehrlichman, John D.Whitaker, John C.White House photographerDavis, Glenn R.Hardin, Clifford M.Bull, Stephen B.Ziegler, Ronald L.Fetridge, William HarrisonStarr, John W.Lingle, Walter L., Jr.Barber, Alden G.Allen, TonyGrimes, PaulKevin, IverySpencer, Dennis L.Avery, Robert L.Meek, RobertSoukup, GrantBellard, Darry L.Jones, Michael S.Spann, KennethEhrlichman, John D.Rhatican, William F.Bull, Stephen B.White House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:58:12

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:51:04

607a.mp3

607b.mp3

607c.mp3

NARA Description:

On October 29, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, William D. Ruckelhaus, John D. Ehrlichman, John C. Whitaker and White House photographer, Glenn R. Davis, Clifford M. Hardin, Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, William Harrison Fetridge, John W. Starr, Walter L. Lingle, Jr., Alden G. Barber, Tony Allen, Paul Grimes, Ivery Kevin, Dennis L. Spencer, Robert L. Avery, Robert Meek, Grant Soukup, Darry L. Bellard, Michael S. Jones, Kenneth Spann, John D. Ehrlichman, William F. Rhatican, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:33 am to 12:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 607-014 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 607-14

Date: October 29, 1971
Time: 11:33 am - 12:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William D. Ruckelshaus, John D. Ehrlichman, and John C. Whitaker; the
White House photographer was present at the beginning of this meeting.

     Greetings
                                              33

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)


     The President's schedule
          -Boy Scouts

The President talked with Glenn Davis between 11:34 am and 11:35 am.

[Conversation No. 607-14A]

[See Conversation No. 13-27]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Certificates
           -High school

     Ruckelshaus
         -Duties
         -Indiana
               -Vance Hartke
                    -The President’s view
               -Birch E. Bayh, Jr.
                    -Ruckelhaus’s view
         -The President’s view

     Presentation of gifts by the President

     Boy Scouts

Ruckelshaus left at 11:36 am.

     Secretary of Agriculture
          -Possible announcement
                -Timing
          -Timing of Clifford M. Hardin's resignation
          -Donald E. Johnson
                -Possible views of Farm Bureau
                     -Frank Willoby
                     -Agribusiness
                     -Robert R. Spitzer
                     -Roger Fleming
          -Clarence D. Palmby
                -The President’s view
                                                34

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)


          -Earl L. Butz
          -Johnson
          -Palmby
          -Farm Bureau
          -Requirements
          -Bryce N. Harlow
                -Ehrlichman’s view
                -Confirmation
                -Possible reaction by farmers

Hardin entered at 11:39 am.

          -Hardin's resignation
               -Successor
               -Timing of announcement
                      -Farm union
                      -Farm Bureau
                      -Charles M. Teague
                      -Jack R. Miller
                      -Hardin's forthcoming trip to Turkey

     Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO]
          -Forthcoming conference in Rome
                -Announcement of Hardin’s resignation
                -Hardin’s forthcoming trip to Turkey
          -Previous conference
          -International Labor Organization [ILO]
                -George Meany

     Grain sale to the Soviet Union
          -Amount of sale
          -[Thomas] Hale Boggs
          -Thomas W. (“Teddy”) Gleason
                 -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.'s possible role
                 -James D. Hodgson
                 -George P. Shultz's comments
                 -Hodgson's views
                       -National Security Council [NSC]
                 -Charles W. Colson's possible role
                       -Jesse M. Calhoon
                 -Price of corn
                                  35

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                    Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)


     -Possible administration action
            -Great Britain
            -Duluth
            -Chicago
            -Great Lakes
            -The President’s instructions
                 -Colson
                 -Hodgson
                 -Haig
-Continental Grain's statement
-Gleason
     -Haig's possible conversation with Hodgson
     -The President’s view
-Value
-Future
-US-Soviet relations
-Palmby
-Gleason
     -Possible administration actions
            -Haig
            -Henry A. Kissinger
            -Hodgson
            -Colson
                 -“Hardhats”
                 -Calhoun
-Embargoes
-Special grain price
     -Kansas City
-Shippers
     -Continental grain
-Previous grain sale to Soviet Union
     -1963
     -John F. Kennedy
     -Wheat
     -US bonds
     -Shipping
     -Use of Agriculture Department funds
-Seafarers' union
-Diversion of Continental Grain shipments
     -Rotterdam
     -Berlin
                                         36

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)



Secretary of Agriculture
     -Hardin's successor
           -J. Phil Campbell
                 -Hardin’s view
                       -Political plans
                             -Georgia
                             -Fire ants
           -Palmby
                 -Hardin’s view
           -Campbell
                 -Farm Bureau
           -Richard E. Lyng
           -Palmby
           -Claude W. Gifford
                 -Hardin’s view
           -Butz
                 -Hardin’s view
                       -Ezra Taft Benson
                       -Nebraska
           -John A. Love
                 -Hardin’s views
           -Robert C. Hill
                 -Hardin’s view
                 -The President’s view
           -Johnson
                 -Hardin’s view
                       -Iowa
                       -Views of Farm Bureau
                       -Veterans Administration [VA]
                       -The President’s view
           -Clayton K. Yeutter
                 -Hardin’s view
                       -Background
                       -Role at Department of Agriculture
                 -Palmby
                 -John N. Mitchell
                       -Campaign
                 -Ehrlichman’s view
                 -Wife
                       -Hardin's wife
                                                37

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)


                       -South America
                       -Previous conversation with Hardin
                       -Farm Bureau
                       -William H. Rehnquist
                       -Background and experience
                -Requirements
                       -The President’s view
                -Yeutter
                       -Whitaker’s previous conversation with Harlow
                       -Experience
                             -The President’s view
                             -Ehrlichman’s view
                             -South America
                             -Congress
                -Roman L. Hruska
                       -Mitchell
                       -Relations with Norbert Tieman
                       -Potential
                -Harlow
                -Forthcoming meeting between Hardin and the President
                -Palmby
                       -The President’s view
           -Hardin's tenure in office
                -Possible comments by White House and Hardin

     Hardin's wife

Hardin, et al. left and Stephen B. Bull and Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 12:13 pm.

     The President's schedule
          -Forthcoming meeting with Boy Scouts
               -Photograph
               -Presentation of Silver Buffalo Award
               -White House tour

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:14 pm.

     Unknown photographer
         -Birth of daughter

Ziegler left at 12:14 pm.
                                                38

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)



William Harrison Fetridge, John W. Starr, Walter L. Lingle, Jr., Alden G. Barber, Tony Allen,
Paul Grimes, Kevin Ivery, Dennis L. Spencer, Robert L. Avery, Robert Meek, Grant Soukup,
Darry L. Bellard, Michael S. Jones, Kenneth Spann, Ehrlichman, William F. Rhatican, and Bull
[?] entered; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of this meeting.

      Introductions
            -Mount Vernon, Virginia
                  -New York
            -Washington, DC
            -California
            -Philadelphia
            -Baltimore
                  -Baltimore Orioles
                  -Baltimore Colts

      Arrangements for photograph

      Presentation of Silver Buffalo award

      Presentation of certificate by the President
           -Operation Reach
                 -Lingle
                 -Athletes' efforts against drug abuse
                 -World Series
                 -Football

      Presentation of gifts by the President

      Tour of the White House
           -Mrs. [Michael J.?] Farrell

      The President's schedule

      Photographer's baby daughter
           -Associated Press [AP]
           -Presentation of gifts by the President
                -Photographer's wife

Fetridge, et al. left at 12:25 pm.
                                                39

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 607-14 (cont.)