Conversation: 656-017
Prev: 656-016 Next: 656-018Start Date: 26-Jan-1972 12:14 PM
End Date: 26-Jan-1972 12:57 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Scott, Cornelius A.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Butterfield, Alexander P.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:21:02
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:03:45
NARA Description:
On January 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Cornelius A. Scott, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:14 pm to 12:57 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 656-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 656-17
Date: January 26, 1972
Time: 12:14 pm - 12:57 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
The President’s schedule
-Recent meeting with Barend W. Biesheuvel
Woods’s schedule
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 16s ]
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-16 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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Speeches
-The President’s Vietnam peace proposal, January 25, 1972
-Woods’ conversation with Joseph Woods
-Length
-Preparation
-Possible story
-Henry A. Kissinger
-[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
-Theodore Roosevelt
-Editing
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
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[The President talked with Cornelius A. Scott at an unknown time between 12:14 pm and 12:22
pm.]
[Conversation No. 656-17A]
[See Conversation Nos. 19-99 and 19-100; one item have been withdrawn from 19-100]
[End of telephone conversation]
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 11s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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The President’s schedule
-Telephone calls
-Wiley T. and Mrs. Buchanan
-Murray M. and Nancy Chotiner
-Family
-Possible note to Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-John W. McCormack
-Wife’s death
-Possible overnight stay at White House
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China
[PRC]
-Kissinger
-Letter from John J. McCloy
-Advisor to Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament
-Judge G. Harrold Carswell
-Thank you note
-Dan L. Beebe
-Letter
-Editorials
-Correspondence
-Visits by friends
-Mrs. Olive Marshburn
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s wedding
-Church services
-Kennedy Center tickets
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 12:22 pm.
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
-White House tour
-Western White House
-Herbert W. Kalmbach
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 39s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
******************************************************************************
White House gifts
-Paperweight
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-John R. (“Tex”) McCrary
-Box
-Thomas A. Pappas
-Greek Orthodox Church head
White House dinner for DeWitt Wallace, January 28, 1972
-Guest list
-Pappas
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
-Emil (“Bus”) and Patricia R. Mosbacher
-Alice Roosevelt Longworth
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Edward W. Brooke
-John J. Rhodes
Woods left at 12:25 pm.
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
Kissinger briefing
-Quality
-Outline
-Clarity, feeling
-The President’s letter
-Television coverage
-Still photographs
-The President’s communications
-US intentions
-Recap of the President’s position outlined in Vietnam peace proposal speech,
January 25, 1972
-Negotiation progress
-Duration
-Details of secret negotiations on Vietnam
-Comment by J. William Middendorf, II [?]
-Helen A. Thomas
-Travel
-Airplanes and airports
-July 1971
-PRC
Kissinger entered at 12:27 pm.
-New York Times editorial
-Hanoi
-Duration
-Hugh Scott and Gerald R. Ford meeting with press
-Exchange of Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Cease-fire
-Cease-fire
-US position
-George S. McGovern
-Overthrow of Nguyen Van Thieu
-US aid
-Confidentiality of channel
-Effect
-India-Pakistan War
-Truthfulness of administration
-Relations to other governments
-PRC
-Eight point proposal
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
-Compared to nine point proposal
Reparations
Woods entered at 12:32 pm.
Gift from head of Greek Orthodox Church
-Greek junta
-Catholics
-Mrs. Nixon
-Catholics
-Value
-Disposition
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Pappas
-“Handling” of gifts
Woods left at 12:34 pm.
Kissinger’s briefing
-Tone of questions
-The President’s point at congressional leaders meeting
-North Vietnam’s war aims
-Overthrow of South Vietnam government
-Michael J. Mansfield amendment
-John F. Kennedy
-Initial involvement in war
-McGovern opposition
-Reason for criticism
-Nature of proposal
-Complications
-Reasons
-North Vietnamese outline
-Compared to US proposals
-POWs, ceasefire, withdrawal
-Political components
-Pace of negotiations progress
-Reason for criticism
-Critics of administration’s policy
-The President’s April 7, 1971 speech
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Tone
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
-Politics
-Timing of publicity
-Scott
-Peter Lisagor
-David Kraslow
-Domestic politics
-The President’s meeting with congressional leaders
-Mansfield amendment
-Effect on negotiations
-New developments in negotiations
-Publicity
-Thieu resignation
-Nature of governments
-Timing of the President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Possible effect
-December 1971
-Congress
-Need for unity
-Release of terms
-Difference in proposals
-Nine points
-Compared to seven points
-Cease-fire provision
-Cease-fire in principle
-Eight points
-Disputes
-Withdrawal
-Deadline
-Overthrow of Thieu
-Installation of North Vietnam allied government
-US support
-Political aspects
-US view toward particular governments
-August 16, 1971 proposal
-Thieu resignation
-Electoral commission
-Formation
-Press reaction
Legislative leaders meeting
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s demeanor
-Ziegler’s schedule
-The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech
-Terms
-Timeline
-Clarity
Agnew
-Objections to administration’s proposals
-Staff briefing comments
-Withdrawal and ceasefire
-Leak of proposals
Kissinger’s briefing
-Reading of secret notes of Vietnamese meetings
-Purpose
-Folders
-Speeches
Public relations
-Kissinger’s talks with Ziegler and the President
-Press
-Congress
-Vietnamese
-Kissinger telephone call
-Brian MacDonald
-Fast in LaFayette Park
-Background
-Reaction to proposals
-Possible statement
-Death of wife, Alice MacDonald
-Ziegler telephone call
-[Forename unknown] Marino [sp?] of St. Joseph’s College
-Reaction to proposals
-Voting record
-Administration strategy
-PRC trip
-Kissinger briefing
-Effect on McGovern
-Effort toward unity
-Press coverage
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
-New York Times
-Scott and Ford
-Scott’s comment about surrender
-Attack on liberals
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-Roger H. Mudd
-Brooke
-Statement
-Mudd
-The President’s State of the Union address
-Influence
-Previous evening’s speech
-Length
-Delivery
-Pace
-Tone
-John A. Scali
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Charles W. Colson’s group
-Reaction to criticism
-William P. Rogers
-New proposals
-US stance
-Congressional leadership meeting
Ziegler left at 12:56 pm.
-Kissinger’s briefing
-Ziegler’s view
-Peaceniks
-Administration reaction
-Kissinger’s briefing, January 26, 1972
-Television coverage
-Radio
-Extemporaneous speech
-Effect of television
-Text of proposals
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 12:56 pm.
Return telephone call from Ronald W. Reagan
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 656-17 (cont.)
Butterfield and Kissinger left at 12:57 pm.