Conversation: 658-005
Prev:  658-004 Next: 658-006Start Date: 27-Jan-1972 10:27 AM
End Date: 27-Jan-1972 11:12 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Scammon, Richard M.; Colson, Charles W.; White House photographer; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:31:03
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:16:17
NARA Description:
On January 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Richard M. Scammon, Charles W. Colson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:27 am to 11:12 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 658-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 658-5 Date: January 27, 1972 Time: 10:27 am - 11:12 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Richard M. Scammon and Charles W. Colson; the White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting. Greetings [Photograph session] Seating -Prime Minister of Ghana [Kofi A. Busia] -Education -London -Coup d’etat Scammon’s book with Ben Wattenberg, The Real Majority (1970) -Effect -1970 election -Responsibility -Soundness of theories -Marijuana legalization -John V. Lindsay’s position -Polls 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) Politics -Prohibition Party -Use of election process -Robert M. La Follette -Effect on politics -Political orientation -Grover Cleveland -[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson -Progressivism -Herbert Hoover -Depression -Contribution -History of politics in early twentieth century -La Follette -Compared to Alfred E. Smith -Historical speculation -Theodore Roosevelt -Wilson Book on historical counterfactualism -Charlotte Corday’s murder of Jean Paul Marat -J. William Fulbright -Edward M. Kennedy -Civil War Social issues -Busing -Richmond decision -Forest Hills -View of whole country -Feasibility -Voting blocks -Philadelphia -Frank L. Rizzo -Republican coalition -Jewish votes -Black votes -Cleveland -Ralph J. Perk -Black votes 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) -Black voting psyche -Education -James M. Carney -Rizzo -Difficulties -Party identification ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 13m 28s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ****************************************************************************** -Perception of the Administration -Rizzo -Law and order -Samuel W. Yorty -Tom Bradley -Liberal views -Forest Hills -Jews -Perception of public -Supreme Court -Presidential action -Lyndon B. Johnson -Effect -Compared to Rizzo -Johnson -Busing -Housing -Public wishes -Crime -Morality -Marijuana 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) -New York-Washington axis -Los Angeles, Chicago -Commentators -Problems -Liberal viewpoints -Lack of “guts” -Strength of America -George Meany -Busing -Milton Viorst -Judith Viorst -George S. McGovern stance -Court decisions -Detroit, Richmond -Problems -Fear of violence -Public education -Internal Revenue Service [IRS] -Edward M. Kennedy -George C. Wallace -Economic issues -Social security -Unemployment insurance -Government spending -Individual and group fears -Ghetto problems -Blacks, Puerto Ricans, Mexican-Americans -California -Montgomery County, Maryland -Black residents of Washington, DC -Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner -Sidney Poitier -Bourgeoisie -Race relations -Social mobility -Polls -Busing, crime, housing -Economic issues -Leadership -Message to Democrats -Encouragement of strongest elements 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) -Fitness to rule -The President’s reading -Biography, history -H.G. Wells -Nineteenth century Britain -Wells -Importance of education -History of ruling classes -Politicians -Intellectuals -Use of intellectuals -College environment -Elites -Fitness to rule -Republicans -New York, Los Angeles -Resentments -Vietnam -Meany -Peter J. Brennan -Frank E. Fitzsimmons -Intellectual in power -Democrats, Republicans -Washington Post -New York Times -Time, Life -Networks -Consequences -Analogy to France -Isolationism -“Guts”, coverage -Henry A. Kissinger -Background -“Hard hats” compared to intellectuals -“Know nothings” -Blacks -Farmers -William F. Buckley, Jr. -Problem with college graduates -Scammon’s military experience -Willingness to fight in war 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) -Stamina -McGovern -Programs -Democratic Party -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson -Abdication of power -Shame -Power -Presidential qualities -US leadership -The President’s reading -Editorials -News summaries -Ultra-liberals, right-wing -Prospects of US in world -US sense of destiny -Desire to excel -Effects -Compared to other nations -British -French -Dutch -Danes -Swedes -Economy -Japan -Britain -France -Japan -Chinese, Soviets -Governmental system -Strength of people -West Germany -Britain -Problems -Division -Japan -Courage -Drive -Socialists -Turn inward 22 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 658-5 (cont.) -Consequence -Decline -“Intellectual incest” -Strength of US -Majority -Public perception of issues -Rejection of permissiveness -Size of strong elements in population -John Wayne -Qualities of majority -Religion -Compared to intellectuals -Administration strategy -Doing what is fashionable -National Press Club -Compared to doing what is right -Presidential qualities -Responsibility -Appeal to majority Presentation of gifts -Cufflinks Scammon and Colson left at 11:12 am.