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Conversation: 658-010

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Start Date: 27-Jan-1972 11:47 AM

End Date: 27-Jan-1972 1:03 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Colson, Charles W.Butterfield, Alexander P.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:45:41

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:05:38

658a.mp3

658b.mp3

658c.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Charles W. Colson, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:47 am to 1:03 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 658-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 658-10

Date: January 27, 1972
Time: 11:47 am - 1:03 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

     Maurice H. Stans
         -Loyalty
         -Responsibilities
         -Preferences in assignments
         -Performance
         -Previous assignments

     George Meany
         -Possible telephone call from the President
         -Report from Murray M. Chotiner’s source
              -Labor relations with Administration
              -George P. Shultz
              -Charles W. Colson
              -John B. Connally
                     -Alleged anti-labor feelings
              -Relations with the President
                     -Treatment of the President at union convention in Miami, November 19,
                           1971
                           -Reasons
                                -Schedule
                                -Meany’s mood
                     -Gift from the President
                     -Telephone call by the President
                                             29

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                          -Meany’s health
                     -Reluctance by Meany to initiate call
                          -Reason

Colson entered at 11:49 am.

          -Shultz
          -John F. O’Connell
               -Talk with Meany
                     -Meany’s health
          -Productivity Commission meeting
               -Treasury Department
          -O’Connell
               -Meany’s view of administration relations
                     -James D. Hodgson, Connally
               -Possible telephone call from the President to Meany
               -1972 election
               -Budget briefing by Shultz
                     -Defense
          -Relations right-wing Republicans
               -Common views
                     -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
                     -Defense
                     -Communism
          -Health
               -Golf
          -Administration strategy
               -Telephone call from the President
               -Shultz briefing

     Richard M. Scammon
          -Recent meeting with the President
                -Observations
          -Qualities
                -Polling
                -Social science
          -Compared with Elmo Roper
          -Intelligence
          -Friendship with Colson
          -Political views
          -View of meeting with the President
                                         30

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


     -Intellectuals
           -Domestic Council
     -Labor relations
           -Alexander E. Barkan, Meany

Meany strategy
    -Attack on administration
          -Severity

Scammon
    -Recent meeting
    -Social issues
         -Perception of Administration action
                -Patrick J. Buchanan
                -Meetings with John D. Ehrlichman
                      -Busing
                -Law and order
                -Scatter housing
         -Colson's talk with Scammon
                      -Democrats
                      -Scatter housing
                            -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
                      -Busing
                            -Amendment
                      -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
         -Possible George W. Romney resignation

Social issues
     -HUD
           -Romney resignation
           -Possible Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger appointment
                -Qualifications
                -Instructions
     -Scammon’s arguments
           -Quality
           -Busing
                -White supremacy
                      -Richmond decision
                -Canada analogy
                      -Roman Catholic minority
                            -School system
                                              31

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


               -Parochial schools
                     -Tax exemption
                           -Connally
         -Ehrlichman’s position
               -Difficulties
               -Washington, DC
         -Integration
               -Haldeman’s view
               -Colson’s view
                     -Background
                           -Boston
               -Haldeman’s view
               -Blacks
                     -Administration’s treatment
         -Scammon’s views
               -Possible paper
               -Book, The Real Majority
                     -Effect on 1970 election
                           -Adlai E. Stevenson III
                           -Peter Williams
               -Visit with the President
                     -Effect on Scammon
                     -Reason


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5m 51s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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                                            32

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


    Social issues
         -Perception of administration action
         -Haldeman possible conversation with Ehrlichman
               -Need for administration action
         -Integration
               -Richmond decision
               -Court appointments
               -Possible administration action
                     -Suburbs
               -Charlotte-Mecklenberg decision
               -HUD, HEW
               -Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr.
               -Court appointments
               -Edward L. Morgan
               -Politics
               -Attorney General’s [John N. Mitchell] role
               -Richard G. Kleindienst
               -Ehrlichman
               -Law compared to politics question
                     -Amendment possibility
                          -Decision of people
                                 -Scammon’s view
               -Effect on other issues
                     -Schools, housing
               -Authors of Declaration of Independence, Constitution


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 40s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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                                       33

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


Social issues
     -Youth group
           -White House visit
           -Media coverage
           -Memoranda
           -1972 campaign
           -Henry A. Kissinger and Robert H. Finch meeting
                -Result
           -White House tour
     -Meetings at White House
           -The President’s availability
           -Kissinger’s availability

Vietnam War issue
     -Reaction to the President’s January 25, 1972 speech
          -Albert E. Sindlinger
          -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
                -Texas
          -Telegrams
                -Favorable
                -Unfavorable
                      -Details
                -Majority sentiment
                -Unfavorable
                      -Dr. Carl McIntyre
                      -Liberals
                            -Surrender
          -New York Times story
                -John Finney
                -Content
                      -Republicans
                      -Democrats’ stand
                            -Surrender
                -Administration reaction
                      -Attack on Democrats
                            -McCarthyism
                            -Communism in South Vietnam
     -Administration strategy
          -Democrats’ remarks
                -Humphrey, Muskie
                -Statements
                                          34

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                -Wire service coverage
                -Washington Post
                -New York Times

Dinner, January 26, 1972
     -Colson’s reaction to the President’s telephone call
           -Position of Colson’s table
           -Others’ reaction
           -Rose Mary Woods
           -Tape
           -Woods’s action
                 -Kissinger
     -Washington Post

The President’s relations with Meany
     -Possible telephone call to Meany from the President
          -Meany’s health
          -George P. Shultz meeting
          -Meany support for the President
                 -Michael J. Mansfield amendments
                 -The President’s appreciation
                       -Meany reaction

Social issues
     -Effect on administration
     -Child care veto, December 10, 1971
     -Scammon’s view
           -Nationality of social issues
                -Possibility
           -Federal Government involvement
                -Crime
                      -Local problem
                -Education
                -Housing
     -Dinner [for DeWitt Wallace], January 28, 1972
     -The President’s Reader’s Digest article on Vietnam
           -Timing of appearance
                -Speech
     -John Wayne’s movies
           -Popularity
     -Heckling of Jackson
                                         35

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


           -Florida universities
           -Defense spending
           -Perception
                 -Accuracy

Edith Efron’s book, The News Twisters (1971)
     -Staff
           -1972 campaign
     -1968 campaign
           -Media coverage
                 -Receptions
                       -Jackson
     -Scammon
     -Leonard Garment
     -Sales
           -Testimony by Efron
                 -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. committee
           -Testimony
                 -Daniel L. Schorr
                 -Colson’s schedule
                       -Ervin
                 -Roman L. Hruska
                 -Strom Thurmond
           -Viewers
                 -Book sellers
           -Book publication
                 -Promotion
                 -Re-orders
           -Compared to Scammon’s book, The Real Majority (1970)
           -Efron’s appearance on Today show
     -Broadcasters’ view
     -Irving Kristol’s article in Fortune

Public relations
     -Circulation of information
     -Q&A circulation
            -Kissinger’s briefing
            -Consistency of line
            -William P. Rogers
            -Refinement
                  -Haldeman’s and Colson’s effort
                                              36

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                     -William L. Safire
                     -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                     -Readability
                     -Simplification
                           -Kissinger’s speech draft
                                -Negotiating points
                     -Editing
                     -Purpose
                -Main point
                     -The President’s efforts for peace
                           -North Vietnam’s recalcitrance

Colson left at 12:26 pm.

     The President’s schedule
          -Camp David

     Colson
          -Public relations

     The President’s schedule
          -Announcement of cancer panel
                -Administration strategy
                      -Make-up of panel
                      -Photograph opportunity
                           -Details
                           -Brevity
                           -Benno C. Schmidt
          -Pearl Bailey visit
                -Award
                -Elmer H. Bobst
                -Timing
                      -Oval Office press conference
          -Camp David visit
                -Reading
          -Visit with US attorneys
                -Benefits
                      -Drug programs
          -Benefit of public relations from visits
                -Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe
                -Athletes
                                    37

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 10/06)
                                                     Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


      -News coverage
      -Domestic programs
-Reception for athletes
      -Attendance
      -Preparation
-Governors dinner
      -Brevity
      -Attendees
      -Purpose
      -Timing
-Jaycee leadership conference
      -The President’s attendance
      -Length of conference
      -Attendance
      -Political considerations
      -Location
      -Reception
-Volunteers dinner
      -Need for brevity
-Long range schedule
      -Kissinger’s office, State Department
      -Set visits
-State visits
      -Nihat Erim of Turkey
      -Canada
            -Connally
            -Postponement
            -Trade
                  -US retaliation
                       -Possible pickets
      -Erim
            -Dinner
            -Duration of visit
-Scheduling strategy
      -Open days
-Luis Echeverria Alvarez visit
      -Timing
            -Moscow summit
-Television anchormen reception
      -George Putnam
      -Briefing
                                              38

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                -Receiving line
                -Photographs
                -Attendees
                     -Radio disc jockeys
                -Benefit
                -Timing
          -Gridiron dinner
                -Edgar A. Poe
                -Timing
          -California visit
                -Timing
                     -Congressional recess
          -Correspondents’ dinner [?]
                -Press attendance
                     -Writing press
          -White House correspondents and photographers, radio and television corespondents
          -Overseas visits
                -Rogers
                     -San Francisco
                            -Latin America
                -Connally
                -Tehran
                     -Soviet Union trip

     Ambassadorial appointment to Iran
         -Rogers’s recommendation
               -Walter J. Stoessel, jr.
               -Armin H. Meyer
               -Herman Idles [?], War College Advisor
               -William H. Sullivan
         -Kissinger’s recommendation
               -Sullivan
                     -Reasons
                           -Southeast Asia
               -Stoessel
         -Sullivan
         -Meyer
               -State Department experience
               -Previous experience

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 12:26 pm.
                                              39

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)



     The President’s schedule

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 1:03 pm.


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 24s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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     The President’s possible address to black group
          -Patrick J. Buchanan’s recommendation
                -Purpose
                      -Political possibilities
                            -Black feeling for Muskie
                            -Busing
                                  -Black middle class
          -Possible forums
                -Editors, publishers
                -United Negro College Fund [UNCF]
                      -Whites
                                            40

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 46s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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    Presidential citizens medal
         -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
         -History
         -Intent
               -Awardees
                      -Amputees, medical people, adoption program for Korean children
         -Voluntarism
         -Awarding
               -Public ceremony
               -Publicity
               -Cabinet officer
               -Julie Nixon Eisenhower and Tricia Nixon Cox
               -Publicity
                      -East Room
         -Contrast to Congressional medals

    The President’s schedule
         -Preparation for PRC trip
              -Political staff
                     -Instructions to Haldeman
                     -Harry Dent, Buchanan
              -Staff access to the President
         -Congressional relations
              -Page Belcher
                     -Access to the President
                           -Compared to Dwight D. Eisenhower
                           -Plane trip
                                 -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
                                 -Church trip
                                               41

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                                 Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                 -Clark MacGregor
                      -Compared to Bryce N. Harlow
                 -Telephone calls to Congressmen
                      -Birthday greetings
                      -Votes
                            -Letters

     Personnel
          -Maj. Gen. James D. (“Don”) Hughes
               -Departure
               -Qualities
               -Performance as military aide
               -Accomplishments as military aide
                     -Women
                     -Arrivals
                     -Interservice competition
                           -History
                                 -Delivery of reports
                     -Prisoners of War [POWs]
                     -Contact with dead congressmen’s families
                     -Transition of power
                           -Prospects
                           -Replacement
               -New command
                     -Austin, Texas
                     -Responsibilities
                     -Prospects
                           -Vietnam
                                 -Reconnaissance

Butterfield entered at 12:46 pm.

           -Herbert G. Klein operation
                -Ronald L. Ziegler
                -Colson

Butterfield left at 12:47 pm.
                                 42

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


-Counselor to the President
     -Finch
           -Arthur F. Burns
     -Daniel P. Moynihan
     -Finch
           -Future
                 -Congress
                 -California
                       -Campaigning
     -Donald H. Rumsfeld
     -Abolition
     -Expansion of Cabinet
     -David M. Kennedy
           -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]
-Richard V. (“Dick”) Allen
     -Job preferences
           -Ambassadorship
                 -Portugal
                       -Klein
           -Stoessel
                 -European Economic Community [EEC]
                       -Brussels
           -EEC
                 -Kennedy, Allen, Robert Strausz-Hupe
           -Portugal
           -Value to the President’s reelection
                 -Haldeman’s view
                 -Foreign policy
                       -Domestic political impact
                       -Colson
                 -National security
                       -Responsibilities
                             -Political attacks
                             -Monitoring opposition
                 -Post-reelection possibilities
                       -Stoessel
                       -Portugal
                       -Allen’s fears
                       -Kissinger
                 -Location
                       -White House
                                              43

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 658-10 (cont.)


                                     -Colson
                                 -Campaign organization
                 -Stoessel
                       -1972 election
                 -EEC
                       -Connally
           -Strausz-Hupe
                 -Qualifications
           -Franklin D. Murphy
                 -President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board [PFIAB]

Haldeman left at 1:03 pm.