Conversation: 660-016
Prev: 660-015 Next: 660-017Start Date: 31-Jan-1972 9:23 AM
End Date: 31-Jan-1972 10:34 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 04:02:45
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:11:27
NARA Description:
On January 31, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:23 am to 10:34 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 660-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 660-16
Date: January 31, 1972
Time: 9:23 am - 10:34 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 54s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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John B. Connally
-Health
-Schedule
-Testifying
-News stories
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Trip to Florida
-Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
-Need for time off
-Camp David
-Trip to Florida
-Possible call from Haldeman to Nellie Connally
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo’s call to Connally
-Invitation to visit
-Accommodations in Florida
-Transportation
-Airplane
-Connally’s health
-Influenza
-Texas
-Call to Nellie Connally
-Camp David
-Benefits
-Advisability
-Call to Nellie Connally
Incident at DeWitt and Lila (Acheson) Wallace dinner, January 28, 1972
-The President’s reading
-Background of protestor, Carol Feraci
-Media coverage
-Duration
-Unknown person’s view
-Television
-Time magazine
-Public perception
-Reader’s Digest
-The President’s call to Ray Conniff
-Reaction to protest
-Emily Conniff’s reaction
-Campaign support offer
-Conniff
-Public perception
-Removal of Feraci
-Reaction of audience
-John N. and Martha (Beall) Mitchell
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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The President’s schedule
-Meeting with John N. Mitchell
-Timing
-Frequency of meetings
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Prayer breakfast
-Politics
-Grady Wilson
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-John B. Connally’s schedule
John Connally’s schedule
-Possible meeting with John Mitchell about politics
-Responsibilities
-Efforts to reduce
-Instructions to Haldeman
-Treasury Department
-White House staff
-Peter M. Flanigan
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Haldeman’s responsibility
-Offer of assistance in economics files
Margaret Chase Smith
-Possible retirement
-Possible telephone call
Prayer breakfast
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Graham
-Schedule
-Promotion
-Mamie G.D. Eisenhower
-Scripture reading
-Health
-Promotion efforts
-The President’s schedule
Testimonial dinner for Robert J. Brown
-Attendance
-Ticket sales
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Blacks
-Political effect
-Publicity
-News coverage
-Black press
-Benefits to administration
-Blacks in Administration
-Brig. Gen. Daniel (“Chappie”) James, Jr.
-Point made
-Brown
-Samuel C. Jackson
-James
-Reaction to President’s attendance
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
-Possible representative of President at Mahalia Jackson funeral
-Medal for the President
-Inscription
-Jewelry
-Attendance
-Brown’s family
-Sally Brown
-Warmth
-Symbolism
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 16s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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The President’s schedule
-The President’s preference on events
-Jewish or Black groups
-Demonstrators
-Feraci
-Call to J. Edgar Hoover
-Prior plans
-Timing of actions
The President’s Vietnam peace proposal speech, January 25, 1972
-Press coverage
-Boston Herald editorial
-Content
-The President’s effort
-Partisan critics
-1972 election
-Unknown writer from Harvard University
Memorandum about L. Richard Guylay letter
-Analysis of administration position
-Judgment
-William L. Safire
-Leonard Garment
-Public relations
-Experience
-Language of White House statements
-Charles W. Colson’s role
-New York Times
-Quotes
-Responses to Edward M. Kennedy
-Quality
-Colson’s role
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Franklyn C. (“Lyn”) Nofziger
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Hugh Scott’s talent
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 16m 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 10:06 am.
The President’s signature
-Butterfield’s authority
-Rubber stamp
-Davis as President’s representative at Jackson funeral
Butterfield left at 10:07 am.
Time story
-Henry A. Kissinger’s secret negotiations
-The President’s code name, “Quarterback”
-Meetings with the President
-Implication of story
-Kissinger’s role
-William P. Rogers
-Kissinger as secret agent
-Kissinger’s social life
-Secret Service guard
-Press corps
-Cover stories
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Plane trouble
-British field
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-Transportation
-French
Vietnam negotiations
Compared to October 1970
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Prospects for success
-The President’s opposition in US and world
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-North Vietnam
-US military
-Military prospects
-South Vietnam
-US public opinion
-Melvin R. Laird
-Laird
-B-52’s
-South Vietnam
-Military
-Air Force, Navy
-Compared to North Vietnam
-Peace proposal
-Reactions
-Colson’s view
Testimonial dinner for Brown
-Edward W. Brooke’s attendance
-Value of the President’s attendance
Butterfield entered at 10:20 am.
The President’s schedule
Butterfield left at 10:21 am.
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-New York ethnic groups
-Puerto Ricans
-Jews
-Latins
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Italians
-Parades
-Pulaski Day
-Attendance at ethnic events
-Messages
-Writing staff
Public relations
-Writing staff
Ziegler entered at 10:22 am.
North Vietnamese press conference in Paris
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Release of nine point plan
-Release of public and private eight point plans
-Ziegler’s handling of questions
-Expertise
-Kissinger’s handling of questions
-Call to Robert J. McCloskey
-State Department
-Answering specific questions
-State Department
-North Vietnamese
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Haig
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Foreign policy message
Ziegler left at 10:26 am.
The President’s schedule
-Benno C. Schmidt
-President’s Cancer Panel
-Photograph session
North Vietnam press conference
-Kissinger’s handling of questions
-Reason
-Credibility
-White House staff concern
45
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-George S. McGovern’s efforts
Ziegler entered at 10:28 am.
-Content
-Press briefing
-Delay
-Indication of statement
-Wire movement
-Haig’s information
-Counter strategy
-Timing
-Prime time
-Time difference between Paris and Washington, DC
Texas press during Ziegler’s trip
-Houston
-Vietnam
-Eight point plan
-Busing questions
-Economy
-PRC questions
-Budget questions
-Question and answer [Q&A] session
-Duration
-Administration line
-Questions
-PRC and Soviet Union summits
-Feraci’s protest
-Reaction
-The President’s action
-Martha Mitchell and Rose Mary Woods
-Reaction
-Feraci’s background
Ziegler left at 10:32 am.
The President’s schedule
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:32 am.
46
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 660-16 (cont.)
-Forthcoming meeting with Schmidt
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-Photograph session
-Length
Haldeman and Bull left at 10:34 am.