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Conversation: 668-012

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Start Date: 9-Feb-1972 8:45 AM

End Date: 9-Feb-1972 10:40 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")[Unknown person(s)]Ziegler, Ronald L.Woods, Rose MarySanchez, ManoloWhite House operatorBull, Stephen B.Butterfield, Alexander P.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:48:58

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:35:06

668a.mp3

668b.mp3

668b_i.mp3

NARA Description:

On February 9, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, unknown person(s), Ronald L. Ziegler, Rose Mary Woods, Manolo Sanchez, White House operator, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:45 am and 10:40 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 668-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 668-12

Date: February 9, 1972
Time: Unknown between 8:45 am and 10:40 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     Foreign policy meeting
          -Analysis
          -Vietnam
          -News summary
               -Importance
          -Reaction
               -Hugh Scott
          -Dock strike
          -Editorials and columns
          -Reaction
               -William P. Rogers and John B. Connally
               -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -Rogers and Connally
               -Talk with Haldeman
                      -Countries
                           -Proposal for Rogers
                                 -Country visits
                           -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
          -Europe
               -Henry A. Kissinger
                      -Wilderberg [sp?] conference
                      -Canada
                           -Kissinger’s attendance
                                 -Number of years
                      -Southern New England
                      -Vienna
                      -Munich

     Invitations
           -Japan
                 -Kissinger
                 -Timing after upcoming trip to PRC
                 -University
                                          7

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


                -Possible plans
     -Rogers
          -Latin American countries
     -Japan
          -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                -Proposed announcement
          -Haldeman’s instructions to Rogers

PRC Trip
    -Briefings
          -Types

Rogers’s schedule
    -Kissinger
    -South America
    -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] meeting
    -Central Treaty Organization [CENTO] meeting
    -Southeast Asia Treaty Organization [SEATO] meeting
    -Romanians
    -Yugoslavs
    -Latin America
           -Rogers’s duties

Japan
     -Kissinger
          -Invitation
     -Rogers
          -Possible significance of Kissinger trip

Rogers
    -Reaction to handling of Haldeman’s Today show interview

Nicholas and Alexandra premiere
     -Location
     -Haldeman’s attendance
          -Rasputin
          -The President’s attendance
                -Florida
          -Audience support for Haldeman
                -Betty Beale
                                              8

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 8:45 am.

     Stephen B. Bull’s return
          -President’s questions

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:19 am.

     Nicholas and Alexandra preview
          -Support for Haldeman
               -Beale
               -Helena M. (“Obie”) Shultz

     Democrats


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 49s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************


     Vietnam negotiations
          -Ngo Dinh Diem
               -Death criticized by the President
          -The President’s posture as candidate

     News stories
         -Connally
         -Rogers
               -Talk with Haldeman
         -Washington Post editorial
               -State of the Union Message
         -Administration response
               -Rogers
               -Ziegler
                                         9

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


          -Haldeman
          -Agnew
               -Crosby S. Noyes
          -Ziegler
          -Kissinger
               -Vietnam

February 7, 1972 speech [Remarks to White House Conference on Industrial World Ahead]
     -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
     -William L. Safire
     -PRC
           -President’s “ad lib” near end of speech
     -Maurice H. Stans
           -Previous conversation with Haldeman
           -PRC
                 -Foreign policy

Speech
     -Connally
         -Stans
               -Timing

Draft of Foreign Policy Report radio speech, February 9, 1972
      -The President’s efforts to end the war
      -Honorable peace
      -Withdrawal of troops
            -Number
      -Casualties
      -Air power
      -Budget costs
      -Draft
      -Peace offer
      -Criticism
      -1968
            -Negotiations
                  -The President’s comments as candidates
      -Criticism
            -Candidates’ responsibility
                  -Avoiding prolonging war
      -Peace
      -Trust in US
                                         10

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


     -John A. Scali
     -Press
           -Selling out
                 -A question of sincerity
     -The President’s policy
           -Critics
     -Presidential candidates
           -Criticism
                 -Prolonging the war
                 -Responsibility
                      -Comparisons
     -Kissinger
     -“Postpone the Peace”
           -Line from the President
                 -Optimism
           -Candidates’ statements
     -Wording
           -Cautiousness
           -Surrender compared with victory
                 -Nicholas and Alexandra
                      -Comparisons to the present time
                            -Alexander Kerensky and Tsar Nicholas II
     -Criticism
           -Presidential candidates
     -Honorable peace
     -Communists
           -Cold War
           -South Vietnam
                 -Haldeman’s opinion
     -Scali’s statements
           -Prisoners of war [POWs] compared to Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu
                 -Ziegler
                 -American support
                      -Surrender option
                            -“Peace with honor”

Press conference
      -Possible appearance on television by the President

Vietnam
     -Rogers
                                               11

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


           -The President’s forthcoming radio speech
                -Candidates’ criticism
                      -Possible enemy incentive
                      -Prolong the war
                            -Election
                      -Presidential statements
                      -Haldeman statements
                      -Agnew statements
                      -Editorials
                            -A question of patriotism
                                  -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
                                  -Haldeman’s comments
                                        -Claim
                      -Ziegler

An unknown person entered and left at an unknown time before 9:19 am.

     Request for Ziegler

     The President’s forthcoming radio speech
          -Scali
                -Concern
          -State of the World report
          -Press conference
                -PRC
                      -Plan by the Administration

Ziegler entered at 9:19 am.

     Ziegler’s schedule
          -Call from the President, February 8, 1972
          -Parent-Teacher Association [PTA] meeting
          -Compared to Kissinger’s trips to Paris


**************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 36s ]
                                               12

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)



END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14

**************************************************************************


    Vietnam statements
         -Involvement
               -Scali
               -Kissinger
               -President’s responsibility
         -Democrats
               -Criticism and accusations
               -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
                     -Haldeman
               -Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
               -Sevareid
               -Washington Post
                     -Editorial
                           -Timing
                     -Agnew
                     -Rogers
                     -The President
                     -Haldeman
         -Statement about PRC
         -Democrats
               -Noyes
               -Negotiations
                     -Criticism
                           -Assessing blame
         -Scali
               -Possible press briefing by Ziegler

    The President’s forthcoming radio speech
         -Reading of draft
              -Ziegler’s opinion
         -Copies of to press
              -Distribution
                     -Herbert E. Kaplow
                     -11:00 pm news
              -Candidates
                                              13

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


                      -Criticism
          -Haldeman statements
                -New York Times
                -Ziegler
                -Washington Post
                      -Ziegler’s complaint
          -Candidates
                -Prolong the war
                -Leaders meeting
                      -Timing
                -Negotiations
                -Ziegler’s view
                      -Responsibilities
                -Statements
                -Wording of speech
                      -Ziegler’s opinion
                            -Assistance to the President
                      -George S. McGovern
                -Surrender
                      -Context
                      -Muskie
                      -McGovern
          -Kissinger
                -Briefing
                -Statements
          -Safire
          -Kissinger
          -PRC
                -Name
                      -Taiwan, Republic of China
                      -Corrections of text
          -Vietnam War
          -Radio
          -Wording
                -Candidates’ criticism
                      -Compared to Lyndon B. Johnson
                -Prolonging the war

Rose Mary Woods entered at 9:38 am.

          -Typing
                                           14

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


               -Instructions
          -Ziegler’s opinion

Woods left at 9:43 am.

          -Draft
               -POWs
                     -Wording
                     -Possible consequences
                     -President’s view
          -Teleprompter
               -Camera
                     -President’s instructions
                     -Distribution
               -Newsmen
                     -Number
               -Location
               -Executive Office Building [EOB]
          -Broadcast
               -Amount of time
          -Preparation by the President
               -Schedule
          -Press
               -Ziegler
               -Haldeman
               -News
                     -Editorials


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 45s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

******************************************************************************
                                      15

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


          -Haldeman
               -Call to Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
                     -George C. Wallace
                          -Cousin
                                -Rebozo contact
                                -Edmund S. Muskie
                                -Hubert H. Humphrey
                          -Lyndon B. Johnson
                                -1968
                          -Muskie
                          -Florida primary
                          -Agnew

Haldeman’s Today show interview
     -Press conference
          -Peter Lisagor
          -Dan Rather
          -Briefing
     -PRC
          -Story
     -Ziegler
     -Press
     -Barbara Walters’s point
          -National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
                -Transcript availability
                      -Newspapers
                      -Television news services
                      -Timing
     -Press
          -Patriotic forces in US
                -Underestimation
          -Washington, DC
     -Reaction
          -Nicholas and Alexandra
                -Beale
                -Anna C. Chennault
                      -PRC ambassador

Vietnam
     -Noyes
         -Story
                                                16

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


                      -Surrender
          -1970 campaign
                -Issue
                      -Peace initiative
          -Public opinion
                -US involvement
                      -Possible movement to undermine the President’s efforts
          -Critics
                -Haldeman’s statements
                      -Possible administration response
                -Reston
                      -Kissinger
                           -John W. Gardner
                                  -Visit to Reston’s home
                      -Tone of columns
                      -Kissinger
                           -Popularity with the media
          -Haldeman’s comments
                -Durability as story
                      -PRC trip
                      -Democrats
                -Future comments

     The President’s forthcoming radio speech
          -Kissinger
               -Vietnam section
               -Note from Ziegler
          -Woods
               -Typing
          -Teleprompter

[The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 9:43 and 10:09 am.]

[Conversation No. 668-12A]

          -Typing

[End of telephone conversation]

     Jaycees
          -US Jaycees Governmental Affairs Leadership Seminar
                                          17

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


     -Convention
         -Atlanta
               -Timing

The President’s schedule
     -Haldeman’s upcoming conversation with Connally
          -Abilene, Texas
          -Unknown Houston publisher
          -San Antonio
                 -Texas newspapers
          -Abilene Christian Conference
     -Rotary
          -Timing
     -Jaycees
          -Timing
     -Campus Crusade
          -Timing
     -Houston
          -Governors’ conference
                 -Timing
                      -President’s attitude

Kissinger’s location
     -Ziegler’s office
           -Briefing
                 -Foreign policy report

The President’s forthcoming radio speech
     -Broadcast
          -Instructions for Ziegler, Haldeman
          -Coverage

1972 Environmental Program
     -News coverage
     -Tape
     -Camera
          -Number
     -Mark I. Goode
     -Teleprompter
     -Executive Order
                                                18

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


Woods entered at 10:09 am.

     The President’s forthcoming radio speech
          -Copy
               -Typing

     [No conversation]

                     -Corrections
          -Subtleties
          -Gerald L. Warren
               -Pick-up
               -Press
               -Typing
                      -Corrections

Woods and Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:15 am.

     The President’s schedule
          -Camp David
               -Timing


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 26s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

******************************************************************************


Woods entered at an unknown time after 10:09 am.

     Buzzer
         -Manolo Sanchez

     Camp David
                                              19

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)




******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 15s ]


Woods left at an unknown time before 10:15 am.

An unknown Navy steward and Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:09 am.


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

******************************************************************************


The steward and Sanchez left at 10:15 am.

[The President talked with the White House operator at 10:15 am.]

[Conversation No. 668-12C]

[See Conversation No. 20-81]

[End of telephone conversation]


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 4s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

******************************************************************************
                                              20

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)



     The President’s schedule
          -Frank E. Fitzsimmons
                -Teamsters Union
          -Letters
                -Purpose
          -Notes and phone calls
                -Effect and advantages
                      -Frequency of telephone calls
                      -Notes
                           -Publication
                           -New York police

[The White House operator talked with the President at an unknown time between 10:15 am and
10:33 am.]

[Conversation No. 668-12D]

[See Conversation No. 20-82]

[End of telephone conversation]

          -Notes
               -Widows, parents
               -Brevity
               -Writers
               -One-liners
               -Type
                                                21

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 2s ]


Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:15 am.

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:33 am.


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

******************************************************************************


     Forthcoming press conference
          -Briefing books
          -PRC
          -Timing
          -Phraseology
                -Substance

     Llewellyn E. (“Tommy”) Thompson, Jr.
         -Funeral
               -Timing
               -Attendance
                     -Wreath

     Kissinger
          -Safire
          -Marilyn B. (“Missy”) Chandler
                -Support
                                                22

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


     Otis Chandler
          -Robert H. Finch
          -Economy in California
               -Unemployment
               -Los Angeles Times
               -Administration efforts


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

******************************************************************************


     Busing
          -Dallas

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 10:15 am.

     Thompson funeral
         -Signature for letters for Jane (Monroe Goelet) Thompson
              -Rogers
                    -Attendance

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 10:33 am.

     [No conversation]

     The President’s forthcoming radio speech
          -Teleprompter
               -Rogers
          -Microphone
               -Desk
          -Cameras
               -Goode
                                         23

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                              Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


               -Ziegler
                    -Press office
                         -Teleprompter
               -Messages
                    -Dock strike

Woods entered at 10:33 am.

     The President’s schedule


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 45s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

******************************************************************************


          -Helicopter
               -Timing
          -Speech
               -Typing
                                                24

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                          Conv. No. 668-12 (cont.)


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 45s ]


Woods left at 10:35 am.


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

******************************************************************************


     Attitude of White House staff
           -National attitude

     Speech
          -Teleprompter

Haldeman left at 10:40 am.