Conversation: 679-008
Prev:  679-007 Next: 679-009Start Date: 7-Mar-1972 10:57 AM
End Date: 7-Mar-1972 12:31 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Elbourne, Timothy G.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Haig, Patricia; Haig, Barbara E.; Fox, Alonzo; Andrews, John K., Jr.; Brennan, John V.; Coffey, Vernon C., Jr.; Coffey, Sarah; Coffey, Karen; Coffey, Vernon C., III; Coffey, Craig; Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.); White House photographer; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:04:23
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:37:28
NARA Description:
On March 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Timothy G. Elbourne, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Patricia Haig, Barbara E. Haig, Alonzo Fox, John K. Andrews, Jr., John V. Brennan, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., Sarah Coffey, Karen Coffey, Vernon C. Coffey, III, Craig Coffey, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:57 am to 12:31 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 679-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 679-8 Date: March 7, 1972 Time: 10:57 am - 12:31 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. Florida trip -Rest -The People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip The President talked with Timothy G. Elbourne between 10:57 am and 10:58 am. [Conversation No. 679-8A] [See Conversation No. 21-9] [End of telephone conversation] William P. Rogers -The President’s view -The President’s remarks at Andrews Air Force Base, February 28, 1972 -The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung -Chou En-lai -Newsweek -Press clippings -State Department The President’s schedule -John B. Connally meeting -Time 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Meeting on economic issues -Wage Board and Price Commission -Rogers meeting -The President’s view -Haldeman -Possible line -Henry A. Kissinger -Backgrounder -Haldeman’s view Rogers -PRC trip -Mao Tse-tung meeting -Rogers’s attendance -Press -Marshall Green -Stewart J. O. Alsop [?] -Kissinger -State Department -Stewart Alsop [?] and Kissinger -Columnists -Understanding of totalitarian society -Role of foreign minister -Kissinger -The President’s view -John A. Scali -Work with Congress -Press conference -Haldeman’s view -Bryce N. Harlow -Kissinger International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case -Television coverage -Dita Beard memorandum -Press -Beard’s doctor ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 1m 12s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 ****************************************************************************** The President’s schedule -Patrick J. Buchanan -Meeting 1972 campaign -High School poll -Detroit Free Press ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 37s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ****************************************************************************** -Votes -Dixville Notch, New Hampshire -News shows -Democrats -Edmund S. Muskie -George S. McGovern -Republicans -The President American Broadcasting Company [ABC] news documentary -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -PRC trip 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Timing -Kissinger Rogers -Kissinger -Shanghai Communiqué -Scali -Marvin L. [?] Kalb -Ziegler, Richard A. Moore -Talk with Haldeman Schools -Neil H. McElroy Commission -Report -Multiracial experience -Blacks -Mexicans -Jews -Catholics -Christian Scientists ITT case -Strategy -Charles W. Colson -Big business -Press reports -Coverage -White House involvement -Campaign -Beard -Memorandum -Lobbyists -Compared to Congressional staff Television publicity for the PRC trip -ABC news documentary -Mrs. Nixon -Possible perception -Report to the nation -Rogers -Television appearances -Kissinger 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Rogers -The President -Marvin L. Kalb -Herbert G. Klein -Television -Haldeman’s view -Timing -PRC trip -Rogers -Television appearance -Sunday talk shows -New Hampshire primary -Florida primary -Kissinger -PRC -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr. -John N. Ashbrook Rogers -Previous talk with Haldeman -Stewart Alsop [?] article -State Department -PRC trip -Columnists -Kissinger -Rogers’s meeting with Chou En-lai -State Department’s view -Taiwan, Republic of China -Japan -Korea -Soviet Union -Connally’s view -Haldeman’s view -Forthcoming US-Soviet summit -Plenary session -Leonid I. Brezhnev -Compared to Mao Tse-tung -Planning sessions -Kissinger -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin -Meeting with the President -Planning sessions for PRC trip 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Marshall Green -State Department -Session on biological warfare -Loyalty -White House The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 10:58 am and 11:35 am. [Conversation No. 679-8B] Request for Ehrlichman to come to the Oval Office [End of telephone conversation] Buchanan -Possible resignation -Shelley A. (Scarney) Buchanan -Kissinger, Ehrlichman and Haldeman meeting -Buchanan’s career potential -Editorial writer -St. Louis Globe-Democrat -Chicago Tribune -Richard Blumentahal [?] Ehrlichman entered at 11:35 am. The President left at an unknown time between 11:35 and 11:41 am. -Meeting with Haldeman -Possible resignation -Shelley Buchanan The President re-entered at an unknown time between 11:35 and 11:41 am. -Resignation of staff members -The President’s view -Possible resignation -Haldeman’s view -Role in PRC trip -Shanghai Communiqué -Toasts 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Take-off speeches -Hawaii -Guam -Arrival statements -Alaska -Writing skill -Arrival statement -Staff as consultants -The President’s view -Speechwriting -Press relations -Possible resignation -Lack of substantive work -News summaries -Press conferences -Memoranda -Ehrlichman Kissinger entered at 11:41 am. PRC trip -Connally -Forthcoming talk with Kissinger -Shanghai Communiqué -Rogers -State Department -Secretaries of State -Presence on trips -Rogers’s efforts at previous summits -The President’s meeting with Georges J. R. Pompidou -Azores -Kissinger’s efforts -Connally PRC Trip -Rogers -Status of PRC Foreign Minister -Rogers possible meeting with Chou En-lai -Secretaries Of State -Andrei A. Gromyko 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Politburo -Chinese -Rogers and Kissinger -The President’s first meeting with Chou En-lai -Rogers’s meeting with the PRC Foreign Minister -US presence in Asia -The President’s initial speech -Chou En-lai -Kissinger’s view -Rogers -Rogers’s statements -Cabinet meeting -US presence in Asia -Africa -Memoranda of conversations -Timing -John H. Holdridge -Winston Lord -Green ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 [National Security] [Duration: 41s ] PRC END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 ***************************************************************** -Rogers’s meeting with Chou En-lai -State Department -Chinese -Time Magazine -Hugh S. Sidey -Kissinger -Green 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -Shanghai Communiqué -The President’s view -Meeting with foreign leaders -Latin America -Leaks -The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung -Soviet summit -Rogers -State Department -Previous talk with Haldeman -Forthcoming meeting with the President Issues facing the President -Foreign policy -Busing -Welfare reform -The President’s forthcoming meeting with Rogers -Re-election -ITT case -John N. Mitchell PRC Trip -The President’s meetings with Chou En-lai -Mao Tse-tung -Ceremonies -Rogers -Shanghai Communiqué -Meeting with Haldeman -Kissinger -Changes to the communiqué -Politburo -Drafting -October draft -Concessions -Taiwan -Forthcoming US-Soviet summit -Foreign policy -White House -State Department -Media -State Department’s efforts -Significance 22 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -India-Pakistan war -Rogers -Press conference -Taiwan -Memorandum -Report on foreign policy -Kissinger’s view-Connally -Meeting with Kissinger -Meeting with Haldeman -The President’s meeting with Pompidou -Azores Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:41 am. Forthcoming promotion ceremonies Bull left at an unknown time before 12:02 pm. Busing -Constitutional amendment -Congressional leaders -Blacks Mr. and Mrs. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Barbara E. Haig, Alonzo Fox, John K. Andrews, John V. Brennan and Bull entered at 12:02 pm; the White House photographer was present. Greetings Photographs Beard -Doctor’s testimony Haig’s work Haig, et al., except Bull left at 12:04 pm. The President’s schedule -Vernon C. Coffey, Jr. and family Bull left and Coffey, Sarah Coffey, Karen Coffey, Vernon C. Coffey, III, Craig Coffey, Andrews, Brennan, and Brig. Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft entered at 12:04 pm; the White House 23 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) photographer was present. Greetings Photographs Haig Coffey’s promotion Presentation of gifts Vacation Coffey, et al. left at 12:09 pm. The President’s advisors -Soviet trip -Buchanan -William L. Safire -The President’s consultation with advisors -Ehrlichman’s experience -Busing -Leaks -Moratorium -Constitutional amendment -Buchanan, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Safire, Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin -Leaks -State Department PRC trip -McGeorge Bundy’s view -Rogers -The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung -Media reaction -Media coverage -Speculation Cabinet -Relationship with Presidents -Abraham Lincoln -Dwight D. Eisenhower 24 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) -John Foster Dulles -John F. Kennedy -Lyndon B. Johnson -Harry S. Truman -Dean G. Acheson -Franklin D. Roosevelt -Eisenhower -Dulles -Trips -Rogers -State Department -Record of meeting -Leaks -Rogers -Briefing by Kissinger Busing Kissinger left at 12:20 pm. -Forthcoming paper -Language -McElroy Commission report -Day care centers -School districts -Reorganization into multi-racial schools -McElroy -James S. Coleman -George P. Shultz -Governor of Virginia -Haldeman -The Presdent’s experience -Athletics -Nathaniel George -William Brock -Coleman -Burden on schools -Gerald R. Ford -Letter -J. Stanley Pottinger -Edward L. Morgan -Unknown lawyer 25 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Campaign spending -Regulations -Elmer B. Staats -Laws -Republicans -Veto Social security -Possible increase -The President’s possible approval -Shultz -Legislation -Clark MacGregor -Possible Ehrlichman, Shultz, Ford, Leslie C. Arends, Robert P. Griffin, Hugh Scott meeting ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 2m 24s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9 ****************************************************************************** 1972 campaign -New Hampshire primary -Japanese Government lobbyists -Wilbur D. Mills -Connally -Milk producers 26 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 47s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10 ****************************************************************************** General Motors [GM] -James M. Roche -Richard C. Gerstenberg -Possible meeting with the President -Shultz Haldeman and Ehrlichman left at 12:31 pm.