Conversation: 701-009
Prev: 701-008 Next: 701-010Start Date: 4-Apr-1972 10:46 AM
End Date: 4-Apr-1972 11:46 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Eisenhower, Julie Nixon; [Unknown person(s)]; Bull, Stephen B.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:13:31
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:12:47
NARA Description:
On April 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, unknown person(s), and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:46 am to 11:46 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 701-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 701-9
Date: April 4, 1972
Time: 10:46 am - 11:46 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Robert S. Ingersoll
-Praise from the President
-Comments on the President's foreign policy
-Lincoln Memorial
-Abraham Lincoln
-Compared with the President
Political support for the President
-General public
-Gallup poll
-Press
Press
-Ronald L. Ziegler's list of names
-Number
-Hugh S.Sidey
-John F. Osborne
-Friends of the President
-Return calls
-Peter C. Andrews of Buffalo Courier Express
-New Republic and Life
-News summary
-References to Sidey and Osborne
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Importance
-Friendly journalists
-Potential importance
-Andrews
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Unfriendly journalists
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Ziegler
-Osborne
-Possible influence
-Sidey
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Avoidance
-Haldeman's enforcement
Julie Nixon Eisenhower entered at 10:49 am.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 46s ]
Julie Nixon Eisenhower left at 10:53 am.
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
White House Staff
-Parties
-The President’s concern
-Movies
-Paul Fisher
Photographs of the President
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Problems
-William L. Safire
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Selection
-Frank Leonard
-John R. (“Tex”) McCrary
-Leonard
-Similarities of style
-Atkins
-Photographs of the President
-Image presentation
-Eye on Nixon
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 19s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
News summary
-Comments on the President's personality
-Source
-Osborne
-Spectrum
-Unknown journalist
-The President's trips
-Human interest stories
-Trip to People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Press reports
-Trip to PRC
-Impact
-Presentation of the President as a person
-The President’s image
Julie Nixon Eisenhower entered at 10:58 am.
Photograph session
-Scheduling
-Atkins
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-The President's availability
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Location
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
-Time and day
-Family picture
-Preparations
-Timing
-Mrs. Nixon
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
-Preparations
-Mrs. Nixon
Julie Nixon Eisenhower left at 11:00 am.
*****************************************************************
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 16s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
Press
-Attacks
-Press conferences
-Unknown White House staffer’s suggestion
-Imitation of John F. Kennedy
-Kennedy's conferences
-Comparisons to current administration
-Reports in press
-Contents
-The President's conferences
-Handling by media
-Comparisons
-Osborne and Sidey
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
-Ziegler
-Osborne
-Journalists
-Cultivation of friends
-President’s instructions
-1972 election
-Ziegler
Drug speech
-TV appearance
-John D. Ehrlichman's advice
-Other’s view
-Need for reason
-President’s previous conversation with Ehrlichman
-Fireside chats
-Radio
-Value
-Photographs
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Value
-Florida trip
-Timing
-Hotline
-Timing
-Plans
-TV coverage
-Haldeman’s opinion
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
-George S. McGovern
-Statements
-Denials
-Corporate taxes
-Amount
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] reports
-Misrepresentation
-Media hostility to the President
-McGovern's reception by press
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 53s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
*****************************************************************
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Contributions
-Republicans
-Maurice H. Stans's statement
-Richard A. Moore
-Legal requirements
-John N. Mitchell
-Amounts
-Publicity
-W. Clement Stone
-John A. (“Jack”) Mulcahy
-Problems
-List of contributors
-Publication of list
-Problems
-Current actions
-Jackson
-List of contributors
-Publication
-The President's contributors
-List of names
-Publication
-Effect on primaries
-A mailing
-Results
-List
-Publication
-Publicity
-John W. Gardner's criticisms
-Public reaction
-Criticisms of the President's campaign
-Reaction
-ITT
-Democrats
-Edward M. Kennedy
William P. Rogers
-Trip
-Announcement
-Possible timing
George H. Gallup group
-Call to Haldeman’s office
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-PRC trip
-Relations with White House
-Louis P. Harris
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Charles W. Colson
-Reports to the White House
-Interest in the polls
-Figures
-Problems
-Sampling techniques
Media
-Writers
-Appearances on Television
-Credibility
-Neil MacNeil from Time
-Spectrum television show
-ITT case
-Harm to administration
-Credibility
-Press relations
-Peter Lisagor
-Sidey
-James Keogh
-Osborne
-Boycott
-President Nixon and the Press
-Condensation in Reader's Digest
-Readership
-Comparisons
Acupuncture
-Interest
-Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis
-Articles
-Gen. Walter R. Tkach
-Article
-Interest
-Fascination
-Age of technique
-PRC
-Abolition and reinstatement by Mao Tse-tung
-Cultural revolution
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Article by James A. Michener
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 11s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:00 am.
The President's schedule
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:46 am.
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 17s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
*****************************************************************
Polling Presidential popularity
-Thomas W. Benham’s analysis and numbers
-Major issues
-Reversals in public opposition
-November 3, 1969 speech on Vietnam
-Cambodia
-Economic discussions of Phases I and II
-PRC trip
-High points
-Attrition
-Reasons
-Beginning of term
-Successes
-High approval
-Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson and Harry S. Truman
-Unsolvable problems
-Approval downturn
-Vietnam
-Impact
-Republican minority
-Public support
-Depth
-Expectations
-Current strategy
-Problems
-Inflation
-Food prices
-Labor
-Food prices
-Food chains
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Reduction of prices
-Safeway stores
-Advertisements
-Possible price freeze
-Weak areas
-Groups
-Independents
-Reasons for voting
-Party loyalty
-Importance
-Mitchell
-New voters
-Party affiliation
-Independence
-The President's inroads
-Vietnam
-PRC opening
-End of draft
-Women
-High prices
-Administration record
-Equal opportunity
-Appointments
-Nixon family
-Concerns
-Status of women
-Patricia R. Hitt
-Young women
-Liberal leanings and idealism
-ITT
-Budget consciousness
-Cost of goods
-The President and Muskie
-Comparisons
-The President's personality
-Projection
-Importance
-Press
-Awards
-Presentation of awards
-Timing
-Image as President rather than as candidate
-Course of the President's popularity over first term
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-High and low points discussed
-Moon landing
-November 3, 1969 speech on Vietnam
-Withdrawal from Cambodia
-Laos
-Pentagon papers
-Phase I and Phase II discussions
-PRC trip
-Gallup poll
-Range
-John F. Kennedy
-Johnson
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 48s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
*****************************************************************
Media
-Radio speech on drugs
Education
-Forthcoming speech to the National Catholic Education Association [NCEA]
-Ehrlichman
-Draft
-Timing
-Problems
-Non-public schools
-Aid
-Colson
-Administration's position
-Division within White House
-Harris polls
-Results
-Catholic attitudes
-George P. Shultz's study
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Ehrlichman
-Financing
-Tuition
-Parish funds
-Contributions
-Tax deductibility
-Problems
-Non-Catholic students
-Percentage
-Shultz and Ehrlichman
-Opposition to aid
-Shultz
-Support for private schools
-Ehrlichman
-Busing issue
-Busing
-Forum for handling
-Television press conferences
Media relations
-The President’s recent press conference
-Press reports on the President's tone and physical condition
-Osborne
-Sidey
-Lisagor
-Sidey
-The President's aging
-Description from Sidey
-Osborne
-Comments
-Difference of opinion
-The President's press conferences
-Reports
-The President's tenseness
-Dan Rather
-Inaccuracies
-Press conferences
-President’s dislike
-Keogh's book
-Osborne's review
-Possible press corps view of the President
-Press boycotts
-Osborne
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Ziegler’s role
-Sidey
-Osborne
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:00 am.
The President's meeting with Prisoner of War/Missing in Action [POW-MIA] lawyers
-Press picture
-Advantages
-American Bar Association [ABA]
-Format
-Number
-[Louis] Patrick Gray, III
-Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:45 am.
John B. Connally
-Illness
-Return home
-Postponement of meeting with Arthur F. Burns
Haldeman left at 11:45 am.