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Conversation: 709-009

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Start Date: 17-Apr-1972 9:35 AM

End Date: 17-Apr-1972 10:32 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Ziegler, Ronald L.Sanchez, ManoloNixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Ziegler, Ronald L.Sanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:00:03

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:55:32

709a.mp3

709b.mp3

NARA Description:

On April 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:35 am to 10:32 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 709-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 709-9

Date: April 17, 1972
Time: 9:35 am - 10:32 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
                                        12

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


Richard G. Kleindienst confirmation
     -Meeting with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
          -Clark MacGregor
                -Call to Ervin
                      -Reason
                      -Paul J. Fannin
          -Next move
          -Likely result
                -Options
     -Russell B. Long's statment
     -John N. Mitchell
          -Belief in success
     -MacGregor
          -View of Kleindienst's chances
     -Democrats' strategy
          -Washington Post story
     -Replacement
          -Caspar W. Weinberger
                -Risks
                      -Rejection
          -Lewis F. Powell, Jr.
                -Risks
          -William French Smith
                -Interests
                      -Oil
                      -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
                -Prestige
          -Dean at Duke Law School
                -Qualities
                      -John D. Ehrlichman
                -Charles S. Rhyne
          -Washington Post story

News summaries
    -The President’s instructions
         -Cambodia and Laos
         -Screening
         -Vietnam
         -Developing stories
               -Republican National Convention [?]
               -The President's attention
                                        13

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


                -Haldeman's review
                     -Ehrlichman and Charles W. Colson

Issues
     -ITT
          -Colson
     -Busing
          -Ehrlichman's project
     -Vietnam
          -Cabinet meeting
                -Publicity
                     -Alarmism

The President's schedule
     -Camp David
          -Henry A. Kissinger
          -Length of stay
     -Monday
          -Kissinger's Paris meeting
     -Kissinger's Soviet trip
          -Public statements
                 -Cover
                       -Ehrlichman and Ronald L. Ziegler
                             -Comparisons to Key Biscayne
     -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
          -Return to US
     -Kissinger's trip
          -Meeting with Haig
                 -Report to the President
     -Camp David
          -Time
     -Press conference
          -Troop withdrawals announcement
     -The President's trip to Capitol
          -The President’s instructions
          -Press coverage
                 -Ziegler
                 -Problems
          -Entrance to building
                 -Blocking reporters
                                              14

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


     Kleindienst nomination
          -Mitchell
                -Support for Kleindienst

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:49 am.

     William P. Rogers's television appearance
          -Time

     Pandas
          -Photographs
               -Ziegler's conversation with Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
                    -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's schedule
               -Conflicts with table tennis event
                    -Two People’s Republic of China [PRC] stories
               -Ziegler's call to Mrs. Nixon
                    -Mrs. Nixon’s location
                    -Washington Post story
          -Musk oxen from the PRC
               -Sickness
          -Treatment in zoo
               -Washington Post story
               -Photographs
                    -Associated Press [AP] story
                    -Postponement
                           -Theodore H. Reed
          -Musk oxen
               -Sickness
          -Thelma C. (“Pat” ) Nixon's schedule
               -Photographs with pandas
               -Table tennis match
                    -Publicity
                    -Schedule of team

     Table tennis
          -PRC’s team visit
                -Publicity value
                -Mrs. Nixon's schedule
                     -Ziegler's call
                            -Historic significance
                     -Postponement of appearance with pandas
                                        15

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


                -Scheduling problems

The President's schedule
     -Meeting with Polish Ambassador, Witold Trampczynski
          -Photographs
                 -Kissinger
                 -Arrangements
          -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] trip
                 -The President’s upcoming conversation with Kissinger
                 -Ramifications

Soviet summit
     -Ziegler's line
          -Answer to USSR and PRC protests on Vietnam
     -Rogers
          -Melvin R. Laird
     -Bombing
          -Impact
          -Ziegler's statements
                  -Guidelines
                       -Possible questions
     -New York Times
          -Terence F. Smith
                  -Story about Hue
     -World War I
          -France and Germany
          -Verdun
                  -Losses
                  -Symbolism
     -White House staff
          -Conversations with New York Times reporters
                  -Prohibitions
                  -Robert B. Semple, Jr.

Vietnam
     -Ziegler's comments
          -Protests
          -Edmund S. Muskie and Hubert H. Humphrey
                 -Counterattacks
          -North Vietnamese invasion
                 -Failure
                                  16

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/06)
                                                           Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


                  -Resolutions in the US Senate
-Critics
      -North Vietnamese invasion
            -Lack of criticism
            -US policies
            -Rhetoric
                  -Criticism
      -Support for the enemy and hostility toward South Vietnam
      -Rogers's statement
            -White House support
-Negotiations
      -Ziegler's statements
-Bombing
      -Limitations
            -The President’s previous conversation with Rogers
      -Cessation
            -Nuclear weapons
            -Withdrawal of US forces across the demilitarized zone [DMZ]
            -Conditions
                  -Wording
-South Vietnam
      -Praise
-US Air Force [USAF]
      -Praise
      -Defensiveness
-Bombing
      -Escalation of debate
            -Colson and Kissinger
                  -Kissinger’s view
            -Democrat attacks
-Critics
      -Answer
      -Need to defend South Vietnam and US airmen and seamen
      -Current line
      -Muskie
      -United Nations [UN] consideration
            -UN Security Council
                  -Humphrey's resolution
                        -President’s view
                  -Soviet and PRC vetoes
                        -Humphrey as Vice President
                                               17

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


                -Muskie's resolution
                      -Cessation of all operations by US
                -Ziegler's responses
                      -Individual attacks
                -Rogers
           -The President's decision to bomb
           -The President’s instructions to Ziegler
           -Press
                -Hugh S. Sidey and John F. Osborne
                      -Boycott
           -The President's decision to bomb
                -Ziegler's response
           -Soviet summit
                -The President’s previous conversation with Kissinger
                      -Possible comments by Kissinger
           -US policies
                -Hard line
                -Defense of policies
                      -Attack from Democrats
                      -Counterattack
                      -Posture of confidence
           -Negotiations
                -Ziegler's statement
                      -The President's November 25th speech
                      -US policies and record of Administration
                      -Private channels
                -Release of record
                      -Embarrassment of press
                            -“Red faces”
                      -Rogers's statement

     Mrs. Nixon
          -Ziegler's upcoming telephone call
          -PRC related stories
               -Number
               -Pandas
               -Table tennis game

Ziegler left at 10:12 am.

     Vietnam
                                        18

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                         Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


     -Public relations
          -Press reports
                 -Embarrassment
                 -Colson
                 -Spiro T. Agnew
                       -Attacks
                       -Patrick J. Buchanan speech
          -Nelson A. Rockefeller and Ronald W. Reagan
                 -Joint statement
          -Agnew
                 -Schedule and location
                 -Buchanan
                       -Draft of speech
                             -Criticism of critics

Rogers
    -Relations with Kissinger
         -Conflict
               -Possible action taken by Kissinger

Unknown treaty

Vietnam
      -Unknown lieutenant colonel
      -North Vietnam
      -Press
           -President’s view
Press
      -Quality
           -Decline
           -Richard (“Dick”) Wilson
           -William S. White
                 -Public relations
      -White House
           -Indifference to press hostility
      -An Loc
           -Television media reports
      -Terence F. Smith
           -Conversation with unknown White House aide
                 -Identity of aide
                      -Story of Hue loss
                                         19

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


     -Joseph W. Alsop

Moon shot
    -Audience
          -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
          -Diplomatic Corps
                -Invitations
                      -Acceptances
          -The President's daughters
          -Haldeman’s children [?]
    -Television equipment
          -Increase in amount of coverage

The President's schedule
     -William M. Colmer luncheon
     -Bicentennial Gardens
           -Location
     -Frank T. Bow
           -Meeting with the President
                 -Future plans
     -Colmer luncheon
           -Seating
                 -Bow
                      -Age

Vietnam
     -Edward M. Kennedy
          -Criticism about Vietnam
                -White House strategy
     -White House position
          -Public opinion
          -Hawkishness
     -Supporters
          -Rockefeller
                -Kissinger [?]
          -Young Americans for Freedom [YAF]
                -Input
     -White House staff
          -Buchanan
          -Timidity
          -Show of pride for administration
                                             20

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                    Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


                      -Support for the President
          -Criticism of administration
          -Public reactions of leaders
                -British view [?]
          -Public support for administration
          -Leaders
                -Rockefeller
                -William F. (“Billy”) Graham
                      -Chancellor of University of North Carolina
          -North Vietnamese offensive
                -State Department
                -Public relations value
                      -Press reports
                            -Compared with Cambodian invasion
                            -North Vietnamese violations
                                  -Horror stories on television
                                  -Refugees
                            -US-South Vietnamese atrocities
                                  -Reports
          -North Vietnam
                -Propaganda about US advisors
                -Truck driver incident

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:12 am.

          -US bombing of Haiphong
               -Sanchez’s view
                    -North Vietnamese and Soviet complaints
                         -US responses

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 10:32 am.

          -North Vietnamese invasion
               -US responses
                     -Softness of American Society
          -White House staff
               -Problems
          -Soviet Summit
          -The President’s instructions to Haldeman

     White House staff
                                             21

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.)


          -Problems
          -Dealings with aides
                -Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz and Herbert G. Stein
          -Dealings with Cabinet officers
                -John B. Connally
          -Ehrlichman and Haldeman
                -Dealings with Connally
                      -Meetings with the President

     Weather at Camp David
         -Spring
         -Sunlight
         -Rain and thunderstorms

     White House staff
          -Kissinger's staff

     Vietnam
          -Haig
          -B-52s
          -Navy
          -Success
          -Vietnamization
               -Muskie's criticism
                    -Cease-fire
                          -Problems

Haldeman left at 10:32 am.