Conversation: 717-019
Prev:  717-018 Next: 717-020Start Date: 2-May-1972 12:08 PM
End Date: 2-May-1972 12:42 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:11:20
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:47:47
NARA Description:
On May 2, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:08 pm to 12:42 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 717-019 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 717-19 Date: May 2, 1972 Time: 12:08-12:42 pm Location: Oval Office 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. President's schedule -President's meeting with Richard A. Moore and Richard G. Kleindienst -Preparations -Recommendations J. Edgar Hoover's funeral -Arrangements -Law enforcement officials -Television coverage -Setting -Arlington National Cemetery -Church -President's eulogy -Patrick J. Buchanan -Raymond K. Price, Jr. -John K. Andrews, Jr. -Setting -President's presence -The Kennedy family -John Foster Dulles -Outside -Weather -Television problems -Crowds -Arlington National Cemetery -Beauty -Ceremony -Police chiefs -Guard of honor -Airplanes Vietnam -Negotiations -Henry A. Kissinger’s meeting with Melvin R. Laird -Expectations -President’s meeting with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -North Vietnamese demands -Overthrow of Nguyen Van Thieu 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 717-19 (cont.) -Kissinger’s record -The President’s view -Haig’s view -Dealings with North Vietnam -Raising hopes of the public -President's position -Demands -Ceasefire -Coalition government -President's response -American public opinion -South Vietnamese morale -Soviet Summit -Possible cancellation -Kissinger's response -Possible postponement by the President -Conditioner -US options -Possible public reaction -Soviet trip -Mohammed Reza Pahlavi [Shah of Iran] -Soviet Summit -Kissinger -Haig -President's critics -Public support -Postponement -Conditions -North Vietnamese offensive -Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN] response -Negotiations -North Vietnamese demands -Thieu -US response -North Vietnamese offensive -US air strikes -Hanoi-Haiphong area -Impact on negotiations Soviets -Kissinger's visit 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 717-19 (cont.) -Gains -Strategic Arms Limitations Talks [SALT] -Haig -Announcement -Kissinger -Ronald L. Ziegler -Gerard C. Smith -Public appeal -Ziegler Vietnam -US policy -Press reports -Divisions within the Administration -Kissinger -William P. Rogers -Kissinger -The President’s view -Role of the press -John A. Scali -Statements on President's role Press -Criticism -John D. Ehrlichman -Spiro T. Agnew -Location -Secrecy issue -New York Times -Pulitzer Prize -Clark MacGregor Vietnam -Public relations efforts -Congress -Haiphong strikes -Public relations efforts -Press -Critics -Visibility -Democratic caucus 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 717-19 (cont.) Hoover -Eulogy by the President -Length -Criticism -Previous replacement efforts -The President’s view Stock market Economy -General situation -Wholesale Price Index [WPI] -Unemployment -Prices -Employment Vietnam -Soviet Summit -Impact of North Vietnamese offensive -Public relations problems -Toasting of Leonid I. Brezhnev -Signing of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] -Polling of public response -Relation to North Vietnamese offensive -President's cancellation of Summit -Statement -Wording -Public opinion -Conditions for Summit -Poll -Question -Relation to Summit -North Vietnamese offensive -State at time of President's trip -North Vietnamese offensive -Populated areas -US morale -Public relations efforts -Charles W. Colson -Release of poll results 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 717-19 (cont.) Hoover -Funeral at Arlington National Cemetary -Qualifications -Amphitheater -Seating -Haldeman’s view -Marine Band -Music scores -John Foster Dulles -Military services -Funeral -Military funeral -President's waiver -Location -Arlington National Cemetery -Demonstrators -Crowd control -President's announcement -Kleindienst -Death -Announcement President's radio speech -Subjects Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:08 pm. President's meeting with Haig Bull left at an unknown time before 12:42 pm. Radio speech by President -Price -Timing -Tenor of speech -Timing -Moscow trip President's schedule -Trips 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Dec-01) Conv. No. 717-19 (cont.) -Ehrlichman -Naval Academy visit -Trip to Texas -Dallas -John B. Connally ranch -Press focus -Television coverage -Size of crowd -Meeting with press -Naval Academy visit -Ehrlichman’s view Public relations -Vietnam issue -Ehrlichamn’s and Colson’s view -Headlines -Meeting with Connally -Hoover -Unemployment -President's moves -Food prices -President's identification -Visit to supermarket -Colson -Marina von N. Whitman -Unemployment -Visit to jobless line in Buffalo, New York -President's efforts -Personal identification -Vietnam Haldeman left at 12:42 pm.