Conversation: 719-022
Prev:  719-021 Next: 719-023Start Date: 4-May-1972 1:24 PM
End Date: 4-May-1972 1:51 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:22:53
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:49:10
NARA Description:
On May 4, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:24 pm to 1:51 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 719-022 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 719-22 Date: May 4, 1972 Time: 1:24-1:51 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. President's meeting with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters -President's report Haldeman's meeting with John B. Connally and Henry A. Kissinger 35 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 719-22 (cont.) Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 1:24 pm. Ronald L. Ziegler -Meeting with the President Butterfield left at an unknown time before 1:27 pm. Meeting with Connally -Haldeman's discussion -Connally's discussion -Polls Vietnam -Connally's advice -Necessity of victory -Kissinger -Military action -Bombing -Blockade -Soviet Summit -Cancellation -Responsibility -Soviet Union -Kissinger -Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong -Intensity -Targets -Civilian casualties -Paul N. McCloskey's charges -Press coverage -Kissinger's position -Soviet Summit -Soviet intentions -Cancellation -Kissinger's position -Bombing -President's decision -President's speech Ziegler entered at 1:27 pm. J. Edgar Hoover building 36 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 719-22 (cont.) -Announcement -Release President's eulogy -Ziegler's opinion Ziegler left at 1:31 pm. Vietnam -North Vietnam offensive -Soviet summit -Possible cancellation -President’s response -Blockade -Timing with summit -Advantages -Cancellation of summit -Connally’s advice -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Kissinger -Melvin R. Laird -President’s policies -Public support -South Vietnam performance -Morale -Kissinger’s opinion -Abrams’s opinion -Improvements -Effect of Kissinger’s trip to Moscow -Bombing -Risks to summit -Kissinger’s view -Blockade -Kissinger’s position -President’s position -Alexander M. Haig, Jr’s position -The President’s view -Bombing -Impact on North Vietnam -North Vietnam dikes -Kissinger’s opinion -Soviet summit 37 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 719-22 (cont.) -Possible cancellation -Connally’s advice -President’s opinion -Comparison to U-2 incident -Effect on Dwight D. Eisenhower -Connally’s view of public opinion -On Vietnam -On summit cancellation -On People's Republic of China [PRC] visit -President’s military response -Kissinger’s position on cancellation -Connally’s position on cancellation -Soviet initiative -US military action -Blockade -Support from Kissinger, military -Problems -Future North Vietnam negotiations with Democratic President -Kissinger’s position -Bombing -Civilian casualties -President’s assessment of Connally’s advice -Soviet summit -Possible cancellation -Connally’s position -Kissinger’s position -Bombing -Effect on summit -Responsibility -US military defeat -Political impact -Connally’s assessment of President's position -President’s standing with public -Soviet summit -Possible cancellation -US response -Bombing -Kissinger’s position -President’s attitude -Abrams -Position -Connally’s advice 38 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 719-22 (cont.) -Compared with Laird and William P. Rogers -Polls -Charles H. Percy's polls in Illinois -Statements on bombing -Necessity of blockade -Illinois attitudes -Effect of polls -US military defeat -Soviet summit -Possible cancellation -Kissinger’s position -Bombing -Advantages -Timing -Kissinger’s advice -The President’s view -Public opinion -Support for the president's actions -Damage -Gen. John W. Vogt's report Hoover funeral -President's eulogy -Reception -Delivery -President's conversation with Rev. Edward L.R. Elson -Photographs -Elson -President's arrival -President's eulogy -Length -Number of words -Time -References -Law and order -Patriotism -Critics -Biblical quotation -John K. Andrews, Jr. -Honor guard -William F. Rhatican's idea -US Army chorus 39 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 719-22 (cont.) -Pallbearers -Press reaction -The President’s view Vietnam -North Vietnam offensive -Bombing -Public reaction -Poll results -Initiation -Public reaction -Relation to Soviet Summit -Connally's views -Possible cancellation -Kissinger's view The President and Haldeman left at 1:51 pm.