Conversation: 725-024
Prev:  725-023 Next: 725-025Start Date: 16-May-1972 10:23 AM
End Date: 16-May-1972 10:52 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:26:48
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:58:44
NARA Description:
On May 16, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:23 am to 10:52 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 725-024 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 725-24 Date: May 16, 1972 Time: 10:23 am - 10:52 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler. Ziegler's location -Talk with James J. Kilpatrick -Soviet trip Soviet trip -Richard Wilson -Ralph deToledano -Funds -Victor Lasky -Hobart D. (“Hobe”) Lewis -Call from Ziegler -President's instructions -deToledano and Lasky -The President’s view -Reader's Digest -Seeds of Treason -Alger Hiss case -Excerpted in Reader's Digest -Lewis -Call from Ziegler -deToledano and Lasky -President's confidence -Knowledge President's schedule -John B. Connally -Resignation -Announcement -President's statement on George C. Wallace -President's previous statement -Connally, George P. Shultz, Caspar W. Weinberger -Location -President's statement on Wallace -Dr. William M. Lukash -Dr. Walter R. Tkach 29 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Wallace's condition -Dr. Tkach -Talk with Mrs. Wallace -Wallace's future location -Alabama -Walter Reed Hospital -Dr. Tkach -President's offer of services -Dr. Tkach -Position -Walter Reed compared with Bethesda Hospital -President's offer of services -Plane to Alabama -Conally's appearance -President's statement on Wallace Wallace -Assassination attempt -President's previous statement -Tone -Coverage -President's appearance -Comparison with Hubert H. Humphrey and George S. McGovern statements -President's tone -New York Times editorial President's schedule -Walk to Treasury Department -Connally -Shultz -Meeting -Handshaking with White House tourists -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Impression conveyed -Secret Service -Public concern about safety -The President’s view -Calls to Ziegler -Need for balance -Press concerns -Helen Thomas -News coverage 30 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) The President talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 10:23 and 10:30 am. [Conversation No. 725-24A] Haldeman -Meeting with Ziegler [End of telephone conversation] President's schedule -Public concern about safety -A reception (Blue Room?) -Persons present Haldeman entered at 10:30 am. -Walk to Treasury Department -Impression conveyed -Connally -Shultz -Pace -Picture with crowd -Public concern for the Presidents -Public impression of safety -New York Times editorial -Television appearances -President's opinion -Walk to Treasury Department -Connally -Shultz -Meeting White House tourists -Announcement -Timing -Duration -Meeting with Bangladesh diplomats -Time -Cabinet meeting -Time -Walk to Treasury Department -Time -Press briefing -Connally 31 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Questions -Timing of resignation -Questions -Support for Democratic presidential candidate -The President’s view -Soviet trip -Press arrangements -Time -Consultation with Henry A. Kissinger -Consultation with Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's plans -Consequences of delay -Press list -Approval -Schedule -Camp David -Arrival day -Departure day -Purpose -Henry A. Kissinger's briefing books -Peter G. Peterson -President's Sunday reading -Duration -Normal Sunday activities ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 1m 3s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 ********************************************************************** Wallace -Assassination attempt -President's previous statement -Ziegler's evaluation -Television -Compared with McGovern -Compared with Humphrey 32 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Tone -Calls to Ziegler -News coverage -Tone -Appearance -Appropriateness -Mrs. Nixon's appearance White House redecoration -Blue Room -Calls to Mrs. Nixon -Evaluations -Washington Post -The President’s view -Mrs. Nixon's response -New York Times -Furniture arrangement -Wallpaper -Colors -Other rooms to be redecorated -Red Room -Green Room -State Dining Room -East Room -Delay -State Dining Room -Needs -Improvements -Oval Office -Response of visitors, President Vietnam -Change in past week -Kissinger -Position -The President’s view -Lot's wife -Soviet summit -Change in morale -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -The President’s view -American people -West Point -USS Albany 33 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Compared with American students on college campuses -The President’s view -Demonstrations -North Vietnam -Effect of blockade -Cutoff of Cambodia -Comparison to 1968 -Cutoff of sealanes -Effect of bombing -Bridges -Oil dumps -A bridge -News photograph -Kontum Bridge -Weaponry needed -South Vietnam -Troops -Morale -Evalutated -Press coverage -Washington Post -Washington Star -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II [?] -Washington Post -Comments on Firebase Bastogne capture -Martin Z. "Agronsky and Company" show -Effect on Soviet summit -Participants Soviet summit -Press corps -Peter Lisagor -deToledano -Lasky -Kilpatrick -George Healy -Talk with Ziegler -Friendly press -Frank van der Linden -Call from Ziegler -Texas representation -Robert Baskin -Dallas Morning News -Margaret Mayer 34 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Dallas Times Herald -President's instructions -Columbus, Ohio representation -Television -George Putnam -The President’s view -G. Duncan Bauman -Putnam -Problems -Compared to William F. Buckley, Jr. and PRC trip -Bauman -St. Louis Globe-Democrat -John F. Osborne -Discussions -The President’s view -Hugh S. Sidey -Discussions -Osborne -Sidey -Comments to Ziegler about People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip -Number in press corps -Number of press going to Soviet Union -Sidey -The President’s view -Opinion of John F. Kennedy -Lisagor -Earl Mazo 35 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) ************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6 [Privacy] [Duration: 26s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ********************************************************************** -Freelance work on previous trip to Moscow President's schedule -Walk to Treasury Ziegler left at 10:48 am. -Shultz -Duration -Protection Trade matters -President's meeting with Donald Mc. I. Kendall -President's memorandum -Maurice H. Stans -Meeting with Peter G. Peterson and Peter M. Flanigan on Soviet trade -Kendall's report -Peterson -The President’s view -Kissinger -Compared to Flanigan -The President’s view -Flanigan -The President’s view -President's Soviet trip 36 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02) -Peterson and Flanigan -Kissinger -Knowledge of economics -Economic negotiations -Flanigan -Joint Economic Commission -Purpose -Credits -Duration -Consumables -Kissinger's position -Peterson's role -Guidance from Stans -Guidance from Kissinger -Kissinger's role -Peterson -Connally -Economic advisors Blue Room redecoration -Call to Mrs. Nixon -Rose Mary Woods -Nellie L. Yates -Stephen B. Bull -Reviews ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 6s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ********************************************************************** -Reviews Haldeman left at 10:52 am. 37 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan-02)