Conversation: 789-006
Prev: 789-005 Next: 789-007Start Date: 30-Sep-1972 10:56 AM
End Date: 30-Sep-1972 12:00 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Kissinger, Henry A.; White House operator; Price, Raymond K., Jr.; Bull, Stephen B.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On September 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, White House operator, Raymond K. Price, Jr., and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:56 am to 12:00 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 789-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 789-6
Date: September 30, 1972
Time: 10:56 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President’s schedule
-Recent Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT] signing ceremony for Joint
Resolution
-[Treaty] Room
1972 election
-Los Angeles demonstration, September 27, 1972
-Photographs
-Size of demonstration
-Physical appearance
-Signs
-Anti-war group
-George S. McGovern, R. Sargent Shriver
-Vietnam casualties
-Alleged Communist affiliation
-Jews
-Vietcong [VC] flags
-Hard hat action
-Plans
-International Brotherhood of Teamsters
-Charles W. Colson
-Donald Kalish
-University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]
-Alleged Communism
-Vietnam casualties
-Killed in Action [KIA]
-Possible publication
-U.S. News and World Report
-Film
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 20s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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Defense contracts
-McDonnell-Douglas
-Press interviews of aerospace industry workers
-St. Louis
-Thomas Victor Jones
-Union
-1972 campaign strategy
-Leaflets
-Timing
-F-15
-B-1
-McGovern
Campaign spending law
-New York Times or Washington Post story
-Constitutionality
-Lawyers for the Committee for the Reelection of the President [CRP]
argument
-Common Cause suit
-Federal Corrupt Practices Act
-Attempted stay
-Supreme Court
-Appeals
-Timing
-1972 election
-[Malcolm Richard Wilkey]
-Reappointment
-Compared to [Murray I. Gurfein] of New York
-Background
-Jewish identity
-Thomas E. Dewey
Appointments
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Rita E. Hauser
-John N. Mitchell
-United Nations [UN] Ambassadorship
-Background
-Jewish identity
-Woman
-New York Times report
-Unknown editorialist
-Positions
-Reelection of the President
-The President compared to McGovern
-Compared to the President
-Human rights
-Civil rights
-Vietnam
-Views on women
-The President’s possible victory margin
-Mitchell
-Jews
-Herbert Stein
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Leonard Garment
-Character
-Garment
Return of three Prisoners of War [POWs]
-News summary
-Cora Weiss and David Dellinger
-Barry M. Goldwater
-McGovern
-Maj. Edward K. Elias
-Wife
-Quote about reincarnation claim
-Weiss
-Manner
-Compared to Bella S. Abzug
-Lt. Norris A. Charles
-Lt. Markham L. Gartley
-Parents
-Elias
-Administration handling
-Elias
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Military hospital
-Wife
-Defense Department Handling
-Brig. Gen. Daniel ("Chappie") James, Jr.
-Skill as a spokesman
-North Vietnam propaganda
-Value
-Elias
-POW wives
-Point about tour
-Treatment by captors
-Quality
-Compared to unreleased pre-1067 POWs
-Value
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 9m 8s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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Public relations
-Polls
-Timing
-US-Soviet Union trade deal
-Wheat deal
-Announcement
-Kissinger
-Press briefings
-The President's recent talk with Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-SALT II
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Vietnam
-Focus on one subject at a time
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Previous Vietnam briefing
-Impact on Soviet Union briefing
-Ziegler
-Kissinger
-Kissinger’s Soviet Union briefing
-News impact
-Compared to Vietnam briefing
-Use of Kissinger
William P. Rogers's forthcoming attendance at Washington Post dedication
-Washington Post’s treatment of the President
-The President
-Rogers
-Mitchell
-White House staff
-Watergate
-Attention by other newspapers
-Orders to Cabinet
-Handling
-Possible phone calls from Alexander P. Butterfield
Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 10:56 am.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 47s ]
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 11:13 am.
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
Kissinger entered at 11:13 am.
The President’s meeting with Andrei A. Gromyko, October 2, 1972
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Talking points
-Rogers
-Vietnam peace plans
-Nuclear missile treaty [SALT II]
-Duration
-Statements
-Nuclear missile treaty [SALT II]
-Vietnam War
-Tone
-Vietnam War
-Concessions
-1972 election
-Military solution
-Restraints
Gromyko's schedule
-Camp David
-Rogers
-Return to the White House
-Kissinger's schedule
-Breakfast
-SALT signing ceremony
-Weather
-Rogers
-Breakfast
-The President's schedule
-Kissinger's schedule
-Camp David dinner
-Rogers's schedule
-The President's schedule
-Escort for Gromyko
-Rogers
-The President’s schedule
-Helicopter
-Dinner group
-Helicopter
-The President’s schedule
-Rogers's schedule
-Administration group
-Soviet Group
-Breakfast
-Breakfast
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Nuclear weapons, Vietnam
-The President's schedule
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin, Kissinger
-Map room
-Ceremony
-Map Room
-Embassy
-Ceremony
-Arrival
-Camp David
-Rogers
-The President's schedule
-Oval Office meeting
-Camp David
-Kissinger and Soviet group
-Rogers and State Department group
-Dinner
-Helicopter
-Aspen Lodge
-Return to White House
-Rogers
-Gromyko
-Dobrynin
-Kissinger
-Second helicopter
Maritime agreement
-Signing
-Timing
-Colson
-Conversation with Kissinger
-White House setting
-Commerce Department
-SALT
-Jobs
-The President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Political leadership meeting
-John B. Connally's broadcast
-[Camp David]
-SALT
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
The President’s schedule
-Wholesale Price Index [WPI]
-[Camp David]
-Meeting with Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
-Executive prerogative
-Purpose
-The President's appearance at retirement ceremony [for Adm. John S. McCain, Jr.,
September 1, 1972]
-Foreign policy
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Paris
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Camp David
-Vietnam
Vietnam Negotiations
-The press
-Settlement
-Prospects
-Deadline
-North Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese Proposal
-Nguyen Van Thieu’s acceptance
-North Vietnamese expectations
-Maurice Schumann
-Bombing Halt
The President's forthcoming meeting with Gromyko
-Rogers
-Vietnam
-US stance
-Military solution
-The President's previous talk with Shumann
-Diplomatic solution
Vietnam War
-Settlement
-North Vietnamese
-10-year involvement
-Losses
-Prospects
-Progress
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Current document
-Thieu’s tenure
-Thieu's tenure
-Administration image
-History’s verdict
-Public
-1972 election
-History’s verdict
-US allies
-South Vietnam government’s status
-North Vietnamese strategy
-Thieu's tenure
-Possibility of agreement
-Military solution
-US civilian and military leadership
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA] [Raymond L. Garthoff]
[sic]
-Gen Andrew J. Goodpaster's Deputy [Lt. Gen. Edward Rowny]
-Hard liners
-Defense Department
-JCS
-Paul H. Nitze
-Vietnamization
-Ground war
-South Vietnam's Air Force
-Compared to North Vietnam
-Navy Operations
-Carriers
-Air Cover
-Korea
-US Aircraft
-Plans
-Negotiations
-Prospects
-North Vietnamese leadership
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Chou En-Lai
-US Strategy
-Record
-Thieu’s tenure
-Imposition of communist government
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Military action
-Attrition
-Duration
-February 1973
-Dry season
-Effectiveness
-Bombing
-North Vietnamese position
-Offer
-Negotiation progress
-Previous position of North Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese control of army, police
-Government of Vietnam [GVN] status
-Present position of North Vietnamese
-North Vietnamese government advisory committee role
-GVN status
-The President's January 1972 peace proposal
-Concessions
-Le Duc Tho
-US stance
-Kissinger’s speeches
-Committee of National Reconciliation
-Thieu's reaction
-Previous offer in Electoral Commission
-Changes in North Vietnamese position
-July 1972
-Prospects
US foreign policy
-Negotiations with the Soviet Union
-Press reaction
-Joseph C. Kraft
-Recent Washington Post story
-The People's Republic of China [PRC]-Japan accord
-Impact on US
-Soviet Union
-McGovern
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Milton Viorst
-Washington Star article
-US policy towards Soviet Union, PRC
-Liberals
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Press
-Contact with Kissinger
-New York Times
1972 election
-McGovern
-Press and media support
-The President’s victory margin
The President's schedule
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Gromyko
-Rogers’s schedule
-Camp David
-Swimming
Kissinger left at 11:36 am.
Funding for the President's previous Texas trip
-Publicity
-Melvin R. Laird’s travels
Vietnam War
-Kissinger
-History’s verdict
-Foreign policy
-Allies
-Pre-1972 election
-Settlement
-Timing
-1972 election
-Polls
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 11m 16s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
The President's forthcoming radio speeches
-Raymond K. Price's, Jr.
-Schedule
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Domestic themes
-Kissinger
-Price
-Foreign policy speech
-Issues
-Environment
-Youth
-Future
-Foreign policy and national defense
-The President’s September 27, 1972 speech in San Francisco
-National security
-Economy
-Reform
-Price's schedule
-[Camp David]
-Ehrlichman's schedule
-Camp David
-Family
-Jeanne (Fisher) Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Campaigning
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:46 am and
11:52 am.
[Conversation No. 789-6A]
[See Conversation No. 30-35]
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
[End of telephone conversation]
The President's speeches
-Price's schedule
-Camp David
-Work
-Image with staff
-Companion
The President’s schedule]
-Camp David
-Edward C. Nixon
-Birch Lodge
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower's schedule
-Aspen Lodge
Polls
Administration activities
-Media coverage
-Tone
-Daily analysis
Haldeman talked with Price between 11:52 am and 11:54 am.
[Conversation No. 789-6B]
[See Conversation No. 30-36]
[End of telephone conversation]
Price’s schedule
-Staff
-Helicopter
-Edward Nixon
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
1972 election
-Radio speeches
-The President’s forthcoming conversation with Price
-Importance
-Supporters, record
-John Foster Dulles
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:54 am.
Colson's schedule
Weather
-Timing of Camp David trip
-Helicopter
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:00 pm.
Haldeman's schedule
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Ft. Wayne report
The President left at an unknown time after 11:54 am.
The President entered at an unknown time before 12:00 pm.
Ft. Wayne report
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Record
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Privacy]
[Duration: 52s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
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-Use
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:54 am.
Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s schedule
Helicopter
Colson's schedule
Haldeman’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:00 pm.
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 6s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
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Request for follow-up
Haldeman left at 12:00 pm.