Conversation: 815-006
Prev:  815-005 Next: 815-007Start Date: 24-Nov-1972 8:21 AM
End Date: 24-Nov-1972 8:56 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Bull, Stephen B.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On November 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, Stephen B. Bull, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:21 am to 8:56 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 815-006 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 815-6 Date: November 24, 1972 Time: 8:21 am - 8:56 am Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman. Second term reorganization -George W. Romney -Forthcoming meeting with Ehrlichman -Length -Forthcoming meeting with the President -Meeting with Ehrlichman -Announcement of departure -Romney’s Plans -Leaks to public -Republican-oriented civic group -Common Cause model -Announcement of Cabinet departures -Timing -Congress -Melvin R. Laird -Romney’s successor -Undersecretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] -Recess appointment -Confirmation -Richard C. Van Dusen -Timing -Congressional hearings on HUD -5- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Recess appointment -William Proxmire -Van Dusen -Romney's suggestions -Meeting with the President -Newspaper article -James T. Lynn -Resignation -John A. Volpe -Forthcoming meeting with Ehrlichman -First-term Cabinet -Domestic field -William P. Rogers -Ambassadorship -Changes in Cabinet -Rogers -Retention -Vietnam negotiations -Middle East -Domestic Cabinet -James D. Hodgson -Romney -Other assignments -Ambassadorship to Italy -Timing -1972 election -Graham A. Martin -Performance -Compared to Volpe -Dealings with Italians -Volpe’s Relationship with the President -Italian politics -Left wing -Volpe’s relationship with the President -State Department -Italian politics -Left wing -The President’s forthcoming meeting with Volpe -Volpe’s departure -Volpe’s performance -6- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Cabinet comments ****************************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] -1972 Election -Italian-American vote -Charles W. Colson’s comments -Public appearances [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ****************************************************************************** Second term reorganization -Volpe -Retention -Departure -Ambassadorship to Italy -Acceptance -Other cabinet members -Qualifications Vietnam negotiations -Settlement agreement -Henry A. Kissinger -North and South Vietnamese intransigence -Expectations -1972 election -Kissinger’s view -Wires, cables -San Clemente -The President’s November 3, 1969, Cambodia [April 30, 1970], and May 8, 1972 speeches -North Vietnamese repudiation -October 8, 1972 -US bombing -Nguyen Van Thieu repudiation -Separate peace between US and North Vietnam -7- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Prisoners of War [POWS] -US forces withdrawal -The President’s November 23, 1972 message to Thieu -Thieu’s future -Public expectations -Talks resumption -Timing -1972 election -North Vietnamese message -North Vietnamese position -October 1972 -US deadline -Timing -1972 election -Kissinger’s view -Public expectations -Kissinger’s meeting with Le Duc Tho -Tone -Kissinger’s recent meeting with [Lt. Gen. T.N.J. Suharto and Adm. Malik] in Brussels -State Department -Thieu -Tenure -Coercion to accept -Kissinger’s schedule -Possible recall for consultations Second term reorganization -Announcements -Format -The President’s conversations with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -Camp David -Ronald L. Ziegler’s view -Symbolism -Press briefing -Hangar -Laurel Lodge -The President’s schedule -November 27, 1972 -Richard G. Kleindienst -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Hand-outs -Statements -Introductions -The President's role -Ziegler -Details, biographies -Photograph session -Secretary of State -Rogers -Secretary of Defense -Elliot L. Richardson -Statements by designees -Lunch -Photograph session -Television [TV] -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins -Conflict of interest, confirmation -Conference room -John W. Dean, III -Lunch -Staff briefings -Timing -John A. Scali -Kissinger -Haldeman -Department of Transportation -Italian-American nominee -Announcements -The President's role -Master of ceremonies -Photograph session -Camp David -Introductions -Lunch -Ziegler's briefing of press -Foreign affairs -Domestic affairs -Laird -Richardson -Under Secretaries -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Roy L. Ash -Scali -United Nations [UN] ambassadorship -Decision -Kissinger's support -Kissinger’s schedule -Paris -Ehrlichman’s forthcoming conversation with Kissinger -George H.W. Bush -White House -State Department -Scali’s qualifications -Italian American background -Ehrlichman’s forthcoming conversation with Haldeman -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Forthcoming meeting with Ehrlichman -Robert J.Dole -Relations with Ehrlichman -Barry M. Goldwater -Second term -Domestic policies -Special assignments -Tone -Staff -Edwin L. Harper -Possible assignment -Benefits for Agnew -Political orientation -Loyalty -Unknown person -Changes -Forthcoming meeting with Ehrlichman -Indian problems -Complexity -Interior Department -Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] -Interior Department -Under Secretary -Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr. -Compared to Rogers C. B. Morton -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Toughness -Value -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. -Compared to Patricia R. Hitt -Morton -Robert J. Hitt -Department of Transportation -Under Secretary -Robert Hitt -Relationship with Frederic V. Malek -Experts -Assistant Secretary -Compared to Robert E. Nidecker -West Point -Loyalty -Patricia Hitt -Morton -Relationship with Malek -Politics -Personal relations -Administration -Interior Department -Under secretary -Morton -Justice Department -Solicitor General -Robert J. Bork -Kleindienst's reaction -Changes -Kleindienst’s view -The President’s possible conversation with Kleindienst -Watergate -Prosecution -Appearance -Henry E. Petersen -Judgeship -Criminal division -Kleindienst -Departure -Timing -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Haldeman -John N. Mitchell’s possible conversation with Kleindienst -Appointment -Problems -Mitchell -International telephone and telegraph [ITT] -Haldeman -Departure -Delays -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] -Louis Patrick Gray, III -Kleindienst -Departure Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 8:21 am. The President's schedule -Milton Pitts [Letter to Kissinger?] -Alexander P. Butterfield The President’s schedule -Forthcoming trip to New York City -Wall Street -Timing -Mudge, Rose, Guthrie and Alexander -Family -Waldorf-Astoria Hotel -Kissinger Alexander P. Butterfield and an unknown woman entered at 8:53 am. Letter -Typing -Spacing Butterfield and the unknown woman left at an unknown time before 8:56 am. The President's schedule -Trip to New York City -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-6 (cont’d) -Timing -Meeting with Mudge, Rose, Guthric and Alexander -First Family -Leonard Garment -Departure Bull left at an unknown time before 8:56 am. Nixon Library -The President’s note -Mudge, Rose, Guthrie and Alexander -The President’s home [in Yorba Linda, California] -Confidentiality The President replayed the dictation to Robert Devaney. Nixon Library -Property -Trade-off -Confidentiality -The President’s conversations with John H. Alexander, Randolph H. Guthrie -F. Edward Hebert -Camp Pendleton -National site The President replayed the dictation to Devaney. Nixon Library -Property Ehrlichman left at 8:56 pm.