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Conversation: 826-004

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Start Date: 19-Dec-1972 11:27 AM

End Date: 19-Dec-1972 11:51 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Ruckelshaus, William D.Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.White House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

826-004.mp3

NARA Description:

On December 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, William D. Ruckelhaus, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:27 am to 11:51 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 826-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 826-4

Date: December 19, 1972
Time: 11:27 am - 11:51 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William D. Ruckelshaus and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. The White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Greetings

       Budget
            -Surplus

       [Photograph session]

       [Environmental Protection Agency] [EPA]
             -Ruckelshaus’s job
                  -Problems
                        -“Hawks”
                        -“Doves”

       Environment
            -Credibility of administration
            -Ruckelshaus’s credibility
                 -Birds
                        -People
                                            -34-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. July-08)

                                                         Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

      Ruckelshaus’s plans
           -Senate candidacy in Indiana
                  -Birch E. Bayh, Jr.
                         -1974 election
                         -Popularity
                               -Controversy
                                     -Judgeships
                  -Polls
                  -Vance Hartke
                         -Compared to Bayh
                  -Party divisions
                  -Ruckelshaus’ decisions
                         -Timing
                  -Mayor of Indianapolis
                         -Richard G. Lugar
                         -Governor
                               -Conflict
                         -1975 Presidential election
           -John B. Connally
                  -Party change
                         -1976 Presidential nomination
                               -Spiro T. Agnew
                                     -Southerners
           -Justice Department
           -Age
           -Indiana Governor
                  -Otis Brown
                         -Speaker of Indiana House
                  -Edgar D. Whitcomb
           -Indiana
                  -Support for the President
                         -Midwest
                         -Dwight D. Eisenhower
                         -Ohio
           -Senate candidacy
                  -Bayh
                  -Hartke
                                            -35-

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. July-08)

                                                             Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

                       -Personality
                       -Health

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


      Second term reorganization
           -Ruckelshaus
                 -Attorney General, judge
                 -Law enforcement
                 -Judiciary
                 -Cabinet
                 -Water
                       -Withholding of funds
                 -Controversy
                 -Background
                       -General Counsel, Attorney General’s office, Indiana
                       -Indiana House of Representatives
                       -Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division
                             -Law enforcement
                 -Administrative ability
                       -Lawyers
                       -Deputy Administrator [Robert W. Fri]
                 -Work with people
                 -EPA
                       -Establishment
                             -Turf fighting
                             -Credibility
                       -Air and water pollution
                             -Louis P. Harris poll
                                   -Timing
                 -Background
                       -Harvard University Law School
                       -Princeton University
                       -Indianapolis
                       -Ivy League
                       -Grandfather
                             -Republican state chairman, 1900
                                      -36-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. July-08)

                                                        Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)


Ivy League
     -Charles W. Colson
           -Brown University
     -Opposition to the President’s decisions
           -Cambodia, May 8, 1972; summits
           -Presidents
                  -Little Three
                         -Amherst College, Trinity College, Williams College
           -Polls
                  -Faculties
                  -Students
     -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
     -Henry A. Kissinger
     -Quality
     -Civilization
           -Possible course
                  -Harvard University, Princeton University
                  -University of California
                  -Stanford University

The President’s philosophy of civilization
     -Leader class
           -Decline of society
                 -Britain, France, Roman Empire
                 -US
                 -Non-Communist nations
                       -West Germany, Japan
                       -Konrad Adenauer
                 -US
                       -Opposition to the President
                              -Universities, networks
                                    -Compared to national editors
                              -Opinionmakers
                                    -Georgetown
                              -1972 campaign
                                    -The President’s conversation with Alice Roosevelt
                                     Longworth
                                    -George S. McGovern
                          -37-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                   Tape Subject Log
                     (rev. July-08)

                                            Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

                             -Permissiveness, US withdrawal from Vietnam,
                             welfare
                             -“Libs”
                                    -Conservatives
                             -1964 campaign
                                    -Reactionary right
                                            -Barry M. Goldwater
                                                  -Tennessee Valley
                                                  Authority [TVA]
                             -Marquis Childs
                             -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
                             -1972 election
                                    -Results
                             -Press relations
                                    -Television
                             -Intellectuals
-Environmental issues
       -Air and water pollution
-Racial issues
       -1960s
             -Mississippi
       -Universities
             -Football
                   -Stanford, University of Southern California [USC]
-Vietnam War
-Environmental issues
       -Earth Day
             -1971
-Zero population growth
       -Articles
             -Timing
-Ruckelshaus’s position
-Intelligence
-Lack of character, courage
-Economy
-Congressional relations
       -Budget ceiling
-Editorials in New York Times, Washington Post
       -Withholding of funds
                                              -38-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. July-08)

                                                              Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

                                -Water
                                     -Ruckelshaus’s meeting

       Ruckelshaus
            -Retention
            -Politics
                   -Future
                         -Primary

       Donald H. Rumsefeld
            -Politics
                   -Conversation with the President
                        -Senate
                        -Hamlet
                        -Polls
                        -Adlai E. Stevenson, III
                               -Adlai E. Stevenson, II
                   -The President’s view
                        -Risks

       Robert H. Finch
            -Politics
                   -Senate
                        -Alan Cranston
                             -Toughness

       Politics
              -Risks

       The President’s appreciation
            -Budget
                  -Cole

Ruckelshaus left at 11:51 am.
                                           -39-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. July-08)