Conversation No. 840-9

Date: February 3, 1973
Time: 11:05 am - 12:08 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

       The President's meeting with Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead
              -Arrangement
                      -Stephen B. Bull
                      -Albert E. Sindlinger
              -Colson's presence
                      -W. Richard Howard
                      -Colson's departure

       Colson's new role
              -Outside capabilities
                     -George H. W. Bush
                     -Howard
                     -Phil Brady
              -Whitehead
                     -Talking paper
                             -Federal Communications Commission [FCC] attitude
                                    -Herbert G. Klein
                                    -Peter M. Flanigan
                     -Press coverage
                             -Reaction to Whitehead speech

       Press relations
               -Coverage of administration
               -Licensing of television [TV]
                       -Compared to newspapers
                       -Whitehead bill
                       -The President's TV station ownership policy
                              -Local ownership and control
                                    -19-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                       Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



                              -Washington Post
                              -Time
                              -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
             -Compared to newspapers
                     -Hearst chain
      -Colson's television appearance
             -Networks as public utility
                     -Compared to bus company
             -Impact
                     -Pride
      -Public resentment at networks
             -Sindlinger
             -Interpretation
             -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
             -Media power
                     -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
      -Dan Rather's comments
             -The President’s anger
                     -1962 election
             -Ronald L. Ziegler
             -Press hostility
             -Reporters' telephone calls to Colson
                     -Kenneth W. Clawson
                     -J. Strom Thurmond
                     -Press coverage of Vietnam
                     -Clawson
      -Attacks on press
             -Public support for administration

Vietnam settlement
      -Material for Lincoln Day speech
              -Bull
      -Briefing for Republican Congressional Leaders
              -Concise speech material
              - Vermont Royster Column
      -Paul Greenberg column
                                       -20-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                       Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



               -Philadelphia newspaper
                       -Knight chain
       -Press conference
               -Zielger’s view
               -Press reaction
               -May Day arrests
                       -East Room press conference
                       -Press relations
                       -1972 election

M. Stanton Evans
       -Far right wing criticism of the President
               -John G. Schmitz
       -John Loeb
       -Smith Hempstone, Jr.
               -Militarist

Vietnam settlement
      -Briefing for Republican Congressional Leaders
              -Patrick J. Buchanan
              -Cabinet
              -Congressmen
              -Surrogates
              -John N. Mitchell
              -Points against opposition
                      -Bay of Pigs
                             -John F. Kennedy

Watergate
      -Strategy
      - John J. Sirica
              -Judicial philosophy
              -Colson’s acquaintance with Sirica

               -Admiration for the President and Dwight D. Eisenhower
               -Political philosophy
                                     -21-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                      Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



       -US Attorney [Earl J. Silbert]
               -Democrat
       -Sirica
               -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. committee
                       -Ervin's philosophy
               -Respect for Constitution
               -Ervin's strategy
                       -Separation of powers
       -Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
               -Avoidance of Watergate
               -1972 campaign
       -Counterattack to charges on the President
               -Democrats
               -Daniel B. Brewster scandal
               -Robert D. (“Bobby”) Baker
               -Extent of scandal
                       -Senators
               -Spiegel, Inc.
               -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
               -Democratic Senators
               -Administration’s efforts
               -John W. Dean, III
               -Richard G. Kleindienst
               -Brewster
                       -Charges against Senators
                       -Investigation by FBI
                       -Speigel, Inc.
                       -Habits
                       -Bribes
                               -R. Vance Hartke, Russell B. Long, Joseph M. Montoya
                       -FBI

Car incident
       -Rushing the car
       -Charges
              -Felony
                                    -22-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                             Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



             -Dean
             -United States Secret Service [USSS] cooperation
             -Bail

Watergate
      -George S. McGovern actions during 1972 campaign
              -Press attention
              -Ervin investigation
                      -Gary W. Hart
              -Dirty tricks
      -Brewster case
              -Ervin investigation
                      -Ervin’s colleagues
              -Administration’s counterattacks
                      -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                      -John D. Ehrlichman
                      -Dean
      -Investigation of Democrat dirty tricks
              -Hugh Scott
              -Everett M. Dirksen
              -Jackson [?]
              -Counterattacks
              -Baker
                      -Rose Mary Woods, Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
                      -Baker’s reputation
      -FBI
              -Speigel, Inc.
              -Brewster
      -Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
      -Hugh W. Sloan, Jr.
              -Testimony
      -John N. Mitchell
              -Possible involvement discussed
                      -Haldeman
                      -Ehrlichman
      -Reason for Watergate break-in
                             -23-

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                       Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Sep.-09)
                                               Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



-Nation’s attitude
       -Albert E. Sindlinger’s poll
       -Democrats’ issue
       -Investigation by IRS
       -L. Lawrence Shultz as IRS General Counsel
                -Relations with unions
                -Peter J. Brennan
                -George Meany
                -Control of IRS
                        -George P. Shultz
                        -Donald A. Webster
                        -Loyalty
-Brewster case
       -Investigation of Senators
       -Dean
                -Quality of work
-Watergate trial
       -Sentencing
       -Time
       -Mistrial appeal
                -Gerald Arch
                -G. Gordon Liddy
                -James McCord, Jr.
       -Pleas
       -Defendants
-Separation of powers
       -White House aides
       -Testimony
                -Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Dean, Colson
       -Mitchell, Maurice H. Stans
                -Testimony
       -Herbert W. Kalmbach, Dwight L. Chapin
                -Testimony
       -Haldeman
       -Chapin testimony
       -Colson
                                       -24-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



       -Ervin Committee
              -Investigation
              -Defendants
                      -Testimony
       -Grand jury
              -Reconvening
                      -Sloan
                      -Seven defendants
              -Mitchell testimony
              -Earl J. Silbert
              -Washington Post story
                      -Haldeman
              -Haldeman testimony
                      -Requirement to testify

Henry A. Kissinger’s interview with Marvin L. Kalb
      -Column in newspaper
      -Speaking style
      -John A. Scali
              -Appearance on "Issues and Answers"
              -"Today" show
              -Abilities

John B. Connally
       -Television [TV] appearance
       -Defense of the President

Henry Cabot Lodge
      -New York Times
             -Defense of the President

Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
      -Defense of the President

Joseph C. Kraft's telephone call to Colson
       -Demands to meet with Colson
                                              -25-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



              - New York Times

Marjorie Acker entered at an unknown time after 11:05 am.

       Rose Mary Woods's meeting with Pat Buchanan

       The President's telephone call to Woods
              -Invitation to Israeli dinner
                      -Cabot Lodge and David K. E. Bruce
                      -Jordan dinner
              -Bruce's invitation
                      -Trip to Jamaica
              -Lodge's invitation

       Acker's dress

Acker left at an unknown time before 12:08 pm.

       Kraft's telephone call to Colson
               -Meeting with Colson
               -Colson's attacks on Kraft's integrity
                       -Kraft's talk with Kissinger
               -Kraft's article on bombing
                       -Kissinger's position on bombing

       Kissinger
              -Colson's meeting with Kraft
              -Kissinger's telephone call
              -Haig [?]
              -Colson's meeting with Kraft
                     -Informing Kissinger
                     -Kraft's source
              -James B. (“Scotty”) Reston's article
                     -Kraft's statement
              -Conversations with Reston and Kraft
              -Reasons for talking with Reston and Kraft
                                      -26-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                          Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



              -TV appearance with Kalb
                     -Kissinger's credit for foreign policy
                     -Bombing decision
                             -The President's responsibility
                                     -Nicholas P. Thimmesch
                                     -Kraft
       -Colson’s meeting with Kissinger
              -Kissinger's departure to New York
       -Vietnam negotiations
       -October 26, 1972 “Peace is at hand” statement
       -Bombing
              -Kissinger’s role

Colson's meeting with Kraft
       -Informing Kissinger
       -Cooperation with the President's administration
              -New York Times
              -Kraft's future articles on Kissinger

Vietnam statement
      -Nobel Peace Prize for Kissinger
              -New York Times
              -Harry Reasoner
      -Kissinger’s position
              -Bombing
              -The President’s reaction
      -Thimmesch
              -Interview and article
      -The President’s support for Kissinger
      -Kissinger’s October 26, 1972 “Peace is at hand” statement
              -Effect of statement on negotiations

Kissinger
       -Intelligence
       -Work
       -Jew
                                                -27-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                             Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)




       Jews in administration
              -Arthur F. Burns
              -William L. Safire
              -Herbert Stein
              -Leonard Garment
              -Kenneth W. Clawson
              -Insecurity
              -Theory of genocide

       Kissinger
              -Colson’s international trip
              -Talk with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
                     -Commerce Department
              -Ego
              -Country’s attitude
                     -Credit for the President
                     -Dwight D. Eisenhower, John Foster Dulles

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:05 am.

       The President’s schedule
              -Meeting with Kissinger

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:08 pm.

       Mail on peace settlement
              -Credit for the President alone
                      -Mention of Kissinger
              -Lyndon K. ("Mort"), Buchanan
                      -Feelings toward Kissinger
                              -News summary

       William P. Rogers
              -Meeting with the President
                     -Melvin R. Laird
                                           -28-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                      Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



       -Nobel Prize
              -Paul Malik
              -Swedish Nobel Prize jurors
       -Support for the President
       -Kissinger's candidacy
              -New York Times
              -Reasoner
              -Allin

Kissinger
       -Kraft meeting with Colson
       -Colson’s article
       -Conversation with Kissinger
       -Kissinger's role in bombing

Reactions to Vietnam settlement
       -Boston Globe
       -Credit to the President alone
       -Tenor of reactions
       -Wall Street Journal
               -Praise for the President
       -Chicago Tribune
               -Kissinger

Press relations
        -Attacks on press
                -The President’s press conference
                -Edward R. G. Heath's departure [?]
        -Rather
                -Quality of reporting
                -Letters to Rather
        -The President's press conference
                -Jules J. Witcover
                -Coverage on TV news

                      -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
                                       -29-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



                       -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
       -Public attitudes
              -Sindlinger

Reactions to Vietnam settlement
       -Credit
               -Beijing
               -Chou En-lai
               -Kissinger
       -Press relations
       -US public attitude
               -Support for the President
               -Sindlinger
               -Retail sales
               -Stock market
                       -Phase III
                       -Burns

Economy
      -Danger of bust
             -1974 elections
      -Unemployment
      -George Shultz
             -Unemployment figures
                     -Credibility
                     -Geoffrey H. Moore [?]
      -Peter G. Peterson
             -US Steel

Editorial
       -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
             -Camp David

Abortion decision [Roe v. Wade]
       -Reactions
       -Supreme Court
                                             -30-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Sep.-09)
                                                          Conversation No. 840-9 (cont’d)



                      -George H. Gallup
                            -Poll

       Federal spending
              -Congress
                     -Social programs
              -Country's reactions
                     -Revolt

       Abortion
              -Antiabortion sentiment
                     -Gallup
                             -Poll
              -William F. Buckley, Jr. column
                     -Catholic
              -Conservative columnists

       Capital punishment
              -Public attitudes

Colson left at 12:08 pm.