Conversation: 857-003
Prev: 857-002 Next: 857-004Start Date: 15-Feb-1973 9:20 AM
End Date: 15-Feb-1973 10:40 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Bull, Stephen B.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.); Timmons, William E.; Woods, Rose Mary;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On February 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, William E. Timmons, and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:20 am to 10:40 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 857-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 857-3
Date: February 15, 1973
Time: 9:20 am - 10:40 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Press briefing
-Environment
-William D. Ruckleshaus
-5-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Meeting with President
-Pentagon visit by President
Photographs
-Ruckelshaus
-Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster
-Meeting with President
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Donald W. Riegle, Jr.
-Switch to Democratic Party
Garry Brown [?]
Charlotte Reid
Paul N. McCloskey, Jr.
-Party change
-“Fraud”
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
**********************************************************************
Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Reception
-Volunteers
-Ziegler's role
-Fundraiser
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Washington, DC
-Photographs
-Washington Star
-Washington Post
-Publicity
Corsages to Prisoners of War [POWs] wives
-Press coverage
POW press coverage
-News summary
-Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr.
-News of “peace with honor”
-Effect on POWs
-Whistling “California here we come”
-Tom Jarriel's story
-Raising of flags
President's message on environment
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Reports
News stories about President
-Associated Press [AP]
-“New Nixon”
-President's isolation
-President's visit to Trader Vic's
-Effect
Pentagon visit
-Ziegler's attendance
-Freehan [?]
-Purpose
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-POW jobs program
-Recognition for POWs
-Adm. Thomas Moorer’s suggestions
-Medal for POWs
-Ziegler's statement
-Suggestion for recognition
-Defense Department’s recommendations
-Congress
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] policy
-Implementation of cease-fire
-Withdrawal schedule
-Back pay to POWs
-Sums
-Congressional authorization
-Korea
-Ceremonial protocols
-Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
-Service secretaries
-Cabinet
Cabinet meeting
-Ziegler's statement
-Purpose
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's report on trip
-George P. Shultz's report on trade
William P. Rogers’s press conference
-Ziegler’s role
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Normalization of relations
Press relations
-Vietnam settlement
- Telegrams from abroad
-Public release
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Distribution
-World reaction
-Environment
-John D. Ehrlichman
-POWs, veterans
-Jobs
-Difficulties
-Jobs for veterans program
-Recognition
-Amnesty
-Effect of administration efforts
-Press conference
-Henry A. Kissinger’s trip
-Briefing
-Barbara Walters’s role
-President’s statement
-Vietnam settlement
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Kissinger’s abilities
-Kissinger’s plans
-Cable to Ziegler
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:20 am.
President's meeting with Haldeman and Ehrlichman.
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:39 am.
CBS news program
-Problems
-Communique
-Dan Rather
-Story on PRC
-Walter Cronkite assessment
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Haldeman entered at 9:39 am.
Press relations
-Kissinger's cable to Ziegler
-Press conference plans
-Statement by President
-North Vietnam aid
-Kissinger’s style
-Pham Can Dong
-Plans for press conference
-President’s role
-Television [TV]
-Joint communiqué
-Kissinger’s promise to North Vietnamese
-Kissinger's return to US
-Date
-Stop in Japan
-Background briefing
-Press conference
-Congress
-Briefings
-President
-Cabinet
-Congress
Pentagon visit
-Command center
-Public relations [PR]
-Purpose
-Jobs for veterans
-Troop withdrawal, cease-fire
-Press conference
-Informality
-President's statements to press
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Ziegler’s role
Ziegler left at 9:45 am.
Kissinger
-Joint communiqué
-President’s knowledge
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Kissinger’s abilities
-Press conference
-Trip to Hanoi
-POWs
-Purpose
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am.
Request for Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:49 am.
Press relations
-Kissinger
-Press conference
-New policy
-President's statement
-Delay
-Public relations
-George P. Shultz
-International monetary policy
-John B. Connally
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am.
William E. Timmons
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Bull left at an unknown time before 9:49 am.
Invitation to White House church service
Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft entered at 9:49 am.
POWs
-Pentagon visit
-Recognition
-Congress
-Medal of Honor
-Presidential unit citation
-Ribbon
-Star for each year of captivity
-Jobs
-Ehrlichman
-Veterans
-Statement
-California
-Cabinet meeting
-Service
-National heroes
-Let-down
-Physical and psychological
-Sense of euphoria
-Let-down
-Need for psychiatric help, let-down
-Family problems
-Children
-Problems
-Pornography
-Television [TV]
-Movie
-Bad language
-Children, women
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Recognition
-Citation
-Missing in action [MIAs]
-Posthumous citation
MIAs
-Similar status of Killed in action [KIA]
-Reasons
-Help for families
-Presidential letter
-Content
-Delicate language
-Someone to write
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Claudia A. (Taylor) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson’s role
-Accounting
-Correspondence
-Specialists
-Offer to Mrs. Johnson
-State Department
Kissinger's proposed press conference
-Problems
-Ziegler's statement
-Need for salesmanship
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Difficulty of issue
-President’s statement
Joint communiqué
-Copy to President
-Scowcroft’s role
Aid to North Vietnam
-Sensitivity of issue
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-POWs
-Horror stories
-Kissinger’s perception
-POWs
-JCS
-Reasons
-Guarantee of peace
-Reconstruction
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Leverage
-Timmon’s comments
-Bilateral compared to multilateral aid
-Congressional reaction
-Timmon’s style
-Positive line
-Peace
-Multilateral approach
-Lack of leverage
Foreign aid
-Congress
-Multilateral aid
-Disadvantages
-International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [World
Bank]
-Bilateral aid
Vietnam settlement
-Agnew’s briefing of Cabinet
-Kissinger’s return to US
-Cabinet meeting with Kissinger
-President's opposition
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Control
-Anne Armstrong
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Pham Van Dong
-Cabinet
-Complexity of issue of aid to North Vietnam
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Ash
-Sales pitch
-Defense spending
-1974 budget
-Congressional relations
-Kissinger’s return
-Budget
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Reparations
-Domestic social programs
-Kissinger
-Sales pitch
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Portrayal of North Vietnam leaders
-Experience in Hanoi
-Chou En-Lai
-1974 budget
-Ash
-Defense budget estimates
-Vietnam
-Laos
-Optimism about aid appropriations
Pentagon visit
-Ziegler, Scowcroft
-Dress
-Ash
-Purpose
-Kissinger
-POWs
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Scowcroft left at 10:09 am.
Bull entered at 10:09 am.
President’s schedule
-Goodpaster [?]
-Ash
-Ehrlichman
Bull left at 10:09 am.
William E. Timmons entered at 10:09 am.
White House social events
-Evening at the White House
-Entertainment
-Army choir
-Quality
-Congress
-Scheduling
-Number attending
-Couples
-Number
-Church services
-Number attending
-Invitations
-Republican congress members
-Evening or church services, dinners
-State dinner
-Golda Meir
-Loyalists
-Freshmen
-Reception
-Republicans
-Democrats
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Democrats
-Opponents
-Number invited
-Democrats
-Morris K. Udall
-Bella S. Abzug
-George S. McGovern
-Donald W. Riegle
-Party switch
-William B. Saxbe
-Church service
-Saxbe
-Invitation
-Charles H. Percy
-Invitation
-Rose Mary Woods
-Lucy A. Winchester
-Handling
-Timmons's role
-Woods's role
-Social Office role
Timmons left at 10:16 am.
The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 10:16 am and 10:40 am.
-Mailing
-Representatives, Senators
-Number invited
-Financial contributors
-Maurice H. Stans
-Dinners
-Number
-Church services
-Number invited
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Washington, DC
-Administration officials
-New Executive Branch employees
-Congress members
-Winchester
-Timmons
-List
-Mailing
-Loyalists
-Others
-Republican
-Richard S. Schweiker
-Riegle
-Party switch
[End of telephone conversation]
Woods
-William L. Duncan
-Support
-Edward L. Morgan
-Birthday party for Dr. Walter R. Tkach
-San Clemente
-Robert H. Taylor's presence
-Demeanor
-Helen Thomas’s story on Secret Service controversy
-Time of release
-Conversation with Dwight L. Chapin
-Haldeman’s role
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s note
-Woods on airplane
Secret Service controversy
-Duncan and Taylor
-Meeting with President
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Woods
-Delay of farewell letters
-President's signing
-Farewell letters
-Delay
-Woods
-Tkach
-Taylor story
-Ziegler's role
-New York Times
-Taylor
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Job change
-Administration's image
-Farewell letter
-Memorandum
-Bull
-Delay
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.
Letters to Duncan and Taylor
-Drafts
-Price
-David R. Gergen
-President's signature
-Preparation
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Woods
-Problems
-Chapin
-Visit to office
-19-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.
Ash's location
-Shultz
Woods
-Letters to Duncan and Taylor
-President's signature
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Woods
-Haldeman's role
-Ehrlichman's advice
Announcement
-Taylor
-Decision to stay
-Secret Service
Woods
-Internal fights
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Taylor and Duncan
-Duncan
-Patricia R. Hitt
-Memo
-Ehrlichman’s answer
-Robert H. Finch
-Conversation with Woods
- Conversation with Haldeman
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.
-20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Letters to Taylor and Duncan
-Retirement
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Woods
-Conversation with Haldeman
Morgan
Taylor
-Plans to move
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman’s roles
-Promotion
-Offer of promotions
-Treasury Department
-Duncan
-Directorship
-Tkach
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Letters to Taylor and Duncan
-Signature
-Note
-Date
Taylor
-Retention
-Job changes
-Court administrators
-Leave of absence
-Job opportunities
-Morgan’s suggestion
-Treasury Department
-Promotions
-21-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
Hitt
-Ehrlichman’s responsibility
Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.
Arrival of Rogers C. B. Morton
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.
Hitt
-Meeting with Ehrlichman
-President’s support
-Job
-Finch’s memorandum
-Reorganization
-Caspar W. (“Cap”)Weinberger
-Finch’s memorandum
-ACTION position
-Conversation with Ehrlichman
-Complaints
-President's reaction
-Woods's reaction
-Conversation with Haldeman
-John E. Nidecker
-Herbert G. Klein
-Chapin’s departure
-Motivation
-Relations with Chapin
Woods’s conversation
-Conversation with Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo
-Secret Service, Hitt
-Discussion with Helen Thomas
-Airplane ride
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)
-Conversation with Haldeman
-Haldeman's approach
Haldeman left at 10:40 am.