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Conversation: 859-021

Prev:  859-020 Next: 859-022

Start Date: 21-Feb-1973 10:47 AM

End Date: 21-Feb-1973 11:11 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Dent, Harry S.White House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

859-021.mp3

NARA Description:

On February 21, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Harry S. Dent, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:47 am to 11:11 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 859-021 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 859-21

Date: February 21, 1973
Time: 10:47 am - 11:11 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Harry S. Dent; the White House photographer was present at the
beginning of the meeting.

       Photographs

       President's South Carolina visit
              -Black out on television [TV]
              -Crowds
              -Newspaper coverage
              -President’s demeanor
              -TV coverage
                      -President's appearance
                      -Extemporaneous remarks

       South Carolina Democrats
              -John C. West
                     -George S. McGovern supporter
                     -Support for the President
                     -Graciousness
                     -President's popularity
                     -South Carolina election results
                            -Effects of December bombing
       South Carolina visit
              -Strom J. Thurmond
                     -President’s comments
                     -Ernest Hollings
                     -President's statement
                     -Mrs. James Thurmond
                     -TV coverage
                            -President's mixing with crowds
                                     -Image of young boy
                                               -25-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                               Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



             -President’s statements
                    -Vietnam
                    -Federal and state powers
                    -President’s role in Congress
                    -Campaign pledges
                    -South
             -President's conduct
             -Mixing with crowd
                    -Mrs. Brynes
                    -Young boy
             -Appearance
             -Speech content
             -South Carolina Democrats
                    -Legislature
                    -Governors

      Visits to South
              -Southern strategy
                      -Thurmond’s support
              -President’s address to the South Carolina state legislature
                      -Recalcitrance
                      -Andrew Jackson
                      -Start of Civil War
                      -Independence
                              -Thurmond
                      -Significance
                              -West


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

             -President’s statement
                    -TV coverage
                             -Little boy [?]
                    -Closing statement
                                            -26-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                        Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



                            -Book signing

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

      -Republican National Committee [RNC]
            -Dent’s role
                   -General Counsel
                   -Dent’s appreciation
                           -Prestige
                   -George H. W. Bush
                           -Statement
                   -Southern reaction
                           -Fred C. Scribner, Jr.


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

      Frederick B. Dent
             -Briefing paper
             -Strength
             -1974 election
                     -Governorship of South Carolina
                     -Importance of business support
                     -Republican support
             -Democrat
             -Weaknesses
                     -Earle Morris, Jr.
                            -Divorce

      Solomon Blatt
            -Support for President in 1968, 1972
            -Jewish ancestry
                    -Compared with Benjamin Disraeli
                    -Protectionism
                                              -27-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)




      Political poll

      President’s visit


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

      Budget
               -Rebellion
               -Cuts
                       -Taxes
               -Demonstrations
               -Republican
                       -Cuts to Rural Electrification Administration [REA]
                       -Complaints
               -Public support for President
               -Protest
                       -Agricultural workers
               -President's popularity

      Pete Strong
              -South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
              -Statements about support for President

      President's policies
             -Dent’s statements
                      -Meeting with Southeast housing officials
             -Prisoners of War [POWs] [?]
             -Taxes
             -Inflation
             -Vietnam ceasefire

      South Carolina political issues
             -Housing
                                            -28-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                               Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



             -Special interest groups
             -REA complaints
                    -Press reaction
             -Newspapers
                    -Support for President
                    -Dent's contacts with editors
                            -President’s appreciation
                                    -Endorsement
                                    -Coverage
                                           -Greenville
                                           -Columbia
                                           -Spartanburg
                                           -Charleston Press
                                    -TV commentators
                                           -Coverage

      South Carolina visit
             -Coverage
             -Motorcade
             -Byrnea


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

      Dent’s plans
             -RNC
             -Candidate search
                    -South
                    -Democrats

      Republicans
            -President’s support
                   -1972 election
                   -Exceptions
                   -James O. Eastland, John L. McClellan
                                      -29-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                       Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



              -Compared with 1974 election
       -South Carolina legislature
              -Two women
              -Need for more women candidates
                     -South
              -Youth
              -Governor [John C. West]
              -Charles W. Colson

South Carolina Court system
       -Democratic control

John B. Connally
       -Party switch
               -Future in Democratic Party
               -Effects on business community
               -Effect on party alignment
       -Electibility
               -Presidency
       -Opposition to Connally
               -Charles H. Percy
               -Ronald W. Reagan
                       -Spiro T. Agnew
               -Nelson A. Rockefeller
                       -Percy
                       -Lack of support in South
               -Agnew
               -Rockefeller
               -Agnew
                       -Attitudes
                               -South
                               -Public opposition
                                      -Approval as Vice President
                       -Controversy
                       -Public fears
                               -South
                                           -30-

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



                                    -Republicans
                                    -Democrats
                    -Public support
                    -Conversation with Dent
                           -Party switch
                                    -Delay
                                           -Support at conventions
                    -Presidential material
                           -Nomination
                                    -Governor
                           -Support in South
                                    -Compared with the President
                           -Midwest
                           -Illinois, Ohio, California
                    -Nomination
                           -Outsider status
                    -President’s support
                           -Agnew, Rockefeller, Reagan
                    -Public respect
                    -Continuing President’s policies

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


      Congressional relations
            -Fight with President
                    -Presidential power
                    -Democrats
                    -Russell B. Long
                            -1972 election
                            -Vietnam cease-fire agreement
                    -Herman E. Talmadge
            -Support for President
                    -Interest groups
                            -Cheese imports
                                                -31-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Nov.-09)
                                                          Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



                                    -Dairy producers
                                    -Liaison
                                    -Contributions
                             -REA leaders
                             -Lobbying groups
                             -Control of Congress
               -Blacks
                      -Jesse L. Jackson
                      -Demonstration
                              -Capitol
                      -Howard J. Phillips [?]

       President's policies
              -Second term administration
                       -Special interests
                       -Opposition
                       -Government’s role

       Government expenditures
             -Great society

       Stephen B. Bull
              -Governor [West]
              -Gift

Dent left at 11:11 am.