Conversation: 864-009
Prev: 864-008 Next: 864-010Start Date: 27-Feb-1973 5:21 PM
End Date: 27-Feb-1973 6:35 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Hitt, Patricia R.; Ehrlichman, John D.; White House photographer; Sanchez, Manolo; [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On February 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Patricia R. Hitt, John D. Ehrlichman, White House photographer, Manolo Sanchez, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:21 pm to 6:35 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 864-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 864-9
Date: February 27, 1973
Time: 5:21pm-6:35 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Patricia R. Hitt and John D. Ehrlichman; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
-Dress
[Photograph session]
-Seating
-Hitt’s appearance
-President’s tan
Florida and California
-President’s visits
President’s schedule
Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:21 pm.
Schedule
Refreshment
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:20 pm.
-22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
Coffee
-Fina Sanchez
-Other refreshments
-Meals
-Sleep
-Effect of coffee
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Hitt’s possible appointment
-Talks with various people
-Ehrlichman
-Hitt’s decision
-Persuasion
-Application
-Qualifications
-Relevance
Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 5:21 pm.
Refreshments
Sanchez left at an unknown time before 6:20 pm.
State Department job
-President’s conversations with Robert H. Finch
-Political future
-Nature of job
-Salesmanship
-Travel abroad
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Decision
-North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] appointment
-23-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Compared with Cost of Living Council [COLC] appointment
-Attitude
-Political aspirations
**********************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
-Senate candidacy
Politics
-Hitt’s plans
-Political candidacy in California
-Senate
-Finch’s role
-Primary race compared with outright nomination
-California state treasurer
-Ivy Baker Priest
-Tenure
-Plans to run
-Finch
-Governorship
-Senate
-Alan Cranston
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Potential conflicts
-Finch’s viewpoint
-Interest in Governor’s race
-Control of delegation
-Leverage
-Interest in Senate
-Political plans
-Governorship
-Conflict with Reagan
-Campaign on Reagan’s record
-Compared with President’s running on
Dwight D. Eisenhower’s record
-Problems with Reagan
-24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Primary for Governor as opposed to Senate
-Support of President
California Republican Party
-Earl Warren, J. Goodwin Knight, William F. Knowland, the President, Reagan
-Minority Status
-Voter registration
Hitt’s political ambitions
-Candidate
-President’s view
Finch
-Potential primary conflict with Reagan
-Henry Salvatori
-Senate race, Lieutenant Governor’s race
-Reagan’s support for Finch
-Reagan’s political aspirations
-Presidency
-Control of California Republican Party
-Democratic representation
-Governorship
-Senate
-Finch’s candidacy
-Qualities as Governor, Senator
-Compared with Reagan
-Health, Education and Welfare [HEW] Secretary
-Hitt’s experience with Finch
-Department
-Conflicts compared with general public disorder
-Microcosm
-Press image
-Liberalism
-Polling
-Personal qualities
-HEW Secretary
-Effects on Finch
-Health
-25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Governorship
-Compared with HEW job
-Difficulties
-President’s support
-Reagan
-Opposition to Finch
-Nancy Reagan
-Views of Carol Finch
-Finch’s tenure as Lieutenant Governor
-Relationship with state legislature
-Governor’s race
-Finch primary run
-Scandal for Reagan
-Edward Reinecke
-Association with criminals
-Finch’s chances
-Reagan’s support of Reinecke
Reagan
-Presidential candidacy
-Political scandals
-Political aid
-Effect
-Court cases
-Compared with Florida politician
-Reagan’s political future
Finch
-Appearance
Reinecke
-Intelligence
-Appointment as Lieutenant Governor
-Compared to Charlie McCarthy
Finch
-Lieutenant Governorship
-Secretary of HEW
-26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Future plans
-Poll results
-Impact of scandal
Reagan
-Evelie Younger, Houston Flournoy
-Presidential Candidacy
-Age
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Age as presidential candidate
-Other presidential candidates
-James Buchanan
-William Henry Harrison [?]
-Governorship compared with presidency
Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Compared with Reagan’s political experience
-Resilience
Presidential candidates
-Rockefeller
-Reagan
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Charles H. Percy
-President’s successor
-Agnew
-Possible presidency
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Constituency
-Public reception
-Republican women
Presidential elections
-1960 election results
-Effects of women’s vote
Goldwater
-Constituency
-27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Appeal
-Compared with Agnew
[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 5:21 pm.
President's schedule
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 6:20 pm.
Hitt's plans
-ACTION job
-President’s viewpoint
-Ehrlichman
ACTION
-History
-President’s call for volunteers
-1968 election
-New Federalism
-President’s administration
-George W. Romney
-Max M. Fisher
-John Shay [Shea?]
-Democrat
-Appointment by Romney and Fisher
-Executive Director of National Red Cross
-Opposition to President
-Response to its creation
-Reaction
-Agencies consolidated into ACTION
-Older Americans Program
-President’s, Hitt’s opinion of Volunteers in Service to America [VISTA], Peace
Corps
Peace Corps
-28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-John F. Kennedy
-Rockefeller mission
-Hitt’s experience
-Response by foreign governments
-Foreign policy
-Costs justifications
-Peru
-Success
-Allocating appropriations for other uses
-Teachers, older Americans
-Foreign policy
-Difficulties
-Future missions
-Compared with aid package
-Peru, Brazil, Uruguay
Latin America
-Presidents
-James Monroe
-Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
-Richard M. Nixon
-President
-Identification with Latin America
-Rockefeller mission
Peace Corps
-Concentration on Latin America
-Africa
-Far East
-Resentment
Peace Corps reform
-Rename missions
-Contracts
-South America
VISTA
-Concept
-29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Purpose
-Business, labor, volunteer organizations, foundations, and federal
government in cooperation
-Personnel
-Skills
-Idealism
-Private, public cooperation
-Romney’s viewpoint
-W. Clement Stone
Romney
-Chairman of the Board [President], National Center for Volunteer Action
-Stone
National Center for Volunteer Action
-Funding
-Romney’s chairmanship
-John N. Gardner
-Urban coalition
-Merger
-Report
-President’s support
-Assessment of Romney’s tenure
-Hitt
-Detroit
ACTION
-Volunteers compared to paid staff
-Public compared to private contributions
-Christopher Mould
-Shay [Shea?]
-Volunteer coordinator
-Potential for success
-Hitt’s management
-Termination
-Effects on volunteerism
-Public sector
-Private sector
-30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Red Cross drives
-Older Americans
-Youth
-New Federalism
-Changes
Hitt
-Experience at HEW
-Ehrlichman
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Hitt's office
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, Frank C. Carluccli’s [?] role
-Personal management
-Hitt’s office
-Other volunteer departments
-HEW, Labor Department
-President's commitment to volunteerism
-Weinberger’s offer of job at HEW
-Hitt’s rejection
-Hitt as symbol at HEW
-Richardson, Finch
-Threat to agency leadership
-Rapport with civil servants
Richardson
-Defense Secretary
-Abilities
-Public speaking
-Electability
-President
-HEW employees
-Respect for Richardson
-Vice President candidacy
-Reagan’s running mate
-Talk with Henry A. Kissinger
-Conversationalist
-Staff meetings
-Excitement
-31-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Family assistance legislation
-Conflict with Abraham A. Ribicoff
Family assistance
-Compared to food stamps program
-News summary
-Texas
-Orange crops
-Labor shortage
-Wage, subsidy differential
-Enforcement
-Agriculture Department
-Alternatives
-President’s opinion
-Reagan
-National standard
-Working poor provision
-Daniel (“Pat”) Moynihan, Richardson
-Floor on welfare
-Working poor
-Incentives
-Job training
-Congressional resistance
-Carl T. Curtis, Wallace F. Bennett
-Guaranteed Annual Income
-Moynihan
-Book
-Working requirements
-Reagan
-Formulas
Romney
-Difficulties
National Center for Volunteer Action
-President's support
-Romney
-Difficulties
-32-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Federal government
-Role
-Bicentennial
-Use of volunteers
-Role of federal government
-Expenses for volunteers
Hitt
-Position
-ACTION
-Strengths
-Credibility
-Poor
Mexican-Americans
-Spanish speaking
-Problems
-Appointments
-Anne L. Armstrong
-Departures from administration
-Phillip V. Sanchez
-Ambassador
-Henry Ramirez
-Position
-Alejandro (“Alex”) Armendariz
-Votes for President
-Departures from administration
-Positions in administration
-News summary
-Los Angeles Times
-Talent search
-Party affiliations
Ethnics
-Appointments
-Mexico, Italy, Poland, Eastern Europe
-Political affiliation
-Democrats
-33-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-John A. Volpe, Silvio O. Conte
-Political affiliation
-Change of registration
-California, Arizona
-Support for President
Hitt’s position
-ACTION
-Reorganization
-Hitt’s awareness
-Weinberger
**********************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]
California
-Political situation
-Hitt as candidate
-District
-Hitt’s refusal
[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
**********************************************************************
Hitt left at 6:20 pm.
Executive privilege
-John W. Dean, III
Hitt meeting
-Handling
-Problems
-Michael P. Balzano, Jr.
-Commitment
ACTION
-Hitt's philosophy
-34-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Volunteerism
-Romney, Shay [Shea?]
-Balzano
-Recruitment
-Italy, Poland, youth
Appointments
-Mexico
-Mexican-Americans
-Frederick V. Malek
-Compared with blacks
-Women
-Blacks
-Poland, Eastern European compared with blacks
-Ethnic support
-Mexican-American
-Integration
-Labor Department
-Archie Bunker compared to Peter J. Brennan
Mexican-Americans
-Armstrong
-Sympathy
-Rapport
-Appointments
-White House staff
-Ramirez, Sanchez
-Ambassadorial appointment
-Jerry H. Jones’s office
-Meeting with Ehrlichman
Blacks
-Lack of support
Polish-Americans
Mexican-Americans
-Defense Department
-35-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Richardson
-Secretary of the Army
-John A. Love
-Significance
John W. Warner
-Secretary of Navy
-Political contributions
-Appointment elsewhere
Hitt
-Forthcoming call from Ehrlichman
-ACTION
Hugh Scott
-Meeting with Ehrlichman
-Purpose
-Vetoes
-Mood of Senate
-President's participation in events
-Dewey F. Bartlett
Ted Stevens
-Talk with Ehrlichman
-Voting record
-Vietnam reception
-Invitees
-Criteria for invitation
-Support for President
-Record on votes
-Foreign compared with domestic
-Vetoes
Scott
-Visit to White House
- Everett M. Dirksen
-Other Senators
-Desire for meeting with President
-36-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 864-9 (cont’d)
-Leadership
-Bartlett
-Clifford P. Hansen
-Paul J. Fannin
-Milton R. Young
-Reelection concerns
-Bartlett
-Reasons for meeting with President
-Desirability
-White House social affairs
-Church services
-Conflicts with White House
-White House staff
-Thomas C. Korologos
-Ehrlichman’s call
The President and Ehrlichman left at 6:35 pm.