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Conversation: 878-007

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Start Date: 13-Mar-1973 11:35 AM

End Date: 13-Mar-1973 12:03 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")

Recording Device: Oval Office

878-007.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:35 am to 12:03 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 878-007 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 878-7

Date: March 13, 1973
Time: 11:35 am - 12:03 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

       President's schedule
             -Management awards
                    -Camp David
                    -Repetition
                    -Cabinet member attendance
             -Overcrowding
             -Recommendation on scheduling
                    -John D. Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz, Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
             -Haldeman’s work with Ehrlichman
                                       -10-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. July-2010)
                                                      Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


           -Ehrlichman's views
                 -Public impressions
                       -Efficiency in government

President’s performance
      -Press conference
      -President's performance
      -Frequency
            -President's schedule
                   -Location
                         -Camp David
      -Image
            -Social aspects
            -Dinners
                   -Trade relations
            -Color stories

Presidential approval rating
      -Polls
             -Decline
             -Robert Teeter, George H. Gallup
                   -Telephone
             -Opinion Research Center [ORC]
      -President's popularity
             -Vietnam War
             -Reasons
                   -Prisoners of war [POWs]
                   -Public appearances
                         -Value
                               -Public opinion
                               -Informing own people
      -Polls
             -Gallup
             -Teeter
                   -Low ratings
             -ORC
             -Cost of polling
             -Results
                   -Taxes compared with cost of government programs
                                      -11-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. July-2010)
                                                      Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


                -President’s vetoes
                -Impoundment
                      -Congress’s role
                      -Support for President
                      -Inflation
                      -Albert E. Sindlinger
                      -Teeter
                -Federal spending
                      -Support for President
                      -Effects on income taxes
                      -Education
                      -Senior citizens
                      -Aid to North Vietnam
                             -Compared with aid after World War II
                                   -Japan
                                   -Germany
                             -Sources of funds
                                   -National security budget
     -Administration’s strategy
         -Congressional relations

President's public appearances
      -Visibility
             -Prime time
             -Television [TV] news coverage
      -Press conferences
             -Value
             -Effect on public opinion
      -President's daily activities
             -Visibility
             -Press coverage
             -Public reaction
             -One event per day

President's schedule
      -Management awards
             -Haldeman’s responsibility
      -Poster child
             -Value
                                         -12-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. July-2010)
                                                     Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


                 -Reaction to blackmail
            -Meetings in previous years

Poll results
      -Reaction to Watergate
      -Reasons for gains
             -Vietnam settlement
             -POW return
             -Future decline
      -Teeter poll
             -Past gains
                   -Pre-election period
      -Post-election results
             -Gallup results
             -Louis P. Harris poll results

President's schedule
      -Meetings with departing staffers
             -Reasons
             -Frequency
             -John F. Kennedy
             -White House operators

State of the Union Address
      -Ehrlichman's prospectus
      -Preparation
             -Lee W. Huebner
                   -Draft
      -Congressional relations
      -Type of speech
             -Government reform
             -Inspirational tone
             -Discussion of programs
                   -Value
      -Substance of speech
             -Taxes
             -Vietnam settlement
             -Huebner
             -Domestic Council
                                               -13-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. July-2010)
                                                               Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


                    -Budget
                    -Appeal to public
                          -Congress’s role
                          -Letters to Congress members
                          -Gimmick
                    -Aid to Vietnam
              -Draft of speech
                    -President’s request
              -Congressional relations
                    -Bryce N. Harlow
                    -Respect
                    -John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
                    -Delivery at night
                          -Lack of concern for writing press

      Polls
              -Value
                    -Governing
                    -Attitudes toward Congress
              -Fluctuations

      Press relations
            -Patrick J. Buchanan's analysis
                   -Alarmism
                   -Obviousness
                   -Positive issues for administration
                   -Mood
                   -Opportunities for administration

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:35 am.

      Taxes [?]

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 12:03 pm.

      Press relations
            -News magazines
            -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
                                               -14-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. July-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


      Gray
             -Media articles
                   -Watergate
             -Richard G. Kleindienst
             -John N. Mitchell
             -Gordon C. Strachan
             -Confirmation hearings
                   -Media articles
                   -Problems
                         -John W. Dean III
                         -Wallace H. Johnson
                   -James O. Eastland
                         -Advice
                         -Dean testimony
                         -Subpoena

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:35 am.

      President's meeting with recipients of Management Improvement Award
            -Arrival
            -Format
                  -Photographs
                  -Roy L. Ash

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:03 pm.

             -Group photograph
                  -Value

      Watergate
           -President's meeting with Dean
                 -Subjects of discussion
                        -Gray
                        -Maurice H. Stans
                        -William C. Sullivan
                              -Testimony about Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
                                    -Timing of testimony
                                    -Gray
                                            -15-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. July-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 878-7 (cont’d)


Haldeman left at 12:03 pm.