Conversation: 879-005
Prev:  879-004 Next: 879-006Start Date: 14-Mar-1973 11:10 AM
End Date: 14-Mar-1973 12:25 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); [Unknown person(s)]; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On March 14, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:10 am to 12:25 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 879-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 879-5 Date: March 14, 1973 Time: 11:10 am-12:25 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. Public relations -John D. Ehrlichman's recommendations -Congress -Henry A. Kissinger -Presentation to veterans Veterans legislation -Donald E. Johnson -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] -Lobbying -Programs -Vietnam veterans -Meetings with President of non-VFW veterans -Problems -4- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Unions -Selection of participants -Blacks -Ordinary people -President’s appearances -Vocational educational centers -Forbes Air Force Base -Topeka, KS -Veterans hospitals -Meeting with Jobs for Veterans group -Press coverage -Prisoners of War [POWs] -Focus of attention -Employment -Excess -Opportunities POW reception at White House -Date -H. Ross Perot -Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope -Knowledge of details -Perot -Sammy Davis, Jr. -Regional television [TV] dinners -Publicity -Show for President and POWs -Press coverage -Private party -Exploitation -Briefing by Haldeman -William P. Rogers, Kissinger -Wives -Photograph opportunity -Ronald L. Ziegler -Press coverage -Disadvantages -Press anger at non-admittance -Hope -Work with Les Brown -5- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Organization of show -Raquel Welch -Ann Margret -Davis -Attendance by President Subcabinet -Briefing -Format -General background -Ehrlichman -President’s appearance -State Department President’s schedule -Trader Vic’s -Omissions -Role of government speech -State of the Union radio addresses -Max M. Fisher -National Association of Broadcasters [NAB] -TV networks -Station managers -Conflict -Clay T. (“Tom”) Whitehead -Attendance at Bohemian Grove -Rose Mary Woods -Secret Service -Press attention -Lowell Thomas [?] -Herbert C. Hoover event at Waldorf -Wealthy audience -Raymond K. Price, Jr. [?] POW reception at the White House -Ziegler -Press attendance -Entertainment -Hope -Press pool before reception -6- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Private party -Press coverage -Handling of press -Ziegler -Reception line -Hand shakes -Vulnerability to press -Exclusion of press -Receiving line -Early arrivals -Tour of White House -Music -Organization -Dinner -Waiters -Music -Marine Corps Band -Strolling Strings of the Air Force Band -Entertainment White House social events -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Lucy A. Winchester -Stephen B. Bull -Complaints -Entertainment -Invitation list -Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s work -Rex W. Scouten -Loyalty -Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart Visit by Nguyen Van Thieu -Accommodations -Cyprus shores [?] -Private house -Camp Pendleton -Security -Demonstrations -Organization by Jane Fonda -7- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Camp Pendleton -VIP residence -Staff accommodations -San Clemente -El Toro Marine Corps Air Station -Camp Pendleton -Location -Demonstrations -Washington, DC -Spiro T. Agnew -Handling -Washington, DC -San Clemente -Schedule -Dinner -Mrs. Thieu -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon -William Rogers -Adele (Langston) Rogers -Foreign ministers President’s schedule -Latin American trip -Africa -William Rogers’s trip -Thieu visit -Wife -Foreign minister -William Rogers -William Rogers -Attendance -Adele Rogers -Kissinger -Attendance -Thieu’s dinner for President -President’s lunch for Thieu -Mrs. Thieu -Mrs. Nixon -William R. Codus -Activities -8- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) John Ford dinner -President’s schedule -Head table reception -Size -Table hopping -Dress -Location -Beverly Hilton -Century Plaza ****************************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] -Mrs. Nixon’s schedule -Helicopter -Dress -Arrangements for dinner -Rita De Santis [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ****************************************************************************** President’s statements -Speech -Substitute for press conference -Ehrlichman -Format -Substance -Preparation -Cabinet meeting -Effectiveness -Compared with press conference An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:10 am. Delivery -Executive Office Building [EOB] -9- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) The unknown person left at an unknown time before 12:25 pm. Presidential statements -TV press conference -Compared with address to Congress -Necessity -Control over content -Address to Congress -Ehrlichman’s evaluation of effect -Domestic issues -Crime speech -Hard line [?] -Vietnam White House staff -Political orientation -Domestic Council -Advice -Softness -Patrick J. Buchanan Press relations -Watergate, Donald H. Segretti -Wounded Knee incident -Repression and shield laws -Press interest -Buchanan -Congressional consideration -Bangladesh -Foreign policy -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] negotiations -Phase III -Public interest Congressional relations -Importance -President’s address to Congress -Circumstances -Topics of discussion -10- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Vietnam settlement -Budget -Inflation -Clean environment -Cease-fire -Cambodia -Amnesty -Merit -Compared with TV press conference -Ehrlichman -Effectiveness with public -Response of Congress -Applause Press conference -Vietnam -North Vietnamese troop build-up -Liberal hopes -Joseph W. Alsop -US defeat -Future of South Vietnam -Kissinger -Public apathy -North Vietnamese offensive -POWs [?] -South Vietnamese strength -Alsop -Analysis of North Vietnamese strategy -South Vietnam’s survival -Use of military force -Domestic speech -Necessity -Ehrlichman’s opinion -Scheduling Congressional relations -Congressional leadership meeting -Pete V. Domenici’s reaction -Ehrlichman’s report -Work with groups by White House staff -11- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Chowder and Marching Society -Haldeman’s meetings -William E. Timmons -Congressional leadership meetings -Attendance -Expansion -Objections Kissinger Speech -Work with President -Audience -Intelligence -Format -Text -Personal touch -POW wives Press conferences -Effectiveness -Effect of hiatus -Frequency, lulls -Plans -Alsop’s theory -Flexibility of format -Compared with Dwight D. Eisenhower -Frequency -Danger of overexposure of President -President’s appearances, meetings -Federal womens’ awards -Patricia R. Hitt’s meeting with President -Gains -Meeting with John J. McCloy -Value -Length President’s schedule -Meetings -Value -Executives -12- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Length -Saturday events for Sunday news -Activities -Announcements -Publicity -News stories -TV coverage -Sunday newspapers Watergate -Problems -Segretti case -News interest -Amount, duration -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case -Ziegler -L. Patrick Gray, III -Testimony -Questions from Congress -Opening of Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] raw files President’s appearances -Ehrlichman -Veterans bill -Consumer protection -Congressional relations -Publicity -Veterans bill -Speech President’s schedule -Activities -Frequency -Cabinet meetings -Congressional leaders -Frequency -Publicity -Domestic Council -Value of meetings with President -Cost of Living Council -13- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Small meetings with President -Value -Counselors -Cabinet meetings -Value -Ehrlichman -Morale of officers -Camp David meetings -Social events -Wives -Subcabinet officers -Dinners -Wives -Arrangements, location -Finalization of schedule -Congressional leaders meeting -Value -Bipartisanship -Dinner -Bryce N. Harlow -Breakfast meetings -Eisenhower compared with President -Social events -Theater Watergate -Segretti case -Richard G. Kleindienst -Source of problems -Lack of Republican support -John W. Dean, III -Invitation to testify -Republicans -Appearance of nonpartisanship -Public posture -Need for support for President -Kleindienst -Lack of support -Talk -Ehrlichman, Dean -14- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Mar.-09) Conversation No. 879-5 (cont’d) -Justice Department -John N. Mitchell -Kleindienst -Gray Kissinger -Speech -Planning -Response of audience Haldeman left at 12:25 pm.