Conversation: 880-014
Prev: 880-013 Next: 880-015Start Date: 15-Mar-1973 2:55 PM
End Date: 15-Mar-1973 3:55 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ferguson, Lucy; Ferguson, John; Williams, Donald; Williams, Donald (Mrs.); Williams, Jeanette; Williams, Mark; Williams, Jonathan; Jordan, Diane; Jordan, Shelby; Jordan, Kim; Garment, Leonard; Fisher, Max M.; [Unknown person(s)];Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On March 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Lucy Ferguson, John Ferguson, Donald Williams, Mrs. Donald Williams, Jeanette Williams, Mark Williams, Jonathan Williams, Diane Jordan, Shelby Jordan, Kim Jordan, Leonard Garment, Max M. Fisher, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:55 pm and 3:55 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 880-014 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 880-14
Date: March 15, 1973
Time: Unknown between 2:55 pm and 3:55 pm
Location: Oval Office
20-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
The President met with Rose Mary Woods.
Arrangements for Prisoners of war [POWs] reception
Lucy Ferguson, John Ferguson, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Williams, Jeannette Williams, Mark
Williams, Jonathan Williams, Diane Jordan, Shelby Jordan and Kim Jordan entered at 2:59 pm.
The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
Introductions
-Size of family
Lucy Ferguson's work with White House
-Retirement
-Thanks
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
Photographs
-Arrangements
-Children
-Dress
-Copies
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
Lucy Ferguson's work
-Thanks
Salutations
Lucy Ferguson, et al., left at 3:03 pm. Woods remained.
Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Recognition
-Medal
-Certificate
-Commendation
-Gifts
-Presidential cufflinks
-Pins
-J. Willard (“Bill”) Marriott, Jr. [?]
-Recognition
-Commendation
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Pins
-Bracelets
-Medals
-Design
-Eagle
-Marriott [?]
-Production
-Commendations
-Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
-Inscription
-Presidential ashtrays
Max M. Fisher and Leonard Garment entered at 3:06 pm. The White House photographer was
present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
President's press conference
Woods left at 3:06 pm.
Photograph
-Seating arrangements
Fisher's activities
-Fisher's work with Jewish community
-Foreign policy issues
-Middle East
-Soviet Jews
-Most Favored Nation [MFN] status
-Opposition of Jewish community
-Non-Jews
-Fisher's help for president
-Work with William P. Rogers
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Henry A. Kissinger [?]
-George P. Shultz
-Strategy
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-President's meeting with Golda Meir
22-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-President's approach on Soviet Jews
-Unnamed congressman
-President's trip to People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Release of John T. Downey
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 3:06 pm.
Refreshment
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 3:55 pm.
USSR
-PRC trip by president
-Lack of conditions
-Relationship
-Results of trip
-Release of Downey
-Soviet Jewish emigration
-MFN
-US-USSR relations
-Agitation
-Dangers
-Summit
-Peace
-American Jews
-Congress
-Pandering
-Rate of emigration
-Reasons
-Relationship to MFN
-Economic initiatives
-American Jewish community
-Agitation
-Dangers to Soviet Jews
-President's approach
-US relations with USSR
-Goals
-Peace
-Relationship between superpowers
-Handling of Soviet Jewish emigration
-Arms limitations
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Communists
-Blame
-Press conference
-Soviet Jewish emigration
-Domestic issue
-Speech
-New York
-Herschel Schacter
-Heroics
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-President’s approach
-Humanitarianism
-Germany
-Rider on MFN
-Economic progress
-Vietnam
-Arms limitations
-USSR’s leadership
-Paranoia, jingoistic pride
-Congressional action on MFN
-American Jewish community
-Responsibility
-Meir's and Yitzhak Rabin's attitude
-Peace prospects
-PRC
-Release of Downey
-Conditions
-Soviet Jewish emigration
-USSR’s goal
-Respectability
-President’s approach
-Public relations program
-Conditions on trade
-Treatment of Soviet Jews
-Insane asylums
-NAZIs
-Killing, torture
-Cruelty
-Handling of Soviet Jewish emigration
-US influence
-Rider on MFN
24-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-American Jewish community
-Fisher’s role
-Rogers
-Leadership meeting
-Speech
-Congress
-Demagoguery
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Rider on MFN
-Battle against Jews
-Votes
-US relations with USSR
-Arms limitations
-Vietnam
-North Vietnam’s restraint
-Influence with USSR
-Communism
-Alger Hiss case
-Popularity of anticommunism
-American Jewish community
-Fisher's work
-Congress
-Votes
-Kissinger
-Leadership
-Strategy
-Interests
-Peace
-Soviet Jews
-Soviet Jewish emigration
-USSR’s reaction
-France, Great Britain
-Brezhnev
-Discussions with President
-Possible announcement
-Congress
-Internal matter
-Natural gas trade
-Conditions in USSR
-US reception
-Israel
25-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Immigrants to US
-Parole waiver
-Working class
-Intellectuals
-Nationalities
-President’s influence
-Dangers of rider on MFN
-Importance
-Comparison with arms for Israel
-Meir
-Airplanes
-Humanitarian problem
-Foreign policy problem
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Political ambition
American Jewish community
-Goodwill toward President
-Confidence in president
-Speech
-Herschel Schacter
-Leaders
-Meetings
-House of representatives
-Foreign policy issues
-Approach
-Communicating President’s sympathy
-Confidence in Rogers
-Middle East
-Attitude toward Kissinger
-“Peace at home”
-Administration’s efforts
-Garment’s role
-Fisher's approach
-President’s suggestions
Vietnam
-Status of cease-fire
-Infiltration
-Handling of North Vietnamese
-Compared to handling of American Jewish community
26-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
USSR
-Brezhnev's visit
-Dinner
-Republicans from Jewish community
-Representation
-Fisher's work with Jewish community
-New York
-Strategy
-Garment’s role
-Rogers's appearance on "face the nation"
-Disclosure of strategy
-Secrecy
-President’s sympathy
-Brezhnev
-Work with Congress,
-Jacob K. Javits and Abraham A. Ribicoff
-Political overtones
-Partisanship
-Strategy
-Approaches
-Georgi Arbatov
-Speech
-Institute on American Relations with the Soviet Union
-Fall-out
-American Jewish community
-PRC
-Kissinger
-Fisher’s work with American Jewish community
-President’s suggestions
Energy
-John D. Ehrlichman, Charles J. DiBona
-Fisher's advice
-Knowledge of oil and Middle East
-Advisory group
-Fisher’s inclusion
-John B. Connally
-Oil companies
-Fisher’s patriotism
-Ken Jameson’s exclusion
27-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Standard Oil of New Jersey
-Standard Oil of California
-President’s friend
-Standard Oil of Texas
-Connally
-Charles J. DiBona
-Intelligence
-Knowledge of oil
-System analysis
-Meeting with Fisher
-Fisher’s association with oil company
-Discontinuation
-Ehrlichman
-President’s trust
-Connally
-Natural gas investments
-Natural gas
-Price
-Need for action
-Kerr-Mills Bill
- Dwight D. Eisenhower's veto
-Motivation
-Francis case [?]
-Campaign contribution scandal
-California
-Results
-Garment’s knowledge
-Contributions
-Natural gas company
-Ruthlessness
-Decontrol
-Ehrlichman
-Extent
-Political fall-out
-Ehrlichman
-El Paso Gas Company
-Antitrust case
-Fisher's work
-Support for President
-Priorities
-Trip overseas
28-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Prestige
[First name unknown] Tyson [?]
-US Steel
-Geneva [?]
-Trade negotiations
Fisher’s work for administration
-European Economic Community
-Negotiations
-George P. Shultz, Peter M. Flanigan
-Business Council
-Quality of advice
-Selfishness
-James M. Roche[?]
-Donald McI. Kendall
-Informal business group
-Business Council
-Connally
-Paul W. McCrackan
Food
-Prices
-Fisher's advice
-Production levels
-Consumption levels
-POWs
-Physical condition
-Diet
-Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr., Col. Robinson Risner
-Solitary confinement
-Character
-Diet
-Physical condition
-Dental problems
-Surgery
-Civil War
-Denton
-Condition of teeth
-Reasons
-Diet
29-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Diets
-Concentration camp survivors
-NAZIs
-Condition of teeth
-Reasons
-Dentures
-Compared to American diet
-Smoking
POWs
-Captivity
-Communication in prison
-Morse code
-Sweeping
-Writing paper
-Reading matter
-Propaganda
-Solitary confinement
-Survivors
-Quiet voices
-Improvement in treatment
-American elite
-Prison camps
-World War II
-Movie, The Great Escape
-Survival
-Treatment of POWs
-Brutality
-Adolph Hitler
-Retention of American values
-Denton's letter to President
Fisher's wife
-Parties
-Appointment to position
-Kennedy Center
-National Commission on the Arts
-New elite of the President's supporters
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
Joseph J. Sisco
30-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-14 (cont’d)
-Trustworthiness
-Jewish community’s support
-Middle East
-US ambassador to Israel
-Kissinger
-Replacement
-Consequences
-Work with Kissinger
-Quality of work
-Assistant Secretary of State
Israel
-US ambassador
-Appointment
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-Jewish community
-Kenneth B. Keating
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Support for Israel
-Assistant Secretary of State
-Prestige
-Work with Kissinger
-Sisco
-Germany
-Tom [last name unknown]
-Qualifications
-American Jewish community
-Support for Sisco
-Garment’s role
-Reaction to Rogers's plan
-Kissinger
Campaign contribution
Fisher and Garment left at 3:55 pm.
31-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-10)
Conversation No. 880-15 (cont’d)