Conversation: 938-003
Prev: 938-002 Next: 938-004Start Date: 12-Jun-1973 3:05 PM
End Date: 12-Jun-1973 4:49 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; [Unknown person(s)]; Shultz, George P.; Ash, Roy L.; Stein, Herbert; Connally, John B.; Dunlop, John T.;Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On June 12, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., unknown person(s), George P. Shultz, Roy L. Ash, Herbert Stein, John B. Connally, and John T. Dunlop met in the Oval Office of the White House from 3:05 pm to 4:49 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 938-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 938-3
Date: June 12, 1973
Time: 3:05 pm - 4:49 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Spiro T. Agnew’s schedule
Flowers John D. Ehrlichman’s letter to President, June 11, 1973
-Contents
-Reference to Haig
-Confidentiality
-Watergate
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-Possible resignation
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 3:05 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Message to Saigon
-Timing
-Translation
-Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 3:15 pm.
[Pause]
Watergate
-Leonard Garment
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s and Ehrlichman’s views
-Possible leaks
-3-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-White House
-Judgment
-Haig’s views
-Loyalty
White House staff
-Agnew
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Criticism of Agnew
-George P. Shultz
-William E. Simon
-Roy L. Ash
-Future of Administration
-Cole
-Possible resignation
-Melvin R. Laird
-Haig’s role
-President’s schedule
-President’s role
-Ehrlichman
-Possible motivation
-Institutions
-Change
-Energy policy
-John B. Connally
-Laird
-Elliot L. Richardson
-White House staff morale
-Haig’s staff
-Laird
-Harlow
-Ash
-Shultz
-Duties
-Possible resignation
-Connally
-Laird
-4-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Connally
-Briefings
-Relationship with President
-William P. Clements, Jr.
-Conversation with Haig, June 12, 1973
-Conversation with Connally, June 11, 1973
-Connally
-Role in administration
-Reorganization
-Institutions
-Change
-Energy
-[Charles J. DiBona]
-Staff
-Relations with Simon
-Simon
-Ehrlichman’s letter
-President’s assessment
-Laird
-Staff roles
-Recent press conference
-Haig’s conversation with Laird
-Tone
-Team building
-Richardson
-Conversation with Haig
-Tone
-Garment
-Contacts with press
-Ehrlichman’s view
-Unknown source
-Judgment
-Haig’s view
-Loyalty
-Richardson
-Haig’s forthcoming conversation with J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-5-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
Shultz, Ash, Herbert Stein, Connally, and John T. Dunlop entered at 3:15 pm.
Vietnam negotiations
-Communiqué
-Saigon
-Timing
-June 13, 1973
-Saigon
-December 1972
-January 1973
-Henry A. Kissinger’s schedule
-Paris
-Saigon
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Message from President
-Number
-Terms
-January 27, 1973 agreement
-Strengthening
-Infiltration
-Loas, Cambodia
-Kissinger’s efforts
-North Vietnam
-Thieu
-North Vietnam’s position
-US position
-Scowcroft
-Bilateralism
-US public opinion
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-End of war
Cambodia
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] negotiations
-Timing
-Bombing
-Haig’s conversation with Gen. John W. Vogt, Jr. June 12, 1973
-6-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Military situation
-Compared to 90 and 60 days ago
-Political aspects
-Funding
-Duration
-Communiqué
-Effect on congressional leaders
Laos
-Military situation
-Infiltration
South Vietnam
Vietnam negotiations
-Communiqué
-North Vietnamese, South Vietnamese positions
-Leonid I. Brezhnev visit
-Congress
-Aid to South Vietnamese, North Vietnamese
-Thieu
-President’s efforts
-Missing in Action [MIA]
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Paris
-Time difference
-US Response
-Effect of congressional action
-Cambodian bombing
-Progress
-Peace with honor
-South Vietnamese position
-Trade
-North Vietnamese position
-Soviet Union, PRC relations with US
President’s schedule
-7-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Brezhnev visit
-Agreements
-Sensitivity
-Trade
-Outlook
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] II
-Principles
-Offensive weapons
National economy
-Presidential address
-Price freezes
-Possible freeze
-Post freeze program
-President’s forthcoming speech
-President’s recent conversation with Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Possible price freeze
-Wages
-Exclusion from rigid controls
-Condition
-Settlements
-Phase III
-Export license regulations
-Possible congressional action
-Public law [PL] 480
-Agricultural products
-Trading with the enemy act
-Deletion
-Phase IV
-Standards
-Possible price freeze
-Gasoline, food prices
-Ceilings
-Enforcement
-Briefings
-Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
-Meat
-8-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Recent letter from William D. Farr
-September 1973
-1974
-Meat
-Worcestershire sauce, mustard
-Price ceilings
-Post freeze action
-60 days
-Cost of Living Council [COLC]
-President’s experience with Office of Price Administration [OPA]
-P-3, P-5 wage scale
-Price controls
-Grocery stores
-Bureaucracy
-Food
-Lettuce
-Current status
-Strawberries, produce, meats, butter, eggs
-Nutmeg, spices
-Implementation
-Connally’s view
-Companies
-Number
-Sears-Roebuck
-Butter
-Ceilings
-Adjustments
-Duration
-Food czar
-Post freeze action
-Butter surplus
-Secretary of Agriculture
-Price support
-Pending agricultural legislation
-Farm Bill
-Food and gasoline prices
-Tone
-9-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Farm legislation
-Export controls
-Future policy
-Political difficulty
-Agricultural legislation
-Possible changes
-Farm organizations
-Milk producers
-Co-operatives [Co-ops], associations
-Meat, vegetables
-General Motors Corporation [GM], American
Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial
Organizations [AFL-CIO]
-Price controls
-Senate bill
-House Committee
-Possible veto
-President’s recent meeting with Congressional leaders
-Gerald R. Ford
-Milton R. Young
-Henry L. Bellmon
-Possible price freeze
-Food and gasoline prices
-Stabilization
-Administration spokesman
-Inflation
-Control
-Supply and production
-Export controls
-Price ceilings
-Farm legislation
-Foreign exports
-Bread
-Tax on wheat
-Pending legislation
-Administration’s position
-Cost
-10-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Four year period
-Department of Agriculture
-Announcement
-Effect on budget
-Full employment
-Donald H. Rumsfeld quote
-Bread
-Symbolic importance
-Price
-Tax on wheat
-Pending farm legislation
-President’s program
-Public support
-Possible price freeze
-Food and gasoline prices
-Stabilization
-Possible Congressional support
-John L. McClellan, John Young, John C. Stennis, George H. Mahon,
William R. Poage, James O. Eastland, J. William Fulbright, Wilbur D.
Mills, Robert J. Dole
-Timing
-Farm legislation
-Dairies
-Congressional vote
-60-day freeze
-Possible veto
-Possible changes
-Earl L. Butz
-Dairy price support
-Butter
-Possible veto
-Re-evaluation of existing legislation
-Surpluses compared to shortages
-Possible veto
-Democrats in House of Representatives
-President’s recent leadership meeting
-Poage
-11-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-City Democrats
-Minimum wage bill
Vetoes
-Congressional relations
-Strategies in face of possible override
-President’s recent conversation with Ash
-Spending
-1969 tax bill
-Media interpretation
-Harlow, Timmons, Laird
-Congressional leaders
-Ford, Hugh Scott
-Connally’s view
-Compromise
-Veterans’ bill
-Education bill
-Agriculture bills
-Minimum wage bill
-Possible vetoes
National economy
-Possible freeze
-Phase IV
-Food and gasoline price stabilization, ceiling
-Necessity
-Use of term “stabilize”
-President’s recent conversation with Price
-Price controls
-Purpose
-Management
-Duration
-Points
-Briefing paper
-Price
-President’s and Frank Nixon’s experience
-Property
-12-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Compared to Connally’s ranch
-Lemon orchard
-Southern California
-Oil fields
-Grocery store
-Donkey allusion
-Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [SPCA]
-Quaker
-President’s program
-Public attention
-Goal
-Post freeze program
-Phase III
-Gasoline
-60-day price freeze
-President’s activities
-President’s conversation with Price
-Public appearances
-Campaign
-Timing
-Radio talks
-Newspapers
-Possible Cabinet speeches
-Public relations
-Government action
-Post freeze program
-Least permanent program
-Possible Congressional action
-Television [TV] [Watergate hearings]
-Spending, trade bill, tariff
-Goals
-Farm legislation
-Pending minimum wage legislation
-Possible veto
-Possible Congressional actions
-George Meany’s views
-Timmons
-13-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-90-day price freeze
-Phase II
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield’s statement
-Agriculture and minimum wage bills
-Effect on prices
-Budget
-President’s program
-Leadership
-Possible Congressional response
Congressional relations
-Farm legislation
-Prospects
-Approach
-Peanut lobby
-Effect on southern supporters
-Butz’s views
Connally’s schedule
-Departure
National economy
-President’s program
-Connally’s assessment
-Food prices
-John B. Connally and Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
Connally’s schedule
-Cabinet and leadership meetings
National economy
-President’s program
-Public relations
-Leaks
-Shultz and Connally
-Compared to advisors program
-Options
-14-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
Connally
-Schedule
-Cabinet meeting
-Role in administration
-Cabinet, leadership meetings
-Brezhnev dinner
-Advisement
-Shultz’s, Stein’s, and Laird’s roles
-Laird
-Military
-Schedule
-Preferences
Connally left at 4:26 pm.
National economy
-Farm legislation
-Administration position
-Lack of statement
-Effect of possible veto
-Sustenance
-Prior legislation
-Cotton
-Cotton
-Butz’s views
-Working style
-Clifford M. Hardin
-Previous bill
-President’s telephone call to Allen J. Ellender
-Possible Domestic Council action
-Stein
-Laird’s role
-Congressional experience
-Butz
-Possible veto
-Compared to minimum wage legislation
-15-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Peter J. Brennan
-Views of Food Advisory Committee
-Dissemination
-Post freeze program
-Phase III
-Compared to gasoline, food
-Companies
-Number
-Pre-notification
-Implementation
-Possible price freeze
-Duration
-January 10, 1974
-Expansion of number of companies
-Price standards
-Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies
-Mandatory nature
-Accounting and legal aspects
-Briefing
-Duration
-Post freeze program
-Congressional relations
-Wages
-Pre-notification
-President’s conversation with Frank E. Fitzsimmons, June 11, 1973
-Fitzsimmons
-Brennan
-Meany
-Contract
-President’s meeting with Labor-Management Committee, June 11, 1973
-Value
-Possible responses
-Paul Hall
-Fitzsimmons
-Possible price freeze
-Labor leaders
-Wages
-16-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Businessmen
-Phase II
-Fitzsimmons
-Hall
-Seafarers union
-Phase II
-Compared to post freeze program
-Price commission
-Food and gasoline prices
-Compared to Phase III
-Pre-notification
-Business community
-Labor
-Wages
-Phase III
-Possible price freeze
-Food and gasoline prices
-Scott’s poll of Republicans, June 12, 1973
-Democrats’ position
-Public relations [PR]
-President’s forthcoming radio talks
-Timing
-Media coverage
-Topics
-Budget, trade, taxes, food prices, energy
-Aid to Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT], and Harvard
Shultz’s schedule
-Honorary degree
-Princeton University
-Controversy
-Shultz’s reception
-Standing ovation
-Campus situation compared to Cambodia invasion and May 8 bombings
Stein
-Education
-17-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Williams College, University of Chicago
Dunlop
-Education
-University of California, Berkeley
Edward W. Carter
-Broadway-Hale stores
-Possible conversation with Shultz
-University of California chancellor
-Shrewdness
National economy
-President’s program
-President’s conversation with Leslie C. Arends on debt limits, budget deficits
-Media criticism concerning administration’s policies
-Hobart Rowen, Washington Post
-1972
-Inflation
-Spending
-Pace
-Public sector
-President’s program
President’s schedule
-Brezhnev
Camp David
-President’s trip to California
-Invitations to staff
-Shultz’s schedule
-Pool
-Pool and sauna
-Aspen Lodge
-Brezhnev
-Red Oak, Birch, Dogwood, and Maple Lodges
-Birch Lodge
-18-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-2012)
Conversation No. 938-3 (cont’d)
-Brezhnev
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Bugging
Secret Service
-Hotel
-Bugs
-Discovery
Stein, Ash, and Dunlop left at 4:48 pm.
Forthcoming Brezhnev visit
-Dinners
-Cabinet
-Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense
-Embassy
-Van Cliburn
-Cabinet
-Blair House reception
-Attorney General [?]’s request
-Businessmen
-Cabinet
-Harry S. Dent
-Butz
-State Department
Shultz and Haig left at 4:49 pm.