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Conversation 003-052

TapeTape 3StartFriday, May 14, 1971 at 1:45 PMEndFriday, May 14, 1971 at 1:48 PMTape start time00:59:49Tape end time01:03:03ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Rogers, William P.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AI Summary

President Nixon and Secretary of State William P. Rogers discuss the administration's strategy for countering the Mansfield Amendment ahead of an upcoming Senate vote. Rogers advises the President to avoid personal attacks on Senator Mike Mansfield, noting that Dean Acheson’s disparaging public comments about the Senator have generated sympathy for him among other lawmakers. Rogers also provides an update on his recent testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding war powers and foreign policy, emphasizing the ongoing legislative tension over the Senate's role in executive decision-making.

Mansfield AmendmentSenate Foreign Relations CommitteeMike MansfieldDean AchesonWar PowersLegislative relations
AudioNARA Description

On May 14, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 1:45 pm to 1:48 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-052 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 3-52

Date: May 14, 1971
Time: 1:45 pm - 1:48 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William P. Rogers.

[See Conversation No. 499-24A]

     President's schedule
          -Departure
          -Length of stay

     Mansfield Amendment
         -Rogers’ testimony in Senate Foreign Relations Committee
               -Coverage
                                             28

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



          -Administration handling
               -Dean G. Acheson's comment
                     -Rogers’ response
                     -Acheson
                           -Compared with Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
          -John C. Stennis
          -Upcoming vote
          -Stennis                                                    Conv. No. 3-52 (cont.)
               -Talk with Rogers
          -Upcoming vote
               -Rogers’ meeting with senators

     Rogers’ testimony
         -Clifford P. Case
         -Mideast, War Powers Act, Mansfield Amendment, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
                [SALT], Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
                -Senators position on Senate role
                     -Civil War, World War I, World War II

     President's schedule

     Mansfield Amendment
         -Administration handling
               -Acheson's statements
               -President's May 13, 1971 meeting
                     -Attendees
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Yeah.
Hello?
Yeah.
Mr. President?
Yeah.
Can you talk to Secretary Rogers?
Yeah.
Fine.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello, Mr. President.
Hi.
Hi.
Are you going to leave this afternoon?
Yeah, as a matter of fact, I just hear the helicopter now.
I'm just going to go out and see.
It's a pretty nice day to be leaving Washington, isn't it?
Isn't it nice?
Just going down for Saturday and Sunday.
Good.
I was just going to make this suggestion.
I just came back from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
I've been testifying on public television.
I don't know if it's going to come out, but we had a lot of wrangles.
But the one thing I did want to suggest, and I think you might pass the word around, I think we've got to be careful on how we handle Mike Mansfield because there's beginning to be some sympathy developing for him.
I was questioned in public about Dean Acheson's comment that it was asinine.
And I could sense that even some of the ones who were with us were offended by that.
I disassociated myself from it.
But I think we've got to be careful.
Dean is such a crotchety old fellow.
He's a sharp tongue.
And Mike Mansfield is such a nice fellow.
Everybody's popular.
He's popular.
That's right.
So I think we've got to be sure that we don't sound as if we're attacking him personally.
Yeah, I get your point.
And if you could just tell your... Oh, yeah, sure, sure, sure.
Well, we always try to treat him nice.
Dennis is...
Well, we're really just talking about votes now.
That's all that matters.
All that matters.
I had a long talk with Stennis last night.
He called me at home, and I think we're making some progress.
We just don't get people sympathizing with me.
Yeah, yeah.
When is the vote?
Wednesday.
Definite Wednesday.
So I think we're... And I'm going to meet with quite a few senators this afternoon.
Boy, that's like having a boxing match going up there.
Must be just unbelievable.
Yeah, from every angle.
Case and all those people.
Everybody's got their own pet projects.
What kind of things did you go into?
I went up to talk about war powers.
Oh, the war powers thing, yeah.
And I had a long, prepared statement.
But then we talked about everything.
Thank God they talked about the Mansfield thing, and all talks, and Vietnam, and Laos, and over Cambodia.
Oh, God.
You know, it's an obsession with them.
Well, it's sort of an obsession because they feel they should be consulted.
Is that it?
Running it?
Yeah, they really think they should be running it.
Mm-hmm.
I'm not sure, but...
It's always been the case.
The Senate has always had that feeling.
It was true in the Civil War and World War I, World War II, you know.
It's one of those things.
It just won't work.
That's the problem.
It just won't work.
That's right.
All right, have a good time.
Well, anyway, we'll try to see that...
I don't think...
I don't think anybody is taking him on at Mansfield, but I think the Atchison segment would have him.
I got the point.
Yeah, there was criticism of having, you know, that old gang down there, the old Cold Warriors, and attacking poor Mike, who's such a gentleman.
Why the hell did you do that?
And that sort of thing.
Is that right?
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Thanks, Mr. Benson.
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