Conversation 108-002

On October 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, George P. Shultz, and Senate Republican leaders, including Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger, James E. Smith, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Norris Cotton, Peter H. Dominick, Robert J. Dole, Wallace F. Bennett, John G. Tower, John D. Ehrlichman, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, William E. Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, William L. Gifford, Wallace H. Johnson, the White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 9:06 am and 8:48 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 108-002 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 108-2

Date: October 12, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:06 am and 8:48 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with George P. Shultz, Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, James E. Smith, Hugh
Scott, Robert P. Griffin, Norris Cotton, Peter H. Dominick, Robert J. Dole, Wallace F. Bennett,
John G. Tower, John D. Ehrlichman, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Ronald L. Ziegler, William E.
Timmons, Thomas C. Korologos, William L. Gifford, and Wallace H. Johnson; the White House
photographer and members of the press were present at the beginning of the meeting
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]

     Photograph

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

     Congress
         -Meeting
         -Agenda
              -Shultz, Weinberger
         -Debt Limit-Expenditure Ceiling Bill
              -Veto
         -Budget
              -Spending tax and price increases
                    -Effect of Congressional action
                         -George H. Mahon
                                -Presidential power
                    -Runaway spending
                         -Appropriations and authorization
                         -Control
                                -Expenditure ceiling
                                -Vetoes
         -Debt Limit-Expenditure Ceiling Bill
              -House of Representatives
              -Senate
                    -Russell B. Long, Leonard B. (“Len”) Jordan of Finance Committee
                    -Busing legislation filibuster
         -Record of Administration’s dealings with Congress
              -Vote on foreign policy, defense and domestic issues
              -Debt Limit-Expenditure Ceiling Bill
                    -Tax increases

-Long, Jordan
      -House Resolution [HR] 1
-Herman E. Talmadge, Harry F. Byrd, Jr., Clinton P. Anderson, Long
      -Finance Committee
-Limitation on cuts
-Jordan
      -Schools, drug abuse law enforcement
            -Cuts
      -Amendment
-Cuts
      -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy, Walter F. Mondale
            -Cancer research, Headstart, food stamp programs
-Letter to Wilbur D. Mills from Weinberger
      -Mahon amendment
      -Consultation
-Hearings
      -Weinberger’s testimony
      -Mills
-History of legislative efforts
      -Congressional role
            -President Lyndon B. Johnson
-The President’s radio talk
      -Spending cuts
            -Senators and Congressmen
                  -Special interests
-Domestic issues
      -George H. Gallup, Louis Harris
            -Taxes, spending
-1968 Congressional action
-Bennett
-Possible amendments
-Conference
      -Long, Bennett, Carl T. Curtis, Jacob K. Javits, Anderson, Talmadge
-Methods of handling spending
      -Proposals
-Timing
      -Busing legislation, pins-and-needles bill
-Congressional schedule
-Executive power
      -Democratic view
-Senators Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield, Talmadge
-Outlook

                            -Southern Democrats
                            -Jordan, John Sherman Cooper

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 54s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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     Campaign practices
         -Washington Post

The President left at 9:44 am

     [General conversation/Unintelligible]

Recording was cut off at an unknown time before 8:48 pm