Conversation: 251-017
Prev:  251-016 Next: 251-018Start Date: 27-Apr-1971 2:25 PM
End Date: 27-Apr-1971 4:40 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.; Morgan, Edward L.; Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Morton, Rogers C. B.; Pecora, William T.; Whitaker, John C.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:16:41
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:13:19
NARA Description:
On April 27, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Edward L. Morgan, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Alexander P. Butterfield, Rogers C. B. Morton, William T. Pecora, and John C. Whitaker met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:25 pm to 4:40 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 251-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 251-17 Date: April 27, 1971 Time: 2:25 pm - 4:40 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman President’s schedule President’s conversation with John B. Connally -John A. Volpe -Requiring seat belts -Cost 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Seat belts -Safety of life -Popular reaction -Accidents -Safety council -Labor costs -Poor people Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) Environment -Pressure from Congress -Enforcement -Auto emissions -Cost -Possible effect of legislation -American Motors Corporation, Chrysler Corporation Volpe -President’s conversation with Connally -Competence Clifford M. Hardin -Maurice H. Stans -Volpe -Bryce N. Harlow -White House -Department of Agriculture -John C. Whitaker -Farm Bureau Economic policy -Need for one spokesman -Council of Economic Advisers [CEA] -Disagreement with Connally -Paul W. McCracken -Staff -Connally -McCracken and George P. Shultz -Marina von N. Whitman -Connally and McCracken -Interest rates -Haldeman’s conversation with Connally -Washington Post interview 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -McCracken -Whitman’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler -Economy President’s schedule -School financing meeting -Travel -California and Florida Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Timing [Forename unknown] Martin John J. Sparkman Everett M. Dirksen -Age Demonstrations -Strategy -Need for firmness -District of Columbia police -Unknown man Polls -Timing -George C. Wallace -California Unemployment -Briefing -California -Midwest, South, Northeast -California -Airplanes and defense -Haldeman and Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger -Edwin Reinecke -Task force on aerospace -Space shuttle -Weinberger -Available talent -James G. Fulton 10 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Space program -Fulton Viet Cong flag burning -Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut -Instructions for Charles W. Colson -Hardhats -Possible strategy Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Instigating fights -Washington, DC -Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] -Police -Instructions for Colson Tricia Nixon -Ziegler -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon -Possible tour of White House -Television networks -White House weddings -Possibilities -White House weddings -Alice Roosevelt Longworth -Gown -Frances (Folsom) Cleveland -Blue Room -Ziegler -Possible assignment -Television networks -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] or National Broadcasting Company [NBC] Mock elections -Timing -Party nominating conventions -John D. Ehrlichman -John N. Mitchell -Youth conference -White House press conferences Presidential commissions -United Nations [UN] 11 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Henry A. Kissinger -Public opinion -Location Youth conference -Elliot L. Richardson -Advisors and youth -Views on resolutions Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) Polls -Louis Harris -Faculty -Radicalism -1960 elections -Schools -John F. Kennedy -Hubert H. Humphrey -Edmund S. Muskie -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy -Elections -Faculty -Harris -George H. Gallup -Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] Demonstrators -Russell B. Long -Reaction -Protection for cabinet -Secret Service -State Department -[Forename unknown] Young ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [Agency Policy] [Duration: 43s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ****************************************************************************** 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Press -Support for President Networks -CBS presentation of Ohio glee club -Motivation Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Youth -Mrs. Nixon -Rio Grande City high school -Chamber of Commerce -NBC -President’s welfare statements at governors’ meeting Welfare reform -Popular reaction -Editorials -Unemployment -President’s statements -Wilbur D. Mills -Votes -Liberals -Conservatives -Raymond K. Price, Jr. -Leonard Garment -Liberals -President’s conversations with senators -Votes -Liberals and conservatives -Republicans -Conservative Democrats Demonstrators -Youth Ehrlichman, Edward L. Morgan, and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., entered at 3:05 pm Automobile safety -Procedures -Seat belts -Air bags 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Department of Transportation -Volpe -President’s meeting with Henry E. Ford, II -Ehrlichman’s conversation with Charles D. Baker -Peter M. Flanigan -Suspension of order by Department of Transportation -President’s schedule -Timing Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Volpe’s schedule -Department of Transportation -Authority -Safety regulations -Automobile Safety Act of 1966 -Decision-making power -Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW] Automobile Safety Act -President’s options -Volpe -Procedures -Ralph Nader -Possible reaction -Volpe’s possible role -Air bags -Nader -Wall Street Journal article -Volpe -Seat belts -Regulations Regulations -Farmers’ union -Votes -Environment -Muskie -Air bags -Nader -Volpe School desegregation cases -Meetings with departments -HEW and Justice Departments 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Procedures -Memos for Richardson and Mitchell -Numbers -Swann case -Racial balance -Departments -Administration’s response -Motions Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) Haldeman left at 3:11 pm Supreme Court -Ruling on housing cases -Garment and Price’s memorandum -Neighborhood schools -Warren E. Burger -March 24, 1971 statement -California statute -Provisions -Public housing -Justices -William O. Douglas -Burger -Harry A. Blackmun -Hugo L. Black -Thurgood Marshall -Low-income housing -Lackawanna case -People’s elected representatives -Cities -Racial considerations -State councils -Blackjack case -Missouri -Quasi-public housing corporation -Low-income housing -Zoning -Federal question involved -Grants -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] and Justice Department -Lackawanna case 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -District court level -Racial discrimination -Possible federal involvement -HEW and Justice Department -Need for court finding -Litigation -Theory of case -Possible federal involvement Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Civil rights Ehrlichman’s draft housing statement -George W. Romney and Mitchell -Meeting -Lackawanna and California cases -Recent Supreme Court cases -Guidelines for administration’s policies -Possible HUD and Justice Department joint statement -President’s possible statement School desegregation cases -Administration’s response -National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP] action -Rulings -Reaction -Case Cancer -Elmer H. Bobst -President’s possible conversation with Bobst -Government organization -Possible new federal agency -E. M. Kennedy -Research -National Institute of Health [NIH] -Bureaucracy -E. M. Kennedy -Administration’s policy -Search for “Los Alamos” cure for cancer, heart disease -Undramatic solutions -Cosmetics -Efficiency -Government organization 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Director for institute -Richardson’s conversation with Dr. Henry S. Kaplan -Direct access to President William L. Scott -Ehrlichman’s memorandum to Rogers C. B. Morton -Salem Church Dam -Environmentalists Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Interstate highway ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 [Personal Returnable] [Duration: 18s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 ****************************************************************************** School desegregation -President’s conversation with Richardson -Court directives -Administration’s policy -Cooperation with local officials -Richardson and Mitchell Interest rates -Statement by McCracken -Connally and McCracken -Shultz -Ehrlichman’s meeting with Connally -Mitchell -Anti-trust Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 3:25 pm President’s schedule -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -[Forename unknown] McCord [sp?] Butterfield left at 3:26 pm Bobst -Concern -President’s possible appointment -Candidates -Concern Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Kaplan -Need for communication -Cancer panels -Ralph Yarborough -Appointments Cole and Morgan left at 3:35 pm Interest rates -Connally’s idea -Need for single voice -Arthur F. Burns -Vietnam -William P. Rogers and Kissinger -McCracken’s statement School aid bill -John C. Stennis amendment -Prospects Morton, William T. Pecora, and Whitaker entered at 3:36 pm Greetings Micronesia -Peace Corps -Congress -High Commissioner -[Unintelligible name] [William J. Randall?] -Peace Corps -Teachers -Language problems -Native teachers -Schools 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Peace Corps -Teacher corps -Composition -Value -Possible abolition -Director -Joseph H. Blatchford Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Demonstrations -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Rogers -Composition -Micronesia Micronesia -Ambassador -Edward E. Johnston -High Commissioner of the Peace Corps -Qualifications -Status -Administration -Appropriations -Status -District administrators -Districts -”Mariana group” -Population -Franklin Haydn Williams -Need to work with Interior Department -Importance Alaska pipeline -Permit -Timing -Pecora -Need for energy -Government consolidation -Politics -Need for Alaskan oil -Need to sell program to youth, general public -Morton’s initiatives -University of Southern California 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Oil white paper -General public -Pecora -Circulation -Case for pipeline -Timing -Pecora -Ashland Oil Co. Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Application -Case for pipeline ****************************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [National Security] [Duration: 8s ] FOREIGN AFFAIRS END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ****************************************************************************** -Courts -Administration’s white paper -Supply side -Energy statement -Public relations -Consistency with energy statement -Energy statement -Atomic energy -”Generation of oil” -Breeder reactor -Alaska -Domestic oil -Environmentalists 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Santa Barbara leases -Number -Funding -Elk Hills naval reserve -Funds -Exploration of Alaskan oil -Legislative prospects -Senate Armed Services Committee Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Melvin R. Laird -Need for action -Consequences of inaction -Southern California -Los Angeles Times -White House support -Armed Services -Laird -Congress -Interior committees -Armed Services committees -F. Edward Hébert -Federal-State cooperation -Oil production -Environmental protection of islands San Clemente -President’s statement -Land for public sale [near Camp Pendleton] -Ehrlichman’s press conference -Consequences -State intentions -Administrations intent -Recreation -Bill Mott -Administration’s intent -Public statement -Mott -Value of land -National recreational area -Laird Gateway east and gateway west -[Parks] 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Development plans -Budget -Office of Management and Budget [OMB] -Budget -Land acquisition -Figures -Ferry -Subway Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Development -State control -New York and New Jersey -Florida [Everglades] -Corps of Engineers -Mitchell -James L. Buckley -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Ronald W. Reagan -California -Unemployment -Morton’s possible conversation with Ehrlichman -OMB -Administration statements -Fort Hancock -Floyd Bennett field -Jamaica Bay -Fish and wildlife -New York Port Authority -Subway and ferry -[Forename unknown] Mason -Advantages for President -OMB -Area near Presidio -Nature conservationists -[Walter J. Hickel] -Unknown Florida developer -[Edward Baker?] -Controversy -Parks -San Clemente -Parks -Money problems -Costs 22 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Development plans -Land -West coast and East coast development -Federal role -Land acquisition -Fort Hancock -Development costs -Figures Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Benefits -Funds -OMB -Weinberger -Whitaker -Defense -New York -Federal park -Land use -San Francisco -Benefits of plan -J. F. Kennedy International Airport -New York Parks Department -Federal role -Great Falls -National seashores -User fees -Weinberger Desalinization plant -Contract -California -Orange County -Budget -Figures Oil shale -Denver, Colorado -Program Breeder reactor -Location -Southern California -Study 23 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) Oil shale -Unknown client of President -Debts -Location -Colorado, Wyoming, Utah -Petroleum industry -Long-term program -Composition Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Sodium bicarbonate -Macolite [sp?] -Sulphur -Geologists -By-products -Macolite -Sodium minerals -Uses -Development -Leasing program -Morton -Energy needs -Energy policy statements -Agreement on program -Environmental effects -Sulphur -Macolite -Coal -Oil shale -Aluminum oxide -Oil -Delay -Huntington Hartford -Difficulty of access to reserves -Investment protection -Leasing plan -Morton’s plan -Environmental problems -Coyotes Morton’s schedule -Nashua, New Hampshire, Chamber of Commerce -Timing -Administration’s record 24 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Greg Landry -Howard Johnson motel -President’s speech writers -Patrick J. Buchanan and Price -Primaries -Florida -William Loeb -Possible speech in Nashua Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Foreign policy -Vietnam -President’s 1968 campaign -Themes -Conservative state -Welfare -Inflation -Gateway east and gateway west -Town forum -Non partisan terms -Positive tone -Portsmouth Navy Yard -Importance of New England -New Hampshire -Maine -Vermont -Emphasis on unity -Racial, religious, geographic minorities -Representation -Massachusetts Government reorganization -Congress -Department of Natural Resources -Agriculture -Department of Natural Resources -Chet Holifield -Breeder reactor Withholding funds -President’s meeting with Long and Wallace F. Bennett -Budget problems -Debt limits -Weinberger 25 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Effect on Congress -Ambassadorships for friends -Supersonic Transport [SST] -Republican leadership -Environment -OMB -Federal budgetary deficit -Debt ceiling Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Spending limitations -Weinberger -Fiscal restraint -Departments -Timing -Budget -California -Housing -Romney -Spending limitations -Lyndon B. Johnson -Unknown man’s public relations -Activities -Congress -J. William Fulbright -Long -Romney -Housing -Elford A. Cederberg -Left-wing Democrats -Necessity to talk to Cederberg -Cederberg -Possible role Withholding funds -Johnson -Long -Johnson -OMB -Administration’s input -William L. Gifford -Shultz and Weinberger -Weinberger -President’s possible conversation with Weinberger 26 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 9/08) -Budget -Social Security -OMB and the CEA -President’s instructions to Ehrlichman Hugh Scott -Dam -Claim of promise to him Conv. No. 251-17 (cont.) -Political future -Dam -Environment -Whitaker, Bill Shirley, Harlow, and William E. Timmons -President’s prior instructions -Bureau of Reclamation report -Whitaker’s conversation with Scott -Consequences -Morton [General conversation] The President, Ehrlichman, Morton, Pecora, and Whitaker left at 4:40 pm