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Conversation 003-078

TapeTape 3StartThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:16 AMEndThursday, May 20, 1971 at 8:19 AMTape start time01:39:48Tape end time01:43:06ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Ball, George W.Recording deviceWhite House Telephone
AudioNARA Description

On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and George W. Ball talked on the telephone from 8:16 am to 8:19 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 003-078 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 003-078

Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 8:16 am - 8:19 am
Location: White House Telephone
The President talked with George W. Ball.

[See Conversation No. 502-003]

     Mathias Resolution
         -Ball's position
               -Clark MacGregor
               -President's appreciation for support
         -Vote
               -Compared with a J. William Fulbright resolution

     Congressional relations
         -Henry A. Kissinger
         -William P. Rogers
         -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions
         [MBFR]
         -Possible State Department briefings
               -Rogers, John N. Irwin, II

            -Kissinger
            -State Department and White House
                  -Rogers
            -President's role

     May 20, 1971 announcement

     Ball's work
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 Do not cite this transcript as authoritative.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.

Hello.
Hello.
Before you got into your work, I wanted to tell you that I was just talking to McGregor, and I said, you know, that was a very good job.
And he said, well...
He said, the man that really helped us the most on the Democratic side was George Ball.
So I just wanted to express appreciation to you and tell you that while we naturally have our differences on party and other matters, that I really thought this was a really fine demonstration of putting the interests of the
country first.
Well, it's very kind of you.
And I know you worked, from what I heard, very long hours, and I'm sorry we can't pay you what you're worth.
Well, this was in a good cause.
Right.
And they all came true?
You remember the ones you talked about all came true?
Well, I was very worried for a while yesterday that this Matthias thing was going to get out of hand.
Yeah, that was the one.
I got that one, and yet
It didn't even get as much as Fulbright's, did it?
No, that's right.
That was a curious thing.
If I may, I'd like just to repeat something I told Henry a few minutes ago.
Sure.
I found on both sides of the house a feeling of isolation, a sense that they had a lot of suspicions that things weren't being done that I know were in fact being done, largely because I think there probably should be a little more
private talk, when I say private talk, if Henry or some of the other people who were informed, Bill Rogers, could have a series of small meetings with five or six people, senators at a time, and talk about the substance of what they're doing, for example, in
on these questions of negotiation with the Soviets.
I know the intellectual work that's been done, I know the complexity of the problem, but I have a feeling up there that nobody pays any attention to it, which is not true.
Probably the best thing is to have that done by State, don't you think?
I think so, yeah.
Bill and Sean Irwin.
I do think, actually, that Henry, in spite of this problem of visibility, that they have a great respect for him.
He could be very helpful, too.
Let me say that on that, just talking in the family, that it is the...
international family, there is a great sensitivity in sometimes, you know, in state for anybody at the White House should know how to do it.
And we've had that problem, as you know, it was raised in press conferences.
But I think I'll have a talk with Bill and just say, look, we can...
we can do it because we do want to do it and of course i see lots of individual senators but i can't see them all and what has to happen is that if i have a dozen of them i i see your point exactly it isn't really a matter of giving you know a sales pitch it's just a matter of telling them what's going on so that they have a feeling of being in on the deal that's right that's right knowing that a great deal of serious thoughts are being given and that's right yeah there'll be an announcement today that will be of considerable interest in this general area and
I think after you hear it, we'll realize that we are working on a few things.
But in any event, I do appreciate your having worked, and I'm most grateful.
Thank you.
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