President Nixon met with Ronald Ziegler and H.R. Haldeman to strategically prepare for an upcoming press conference. The discussion focused on maintaining a firm but composed demeanor, particularly when addressing volatile topics like national economic policy, food prices, and busing legislation. The President also sought advice on handling potential political inquiries regarding the Soviet Union trip, the ITT controversy, and his interactions with the press corps to ensure effective communication of his administration's agenda.
On March 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:24 pm to 2:00 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 326-019 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 326-19
Date: March 24, 1972
Time: 1:24 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-Possible topics
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Northern Ireland
-Press coverage
Public relations
-John B. Connally’s previous Today appearance
-Donald Rumsfeld’s previous Meet the Press appearance
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-The President’s possible demeanor
-Ziegler’s view
-Connally
-National economy
-Pay Board
-Judiciary Committee
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Vote on Richard G. Kleindienst’s nomination
National news items
-Herbert Stein’s statement
-Ziegler’s view
-Food prices
-Price Commission
-Connally’s statement
-Unknown person [Hubert H. Humphrey?]
-Productivity Commission
-Busing
-Detroit
-Stephen J. Roth
-Moratorium
-Department of Justice
-New York banks’ prime rate
-Unknown bank
-First National Bank
The President talked with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman at an unknown time between 1:24 pm and
1:28 pm.
[Conversation No. 326-19A]
National economy
-New York banks’ prime rate
-Connally
[End of telephone conversation]
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Statement in New Orleans
-Vice Presidency
-The President’s view
-Politics
-Primaries
-George C. Wallace
-Campaign spending
-Buchanan’s view
-Wallace
-Section 315 regarding equal time
-Possible debates
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.’s equity amendment
Haldeman talked with the President between 1:28 pm and 1:29 pm.
[Conversation No. 326-19B]
[See Conversation No. 22-16]
[End of telephone conversation]
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-Politics
-Possible debates
-The President’s view
-Timing of political speeches
-Debates
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union
-Press interest
-Itinerary
-Agenda
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
- Trade
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Thomas F. Eagleton’s attack
-Ziegler’s statements
-Richard W. McLaren’s statements
-Chile
-Statement Department
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Sherman Adams
-Harry S. Truman
-Alger Hiss
-Harry H. Vaughn
-Scandals
-Proof of charges
-Harry S. Truman
Press
-Ziegler’s forthcoming list
-The President’s view
-Television
-Radio
-Nicholas P. Thimmesch
-Frank van der Linden
-Richard (“Dick”) Wilson
-Clark R. Mollenhoff
-Wire services
-Frank Cormier
-Ziegler’s view
-Helen Thomas
-Gaylord Shaw
-Preparation
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-Schedule
-Timing
-Length
-Jim Deakin
-Cormier
Unknown man
-Views of the press
-Busing
-Liberals
Unknown man [George C. Wallace?]
-Tax reform
-Democratic presidential candidates
-Combined tenure in Senate
-Inactivity
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-National economy
-Price control
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-George Meany
-Leonard Woodcock
-Busing legislation
-South
-School bus accident
-Separate but equal education
-Ziegler’s statement regarding the President’s views
-Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education
-The President’s view
-Ziegler’s view
-George P. Shultz’s views
The President’s schedule
-Press conferences
-Frequency
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union
-Democratic National Convention
-The President’s view
-Ziegler’s conversation with Haldeman
-Format
-Timing and location
-Democratic National Convention
-Republican National Convention
-San Clemente
-Democratic National Convention
-The President’s view
-Staff schedules
-Youth
-Possible international press conference
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the Soviet Union
-Ziegler’s conversation with Haldeman
-The President’s demeanor
-Compared to Connally’s demeanor
-Meany
-Charts
Agnew
-Press coverage
-Statements to press
-California
-ITT
-Ziegler’s view
-Defensiveness
-Press coverage
The President’s forthcoming press conference
-National economy
-The President’s program
-Price controls
-Humphrey, Meany
-Food prices
-Price Commission
-Middlemen
-Farmers
-Ziegler’s view
-Pay Board
-Inflation
Ziegler left at 2:00 pm.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.