Conversation: 331-016
Prev: 331-015 Next: 331-017Start Date: Wednesday, April 19, 1972 3:11 PM
End Date: Wednesday, April 19, 1972 5:17 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:53:06
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:59:11
NARA Description:
On April 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:11 am to 12:17 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 331-016 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 331-16
Date: April 19, 1972
Time: 10:11 am - 12:17 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Greetings
Henry A. Kissinger
Sequoia cruise
-Weather
White House staff
-Kissinger
-Quality of work
-Staff
-Position papers
-Options for the President
-Thoroughness
-Compared with Cabinet officers and White House staff
-Robert H. Finch
-Clark MacGregor
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Charles W. Colson
-Kissinger
-George P. Shultz
-MacGregor
-Colson
Vietnam
-William P. Rogers
-Call to Haldeman
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-British statement in support of bombing
-Call to British Foreign Minister
-Call to Mitchell Sharp
-Canada's position
-Bombing
-Invasion
-Briefing of congressmen
-Democratic caucus
-Melvin R. Laird
-Statements
John B. Connally
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Donald McI. Kendall
-Resignation as Secretary of the Treasury
-Decision
-The President's policy on Vietnam
-Haiphong
-National economy
-Importance of confidence
-International economy
-Trade
-Relationship with the President
-Work with White House staff
-Current problems
-Decision-making
-Under Secretary
-Lack of authority
-Connally's decision-making methods
-Relationship with the President
-Fear of erosion
-Connally's departure
-Reasons
-Relations with White House staff
-Relations with Cabinet officers
-Possible conflicts
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
-The President's trip to Texas
-Conversation with Connally
-Invitation
-Announcement of resignation
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Timing
-The President's Soviet trip
-Departure
-Timing
-Conditions
-Help for the President
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 26s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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-Departure
-Return to Texas
-New York
-Johnson
-Texans
-Timing
-1972 election
-Clifford M. Hardin
-Future relations with the President
-Advisory capacity
-Advantages for the President
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 20s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 10:25 am.
Vietnam
-United Press International [UPI] story
-Troop withdrawals
-Possible announcement
-Timing
-Report from Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Schedule
-Commitment
-Ziegler's statement
-Troop withdrawals
-Schedule
-Sources
-Haig's report
-Kissinger's opinion
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey
-Rogers's statement
-Laird's statement
-Senate
-Laird’s statement
-Comments by Ziegler
-Reflection of the President's views
-Phrasing
-Demonstrations
-Type of crowd
-Weather
-Television reporters
-George S. McGovern supporters
-George C. Wallace
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Support for bombing
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Casualties
Ziegler left at 10:30 am.
-News stories
-Connally
-Sources
-White House staff
-Conversations with press
-Problems
-William L. Safire
-John A. Scali
Department of the Treasury
-Successor to Connally
-Paul A. Volcker
-Confirmation by Senate
-Problems
-1972 election
-Shultz
-Connally's opinion
-Strengths
-Expertise
-Loyalty to the President
-Free market philosophy
-Support for Shultz
-Volcker
-Charls E. Walker
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB] head
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Connally's support
-Shultz
-Qualifications
-Relations with Arthur F. Burns
-Timing of appointment
-The President's press conference
-The President's Soviet trip
-Distraction from Connally's departure
-Connally's departure
-Announcement
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-The President's handling
-Connally's future relationship
-Advisory role
-Advantages
-Loss of platform
-Support for the President
-Possible reasons for resigning
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
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Connally
-Health
-Nellie Connally
-Departure from administration
-Timing
-The President's trip to Texas
-Current week
-Problems
-Vietnam news stories
-Return from Texas
-The President's Soviet trip
-Publicity
-Future role with administration
-Counsel to the President
-David M. Kennedy
-Finch
-Best position
-Declaration of support for the President
*****************************************************************
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
-Departure
-News stories
-Democrats
-Speculation
-Stories of disaffection
-Impact on economy
-New Cabinet post
-Rogers
-Secretary of State
-Vice Presidency
-Attorney General
-Ehrlichman
-Departure
-Health
-Timing
-1972 election
-Financial future
-Department of the Treasury
-Control
-Theoretical presidency
-Problems
-Compared with Johnson
-Relationship with the President
-Concern for details
-Domestic economy
-Current situation
-Future problems
-Inflation
-Future rates
-1973
-November 1972
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Food prices
-Shultz
-Congress
-Debt ceiling
-Conflicts with Congress
-Tax reform
-Increases
-Congress's position
-Connally's position
-Spending freeze
-Spending freeze
-Social Security
-Protests
Russell B. Long
-MacGregor
-Criticism
-Congress
-Taxes, appropriations
-Deficit
-Social Security
-Vietnam
-Government workers
-The President
Tax reform
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Cooperation with the President
-Letter
Connally
-Departure from administration
-Possibility of remaining
-Cabinet members
-State Department
-Vice Presidential position
-Availability
-Departure
-Timing
-Personal finances
*****************************************************************
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 59s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
*****************************************************************
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Image in press
-Publicity
Connally
-American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE]
-Vietnam
-Critics
-Vietnam
-Views
-Attitude toward the President
-Departure from administration
-Timing
-Conversation with Haldeman
-The President's trip to Texas
-Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Moscow
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip to Moscow
-Rogers
-Haig
-Message from Soviets
-Rogers
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger's trip to Moscow
-US bombing of Vietnam
-Summit
-Haldeman's discussion with Rogers
-Kissinger
-Canada
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Biological warfare treaty
-Kissinger announcement
-Timing
-Press reports
-Ziegler
-Kissinger
-Murray Marder
-David Kraslow
-Rogers
-Publicity
-Kissinger
-Soviet Agreement
-Press conference
-Time
-Hostility of press
-Questions
-Secrecy of Kissinger's mission
-Vietnam
-Troop withdrawal
-Conversation with congressmen
Connally
-Departure
-The President's trip to Texas
-Shultz
-Ziegler
-Ehrlichman
-John N. Mitchell
-Planning
-Announcement
-Ehrlichman
-Treasury Department
-Narcotics division
-Ehrlichman's option paper
-Tax reform
-Shultz
National economy
-Deficits
-Shultz, Connally, Kissinger and Weinberger
-Memorandum
-1973 and 1974 budgets
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Current legislation
-Defense cuts
-Base closings
-Special revenue-sharing
-House Resolution [HR] 1
-Social Security and Medicare
-Welfare
-Costs
-Federal budget
-White House position
-Shultz
-Meeting with the President
-Connally
-Memorandum from the White House
-Position on HR 1
-Memorandum to Ehrlichman on administration's position
-1972 election
-Defense spending
-Costs
-Decisions
-Moscow summit
-Vietnam
-Offensive
-Base closings
-Revenue-sharing
-Passage in Senate
-Chances
-Ehrlichman's assessment
-The President's veto
-Special and general revenue-sharing
-Retroactivity
-HR 1
-Welfare bill
-Social Security and Medicare Bill
-The President's veto
-Revenue-sharing
-Shultz's position
-Purpose of a letter to Congress
-HR 1
-Federal budget
-HR 1
-Connally
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Ehrlichman
-Shultz
-Social Security
-Defense spending
-Moscow summit
-Kissinger
-Belt tightening
-Arms limitation
-Increase in taxes
-Publicity
-Base closings
-Shultz
-Meeting with the President
-Ehrlichman
-Connally
-Contacts with Haldeman
-Memorandum
-A veto by the President
-Scheduling of the President's work on budget
-Texas trip
-Connally
-Conversation with the President
-Politics of federal budget
-Ehrlichman
-Shultz
-HR 1
-MacGregor
-White House opposition
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Shultz
-Revenue-sharing
-Problems
-Political benefits
-Property taxes
-Benefits
-Vietnam
-Defense spending
-Cuts
-Kissinger's handling
-Laird and [David] Kenneth Rush
-Problem of leaks
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
Vietnam
-Conclusion of war
-Time
-Air war
-1972 election
-The President's victory
-Future action
-Blockade
-Bombing
-POW release
-Impact on war
Defense spending
-Cuts
-Air Force
-Shultz
Kissinger's trip to Soviet Union
-Secrecy
-Kissinger's location
-Camp David
-The President's location
-Announcement
The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 10:30 and 11:20 am.
[Conversation No. 331-16A]
Meeting with the President
-Discussion of Kissinger's cover story
[End of telephone conversation]
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip to Moscow
-Cover story
-New York
-Vacation
-Health
-Speculation
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 10:30 and 11:20 am.
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
[Conversation No. 331-16B]
-Senate
-Vietnam
[End of telephone conversation]
People's Republic of China [PRC] table tennis team reception
-Chinese translators
-Incident related by Kissinger
-Scali's reaction
-Absence
-Selection
-Rose Garden ceremony
-Absence
Kissinger entered at 11:20 am.
-Telephone
-Haldeman
-Scali
-Boycott
-Selection
-Scali
-State Department
-Tour
-White House conflicts with State Department
-US table tennis team
-Unknown member
-Absence
-Appearance
-Publicity
-Statement by the President
-Television
-Scali
-Rose Garden
-New York Daily News
-Photograph
-Scali
-Responsibility
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
Kissinger's secret trip to Moscow
-Cover story
-Camp David
-Problems
-Ziegler
-Kissinger's schedule
-New York
-Meetings
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Distraction of press
-Camp David
-Kissinger's schedule
-Dinner with newspaper editors
-Katharine L. Graham
-Cover story
-Trip to Camp David
-Plausibility
-Haig report
-Press speculation
-Troop withdrawal
-Meeting with Haig
-Bureaucracy
-Trip to Paris
-Trip to Camp David
-Ziegler's statement
-Guest list
-The President's schedule
-Domestic issues
-Ehrlichman
-White House staff
-Distraction
-Ehrlichman, Shultz
-Kissinger's presence
-Ziegler's statement
-Calls from press
-Kissinger's departure
-Time
-Kissinger's schedule
-Party
-Trip to Camp David
-The President's schedule
-Ziegler's and Gerald L. Warren’s knowledge
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-The President's schedule
-General staff meeting
-Shultz and Ehrlichman
-Kissinger's absence
-Domestic subjects
-Budget planning
-Shultz
-Connally
-Cover story
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Haig
-The President's schedule
-Editors meeting
-Trip to Camp David
-Staff schedule
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Trip to Camp David
-Ehrlichman
-Graham
-Shultz
-Haldeman
-Kissinger
-Meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Kissinger's trip to Camp David
-Kissinger’s trip to Andrews Air Force Base
-Staff meetings
-Troop withdrawal
-Scheduling
-Graham event
-Transportation
-Arrangements
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Graham event
-Shultz
-Connally
-Rogers
-Trip to Camp David
-Kissinger's trip to Camp David
-Helicopter
-Kissinger's schedule
-Public statements
-The President's meeting with top staff
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Emphasis
-Cancellation of dinner appearance
-Ehrlichman
-Public statement
-Dealings with Rogers
-Discussion of Vietnam with Soviets
-Kissinger
-Meeting with North Vietnamese
-Haldeman’s meeting with Rogers
Vietnam
-Naval actions
-Soviet ships
-Haiphong
-Laird's concerns
-Destroyer
-Manila
-Newspaper coverage
-Mine loading
-Soviets
-Perceptions of US actions
-Private message
-Ships
-Bombing
-North Vietnam
-Continuation
-Carriers
-7th Air Force
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.’s cancellation
-Carriers
-Number of sorties
-Protective reation
-Thanh Hoa
- D-Day, 1944
-Winston S. Churchill's account
-Number of air sorties
-Number of British air strikes
-Number of planes
-B-52s
-Bomb load
-Compared with World War II
-Concentration of forces
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
-World War II
-D-Day
-Second landing
-Deception of Germans
-Churchill's account
-Repetition of operations
-Massive reaction
-Impact on North Vietnam
-Soviet reaction
Soviet Union
-Earl L. Butz's meeting with Brezhnev
-Brezhnev's comments
-Jacob D. Beam's response
-Vietnam
-Response to invasion
-Butz
-Soviet intelligence
-Beam
Vietnam
-Bombing
-Soviet response
-Impact on North Vietnam
-The President's message
-North Vietnamese response
-Counterproposal
-The President's response
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip
-Cover story
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Trip to Camp David
-Schedule
-Rogers
-Kissinger's meeting with the President
Kissinger left at 11:47 am.
-Dealings with Rogers
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Call to Rogers
-Timing
-Haig
-Haldeman's meeting with Rogers
-Brezhnev's message
-Secrecy of meeting
-Explanations of reasons for meeting
-Meeting place
-Time of Haldeman's call
-Urgency
-Problems
-President Of Pakistan [Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]
-Public disclosure
-Ziegler's statements
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman at Camp David
-Kissinger's presence
-Shultz's presence
-Purpose of meeting
-Connally
-Knowledge of trip
-Trip to Camp David
-Budget
-Planning session
-Weinberger
-Ziegler's statement
-Length of stay
-Haldeman
-Kissinger
-Haldeman's conversation with Ziegler
-Staff meeting
-Travel
-Haig's presence
-Graham’s dinner
-Domestic news
-News summary
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Peter M. Flanigan's testimony
-New York Times story
-Handling
-Edwin Reinecke and Edgar Gillenwaters
-Testimony
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Testimony
-Jack Gleason
-Harry D. Steward
-Senate debate
-Testimony
-Flanigan
-Gleason
-Written interrogatories
Vietnam
-Democrats
-McGovern
-Antiwar speeches
-Reception
-Press reports
-Press
-Opposition to war
-Television
-Coverage of demonstrations
-Kissinger's views
-Coverage of Laird testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Coverage of demonstrations
-Opposition
-Harvard University
-Violent demonstration
-Kissinger's reaction
-New York Times story
-University of Wisconsin at Madison
-University of California at Berkeley
-Democratic mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana
-Switch to Republican party
-Reasons
-Hawks
-Reagan
-Messages of support for the President
-Condemnation of North Vietnamese invasion
-John C. Stennis
-Support for bombing
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-Soviet ships
-Army of the Republic of South Vietnam [ARVN]
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-Opposition
-Press reports
-UPI
-Harvard
-Center for International Studies
-Fire
-Columbia University
-Stanford University
-Strike
-University of Wisconsin at Madison
-CBS film
-Bombing
-Campus demonstrations
-Time of year
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip
-Rogers's role
-Haldeman's call to Rogers
-Purpose
-Meeting with Soviet
-Possible meeting with North Vietnamese
-Haldeman's conversation with Connally
-Trip to Camp David
-Shultz
-Connally
-Conversation with Haldeman
-Meeting with the President
Connally
-Resignation as Treasury Secretary
-Timing
-Announcement from White House
-Press play
-Soviet summit
-Planning
-Shultz
-Timing
-Soviet trip
-Support for the President
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 23
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 24s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 23
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-Attitude
-Campaign
-Budget
-Compared with Shultz
Budget
-Meeting with Ehrlichman and Shultz
-Defense issues
-Soviet trip
-Cuts
-Timing
HR 1
-Chance of passage in Congress
-Ehrlichman's views
-The President's budget
Revenue-sharing
-Chance of enactment
-MacGregor
-Administration's view of bill
-Social Security
-Separation of issues
National economy
-Connally's outlook
-Leadership
-Improvements
-Compared with 1960
-Peak
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-1972 election
-Prediction in the Kiplinger Letter
-Optimism
-Improvement in California
-Housing starts
-Unemployment
-Rate
-Base
-Boom
-Stock market
-Improvements
-War issue
-Current level
-Improvements
-Rate
-Peak
-Timing
-1000 points
-Democratic National Convention
-Impact
-Stock brokers
-Haldeman's blind trust
-Quarterly Report
-Holdings
-Gains
-Production
-Yachts
-Television sets
-Spending
-Travel
-Retail sales
-Spring
-Money supply
-Burns
-Shultz
-Predicted performance as Treasury Secretary
-Compared with Connally
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 26
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 25s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 26
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Connally
-Talk with Haldeman
-Vietnam
-Haig
-Meeting with the President
-Time
Soviet Union
-Kissinger's trip
-Haldeman's call to Rogers
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Connally
-Time
-Haldeman's call to Rogers
-Haldeman's meeting with Connally
-Haldeman's and Ehrlichman's trip to Camp David
-Meeting with Connally
-Time
-Meeting on non-public education
-Report
-Press story
-Briefing
-Clarence Walton
-Length
-Meeting with Jerry V. Wilson and Washington, DC police officers
-Past practice
-Instructions to Ehrlichman
-Meeting with Clifford D. Carlson
-Length
-Charlotte T. Reid
-Meeting with Wilson
-Publicity value
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 331-16 (cont.)
-[Walter E. Washington]
-Ehrlichman's arrangements
-Meeting on non-public education
-National coverage
-Meeting with Wilson
-Coverage
-[National Catholic Education Association meeting]
-DC crime rate
-Coverage
-1971 demonstrations
-National scope
-Meeting with Wilson
-Ehrlichman
-Graham
-Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
Haldeman left at 12:17 pm.