Conversation: 335-017
Prev:  335-016 Next: 335-018Start Date: 3-May-1972 2:50 PM
End Date: 3-May-1972 3:35 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kleindienst, Richard G.; Gray, L[ouis] Patrick, III; [Unknown person(s)]; Ehrlichman, John D.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:02:31
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:38:57
NARA Description:
On May 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Richard G. Kleindienst, L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III, unknown person(s), John D. Ehrlichman, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:50 pm to 3:35 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 335-017 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 335-17 Date: May 3, 1972 Time: 2:50-3:35 pm. Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Richard G. Kleindienst and L. Patrick Gray, III. Greetings A joke An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 2:50 pm and conferred with the President. The unknown person left at an unknown time before 2:53 pm. Gray -Appointment -Need for Gray's abilities -Arrangements -Political pressures -Announcement Kleindienst -Nomination -Statement -Ronald L. Ziegler's announcement -Meeting with the President Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] -Appointment of Gray -Charles W. Colson's call to Kleindienst 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) -Ziegler's statement John D. Ehrlichman and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 2:53 pm. -Status -Confirmation -Questions from press -Ziegler, Gray, Kleindienst -Status -Permanent director -Statement by Ziegler -Political pressures Kleindienst -Status -Deputy Attorney General -Questions -Answers -Ziegler -Confirmation FBI -Calls to Senators -James O. Eastland -Schedule -Possible nominee for FBI director -Eastland -[Thomas] Hale Boggs -Reaction -Other calls -Timing -Announcement of Gray's nomination -Mississippi, Georgia Congress -The President’s view -Questions about W. Ramsey Clark -Rep. Emmanuel Celler Congratulations Ehrlichman left at 3:10 pm. 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) Kleindienst and Gray left at 3:20 pm. Vietnam and Soviet Summit -North Vietnamese invasion -US response -Bombing -Henry A. Kissinger's concerns -Possibility of Soviet summit cancellation -Public opinion poll -Soviet summit cancellation -Questions -Percentages -Wording -Soviet aid to North Vietnam -President's trip -Cancellation -Delay -Continuation -Soviet support for North Vietnam -President's trip -Approval -Cancellation -Reasons for support for trip -Analysis of Charles D. Bennett -People's Republic of China [PRC] trip -North Vietnamese offensive -Soviet aid to North Vietnam -Postponement -Public support -Support for trip -Reasons -Percentages of approval and disapproval -PRC trip -Cancellation -Approval and disapproval percentages -Expected effect on war -Percentages -President’s meeting with Kissinger J. Edgar Hoover -Eulogy 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) -John K. Andrews, Jr. -The President’s view -Length -President's delivery -Whitney M. Young -Ziegler -President's schedule -Television coverage -Ziegler -Amount -Impact -Young -Amount of time -Value -President's delivery -Dwight D. Eisenhower -Method -Young -President's statement at Hoover's death -Press coverage -Eulogy -Television coverage -President's relationship with Hoover -Amount of time in preparation -Value Vietnam and Soviet summit -Polls -Kissinger -Bennett’s analysis -Soviet summit -Length of war -The President’s view -Bombing -Impact -The President’s view Soviet Summit -Timing -North Vietnamese invasion -Hue -President's signing of agreement 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) -Trade credits -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] -Friendship -Appearance -President's decision -Impact -Vietnam War -Public opinion -Forthcoming presidential election -Hawks -Kissinger's view -Timing of trip -The President’s view -Agreements -Cancellation -Impact on Hanoi and Moscow -Importance to Soviets -Cancellation -Interpretation -Trip to PRC Public opinion -PRC trip -Support for President -Sense of leadership -Lyndon B. Johnson -Haldeman’s view -Kissinger's judgment -The President’s view -Reasons William P. Rogers -Conduct -The President’s view -Richard F. Pederson -Kissinger's backgrounder -Source -John A. Scali -A story -Accuracy -Trips -Peking 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) -Shanghai -Soviet Union -Vietnam US role in world -The President’s view -Europe Soviet summit -Haldeman's forthcoming meeting with Kissinger -Continuation of summit -Public opinion -The President’s view Public opinion -Need -Kissinger -Tenor of public statements -Rogers President's speeches -Tone -Compared to Kissinger's statements -Tone after Soviet summit -Time -Announcement of bombing Kissinger -Forthcoming meeting with Haldeman -Length President's schedule -Forthcoming meeting with Haldeman and Kissinger -Hoover eulogy -Time of draft delivery Haldeman talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 2:53 and 3:35 pm. [Conversation No. 335-17A] Meeting -Time 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-01) Conv. No. 335-17 (cont.) [End of telephone conversation] Soviet Summit -Kissinger's advice -Public response -Support -Hawks -Center -Michael J. Mansfield on doves -Reaction -Robert J. Dole -Bombing in Vietnam -Kissinger’s and President's concerns -Cancellation of summit -Possibility of summit cancellation -Effect on forthcoming presidential election -US appearance versus Soviet Union -Kissinger -Possible Soviet propaganda -Demonstrations -Timing -Hoover -Haldeman meeting with Kissinger -Tone -Forthcoming presidential election -Possible effects -The President’s view -Cancellation -Results expected -Vietnam President's schedule -Location Haldeman left at 3:35 pm.