Conversation: 339-003
Prev: 339-002 Next: 339-004Start Date: Monday, May 15, 1972 10:33 PM
End Date: Monday, May 15, 1972 11:57 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Colson, Charles W.; [Unknown person(s)]; Rowley, James J.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Kleindienst, Richard G.; Kelley, Thomas J.Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:27:15
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:42:25
NARA Description:
On May 15, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Charles W. Colson, unknown person(s), James J. Rowley, John D. Ehrlichman, Richard G. Kleindienst, and Thomas J. Kelley met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:33 pm and 7:57 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 339-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 339-3
Date: May 15, 1972
Time: 6:33-unknown before 7:57 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
George C. Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-The President’s previous prediction
-Inflammatory rhetoric
-Compared with Edward M. Kennedy
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
Kennedy
-Secret Service protection
-Request
-John B. Connally's previous call
-The President’s view
-Haldeman’s view
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Privacy]
[Duration: 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
The President left at an unknown time before 6:45 pm.
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:33 and 6:45 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3A]
[See Conversation No. 24-94]
Haldeman talked with Charles W. Colson at an unknown time.
[End of telephone conversation]
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 6:33 and 6:45 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3B]
Unknown person's schedule
-Haldeman's schedule
The President entered at an unknown time after 6:33 pm.
[End of telephone conversation]
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
Colson
-Meeting with the President
Wallace
-Condition
-Cornelia Wallace's assessment
Kennedy [John F. or Robert F.?]
-Assassination
-Effect
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Effect on popularity
-Effect on campaign
Colson entered at 6:45 pm.
-Wallace’s effect on people
-Possible third party candidate
-Condition
-Reports
-Location of wounds
-Seriousness
-Location of bullets
-Dr. William M. Lukash
-Assailant's identity
-John D. Ehrlichman
-L. Patrick Gray, III
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-Secret Service
-Call to James J. Rowley
-President’s request for a report
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-FBI
-Rowley
-President’s request for a report
-Cover up possibility
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3C]
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
[See Conversation No. 24-95]
[The call was placed on hold]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Assailant
-The President’s view
-Haldeman’s view
-Possibility of a Wallace supporter
-Colson’s view
-Political leaning
-Compared with John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald
-Political leanings
-Oswald
-Political leanings
-Media distortion
Vietnam
-News reports
-Blockade
-Effect on South Vietnamese morale
-Press response
-Newsweek, Life and New York Times
-The President's decision
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.’s call
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time.
[Continuation of Conversation No. 339-3C]
[The call was placed on hold]
Vietnam
-Blockade
-Stance of Senators
-Forthcoming vote on funds cut-off
-The President's trip to Soviet Union
-South Vietnamese offensive
-The President's decision
-Effect
-A meeting
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time.
[Continuation of Conversation No. 339-3C]
[The call was placed on hold]
Vietnam
-Blockade
-The President's decision
-Press response
-Soviet Summit
Rowley
-The President’s view
Blue Room reception
-President's attendance
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time.
[Continuation of Conversation No. 339-3C]
[The call was placed on hold]
Blue Room reception
-Clark M. Clifford
-Derek C. Bok
-Ivy League college presidents
-The President’s instructions
Haldeman talked with Rowley at an unknown time.
[Continuation of Conversation No. 339-3C]
[End of telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Report on assailant
-Time
Rowley
-The President’s view
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Assailant
-Custody
-Questioning
-Lawyer
-Press
-Report to the President
-Time
[The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No.
24-95]
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3D]
[See Conversation No. 24-96]
[End of telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-The President’s orders
-Report to the President
-Press leaks
-Appearance of cover-up
-Compared to John F. Kennedy's assassination
-Secret Service
-Rowley
-The President’s view
-Ehrlichman
-The President’s instructions
-Investigation
-Secret Service
-The President’s view
-FBI
-Jurisdiction
-President's orders
-Secret Service
-The President’s view
-Jurisdiction
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Wounded Secret Service agent and Alabama state policeman
-Rowley
-Haldeman’s view
-FBI investigation
-President's orders
-Ehrlichman
[The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No.
24-96]
Haldeman talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3E]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Assailant
-Secret Service reports
-President's concerns
-FBI
-Report to the President
-Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
-Richard G. Kleindienst
The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time.
-Investigation
-John F. Kennedy assassination
-Direction
-Rowley
-The President’s view
-White House staff
-Ehrlichman, Krogh
-Assailant
-Questioning
-Communist lawyer
-Custody
-Identity
-Investigation
-The President’s orders
-Ehrlichman
-Secret Service
-FBI
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Gray
-Assailant
-Questioning
-Ehrlichman
-Gray
-Secret Service
-Gray
-The President’s orders
[End of telephone conversation]
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3F]
[See Conversation No. 24-97]
Haldeman talked with Kleindienst at an unknown time.
The President talked with Kleindienst at an unknown time.
[End of telephone conversation]
Haldeman talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm; the President
conferred with Haldeman and Colson during the telephone conversation.
[Conversation No. 339-3G]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Investigation
-The President’s view
-Assailant(s)
-Ages(s)
-Kleindienst's report
-Identity
-Arthur H. Bremer
-Secret Service
-Location
-Prince George's Hospital, Cheverly, MD
-Kleindienst's view
-Gray
-Investigation
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-FBI
-Kleindienst
-The President’s view
[End of telephone conversation]
-Ehrlichman
-Confidence in Secret Service
-FBI
-Connally
-Rowley
-Assailant
-Bremer
-Gun purchase
-Milwaukee
-Location
-Prince George's Hospital, Cheverly, MD
-Jurisdiction
-Montgomery County, MD
-Secret Service
-Investigation
-Confusion
-Ehrlichman's responsibility
-Kleindienst
-Miranda case concerns
-Bremer
-Custody
-Questioning
-Kleindienst
-Ehrlichman
-Effect on forthcoming presidential campaign
-Third party race
-Effect of violence
-Polarizing ability
-Comparison with Robert F. Kennedy assassination
-Responsibility
-New York Times
-Gun control
-Administration action
-Reasons
-Saturday night specials
-Legislation
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 6:45 and 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3H]
[See Conversation No. 24-98]
[End of telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Extent of injury
-Caliber of weapon
-Visits
-George S. McGovern
-The President’s view
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-President’s decision
-Call to Mrs. Wallace
-Statement
-Appearance of grandstanding
-Humphrey
-Confusion
-Compared to Houston visit [Apollo 13]
-Statements by Wallace's opponents
-President
-McGovern
-The President’s view
-Future campaigning activities
-Assassination attempt
-President's call to Mrs. Wallace
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Privacy]
[Duration: 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
**************************************************************************
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
The President talked with the White House operator at 7:07 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3I]
[See Conversation No. 24-99]
[End of telephone conversation]
Manolo Sanchez
-Call
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 7:37 pm.
Vietnam
-Blockade and mining
-President's previous decision
-Compared with Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
-Support
-John B. Connally
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Opponents
-Richard M. Helms
-William P. Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
-Public opinion
-Rightness
-The President’s view
-Anticipated success
-Opponents
-Mathias and Charles H. Percy
-Counterattacks
-Soviet summit
-Call from Mathias to Colson
-Public support
-Doves' expectations
-Cambodia, Kent State
-US peace offers
-Cease-fire
-POWs
-Vietnamese government
-Communism
-President's actions
-Public support
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 7:07 pm.
Sanchez
-Concern for the President
President's trip to Austria, Soviet Summit, Iran and Poland
-Secret Service protection
-The President’s view
-Requirements in Soviet Union
-Compared with Aleksei N. Kosygin
-Iran
-Poland
-The President’s view
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Colson’s previous prediction
-Appeal
-The President’s view
-Compared to McGovern
-Security consciousness
-Compared to Huey P. Long
-Danger to life
-Effect on campaign
-Appeal
-Assassination attempt
-Connally's call to Edward M. Kennedy
-Offer of Secret Service protection
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 7:07 pm.
Refreshment
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 7:37 pm.
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 2s ]
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
Thomas J. Kelley talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 7:07 and 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3J]
[See Conversation No. 24-100]
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 7:07 pm.
Food
-Quantity
John Cardinal Krol dinner
-Letter
-The President’s view
-Visit
-Mount Vernon
-Meeting with Colson
-Identified
-Trip to Mount Vernon
Murray Kempton
-Article on Vietnam war
-Press coverage
[End of telephone conversation]
Colson left at an unknown time before 7:37 pm
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Secret Service
-Three teenagers
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 7:37 pm.
-Bremer
-Residence
-Arrest record
-Questioning
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Secret Service, FBI and Prince George's County Police
-Injury
-Identity
-Press knowledge
-Press photograph
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Age
-Kleindienst's report
Haldeman talked with an unknown person [Ehrlichman?] at an unknown time between 7:07 and
7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3K]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Bremer
-Identity
-Residence
Colson entered at an unknown time after 7:07 pm.
-Police
-Injury
-Secret Service agent's injury
-Protection
[End of telephone conversation]
-Information
-Reports
-Caliber of weapon
-Delay
-The President’s view
-Kleindienst
-Investigation
-FBI
-Kleindienst
Ehrlichman talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 7:07 and 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3L]
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Reports
-Kleindienst
-FBI
-The President’s order
-Gray
-Locations
-W. Mark Felt
-Report to the President
-Frequency
-Purpose
[End of telephone conversation]
Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 7:07 and 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3M]
[See Conversation No. 24-104]
[End of telephone conversation]
Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 29s ]
HALDEMAN TALKED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE OPERATOR AT AN UNKNOWN
TIME BETWEEN 7:07 AND 7:37 PM.
[CONVERSATION NO. 339-3N]
[SEE CONVERSATION NO. 24-105]
[END OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION]
[THE ABOVE PHONE CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
OFFICE CONVERSATION.]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
*****************************************************************
Nelson A. Rockefeller
-New York Times
-Positions on foreign and domestic policy
-Staff
-Political leanings
-Relations with press
Businessmen
-Donald McI. Kendall’s request
-President's meetings
-Support for President's Vietnam actions
-Kendall
-Rusty Young
Labor
-Support for President's Vietnam actions
-Leonard Woodcock
Peter G. Peterson
-The President’s view
-Background
-Business ties
-Businessmen
-Compared with college professors
-The President’s view
-Business Council
-Support for President
Businessmen
-Kendall
-Background
-John W. Mulcahy
-Business Council
-Wealth
-Robert H. Abplanalp
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Wealth
-Kendall and Business Council
-Peterson
-The President’s view
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Background
-Kendall
-Previous meeting with the President
-Length
-Peterson
-Colson’s view
-Kendall
-The President’s view
-David Rockefeller
-Business Council
-The President’s view
-Rogers's appearance
-Topic of peace
-The President’s view
The President's appointees
-Tone of administration
-George P. Shultz
-Support for President
-George Meany
-Henry A. Kissinger
-President
Support for the President
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-Peter J. Brennan
-Hardhats
White House staff
-Needs
-Research staff
-A signing ceremony
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-William L. Safire
-Priest [John J. McLaughlin]
Press
-Battle with the Administration
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Attitude of White House staff
-Price
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Safire
-Herbert G. Klein
-Safire
-The President’s view
-Compared with Rogers
-Ziegler
-Colson's view
-Klein's attitude in previous campaigns
-Effect
-Compared with Ziegler
Allen S. Drury
-New book
-Article
Kleindienst talked with Haldeman at an unknown time between 7:07 and 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3"O"]
[See Conversation No. 24-106]
The President talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 7:07 and 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3P]
Call to Ehrlichman
-Return call
[End of the President's telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Assailant
-Delay in information
-The President’s view
-Kleindienst
-Gray
-Pennsylvania
-Connecticut
-Assailant
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Need for information
-The President’s orders for Colson
-Call to Lukash
-Need for information
-Need for control of situation
-Appearance in the press
Colson left at an unknown time before 7:37 pm.
-Kleindienst's reports
[The above portion of the office conversation took place simultaneously with Conversation No.
24-106]
[End of Haldeman's telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Assailant(s)
-Number
-Questioning
-Kleindienst’s efforts
-Legal problems
-Custody
-Maryland State Police
-Protection
-Charges
-US attorneys
-Kendall
-Gray
-Location
-Connecticut
-Return to Washington, DC
-Comparison with John F. Kennedy assassination investigation
-President's lack of information
-Wallace’s condition
-Investigation
-Ehrlichman
-Kleindienst
-Press reports
-Vietnam
Rogers
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Forthcoming call from Haldeman
-Kendall meeting
-Poland trip
-Possible invitation
-Iran trip
-The President’s view
-Meeting with President
-Compared with Kendall meeting
Peterson
-The President’s view
The White House operator talked with Haldeman at 7:37 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3Q]
[See Conversation No. 24-107]
Ehrlichman talked with the President between 7:37 and 7:42 pm.
Colson entered at an unknown time after 7:42 pm.
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 7:42 pm.
[End of telephone conversation]
George Wallace
-Assassination attempt
-Investigation
-Wallace's supporters' demands
-FBI
-The President’s view
-J. Edgar Hoover
-Gray
-Location
-Assailant
-Background
-Wisconsin
-Age
-University of Wisconsin
-Check by Colson's staff
-Age
-Political leanings
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Dec-01)
Conv. No. 339-3 (cont.)
-Radical
-Vietnam war
-Possible story
-The President’s instructions for Colson
-Questioning about the Vietnam War
-Ehrlichman's report
-The President’s orders
-Time
Colson talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 7:42 and 7:57 pm.
[Conversation No. 339-3R]
[See Conversation No. 24-108]
[The call was placed on hold]
Unknown person's intelligence
The White House operator talked with Colson at an unknown time.
[Continuation of Conversation No. 339-3R]
[End of telephone conversation]
Ehrlichman
-Telephone conversation with Haldeman
The President and Colson left at an unknown time before 7:57 pm.