Conversation 359-009

TapeTape 359StartTuesday, September 12, 1972 at 2:35 PMEndTuesday, September 12, 1972 at 4:28 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Ziegler, Ronald L.;  Monzon, Zosimo T.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building

On September 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Zosimo T. Monzon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 2:35 pm to 4:28 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 359-009 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 359-9

Date: September 12, 1972
Time: 2:35 pm - 4:28 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 34s     ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

*****************************************************************

            Personnel

                                          (rev. Oct-06)

                 -Eugene P. Wigner [?]
                     -Unknown person
                 -Thomas H. Kuchel
                     -George A. Murphy
                     -Clark MacGregor
                     -Ambassadorial post
                         -Mexico

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 5s      ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

*****************************************************************

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 2:45 pm.

             William L. Taub
                 -Fred Graham's story
                 -Identity
                     -James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
                 -Film about the People's Republic of China [PRC], Mao’s China
                     -Story about the President
                           -Authenticity
                           -Allen J. Ellender's film
                           -Trip to the PRC and the Soviet Union
                           -Henry A. Kissinger
                               -Unknown person
                 -Secret Service

             Tennis
                -Women's tennis
                -Press story
                -Philadelphia
                -Georgetown

                                        (rev. Oct-06)

                  -Tennis balls
                      -John V. Lindsay

              Press issues
                  -Watergate as agenda item for meeting
                       -Ziegler’s recent response
                       -Richard G. Kleindienst
                       -Lawsuits

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 43s     ]

Ziegler left at 2:53 pm.

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

*****************************************************************

              Press story
                  -Frank L. Rizzo’s statement
                  -The President’s view
                  -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
                       -The President’s concern
                  -R. Sargent Shriver
                  -[Earl L. Butz]
                  -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 54s     ]

                                      (rev. Oct-06)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

*****************************************************************

          White House staff
             -Handling of correspondence
                 -Roland L. Elliott
                 -The President’s view
                 -Raymond K. Price, Jr. role
                      -Use
                 -Elliott
                 -Unknown woman

          Visitors to the White House
              -Presents from the President to foreign visitors
              -Ashtrays
              -Coin collection
                    -Dwight D. Eisenhower dollar

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 10m 37s    ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

*****************************************************************

          Issues
              -Administration response
                  -Butz
                  -Revenue sharing
                  -Government reorganization
                  -Domestic Council
              -Presidential image

                                     (rev. Oct-06)

                  -US Postal Service
                  -Revenue sharing
              -John D. Ehrlichman

          US foreign policies
              -Position of the President as leader
              -PRC
                  -William P. Rogers
              -George S. McGovern
                  -Negotiations with Chou En-lai
                  -Leonid I. Brezhnev
                       -Kremlin
                  -Chou
                  -Japan
                  -Europe
                       -Common Market
              -Defense of US interests
                  -Speech on foreign policy and defense
                       -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.'s office
                            -Quotes
                       -Patrick J. Buchanan
                       -Type of lines
                       -William L. Safire
                       -Type of speech
                            -Foreign policy and national defense
                                 -US interests
                       -Television coverage of service branches
                            -Army
                            -Navy
                                 -Ships
                                 -Missiles
                       -Type of speech
                            -Idea of strength
                                 -Representing strength
                       -Preparation time
                       -Agnew

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

                                     (rev. Oct-06)

[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 23s     ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

*****************************************************************

            White House events
               -Agnew and Elinor I. (Judefind) Agnew
               -Blue Room reception
               -State Dining Room
               -East Room
               -Agnew
               -Meeting
                    -Haig
                        -Briefing
                             -Ehrlichman
                    -MacGregor
                        -Strategy session
                             -Campaign

            Briefings
                -John F. Osborne
                -Ehrlichman
                -Businessmen

            1972 election
                -New Majority
                -Congress

            Personnel
                -Government
                    -Confirmation
                    -State Department
                    -Department of Defense
                -National Park Service
                    -The President’s view
                         -Number
                             -Names

                           (rev. Oct-06)

White House Personnel
   -Dress code
       -Black compared with White
            -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
            -Ron Jackson
            -Rex W. Scouten
   -Social events
       -Unknown woman
       -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
   -Press and East Room social events
       -Constance M. Stuart
            -Liz Carpenter
       -Anne L. Armstrong
            -Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
       -Patricia R. Hitt
            -Haldeman’s role

Watergate
   -Democratic lawsuit
        -Republican countersuit
            -Depositions
                -Haldeman’s view

The media
    -William S. Paley
         -[Arthur R. Taylor]
    -Charles W. Colson
    -Attitude towards McGovern

Administration personnel
   -Military aides
        -Army
        -Navy
        -Coast Guard
        -Army
        -William R. Codus
             -John V. Brennan

Congressional relations
   -Gerald R. Ford and Hugh Scott

                                     (rev. Oct-06)

                  -Scheduling

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 48s     ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

*****************************************************************

          News conference
             -Timing
             -Watergate
                 -Robert J. Dole
                 -Possible reactions
                 -Timing
                 -The President's analysis
                      -Tone
             -Kissinger's schedule

          Watergate
             -Type of issue

          News conference
             -Timing
                 -The President's return trip from California
             -Frequency
             -Washington, DC

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 15m 5s     ]

                                        (rev. Oct-06)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

*****************************************************************

The President left at an unknown time after 2:53 pm.

             [Pause]

The President entered at an unknown time before 4:28 pm.

             Transportation
                 -The President's conversation with Robert H. Taylor
                 -The Presidential limousine
                     -The President’s conversation with Robert Taylor
                     -Delivery to White House
                          -Haldeman’s view
                     -Construction
                          -Moon roof design
                              -Security
                              -Bullet proof shield
                                   -Protection
                              -Haldeman’s view
                                   -Possible changes

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 13m 28s    ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

*****************************************************************

Zosimo T. Monson entered at an unknown time after 3:55 pm.

                                       (rev. Oct-06)

            Documents
               -Residence
               -Helicopter
               -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
               -Oval Office
                   -Folder

Monson left at an unknown time before 4:28 pm.

            The President's schedule
                -New York
                     -John R. (“Tex”) McCrary
                         -Mrs. Nixon
                -Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
                     -Washington, DC
                     -Celebration of Israel
                     -Zubin Mehta
                     -Gustav Mahler and Felix Mendelssohn
                     -Kissinger
                     -Celebration of Jewish heritage
                         -American heritage
                     -The President's possible appearance
                         -Reception
                              -Event at Israeli embassy
                              -Other events
                              -Tone
                         -Edmund S. Muskie's attendance
                     -Yitzhak Rabin
                         -Presidential box
                     -Moshe Dayan
                -Opening session of the International Monetary Fund [IMF]
                     -Date
                         -Presidential reception in White House

            Press relations
                -United Press International [UPI] reception at White House
                     -Herbert G. Klein

            The President's schedule
                -Mark Spitz
                    -Presidential telegram and certificate

                                     (rev. Oct-06)

                  -Swim coach for Spitz
                  -Steve Clark
                      -Conversation with Spitz
                           -Visit between Spitz and the President
                           -Spitz's political background and current position
                  -The President's attempted telephone call to Spitz
                  -Experience and age
                  -Gold medals
                      -Number
              -Swearing-in of unnamed female judge
              -National Heritage day
                  -Date
                  -Proclamation
                      -Signing ceremony by the President
                           -Press coverage
                  -Competing groups
                  -The President's previous experiences
                  -Congressional act

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 45s        ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

*****************************************************************

          Sports
              -Spitz
                  -The President’s view
                       -Jews
              -Bobby Fisher
              -Spitz
              -Arthur R. Ashe, Jr.
                  -Tennis match
                       -Score

                                       (rev. Oct-06)

            Agnew’s schedule
               -Dinners
                   -The President’s experience as vice president

Haldeman left at 4:28 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.

I do, I do.
I don't want to be a
Well, after all, I did offer him to pass me to Mexico.
He's aware of that.
He said he probably isn't asking anybody because he wants to embarrass you, but he considers you a friend and he can help.
They don't have a stroke in certain places here in Dallas.
Yeah, in this place, but... Definitely don't rage.
Yeah.
That's what you're looking for.
Good idea.
I'll take it.
Right ahead.
You know, this is for the cows.
Can we try to bring him, sir?
Who?
Which officer?
The office lawyer.
He's not a lawyer.
Who's the lawyer?
The office and religion man.
The body is Jimmy Hoffa's.
This guy's been in the office for a long time.
He's a congressman.
Oh, very good.
And is that now?
Well, there's something.
How do we get an answer?
Well, there's something.
I don't look at any of it.
I only feel myself as you know, I despise such men.
I bet you Henry's life was so close to that fall.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
Yeah.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
You've got to say what the tennis ball is.
That's the thing.
It's fun silly kind of a thing.
You can imagine him doing that during tennis ball.
I said today, and I just didn't check the rundown on the paper, but I said the former paper was not discussed.
I said, well, it wasn't discussed.
It was referred to now.
Well, I don't know.
Actually, he started it when I said it was.
Well, he didn't.
Oh, it wasn't discussed.
I didn't discuss it.
That's the most important thing.
It wasn't on the agenda.
It was, yeah.
Oh, I didn't say it.
Yeah, that's right.
Because you know it wasn't written.
I said, we got welcome to discuss why are you discussing things we haven't asked about, right?
That's what it was.
So if they say, well, we've already known, you're talking about some of the cases we haven't asked about.
Now, I also said, well, we've got to work on this part of the script.
Let me ask about that part of the script.
Thank you.
This is a low level.
later on.
I think we have an Elliott, the best man for getting mail out.
But I want to, I'm still looking for a sort of a tough, creative idea man who will deal with mail.
To put it this way, I think that rather than
Well, if he's got the capability, there's going to be more people.
Oh, he did.
His whole background is his degree.
He's going to take more people.
You can see what that means.
Yeah, they're limited.
The shark came to that office and dragged me along all the time.
I don't know.
That's where we were.
The girl we had to go to, you know, there.
She was too damn hot.
And then I just feel that we really had to search.
I don't know what the hell it could be, but I find it.
Maybe a collection of coins or something from the Eisenhower dollar company.
They don't like to do it.
They don't do it.
They tackle some people.
When I say they don't, that's them.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
That's the way.
think they are.
I guess what the appeal is, those that do think they are, they go out and talk about that, and it's sort of like nothing but speech, and then basically people kind of like the speaker, and that's all there is to it.
But they're making points for us.
It's a way to say that.
Well, believe me, I know how to use that crap around.
There are people who will say it.
There are people who will say it.
That's related to the nation.
I think what you really did here,
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Roger.
Not to mention the Japanese and the Europeans about the common market.
How do we defend America's interests around the world and so forth?
Who the hell do you want to build?
One of the men said this.
You're going to be a perfect state.
America must be strong.
Everyone said this.
It's so good because immediately people see you sitting across the table from the president, and then you try to figure out where he's sitting.
On the writing of that speech, you picked a person from the Hague's office to get the quotes.
They're really quite good at that.
They're smart.
I don't know, it might be, but I think the other time, if you want to rub, it seems to be a problem.
Yeah, that's true.
You know, they're so right.
Not just being a cheap shot.
Not being any, no, no, no, no, no joking.
Very straightforward, very straightforward.
Oh, God.
It should be a very statesman-like speech about the choice and appeal of foreign policy, foreign national security policy.
One man stands for defense.
One man stands for America's Senate.
And then flashing the screen back up.
And here's the army.
Here's the navy.
Here's that.
And then show a man in a ship.
Missiles and so forth and so on.
Make a powerful, powerful speech.
And the man representing this kind of strength and the man representing this kind of weakness.
And show the...
I think they're looking at like a week.
Well, maybe two weeks.
Well, that would be about right.
Two weeks is about right.
That's getting through, so we know we've got a doable thing.
The dude has to do it for his office.
The vice president is speaking from his office, so they want to take a suit.
He was at home there.
I agree.
He's sitting behind his desk in some normal setting.
He's not going to do all this when he goes to the next video setting.
Very good use of that.
Facing the line.
Hard hit.
Forward policy.
We have to use the party.
We have to use the party.
We have to use the party.
I understand that Agnew, that Mrs. Agnew, is going to be here tonight.
I think she's going to be a general opposition to having us back tonight.
But she may not be.
This is not a solstice for us to do the blue rooms at that point.
That's the right way to do that.
Absolutely.
Go step on the long straight line.
And it gives the people who want to do it a chance to chat with him.
Are they having a meeting here today, or are they just coming here for this plan?
They're having meetings, briefings.
Oh, they're having this briefing on the probe.
We're having a strategy session on the campaign operations.
We have been the goddamned creepers in the world.
Well, that's a good idea.
I know.
Good use of our people.
But you know, we haven't really got it.
Senator Perot, you last briefing, did you point out to Dr. John, I was going for an answer?
Yes, sir.
That's no harder point to do.
You should.
And to those people, we have the chance to hear from John Perot, and what the straight truth is, is that they feel the truth.
You get the mandate, especially if you get Congress, you do a few things, and then you excite people by the mandate, especially busting up the State Department.
Yeah.
Rattling things around.
What card would you carry on the Foreign Service?
Just what you read about in the papers.
You start taking that kind of action, you look for it.
You know, I hadn't thought of that.
Just getting all these people with their names.
There are all sorts of people sitting there.
I've got to ask all the heads of the park service and others that have been sitting there and jobs for all these years.
Everybody's figured they're going to have a very little screw-up.
They're not going to have any longer.
We're going to throw them out.
This gets me excited.
the White House staff, you know, the Black Crowes.
I noticed this morning as we sat there, it's true, it's like they're taking plantation, they come in and they're all very black.
They have tuxedos, and they're blacks, and we're white, and they serve us, and they're not black.
They juggle in.
Right.
And basically, I think, you know what, I think this should use the Red Post.
Well, we tried that.
That was part of it, because the Black Crowes were there.
I know.
We could do it.
Ron Jackson
He was selling them.
He was a super co-author.
He was selling them, and he worked his ass off.
Worked well with people, but he got grinds and wrecked with the elevator.
And then left that little room in New Jersey to study at the airport.
I don't know that she wants to stay.
I have a feeling that she does want to get on.
And if she does want to get on, she ought to get on.
I don't think she's going to hold back.
I would say.
She's a great planner, organizer, works with people well, and so forth.
What does she need?
She needs that kind of person.
And her wrestling personality and all the rest.
And a lady.
Honestly, it was great.
It was really, really great stuff.
That one was here before it was approved.
Yes.
Why not?
Well, that's how the business is.
You know, we want to start, maybe you can get back into that.
She's a very attractive, nice-looking girl.
She might not be bad, but the other thing is, that's where our defense is.
A lot of defense.
She's got firm ideas.
I've got to get somebody to look at her.
I've got to get somebody to get around her.
And, well, again, when she's injured, you have to get around her.
She's got to get around her.
I'm glad we're going to play the lawsuit.
Yeah.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
I should have thought of it earlier.
What's your guess as to why?
They won't be horrible.
They won't fall all over us.
And they'll probably make a stunt if they never try.
Probably have to be someone who's a veteran.
A veteran winning?
Yeah.
They don't... See, that's the problem.
They know they won't win.
So they just let their assholes help them.
They thought he was going to win, I think.
the only one of our needs the army one of our topics should be around i mean it should be around
You know, really, they're doing a hell of a job
They don't know what the hell it means to be wealthy.
On the news conference thing, I think that we should...
I don't think it's right.
and that was both the day and the night.
I don't think it's that great of an issue, but I don't know, should I?
I agree.
Let everybody else do it.
You don't do it then.
You don't do it the next week either, pretty much.
You can't.
You can do it Friday.
You can do it Friday.
I just can't do it.
I was saying you were back once tonight.
You are.
I can't do that.
So you're wiped out, really, until, uh... Yeah.
Well, it's not more than that.
Something like that.
I'm bored of it.
I have to pack with someone once in a while.
Now, listen to me.
This conference issue is only an issue that affects one.
Oh, hell.
It's no issue at all.
It's quite a special issue.
No, no.
I spoke to, I asked Taylor for it.
They had a car list and said they had it.
The staff didn't like it.
Did you see it?
I haven't seen it.
No, I don't have it.
He says it's very strong.
I rejected it on one basis.
The point that I told him, I said, well, if it's here, we use it.
I don't like it.
He turned it back.
He said, oh, yes.
Now, what we did is we made the changes that we wanted to make, but it would have taken a long time.
So long as we would have had the card for the campaign, I figured we were better off to have it wrong than not to have it wrong.
So we're going to have it wrong.
We can use it every one year.
They've only made us wrong.
They still live on the top.
Power operator.
said, and they did this totally against our instructions.
You may not mind it, but I think it's bad.
What they've done is make a lid that hinges up like this.
The reason they did it is to protect you from being shot in the back down.
But my argument to them is, what the hell, they can still shoot in the back of the head.
Because your head's above.
The problem is you can't turn around.
If you stand up in an arm, despite that you're sitting in a chair like this, you've got this much up here.
So they agree, and they're changing them.
It's all worked out.
There's also a over on the night's meeting on the Oval Office desk.
That's in the center of the room.
Yes, sir.
The Jewish Senate in New York has been robbed.
Yes.
There is another Jewish opportunity, if you want to do it, which would be a national Jewish opportunity that's
It's a straight
the contribution of Jewish heritage to American heritage and that kind of stuff.
It is the way to do the Jewish event things.
It is.
The problem is for countries
Most of the house is going to be, the Israel Embassy is going to be inviting.
It's an inviting audience.
Part of it is sold, part of it is provided.
And the Jewish privacy defense is going to have a big national Jewish signal.
It still is the national observance of the anniversary of Israel.
That does keep on the background.
I would prefer.
The problem is, what do you think?
Or maybe it doesn't make a lot of difference whether you go in the goddamn people's home.
I don't think so either.
Sure, sure.
Yeah, but the fact that you're coming to this, well, let's... Let's check out to see how it feels.
To see where the muskies go through.
How do you want to handle it?
You want to go there and see
I mean, what they recommend is that you do the opening session the morning of the 25th.
Yeah.
All they're going to need to have the, uh, have a reception here at the White House.
No.
No, screw it.
I'll just go over and open the center location one day.
Let's do it with as many strains as possible.
You don't want to get into anything with the UBI head.
Oh, shit.
The hell's raising that hurt?
Well, no, no, it had been raised originally as a Q&A, which we had turned down.
The question is whether you want to add a reception.
No, I don't want to add a reception.
No, of course not.
Just wanted to make you want to be able to do that.
There's not a no for something that's for us.
Mark Spitz, we're just going to send a telegram.
And we're going to serve that reading under the standard.
He is a weird guy.
We finally got him.
We never did get to Sean, but he's in Austria.
That's Coach.
He's lost now.
Well, Coach wants you to call him.
He's the one that did want you to call him, but...
Steve Clark, who is another Olympic swimmer who is with us, talked to Spitz directly on his own initiative, supposedly, and said, that Clark said, I've done some work in Washington.
I've got some friends at the White House, and I think they'd love to get you in to see the president.
You know, they're going to have a vote going on.
And Spitz said, number one, I'm not sure I'm going to vote at all.
Number two, I'm very busy getting a new business manager.
Thank God I didn't get it on credit.
That's where it comes from having people who are too experienced to check.
Sure, I don't plan to do that.
I was telling you what I was telling you.
You're saying you're telling me what I'm saying?
Sure.
I put in here seven gold medals.
We still haven't sworn in that woman, Jeff.
Do you want to run her over and do a swear?
No.
But this woman's done it.
She's done it now.
It's done.
Monday, 21st, is National Heritage Day.
National Heritage Day is a proclamation to a congressional action and a presidential proclamation.
It's a chance, if you wanted to, to bring in the top 10 names out of each of the groups in another country and issue your proclamation, do a signing ceremony of your proclamation, and then serve along with a cup of coffee or something.
The idea would be not to get our workers out of the scene, but to get the recognition of the ethnic organizations.
If you have a congressional act so that even if you're not reaching out to the evidence, you're doing your job as president.
I'll be sure to sign the act.
I had a feeling on the spits.
I didn't know nothing.
I didn't see him.
I don't know if it was inherited.
I think it was from reading the notes.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Bobby Fisher is too.
When you get him, though, you know Bobby Fisher is super nice.
Take part of it.
It's like we used to be.
We used to waste all that effort.
He's got it pretty well.
We've talked about those.
I think he's got that.
He knows it now, huh?
Yep.