Conversation: 374-011
Prev:  374-010 Next: 374-012Start Date: 27-Oct-1972 9:10 AM
End Date: 27-Oct-1972 9:50 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Buchanan, Patrick J.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On October 27, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Patrick J. Buchanan, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:10 am to 9:50 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 374-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 374-11 Date: October 27, 1972 Time: 9:10-9:50 a.m. Location: Executive Office Building The President met with Patrick J. Buchanan. White Paper on campaign practices -The President’s instructions -For the record -Editor of Barron's 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -Subjects -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case -The President’s press conference -Soviet Union grain deal -The President's involvement -Carpet industry gift charges -Corruption -American Federation of Teachers [AFT] support for McGovern -Right to strike -Campaign contributions -Press coverage -ITT, Watergate -The Milk Fund -Congress -Wilbur D. Mills Henry A. Kissinger entered at 9:14 am. White paper -Watergate cover up and campaign practices -Reports on H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman involvement -Washington Post article, October 27, 1972 -Democratic National Committee -San Francisco -Clean administration -Sabotage -Information on rallies -Necessity -News summary -Barry M. Goldwater’s campaign -Democratic campaign tactics -Action against Edward R.F. Cox -Republican Phoenix headquarters -Damage in San Francisco -Los Angeles -Republican National Convention -McGovern supporters -Damage -Violence -Lack of criticism -Organization of demonstrators 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -Rallies of the President, Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon, [Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Tricia Nixon Cox] -Hecklers -Free speech -Lack of criticism -Campaign finances -Double standard -Desperation tactics -Reasons McGovern and 1972 campaign -The President’s view -McGovern’s position on Vietnam -White House attacks -Settlement -W[illiam] Averell Harriman’s statement -Communist government in South Vietnam -Prisoners of war [POWs] -Laos, Cambodia -Disarmament of South Vietnam -Unconditional withdrawal of US -“Peace with surrender” -“Peace with Honor” -White House attacks -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew -Effect on negotiations -Thailand -McGovern settlement terms -Cambodia -Laos -POWs -Peter Lisagor’s statement on coalition government -Administration achievement of peace terms -Effect on critics Press relations -Administration policy on returning calls to the press -The president’s orders -Washington Post Watergate story -Murrey Marder, Carroll Kilpatrick, Joseph C. Kraft 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -New York Times -Libel actions -John M. Mitchell -Maurice H. Stans -Haldeman McGovern and 1972 campaign -McGovern’s position on Vietnam -Aid to Laos and Cambodia -Ramifications -Communism Laos and Cambodia -Thailand -South Vietnam -Peace with surrender -Guarantees on POW's -Good faith of enemy -White House attacks on McGovern criticism -McGovern position -Terms of agreement -Ability to obtain same terms previously -Charles W. Colson -Response by the White House -Kissinger’s previous trip to Paris -R. Sargent Shriver’s statement on the President’s morality -The president’s order to response -Administration use of trip -Indira Gandhi -Hanoi -Reason for trip Vietnam peace settlement -The press -Ronald L. Ziegler’s view -The President’s view -Motivations -Thieu -POWs -Laos, Cambodia -Bombing and mining, May 8, 1972 -Summit meeting with Soviets, May 1972 -Mood 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -Issue of the coalition government -Le Duc Tho -Thieu’s strategy -Opposition in South Vietnam -Communists -Cease-fire agreement -Elections in Vietnam -Prospects -The press -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s conversation with Marder -White House treatment of Washington Post -White House attacks on McGovern, Shriver -President’s view -Strategy -McGovern’s Vietnam position -Thieu Publication of White Paper by Barron’s -Reprints -Release by an individual -St. Louis Globe-Democrat -Clark MacGregor -Reason for publication -For campaign -For the record 1972 campaign -Television [TV] program October 26, 1972 -Press coverage -Networks McGovern campaign tactics -Bombing -Violence -Hecklers -Location -Treatment of McGovern, Shriver compared with the President Vietnam peace settlement -1972 campaign 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -Aggressive campaigning -Agnew -Cease-fire Agreement -Secrecy -Administration campaign strategy -McGovern attacks -Delay of peace -“Peace with honor” -“Peace with surrender” -Hanoi’s public release of settlement -Content of agreement -1972 election -Timing of settlement -Prospects for peace Buchanan left at 9:30 am. Vietnam peace settlement -Administration campaign strategy -Political aspects -Contrast with McGovern proposals -Coalition government -POWs -Laos, Cambodia -Defense of South Vietnam -North Vietnam -Thieu’s position -Propaganda -North Vietnam -Signing of agreement -Western propaganda -US support for Thieu -Intelligence information -North Vietnamese officials -North Vietnamese strategy and 1972 election -October 26, 1972 ********************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 [National security] [Duration: 11s ] 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) INTELLIGENCE END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 ********************************************************** -Present situation -Message to North Vietnamese -Kissinger's schedule -Press relations -Kissinger's press briefing, October 26, 1972 -The President’s view -Lisagor -Bernard Kalb -Killed in action [KIA] figures for previous week -Media coverage -Type of settlement -No surrender -Desire of American public -McGeorge Bundy's appearance on TV Watergate -The New York Times -The Washington Post story on campaign charges -White House response -H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and secret fund -The President’s view -Kissinger’s view -Nelson A. Rockefeller’s campaign tactics -Wiretaps -Rockefeller’s associates -Watergate -Wiretapping -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] -Watergate break-in -Democratic National Committee [DNC] -Lawrence F. O’Brien, Jr. -Responsibility -Hubert H. Humphrey -Edmund S. Muskie 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) -Kissinger’s view Campaign strategy -Attacks on McGovern -Vietnam as issue -Aggressive campaigning -Barry M. Goldwater -McGovern attacks on Vietnam peace settlement -Effect on peace settlement talks -Effect on US Vietnam peace settlement negotiations -North Vietnamese strategy -Publication of settlement terms -Possible White House strategies -Thieu’s actions -Dispatching of ambassadors worldwide -Referendum proposal -Kissinger’s conversation with Joseph W. Alsop -William F. Buckley, Jr.’s possible visit with Thieu -Catholicism -Post-1972 election strategy -Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. -Kissinger’s role -Thieu’s position in light of US strategy -South Vietnamese government -Administrative structure -1972 campaign -John B. Connally -Haig’s call to Connally -Reaction to timing of settlement -Kissinger's talk with Alsop -Forthcoming article -Haig's forthcoming telephone call to Cardinal Cooke -Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone cal to Ronald W. Reagan -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Coalition government -Attack on McGovern -Haig’s forthcoming telephone calls to Samuel W. Yorty, George C. Wallace 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) ***************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [Personal returnable] [Duration: 1m 41s ] END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ***************************************************************** Vietnam -Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone call to Connally -Colson’s previous call to George E. Christian -The President’s May 8, 1972 decision -Agnew -Haig’s briefing -The President’s view -The President’s relationship with conservatives -The President’s November 3, 1969 speech -Demonstrations -Mining Haiphong, bombing North Vietnam -Negotiations -Thieu -US strategy -North Vietnam -Strategy -Message -North Vietnam position compared with US position -Bombing halt -Progress -Timing The President’s schedule -Harold Lee -Hong Kong Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone call to Connally -Kissinger’s forthcoming telephone call to the President 22 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Oct-06) Kissinger left at 9:50 am.