Conversation 450-022

On February 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:25 pm to 5:26 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 450-022 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 450-22

Date: February 17, 1971
Time: 5:25 pm - 5:26 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler

     Previous press conference
          -Laos
          -Integration
          -North Vietnam

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[Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under deed of gift 08/08/2019. Segment cleared for
release.]
[Privacy]
[450-022-w001]
[Duration: 28s]

     John [last name unknown] attendance at forthcoming dinner with the President
          -Separated from wife
                 -Wish to bring a different woman as escort
                      -The President’s response

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Ziegler left at 5:26 pm

                                                                    Conversation
                                                                    Conv. No. 450-25
                                                                                 No. 450-23
                                                                                     (cont.)

Date: February 17, 1971
Time: 5:26 pm - 5:53 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman and Daniel J. Evans; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting

     Supersonic Transport [SST]
          -President’s position
          -Impact on economy
          -Importance
          -Administration efforts

     Hanford nuclear reactor
          -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
                -Funding
                -George P. Shultz
                -Status
                      -Evans’ meeting with Donald B. Rice
                           -Evans’ concerns
                           -Seattle power supply
                -OMB decision
                -Evans’ efforts
                -Funding
          -Effect in Washington state
                -Funding
                -Evans’ view
                -Employment
                -Future developments
          -Administration efforts
                -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
                      -Budget

     Revenue sharing
         -Administration’s position
         -Importance to people
         -Importance to local and state government
         -Problems
         -Benefits
         -Federal bureaucracy
         -Opposition by establishment
         -Welfare reform
               -Effect
               -Administration’s efforts

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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 08/02/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[450-023-w002]
[Duration: 2m 9s]

      Revenue sharing
            -Welfare reform
                    -Conversation with John D. Ehrlichman
                          -Executive Office Building [EOB], Christmas 1970
                          -Jerrold L. Schecter [?]
                          -$90 million
                                  -Devoted to change
                          -Last half of 1971

      Dean Rusk
            -Embarrassment in 1968
            -Liberal staff
            -Tearing up of defense

      Possible nomination of Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
             -The President’s opinion of prospects
                    -Democratic Party
                    -Position on Vietnam
             -John D. Ehrlichman’s opinion

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

Evans left at an unknown time before 5:53 pm

     Health insurance
          -Health maintenance organizations [HMO]
                      -Edgar F. Kaiser
                      -President’s position
                -Kaiser Permanente Plan
                      -Focus

     Appointments
         -Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA]
               -Myles J. Ambrose
                     -John N. Mitchell’s view
                     -Richard G. Kleindienst
                     -John B. Connally
               -Jerris Leonard
         -David Norman
         -Peter M. Flanigan
               -Work effectiveness
                     -Efforts
               -Role
               -William P. Rogers
         -Michael Collins
               -Air and Space Museum
         -Judgeship for unknown men
               -Wallace H. Johnson
               -Thomas J. Dodd
               -Kleindienst
         -Dr. James R. Schlesinger
               -Rogers C. B. Morton’s view
         -Ambassadorial positions
               -Flanigan
               -John W. Rollins
               -Frank J. Shakespeare
               -Fred J. Russell
                     -Qualifications

     Revenue sharing

          -Administration efforts
              -Democrats
              -Hubert H. Humphrey
                    -Conversation with Ehrlichman
                    -Legislation
                    -Possible conversation with President

          -Domestic policy

     Revenue sharing
         -Administration’s position
         -Clark R. Mollenhoff
         -Public support

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 5:26 pm

     Schedule
          -Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
          -Instructions
                -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Rose Mary Woods

Bull left at an unknown time before 5:53 pm

     Farm policy
          -Robert J. Dole
                -Efforts
          -White House gala
                -Compared to White House Labor dinner
                -Possible program
                -Public relations
                      -Film
          -Hyde Park
                -Possible appointment
          -Importance of farmers and farm vote
                -Dole
                -Support for President
          -Staff assignment
                -John C. Whitaker
                      -Dole

     Wage and price controls
         -Shultz
         -Cost of Living Council [COLC] action
         -Herbert Stein
         -Administration position
              -Wage controls
                     -Construction
         -George W. Romney
         -James M. Hutton, III
         -Businessmen

     Schedule

     Media
         -Los Angeles Times

Ehrlichman left at 5:53 pm