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Conversation: 464-005

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Start Date: 9-Mar-1971 9:58 AM

End Date: 9-Mar-1971 10:36 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Bull, Stephen B.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:19:47

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 00:57:05

464-005.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:58 am to 10:36 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 464-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 464-5

Date: March 9, 1971
Time: 9:58 am - 10:36 am
Location: Oval Office

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

     President’s previous meeting
                                         4

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)




James H. Hogue
     -Franklyn C. (“Lyn”) Nofziger’s staff
     -Peter M. Flanigan

President’s schedule
     -Forthcoming breakfast with Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
     -March 10, 1971                                           Conv. No. 464-4 (cont.)
           -National Security Council [NSC] meeting
                 -Possible agenda
                       -Middle East
                 -William P. Rogers
                 -Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Melvin R. Laird
                 -Richard M. Helms
                 -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                       -Role
                 -Time
     -Forthcoming dinner
     -Forthcoming breakfast with Mansfield
     -Williamsburg trip, March 11, 1971
           -Time of departure
           -Speech time
     -Forthcoming breakfast with Mansfield
           -Time
     -NSC meeting
     -Forthcoming meeting with [Thomas] Hale Boggs and Carl B. Albert
           -Date
           -Williamsburg trip
           -Leslie C. Arends
           -Clark MacGregor
           -Mansfield
           -MacGregor, William E. Timmons
     -March 10, 1971
           -NSC meeting
     -March 11, 1971
           -Williamsburg trip
           -Evening
           -John N. Mitchell
           -Women’s press meeting
                 -Barbara Walters
                 -President’s possible appearance
                                          5

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 9/08)



                 -Possible questions
                 -Helen A. Thomas
     -A breakfast with Mansfield
           -Time
                 -Williamsburg speech
     -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II’s graduation
     -Williamsburg trip
     -Eisenhower’s graduation                                     Conv. No. 464-5 (cont.)
           -John O. Pastore, Claiborne Pell, Congressmen
                 -A ride
           -John H. Chafee
           -Pastore
                 -Support for President
           -Pell
           -President’s inspection tour
                 -President’s previous visit

British grain policy
      -Peter G. Peterson
      -Clifford M. Hardin and John B. Connally
      -Peterson
            -Suggested letter from President to Connally
                  -President’s position
                        -Meeting
      -[Forename unintelligible] Byrnes [sp?]
      -Common Market
      -George P. Shultz’s position
      -Peterson’s position
      -Possible meeting

President’s schedule
     -President’s call to Daniel H. Kuykendall
           -Alexander P. Butterfield
           -President’s possible appearance at a Congressional breakfast, March 9, 1971
                 -Haldeman’s March 8 conversation with Connally
     -A forthcoming dinner for Congressmen
           -Kuykendall, Gerald R. Ford, Clarence J. (“Bud”) Brown, Jr., Silvio O. Conte,
                 Barber B. Conable, Jr., John R. Dellenback, William J. (“Jack”) Edwards,
                 Marvin L. Esch, John H. Kyl, James A. McClure, Bradford F. Morse
           -Attendees
                 -Number
                                         6

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)



     -President’s possible appearance at a March 9, 1971 Congressional breakfast
           -Phone call
           -Connally’s position

Donald H. Rumsfeld
    -Meeting with President, March 8, 1971
          -Future
               -Special Trade Representative                  Conv. No. 464-5 (cont.)
                    -Interests
                    -Carl J. Gilbert
                    -Peterson
                    -Shultz
                          -Forthcoming conversation with Haldeman
                                -President’s view
                    -Job requirements
                    -Compared with Robert H. Finch
    -Talk with Haldeman

A staff meeting
      -Connally
      -Patrick J. Buchanan
      -Connally’s remarks
            -Press and other external contacts
                  -Benefits
            -White House staff Congressional relations
                  -Connally’s view
                        -Bryce N. Harlow
                        -Return calls policy
                  -President’s position
            -Public image of White House staff
                  -Kissinger
                  -Dwight D. Eisenhower administration
                        -Sherman Adams, Jerry Persons

White House staff
     -Loyalties
          -Compared with Congress and country at large
          -Public relations efforts
     -Needs
     -Connally’s view
          -Availability
                -Congress
                                         7

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 9/08)



                -Press
          -Need for confidentially
     -Connally
          -March 8, 1971 dinner
          -Compared with President
          -Remarks at staff meeting
     -Cabinet meetings and Congressional meetings
          -President’s role                                      Conv. No. 464-5 (cont.)
          -Edwin L. Harper
          -John D. Ehrlichman
          -President’s position
          -President’s future role
          -Future meetings
                -President’s role
     -Rumsfeld
          -Possible attendance at President’s March 9, 1971 meeting with Columbia
                Broadcasting System [CBS] executives

President’s schedule
     -March 8, 1971 Meeting with George R. S. Baring [Earl of Cromer]
           -Attendees
           -Shultz
     -Meeting with CBS executives
           -Attendees
                 -Charles W. Colson
                 -Herbert G. Klein
                 -Ronald L. Ziegler
                 -Colson

A poll
     -Source
     -President’s job performance
           -Percentages
           -Vietnam
                -Percentages
                -George H. Gallup poll
                -Louis Harris poll
           -Laos
                -Percentages
     -Vietnam
           -Wording of questions
                                               8

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



               -Possible South Vietnamese invasion of North Vietnam
                     -Percentages
               -Eugene J. McCarthy
          -People’s Republic of China [PRC] admission to United Nations [UN]
               -Percentages

An unknown person [Stephen B. Bull?] entered and left at an unknown time between 9: 58 am
and 10:36 am                                                          Conv. No. 464-5 (cont.)

                      -Importance
          -Television coverage of Laos operation (Lam Son)
                -Percentages
                      -Importance
                -Reporters’ commentary
                      -Percentages
          -President’s credibility on Vietnam
                -Percentages
          -Compared with Gallup poll
          -Credibility of President, Congress, Pentagon, press, media on Laos operation
                -Percentages
          -Timing
                -Effect

     A statement by the President on press credibility

     Opinion Research Corporation poll
          -Compared with Gallup poll

     Possible broadcast by President
          -Importance
          -Effect on polls
                -November 3, 1969, example

     Vietnam
          -Need for Congressional support
                -Public statements
                -Boggs
                -Robert J. Dole
          -President’s credibility
                -Poll results
          -President’s goals
                                               9

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



          -Need for Congressional support
               -Public statements
          -Rogers’ March 8, 1971 meeting
               -Compared with Kissinger’s backgrounders
               -Veterans of Foreign Wars
                     -Media coverage
          -White House public relations effort
               -US withdrawal                                          Conv. No. 464-5 (cont.)
               -Laos operation (Lam Son)
               -Polls

The President and Haldeman left at 10:36 am