President Nixon, Harry Dent, and Peter Flanigan discussed the status of delicate textile trade negotiations with Japan and the administration's strategy regarding potential legislative action. The group evaluated the influence of Representative Wilbur Mills and other key industry stakeholders, aiming to align domestic political support with the administration’s trade goals. Nixon finalized plans for a forthcoming public statement to address voluntary restraints, ensuring the administration's stance on trade and monitoring remained distinct from congressional maneuverings.
On March 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Harry S. Dent, and Peter M. Flanigan met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:34 pm to 2:58 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 464-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 464-15
Date: March 9, 1971
Time: 2:34 pm - 2:58 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Harry S. Dent and Peter M. Flanigan
Textile trade negotiations with Japan
-President’s previous meeting
-Dent’s view
-Peter G. Peterson
-Dent’s calls
-Roger Milliken
-John W. McCormack
-Industry position
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Democrats’ position
-Dent’s efforts
-President’s action
-Public perception
-Mills
-Flanigan’s meetings
-Milliken
-Dent
-Robert C. Jackson
-Industry representatives
-Position
-Role of the President
-Mills
-Meeting with industry representatives
-Jackson
-Results
-President’s position
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Possible future position
-Japanese embassy
-Communication with Mills
-Mills’ efforts
-Administration
-Ambassador’s meeting with Flanigan
-Flanigan’s meeting with Japanese ambassador
-Flanigan’s view
-Possible Action by President
-A draft statement on Japanese proposal
-Voluntary restraints
-Legislation
-Monitoring
-Legislation
-Legislation
-Industry position
-Mills
-Administration efforts
-President’s position
-Content
-Ernest F. (“Fritz”) Hollings’ position
-Mills
-President’s possible action
-Possible statement by President to press
-Mills
-President’s position
-Support for President’s position
-Dent’s work with Congressmen
-Mills
-Administration position
-Statement to press
-President’s forthcoming meeting with industry representatives
-John N. Mitchell’s position
-Compared with Mills’ position
-George P. Shultz and Peterson’s philosophy
-President’s philosophy
-Legislation
-Administration action
-Mills
-Position on other administration measures
-Revenue sharing
-Social Security
-Welfare reform
-Mills’ position
-Textile industry convention in Florida
-Herbert Stein and William D. Ruckelshaus
-Legislation
-Mills
-Administration position
-Time limit
-Industry
-President’s forthcoming statement
-Timing
-Content
-Tone
-Mills
-Effect on proposed legislation
-Monitoring reports to Congress
-Wording of statement
-Possible effect
-Possible future action
-Shultz and Peterson’s views
-President’s position
-John B. Connally’s views
-Peterson
-Connally, Mitchell
-Peterson
-President’s decision
-Dent
-U. Alexis Johnson
-State Department’s view
Dent and Flanigan left at 2:58 pm
Conversation
Conv. No. 464-15
No. 464-16
(cont.)
Date: March 9, 1971
Time: Unknown between 2:58 pm and 3:01 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Stephen B. Bull
President’s schedule
-Unknown people
-George P. Shultz and John D. Ehrlichman
-A meeting in the Cabinet Room
-Robert A. Taft, Jr.
Bull left at 3:01 pmNo transcript is available for this conversation. The audio may not contain audible speech, or the recording may not yet have been processed.