Conversation: 470-007
Prev: 470-006 Next: 470-008Start Date: Friday, March 19, 1971 3:53 PM
End Date: Friday, March 19, 1971 4:45 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Ehrlichman, John D.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Colson, Charles W.; [Unknown person(s)]Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:55:54
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:38:13
NARA Description:
On March 19, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Charles W. Colson, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:45 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 470-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 470-7
Date: March 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:53 am and 11:45 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Patrick J. Buchanan’s speech on foreign policy
-”Generation of peace”
-Public opinion
-Vietnam War
-Possible response by a dictator against US allies
-[Arthur] Neville Chamberlain
-Public opinion
-Defense policy
-”Brushfire wars”
-President’s use of phrase in interview
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Africa, Asia
US defense policy
-Disarmament
-Public opinion
-Vietnam
-Israel
-Soviet Union
-Deterrent to war
-”Generation of peace”
-President’s policies
-Buchanan
-President’s Newport, Rhode Island speech
-Buchanan’s work on forthcoming speech by Robert J. Dole
-Effect
Speech themes
-New Federalism
-New American Revolution
-Press coverage
-Domestic issues
-New American Revolution
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-White House staff
-Cabinet
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Forthcoming conversation with Buchanan
-Vietnam War
-US goals
-Peace
-President’s view
-Importance
-Defense
-Buchanan
-Public opinion
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Charles W. Colson
[Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:53 am and
11:15 am]
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Conversation No. 470-7A]
-Location
[End of telephone conversation]
-Meetings with John A. Volpe and George W. Romney
-John D. Ehrlichman Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Meetings on defense
-Size
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
[The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7B]
President’s call to Kissinger
[End of telephone conversation]
[The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7C]
Kissinger’s schedule
The President conferred with Haldeman
Colson’s schedule
Kissinger’s schedule
Laos operation (Lam Son)
-President’s previous call to Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Haig
-Military action
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Withdrawal
-Residual forces
-Future operations
-Kissinger’s view of operation
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[End of telephone conversation]
Cabinet
-John B. Connally’s party
Ehrlichman and George P. Shultz’s meetings with President
-Compared with Kissinger’s meetings with President
-Staff Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
Dr. James R. Schlesinger confirmation
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Ehrlichman
-Harlow
-Gordon L. Allott
Colson entered at 11:15 am
Agnew
-Speech in Boston concerning Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Maurice H. Stans
-Program on hunger
-Stans
-Writer
Buchanan’s speech
-Press coverage of war
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-CBS
-Administration response
CBS coverage of war
-Colson’s view
-Melvin R. Laird
-F. Edward Hébert
-Clifford P. Hansen’s letter
-Rebuttal
-Retraction
-A film at broadcasters’ convention
-Pentagon film
-Possible Federal Communications Commission [FCC] response
-Possible request for equal time
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Pentagon
-Rebuttal
-Use of “fairness doctrine”
-Armed Services Committee
-White House involvement
-Agnew’s speech
NBC report on war Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Buchanan’s speech
-Thomas W. Braden
Network news coverage
-Effect of White House action
-Public opinion
-Colson’s view
-Biases
President’s interview with Howard K. Smith
-Colson’s relations with Smith
-Questions
-Boundaries
-President’s position
-Negotiations in Middle East
-President’s responses
-Southeast Asia
-Domestic and foreign affairs
-President’s responses
John A. Scali
-Hiring on White House staff
-Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s office functions
-Role
-Colson’s relations with Scali
-Previous conversation
-President’s foreign policy
-Speeches
-Neo-isolationism
-Financial sacrifice
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s forthcoming call to an unknown man
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
Scali
-[Name unintelligible]
-Robert J. McCloskey
-Possible White House position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Colson’s view of Scali
-Support for Administration policies
-Smith
Smith’s interview with President
-Questions
-Press image
-President’s possible responses
-Colson’s role
-Press conference questions
-Role of Presidency
-Possible answers
-Buchanan
-President’s schedule
Scali
-Possible White House position
-Relations with Washington people
-John W. Chancellor
-Public relations
-Media relations
-Buchanan meeting
-Colson’s previous conversation with Scali
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
******************************************************************************
-Relations with press
-Role
-Scope of assignment
-Television
-Ziegler’s position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Ziegler’s role
-Scali’s role
-Relations with White House staff
-Kissinger and National Security Council [NSC] staff
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Laos news
-Press
-U. Alexis Johnson
-David Packard
-Moorer
-Relations with Ziegler
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Possible WSAG membership
-Haldeman’s view
-Relations with press
-Television and foreign policy
-WSAG
-Value
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous meeting with Colson
-Colson and Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Kissinger
-Kissinger
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous conversation with Colson
-Kissinger’s relations with press
-Ziegler
-Scali’s observations
-Functions and responsibility
-Haldeman
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Unintelligible]
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
George H. Gallup poll
-Results
-Distribution Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Date and figures
-Approval ratings
-Method
-Advance figures
-Meaning
-February poll
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Laos
-White House poll
-Timing
-Tricia Nixon’s engagement announcement
-Whitney M. Young, Jr. funeral
-”Today” Show appearance
-Women’s press interview
President’s “Today” Show appearance
-Ratings
-New York City
-Alvin Snyder’s view
-Value
Gallup poll
-President’s standing with men and women
-War issue
-Support of Labor
-T. Nixon’s engagement
Lyndon B. Johnson
-Lynda B. (Johnson) Robb’s wedding
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon and daughter’s television viewing
-President’s television viewing habits
-President’s note to L. B. Johnson
-Effect on L. B. Johnson’s popularity
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s popularity
-Effect of family functions
-Gallup poll results
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
President’s schedule Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Kissinger
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
-Scali
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with unknown individual
The President, et al. left at an unknown time before 11:45 am