Conversation No. 476-14

Date: April 9, 1971
Time: 11:40 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, Leonard Garment, Robert H. Finch, and Nancy
Hanks

     Greetings

     Hanks’ visit to Philadelphia arts center, April 8, 1971
         -Walter H. and Leonore (Cohn) Annenberg

     President’s meeting with movie industry group
          -San Clemente, California, April 5, 1971
          -Aid for industry
                                      34

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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                                   (rev. 9/08)



     -Haldeman
     -Praise for Hanks
     -Garment
     -Taft Schreiber
           -Columbia Pictures
     -Unknown people

Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum
     -Names
     -Location
          -Mall
     -Sculptures
     -Architecture
          -Modern
     -Whitney Museum
          -New York
     -Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
     -Architecture
          -Aesthetics
          -Washington, DC
          -Possible controversy
     -Plans approval
     -Possible changes
     -Sculpture garden
     -Collection
     -Appointments to Board of Trustees
          -”Therapy”
          -Changes
                -Easterners
          -Schreiber
          -Hal B. Wallis
          -L. Annenberg
          -Jack Hines
          -Nathan Cummings
                -Waldorf Hotel
                -Democrat
                -Art collection
          -Ted Cummings
                -California
                -Art collection
                -Appointments
          -Schreiber, N. and T. Cummings
                                       35

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          -Mrs. T. Cummings
          -Instructions to call N. Cummings
                -President’s conversation with N. Cummings at Waldorf
          -Paul W. McCracken’s meeting in New York
                -N. Cummings
          -Leigh Block
                -Chicago
          -H[jorvardur] Harvard Arnason                        Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
          -Background of group
          -Arnason
          -Schreiber
          -[Lyndon B.?] Johnson
     -Hobart Taylor, Jr.
          -Bryce N. Harlow
     -Mr. and Mrs. T. Cummings
     -N. Cummings
          -Invitation to White House

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Associated Councils of the Arts
     -Annual conference
     -President’s possible speech
           -Art
           -Environment
     -Conference title
           -”Washington and the Arts”
     -Membership
           -State arts councils
           -Size
     -Possible speech topics
           -Arts
           -Environment
           -Mood of country
     -Garment, Haldeman, Finch
     -Hunter Conference for Children and Youth
     -Support for President
     -Speech
           -Length
           -Protestors
                                       36

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          -Garment and Raymond K. Price, Jr.
          -Price’s responsibility

Movie industry
    -Administration’s program
    -Tax incentives
    -Peter M. Flanigan
    -Foreign films                                       Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
          -Percentage
          -Problem
    -US producers
          -Expense
    -President’s meeting with industry group
    -Flanigan
    -Haldeman
    -Opportunities for domestic movies
    -US world position
    -Costs
    -Movie producers
          -Jack L. Warner
          -Schreiber
    -Threat to US film industry
          -Export of jobs, production
    -Need for strength
          -Relation of movies to television
    -Anti-trust requirements
          -Divestiture
                -Possible reversal
    -Cost
    -Attendance
    -Theater owners
    -Producers
    -Subsidies
          -Difficulties
          -Congress
    -Taxes
          -Wilbur D. Mills
          -Timing
          -Special treatment
    -Producers
    -Anti-trust
    -Foreign imports
                                 37

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 9/08)



-Tariff barriers
-Imports
      -Japan
      -Automobiles
-Foreign Trade
      -Peter G. Peterson
      -Moving pictures, oranges
      -Franco Maria Malfatti                        Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
            -Citrus products
-Hanks’ contacts with artists
-Preserving opportunities
-Television
-Quality of movies
      -Compared to baseball
-Public broadcasting
-Quality of movies
      -Compared to foreign films
      -Types of movies
      -Family movies
      -Instructions to Hanks, Garment
      -Opinion of the President’s daughters
      -Walter E (“Walt”) Disney
-Old movies on television
      -Opinion of Garment’s children
      -Story
-Instruction to Hanks
-Possible study of industry
      -Arts perspective
-Subsidies
-Congress
      -Quality
-Situation of movie industry
-Need for Administration’s help
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC]
-Dean Burch
-Flanigan
-Haldeman
-Follow-up
-”Therapy”
-Care
-Educational aspects
-Schools
                                  38

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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                             (rev. 9/08)



      -University of Southern California [USC]
      -University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA]
      -Indiana University
      -Northwestern University
      -USC
      -Cost
            -Figures
      -Interns, fellows                               Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
-Film people
-Types of movies
      -Stories
-Charlton Heston
-Storytelling
-John Wayne
      -Popularity
      -Film seen by the President
            -Story
-Problems
      -Relation with public
      -Reflection of national intelligentsia
-Haldeman
-Flanigan
-Necessity of industry to right itself
      -Six steps
      -Labor policies
      -Production costs
      -Quality of films
      -Need for better movies
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
      -Jane Fonda
-”Patton”
-”Love story”
-Bob Evans
-”Lawrence of Arabia”
-Television
-Support for literature
      -Writers
-Support for music
      -Symphonic
      -Jazz
-Painting
-Visual
                                         39

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
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     -Effects of movies
          -Young people
     -Networks
          -Subsidies for movies
          -John N. Mitchell
     -Anti-trust
          -Legislation
     -Need for change                                      Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)

Arts and music
      -President’s conversation with unknown person
            -Watts
            -Children and the Arts
                  -Number
                  -Art gallery
                  -Music
      -President’s support
      -Inspiration
      -Effect on youth
            -Television
      -Instructions to Garment to contact movie industry
            -Responsibility of Arts commission
            -Quality of movies

Movie industry
    -Schreiber
    -Studios
    -Flanigan
    -John B. Connally
          -Tax plan
    -Quality of movies
          -Costs
          -Stories
    -Comments of unknown writer
          -Self-sufficiency of movie industry
    -Screen Writers’ Guild
    -Commendation for commission
    -Finch

Appointments to Board of Trustees of Hirshhorn Museum
    -L. Annenberg
                                       40

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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     -T. Cummings
          -Mrs. T. Cummings
          -Wealth
                -Home near Hillcrest Golf Course
                -Art collection
     -Hirshhorn
     -Hines
          -Eastern Establishment                         Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
          -Dwight D. Eisenhower
     -Hirshhorn
     -Hines
     -T. Cummings
     -Hines
     -Norton Simon
          -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
          -Possible meeting with President
                -Instructions to Haldeman
          -Wealth
                -David J. Mahoney, Jr.
          -Art collection
          -Possible ambassadorial appointment
          -Appointment to Board of Trustees

Hirshhorn Museum
     -Simon
     -President’s view

Simon
    -Modern art
    -Quality of collection
          -Renaissance art
    -President’s schedule
    -Views on airlines’ problems
          -George P. Shultz
          -Free enterprise system
    -Meeting with President
    -Garment’s previous meeting
    -Management ideas
    -President’s schedule
    -Shultz
                                              41

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
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     Arts budget
           -Comments of unknown black New York state senator
               -Bronx
               -Importance of program
               -Support for commission

     President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
          -Shirley Taylor                                         Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
                -Picture in newspaper
          -Kevin Taylor
                -Salute
          -Television
          -Reaction
                -Use of text
                -Conclusion
          -Finch’s call to President

     Movie industry
         -Importance
         -Relation to television
         -Quality
         -Support
         -Costs

Garment, Finch, and Hanks left at 12:18 pm

     Hanks
         -Arts appeal

     President’s schedule
          -Judge Thomas F. Murphy’s call to President

     Poll results
           -Approval rating
           -Changes regarding Vietnam
           -President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
                  -Rating
                  -Reaction among those aware of speech
                  -Consistency of figures
                  -Figures
           -Comparison with press conference
                                   42

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. 9/08)



-State of the Union
      -Audience
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
      -Analysis
      -Favorable
      -Unfavorable
-Press conference
-State of the Union                                          Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
-Cambodia speech
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
      -Reaction
      -Vietnam withdrawal issue
      -Approval of the war
      -Shift
      -Rate of withdrawal
            -Shift in opinion
      -Timing of withdrawal
            -Immediate
            -By end of 1971
            -Vietnamization
            -Complete victory
      -Vietnamization
      -Analysis
      -President’s plan compared with Democrat caucus
-J. Edgar Hoover and Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
      -Approval rating
      -Results
      -Compared with January 1971
      -Analysis
      -Retirement
            -Age
      -Losses
-Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr. issue
      -Approval
      -Disapproval
-Vietnam withdrawal issue
-George H. Gallup and Louis Harris polls
-Benchmark
-Timing of polls
-Effects of President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Calley
-Laos
                                        43

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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                                   (rev. 9/08)



     -Calley
     -Laos
           -Disapproval
           -Undecided, unfavorable
     -Solidification of support
     -End-of-war issue
     -Need for confidence
     -President’s problem                                       Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
     -Economy
     -President’s approval rating
     -Revenue sharing
     -Economy

President’s schedule
     -Possible use of television at forthcoming American Society of Newspaper Editors
           [ASNE] interview, April 16, 1971
           -President’s opinion
                 -Against use of television
           -Staff opinions
                 -Charles W. Colson
                       -For use of television
                 -William L. Safire
                       -For use of television
                             -Not over-exposure
                             -Good alternative to press conference
                             -President’s best forum, question and answer session
                 -William H. Carruthers
                       -Against use of television
                             -Over-exposure
                             -Vietnam questions
                 -John A. Scali
                       -Against use of television
                       -Media coverage
                 -Cliff Miller
                       -Against use of television
                 -Richard A. Moore
                       -Against use of television
                                             44

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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                     -Scali
                     -Carruthers
                     -Scali
                           -Defensiveness on Indochina policy

     President’s uses of media
          -Television
          -Forthcoming appearances                               Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
          -Press conference
          -ASNE interview
                -Production problems
                -Black-tie dinner
                -Written press
                -Television
          -Cambodian speech
          -President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
                -Emotional impact
                      -Duration
                -Withdrawal issue
                -K. Taylor
          -ASNE interview
          -Colson and Safire
          -Colson’s views
                -Public relations
          -Safire’s views

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 12:15 pm

     Refreshment

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 12:44 pm

     President’s uses of media
          -Safire
          -ASNE interview
                -Possible questions
                      -Emphasis on Vietnam
          -Possible press conference on April 17, 1971
          -Film coverage
          -Television
          -Scali
          -Radio
                                              45

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



                   -Microphones
                   -Advantages
                   -Miller
             -Television
             -Scali and Ronald L. Ziegler
                   -Coverage of posthumous medal ceremony
             -Scali
             -Disadvantages to television                              Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
                   -Cameras
                   -Heat
                   -Discomfort
             -Arguments for television
                   -Pause for applause after questions
             -Another possible television forum
             -Chamber of Commerce
             -ASNE interview
                   -Forum
             -Chicago Executives Club
             -Detroit
                   -Automobile business

     Polls
             -Evaluation
             -Calley
                   -Emotional impact
             -Predictions
             -Partisans

     Television
          -Unknown person’s opinion on use
          -Timing
          -Vietnam
                -Removing as issue temporarily
          -Possible positive news
                -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]

Ziegler entered at 12:44 pm

     Ziegler’s press briefing, April 9, 1971
          -Summary
                -Vietnam
                      -Impressions and interpretations [of President’s policy by Hugh Scott]
                                       46

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 9/08)



                -Plan
                -Withdrawal date
                -Conditions of withdrawal
                      -Vietnamization
                      -Negotiation
                -Reassessment of conditions
                -Withdrawal date
     -McCracken                                               Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
          -[Possible resignation from Council of Economic Advisers]
     -National Endowment for the Arts
          -Budget
          -Hanks
          -Under-privileged children
          -Heston

ASNE interview
   -Media
         -Television
               -Forthcoming ASNE interview, April 16, 1971
               -Forthcoming press conference
                    -Follow-up to ASNE interview
               -Vietnam
                    -Questions
                          -ASNE interview
                          -Speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
                          -Adversarial format
                    -As televised issue
                    -Televised press conference
                          -Timing
               -Disadvantages
                    -Heat of television lens
         -Film
         -Radio
               -Possible use
               -Advantage of audio
                    -Television
         -Film
               -Timing
         -Television
               -Possible news items
                    -Vietnam
                    -Economic indicators
                             47

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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                        (rev. 9/08)



           -Howard K. Smith [American Broadcasting System interview with
                 the President, March 22, 1971]
                 -Vietnam
     -Strategy
           -Vietnam questions
           -Domestic issues
           -Foreign policy
     -Speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971      Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
           -Audience
           -Impact
     -Over-exposure
     -Forum
           -Scali
                 -Image, popularity
                 -Reaction of ASNE
                 -Written press
                 -Future use of television
                 -ASNE use of cameras
           -Miller
           -Moore
           -Scali
                 -Defensive on Indochina
           -Carruthers
                 -Timing
                 -Vietnam questions
           -Safire
     -Contrivance
-Film
-Radio
-Film
      -One camera
      -Lights
      -Set-up
      -Kennedy
            -Press conference
                 -Use of camera
      -One camera
      -Lights
      -Black tie
-Television
      -Networks
                                              48

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               -Radio
                    -Audience
                    -Replay
          -Background
               -Panel
                    -Unknown person
                    -Wire service
               -Economic indicators                                  Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
                    -Release
                    -Retail sales
                    -Gross National Product [GNP]
                    -Unemployment

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:44 pm

     President’s schedule
          -Donald H. Rumsfeld and parents
          -Henry A. Kissinger

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm

     ASNE interview
        -Film
        -One camera
        -Ziegler’s possible action

     President’s schedule
          -Saint John’s Episcopal Church
                -Transportation
                      -Walking
                           -Lafayette Park
                      -Driving
                -Announcement

Rumsfeld, Joyce (Pierson) Rumsfeld, and his parents, George D. and Jeannette (Husted)
Rumsfeld, entered at an unknown time after 1:04 pm

     Greetings

     Photograph

     [General conversation]
                                             49

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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     Gifts
             -Cufflinks

     Rumsfeld’s trip to Europe
         -Timing
         -Rome, Paris, London
                                                               Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
The Rumsfelds left at an unknown time before 1:06 pm

     ASNE interview
        -Use of media
              -Film
              -Television
                    -Reaction
                    -Film editing problems
                    -Coverage
        -Possible questions
              -Vietnam
              -Revenue sharing
              -Economy
              -Washington newspapers
              -Vietnam

     Press briefing
           -Economy
                 -Inflation
           -Summer youth program
                 -Timing

     President’s Easter plans
          -Gettysburg [Pennsylvania] church
                -Eisenhower
                -Minister
                      -Funeral of Eisenhower
          -Gettysburg College students
                -Possible demonstrations
          -Announcement
          -Gettysburg church
                -Connection with Abraham Lincoln
                -Gettysburg Address
                -Networks
                                        50

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              -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
              -National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
          -Mamie G. D. Eisenhower
          -Media coverage
          -Appearance
          -Demonstration

Demonstrations                                            Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
    -Veterans
    -ASNE
    -Schedule of events
    -Edmund S. Muskie’s endorsement
    -Robert J. Dole
    -Rennie Davis
    -Staff
          -Clarification on Muskie’s endorsement
    -Muskie
          -Revenue sharing
          -Aleksei N. Kosygin
                -US foreign policy
    -Hubert H. Humphrey
    -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
    -Muskie

Muskie
    -Polls
          -Ratings

George W. Romney and Nelson A. Rockefeller
    -Polls
          -Ratings

Muskie
    -Staff difficulties
          -Infiltration
                 -Identity
          -Report of infiltrator
                 -Muskie’s comments at meeting
                       -Suspicion of disloyalty
                 -Staff director’s comments
                                          51

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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               -Muskie’s comments at meeting
                     -Mayor’s meeting
               -Conflict with staff
          -Evaluation

Rockefeller
    -Staff handling
    -Advice                                                Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)

Muskie
    -Staff difficulties
          -Responsibility

Muskie’s staffers
    -Kissinger
    -William A. K. (“Tony”) Lake
    -Identity
           -J. F. Kennedy
    -Old administrative assistant
           -Replacement
    -New administrative assistant
    -Infiltrator
    -Conflict
    -Cover for infiltrator

Campaign practices
    -Humphrey
         -Coverage
    -E. M. Kennedy
         -Coverage
    -George S. McGovern
         -Coverage
    -E. M. Kennedy
         -Coverage

E. M. Kennedy
     -Judgement
     -[Virginia] Joan (Bennett) Kennedy
           -Visit to White House
     -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
     -V. J. Kennedy
           -Dress
                                          52

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     -Jet set
     -Chappaquiddick
     -Ethel (Skakel) Kennedy
     -Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

Muskie
    -Staff difficulty
          -Reflection on Muskie                            Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
    -Staff meetings
    -Strategy
    -Transcript provided by infiltrator

E. M. Kennedy
     -Taping
     -Congress
     -Bugging
     -Hoover

[Thomas] Hale Boggs
    -Charges against Hoover
          -Congressional Record
               -Response by Congress
                    -House Republicans
                          -Samuel L. Devine
                          -Carleton J. King

Richard H. Ichord
     -Demonstrators
          -Communist front groups
     -Publicity for change

Demonstrations
    -Size
    -Composition
    -Organization
    -Cambodia demonstration
    -Spark
    -Organization
    -Cambodia demonstration
    -Santa Cruz demonstration
          -University of California at Santa Cruz [UCSC]
               -Acceptance of Haldeman’s son
                                       53

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                 -Burning
           -Experimental college
                 -Oxford Plan
                 -Claremont
           -Vietnam
           -Dean E. McHenry
                 -Political scientist
                 -UCLA                                        Conv. No. 476-14 (cont.)
                 -Political affiliation
                 -Congressional run
           -Setting
     -Fire damage
     -Percentage of students involved
     -Washington demonstrators
           -Motivation
     -Ziegler’s experience
           -National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]
           -Balboa
           -UCLA
     -Youth
           -Meeting with Mitchell and Colson
           -Issues
           -Youth
           -Action
           -Interest in business politics
           -Revenue sharing
     -Haldeman’s conversation with son
           -John D. Ehrlichman
     -Haldeman’s conversation with unknown woman
     -Stanford University
     -Harvard University
     -Columbia University
     -Yale University
     -Wellesley College
           -Peterson
                 -Harvard University

President’s schedule
     -Travel to church service
           -Walking
           -Driving
                                             54

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Haldeman and Ziegler left at 1:30 pm