Conversation: 478-002
Prev: 478-001 Next: 478-003Start Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1971 2:30 PM
End Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1971 4:13 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Lincoln, George A. (Gen.); Kissinger, Henry A.; Peterson, Peter G.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Lodge, Emily (Sears); McCracken, Paul W.; Bull, Stephen B.; White House photographerRecording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:06:03
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:47:41
NARA Description:
On April 13, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Gen. George A. Lincoln, Henry A. Kissinger, Peter G. Peterson, Ronald L. Ziegler, Emily (Sears) Lodge, Paul W. McCracken, Stephen B. Bull, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:30 am to 11:13 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 478-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 478-2
Date: April 13, 1971
Time: 9:30 am - 11:13 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Cabinet
-Structure of meetings
-Structured and non-structured
-William P. Rogers
-Comparison
-Agenda
-Congress
-Staff Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-John B. Connally
-John A. Volpe
-George W. Romney
-Maurice H. Stans
-Winton M. (“Red”) Blount
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Subjects
-Questions
-Structured meeting
-Subjects
-Volpe
-Cabinet officers
-Purpose
-Stans
-Problems of business
-Commerce Department
-Transportation Department
-Stans
-Commerce Department
-Minority Enterprise office
-Business community
-Census Bureau
-Agriculture Department
-Programs
Media
-Leonard Garment’s appearance on “Today Show”
-News summary
-President’s notation
-Evaluation
Cabinet meeting [on civilian uses of nuclear energy], April 13, 1971
-Participants
-Howard H. Baker, Jr.
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Chet Holifield
-John O. Pastore
-John B. Anderson
-Compared to Cabinet
-National exposure
-Need for assertiveness
-Romney and Volpe
Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
Governors
-Evaluation
-Richard B. Ogilvie and Volpe
-Ronald W. Reagan and Nelson A. Rockefeller
News item
-Vance Hartke
-Contributions from business
-Trucking industry
-Follow-up
President’s schedule
-James E. Bassett
-Possible meeting with the President
-Rose Mary Woods
-Book
-Previous meeting with the President
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:30 am and
9:36 am]
[Conversation No. 478-2A]
[See Conversation No. 1-73]
[End of telephone conversation]
[The President talked with General George A. Lincoln between 9:36 am and 9:40 am]
[Conversation No. 478-2B]
[See Conversation No. 1-74]
[End of telephone conversation]
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Texas disaster
-Crop
-Governor
-Connally
-John G. Tower
Economy Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Stock market
-Advance from November 5, 1968 to January 20, 1969
-Shares traded since low
-Trading, April 12, 1971
-Financial writers
-Arthur F. Burns
-Confidence
-Increase
-Bull market
-Need for publicity
-Periscope
-[Charles W. Colson’s efforts?]
-Wall Street Journal
-Advance
-Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Possible dinner for financial writers
-President’s forthcoming Chamber of Commerce speech, April 26, 1971
-William L. Safire
-Anniversary of message about National Invest-in-America Week, April 27,
1970
-Length
-Subjects
-First quarter figures
-Consumer confidence
-Current state of economy
-Inflation and unemployment
-Caution
-Waste and responsibility
-Body of speech
-Technology
-Productivity
-Paul W. McCracken
-Five-point program
-Technology, unemployment
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Peroration
-Businessmen
-Consumer
-President’s philosophy
-Location of power
-Foreign policy
-Economic policy
-Revenue sharing Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Thrust
-System
-National Association of Manufacturers [NAM]
-Theme
-Length
-System
-President’s meeting with American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE],
April 16, 1971
Administration
-Attitude
-Negativism
-Congress
-Report by William E. Timmons and Clark MacGregor
-91st Congress
-Administration’s record
-Circumstances
-Possible story
-Richard A. Moore
-Safire
Press
-Possible administration stories
-Stock market
-Thomas E. Dewey
-J. Edgar Hoover
Staff
-Need for confidence in economy
-Stans
-Connally
-Compared to Congressmen and Senators
-Volpe
-Romney
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Problem
-Tenure
-Timmons-MacGregor report
-Need to publicize
-Need for confidence
Press
-Attitude Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Problem
-Cambodia
-Vietnam
-Laos
-Casualties
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Vietnam casualties
-[Forename unknown] Ellison
-Publicity
-Lois [sp?] [Surname unknown]
-Networks
-Attitudes
Visit of United States’ ping-pong team to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Unknown man discussed
-Views on Mao Tse-tung
-Reaction
-News stories
-John A. Scali
-Kissinger
-Publicity
-Newsworthiness
-President’s image
-Peace maker
-Secretary of State
-Kissinger’s possible conversation with Scali
President’s schedule
-Scali
-Possible meeting with President
-John C. Stennis
-Hearings on draft extension and military pay increase
-Margaret Chase Smith
-Senate action
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Melvin R. Laird
-Florida plans
-Giuseppe Saragat’s visit
-Key Biscayne
-Timing
-Agriculture day
-Saragat visit
-Kissinger Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Saragat visit
-Length
-Meeting
-Lunch
-Conversation
-Honorary degree
-[Forename unknown] Colbert [sp?]
-Wife
-First Marine Division
-Kissinger
-Return to Camp Pendleton
-Timing
-Demonstration
-King [Moulay] Hassan II dinner
-Camp David
-Possible California trip
-Parade
-Presentation of unit citation by President
-New General
-Ceremonies
Kissinger entered at 9:59 am
-Symbolism
-Timing
-Demonstrations
-King Hassan II dinner
-Chamber of Commerce speech
-Florida plans
-Marine division
-Timing of ceremony
-Possible California trip
-Ceremony
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Demonstrations
-Kissinger’s meeting with Frank F. Mankiewicz
-Crowd estimates
-Veterans parade
-Crowd estimates
Vietnam
-Kissinger’s conversation with McGeorge Bundy
-President’s conversation with Kissinger at dinner, April 12, 1971
Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-[Thomas] Woodrow Wilson
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Abraham Lincoln
-Mary Todd Lincoln
-Loss of brothers in Civil War
-Cabinet
-Disloyalty
-Edwin Stanton
-Draft riots
-New York City
-Press
Media
-Supportive press
-Richmond Times Dispatch
-New York Daily News
-Chicago Tribune
-Television coverage
-Vietnam casualties
-News item
Vietnam
-Kissinger’s conversation with Bundy
-Unknown Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] United Nations [UN] official
-Ping-pong team
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Speech
-David Rockefeller
-Negotiations
-President’s position
-Deadline
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Bombing of civilians
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Laos
-Bundy
Staff
-Scali
-Role defined
-Press briefing
-John N. Mitchell Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Scali
Media
-Kissinger’s appearances on television
-Time and Newsweek
-Television commentators
-John W. Chancellor
-David Brinkley
-White House staff
-Time and Newsweek stories
-Interest
-Chart
-US News and World Report
-Chart
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-William H. Carruthers
-Chart
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Scali
India-Pakistan conflict
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-USSR
-Aleksei N. Kosygin
-US policy
-State Department
-West Pakistan
-Scali
Peter G. Peterson
-Talking points for meeting with Time/Life editors
-President’s schedule
PRC
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Scali’s views regarding visits of ping-pong team
-President’s image
-Peace maker
-President’s initiatives
-Scali
-Credit to Administration
Economy Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Stock market
-Rise
-President’s meeting with financial analysts
-News story in Periscope and Wall Street Journal
Peterson’s meeting with Time/Life editors
-Vietnam
-Troop withdrawals
-International situation
-PRC
-President’s initiatives
-Haldeman
-Foreign Service
-Kremlinologists
-USSR
-Relations with USSR
-US position
-Relaxation of trade restrictions
-Trade relations with USSR
-Linkage
-Timing
PRC
-Chou En-lai
-Meeting with US ping-pong team
-Announcement regarding relaxation of US trade restrictions
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-News summary
-News leaks
-Publicity
-Dangers
-USSR
USSR
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Summit meeting
PRC
-Scali
-President’s initiatives
-Points for Peterson’s meeting with Time/Life editors
-Isolation
-President’s initiatives Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Timing
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:59 am and
10:16 am]
[Conversation No. 478-2C]
[See Conversation No. 1-75]
[End of telephone conversation]
PRC
-Trade restrictions
President’s schedule
-Henry Cabot Lodge
-Possible trip to Vietnam
[The President talked with Peterson between 10:16 am and 10:21 am]
[Conversation No. 478-2D]
[See Conversation No. 1-76]
[End of telephone conversation]
PRC
-Peterson’s briefing with Time/Life editors
-Possible exploitation by Administration
-State Department
-Marshall Green
-Possible press story
-Initiative
-Scali’s role
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Instructions to Kissinger
-Publicity
President’s schedule
-Possible interview with John McRoberts
-Timing
PRC Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-State Department
-Green
-Credit for initiative
-Stewart J. O. Alsop
-Richard (“Dick”) Wilson
-William S. White
-Instructions to Kissinger
-Announcement regarding relaxation of trade restrictions
Taiwan
-Robert D. Murphy
Haldeman left at 10:25 am
-Green
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 39s ]
TAIWAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
******************************************************************************
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
PRC
-Ping-pong team
-UN representation
Taiwan
-UN representation
-State Department
-Murphy Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Chiang Kai-shek
-President’s possible speech
-State Department
-George H. W. Bush
-William P. Rogers
-Murphy
Vietnam
-Media coverage
-Binh Dinh province
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
Kissinger’s meeting with Mankiewicz
-Liberals
-Demonstrators
-Crowd estimates
-Mankiewicz’s reaction
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr.
Press
-Peterson’s meeting with Time/Life editors
-Time
-Newsweek
-White
Vietnam
-Bryce N. Harlow’s view
-Democrats
-Withdrawal issue
-Congress
-President’s position
-Cambodia
-Indonesia
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Economic assistance
-Military assistance
-Negotiations
-Chou En-lai
-Visit to Hanoi
-North Vietnamese attitude
-PRC
Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
PRC
-Unknown ping-pong player
-Mao Tse-tung
-Benefits of exchange
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 10:32 am
Preparation for Ziegler’s press briefing
-PRC
-Athletic teams exchange
-Relaxation of trade and travel restrictions
-Possible questions
-President’s position
-Forthcoming announcement
-Timing
-Impact
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC]
-ABC
-New York Times
-Democratic Party
-Partisanship
-President’s position
-Republican Party
-Fairness
-PRC
-April 14, 1971 story
Ziegler’s schedule
-Tricia Nixon
Ziegler left at 10:37 am
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Lodge
-Vietnam
-Police forces
Vietnam
-Sir Robert Thompson
-Report on police forces Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-Peace initiatives
PRC
-Forthcoming announcement of relaxation of trade and travel restrictions, April 14,
1971
-Possible press reaction
-Ziegler
-Department of State
-Possible leak to press
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Cronkite
-Rogers
Lodge and an unknown man entered at 10:38 am; the White House photographer and members
of the press were present
Greetings
Kissinger left at 10:39 am
Photograph
Ping-pong
Golf
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 10:42 am
Statue
PRC
-Visit of ping-pong team
-Significance
-Newsmen
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[National Security]
[Duration: 16m 2s ]
Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
THE VATICAN
Kissinger entered at 10:42 am
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
******************************************************************************
Vietnam
-Possible trip by Lodge
-Timing
-Thompson
-Report on police
-David M. Kennedy
-Trip
-Military activity
-Cambodia
-Central Highlands
-Binh Dinh province
-Casualties
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-Lieutenant General Duong Van (“Big Minh”) Minh
-Lodge’s possible trip
-Thieu
-Election
-US position
-Withdrawal
-Reception for Minh
-Bunker
-Thieu
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Importance
-1963 Coup
-General Nguyen Khanh
-Compared with Nguyen Cao Ky
-Ky
-Thieu
-Ky
-President’s position Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-US economic assistance
-Anti-American sentiment
-President’s esteem for
-Candidate
-Economic assistance
-Philippines
-Elections
-Withdrawal
-Ky
-Lodge’s role
-Age
-Need for unity
-Casualties
-Withdrawal
-Bombing
-Cambodia
-Political Upheaval
-Ky
-Prospects
-Bunker
-Candidates
-Thieu
-Ky
-Minh
-Tran Van Dong
-Lai Van Tim [sp?]
-Ngo Dinh Diem
-Minh
-Thieu
-US announcement
-Bunker
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-General Frederick C. Weyand
-Troop withdrawals
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Levels
Lodge’s schedule
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable] Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
[Duration: 25s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
******************************************************************************
President’s greetings to Emily (Sears) Lodge
Kissinger and Lodge left at 11:07 am
McCracken entered at 11:08 am; the White House photographer and members of the press were
present
[General conversation]
Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
Photograph
Economy
-Stock market
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:08 am
President’s schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:13 am
Stock market
-Dow-Jones average
-Rise
-Bull market
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Volume
-Brokerage firms
-Profits
-Merrill Lynch & Company
Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Prospects
-Rise Conv. No. 478-2 (cont.)
-1970 figures
-Predictions for 1971
-Confidence
McCracken left at 11:13 am