Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 493-015

Prev:  493-014 Next: 493-016

Start Date: 6-May-1971 12:32 PM

End Date: 6-May-1971 1:06 PM

Participants:

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

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:02:26

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:33:35

493a.mp3

493b.mp3

NARA Description:

On May 6, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:32 pm and 1:06 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 493-015 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 493-15

Date: May 6, 1971
Time: Unknown between 12:32 pm and 1:06 pm
Location: Oval Office

Alexander P. Butterfield met with Stephen B. Bull

     President’s schedule
          -John A. Scali

The President entered at an unknown time after 12:32 pm
     John B. Connally [?]
          -Use of Camp David [?]

     An item to be returned

     An unknown woman

     Camp David

[Pause]

     Princess Grace Patricia Kelly and Prince Louis H. M. B. Rainier III of Monaco

     Will Hays, Mrs. Will Hays [?]
          -A letter
                                              29

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



               -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
          -Mr. Hays identified
               -California doctor

     Another letter [?]

Butterfield and Bull left and H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 12:36 pm
                                                                       Conv. No. 493-15 (cont.)
     President’s meeting with Connally
            -Lockheed
            -Steel prices
            -Connally’s forthcoming statement
            -Connally
                  -Compared with Republicans in House and Senate

     News
         -Administration handling
         -President’s role
         -Agnew
               -Schedule
                    -Revenue sharing

     Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
           -Importance
                -Henry A. Kissinger
                -Public opinion
                -Antiballistic Missiles [ABMs]

     Vietnam
          -A poll on Washington, DC demonstrations, May 6, 1971
               -A graph
               -[Forename unknown] Benham [?]
               -Possible publicity
          -An Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
               -US withdrawal
                     -Prisoners of War [POWs], Communists
               -President’s policies
               -Congressional cutoff of funds
               -POWs, communists
               -US withdrawal
               -Patrick J. Buchanan’s and Haldeman’s role
               -Publicity
                                        30

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 9/08)



     -A poll on Washington, DC demonstrations
           -Comparison with ORC poll
     -Polls
           -Publicity
                -Democrat leaders
                -Newspapers
                -Mail to Congressmen
     -A George H. Gallup poll on war                     Conv. No. 493-15 (cont.)
     -Albert E. Sindlinger [?]
     -ORC poll
           -Possible use of Buchanan’s statement
           -Possible White House publicity
     -Louis Harris and Gallup polls
     -President’s policies
           -A poll after press conference
           -Wording of questions
                -”Sam Jones”, Bella S. Abzug

Gateway National Bank
    -President’s position
    -Congressional action
    -President’s possible visit
          -Logistics
                -Floyd Bennett Field
          -Purpose
          -Possible demonstrations
          -Field
          -Nelson A. Rockefeller, William T. Cahill
          -Rogers C. B. Morton and unnamed senators
          -Logistics
          -Purpose
                -Long Island, New Jersey
          -Guests
                -Rockefeller and Cahill
                -[Name unintelligible]
                -Number
                -Morton
                -[Name unintelligible]

Visitors to Oval Office
      -Taping system
      -Richard A. Moore
                                                 31

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 9/08)



          -Photographs [?]
          -Moore’s role
          -Taping system
               -Use
               -Knowledge
               -Use

     President’s schedule                                            Conv. No. 493-15 (cont.)
          -US ambassador to Bolivia
                -State Department, Kissinger
                -Ernest V. Siracusa
                -A speech concerning President’s policies
                      -Tin
                -Previous career
                      -Peru
          -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] Conference on Cities, May 28, 1971
                -Indianapolis
                -President’s role
                -Other attendees
                -Significance
                -Coverage
                      -British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC], Canadian Broadcasting
                            Corporation [CBC], “Today” show
          -Possible Indianapolis Speedway appearance
                -Indianapolis 500 date
          -NATO Conference on Cities
                -President’s possible speech
                -Coverage by Telstar

[Machine noise - 15 seconds]
                -Significance
                -President’s possible speech

     Domestic issues
         -Public opinion
               -Jobs

     President’s schedule
          -Indianapolis trip
                -NATO Conference on Cities
                -Indianapolis 500
                      -Possible length of stay
                                                32

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)



                      -Presentation of trophy
                           -Publicity

[Transcript #1: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under
court order from December 1978 through March 1979 for Special Access [SA] 8, Ronald V.
Dellums, et al. v. James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records
Administration produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]
                                                                         Conv. No. 493-15 (cont.)
[End of transcript]

                -Indianapolis 500
           -Lyndon B. Johnson Library

     SALT talks

     Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
         -Position on President
               -Joseph C. Kraft, General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

     President’s schedule for May and June
          -Indianapolis
          -Florida
          -Texas
          -Indianapolis
          -Tulsa
          -Midway Island
          -Tricia Nixon’s wedding
          -Indianapolis
          -Frederick L. Hovde’s retirement dinner
                -Possible California trip
                -Length of stay
                      -Compared with White House Correspondents’ dinner
          -Dinners
                -Albert H. Smith, Jr.
          -NATO Conference on Cities
          -Public opinion
                -Des Moines trip
                -Demonstrations
                      -Timing
                      -Possible effect on international situation
          -Indianapolis 500
                -Value
                                               33

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 9/08)




     Sports and social class distinctions
          -Racing
                -Supporters of President’s
          -Bowling

Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:36 pm
                                                                       Conv. No. 493-15 (cont.)
     President’s schedule
          -Barber

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:06 pm

     Race drivers
          -Compared with boxing fans
          -Support for President
          -Italian heritage
                 -Andy Granatelli

     President’s schedule
          -Indianapolis
                -Possible overnight stay
                -Race
                -Possible stops
                      -President’s mother’s birthplace
                -Race
                      -Length of stay
                      -Possible presentation of trophy
                      -Significance
                            -Baseball, football
          -Kentucky Derby
                -Compared with Indianapolis 500
          -Indianapolis 500
                -Crowds

[Transcript #2: A transcript of the following portion of this conversation was prepared under
court order from December 1978 through March 1979 for SA 8, Ronald V. Dellums, et al. v.
James M. Powell, et al., No. 71-2271. The National Archives and Records Administration
produced this transcript. The National Archives does not guarantee its accuracy.]

[End of transcript]
                                            34

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 9/08)



     An unknown man

Haldeman left at 1:06 pm




                                                                Conversation
                                                                Conv. No. 493-15
                                                                             No. 493-16
                                                                                 (cont.)

Date: May 6, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:06 pm and 2:30 pm
Location: Oval Office

Unknown people entered


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Non-historical]
[Duration: 13s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************


The unknown people left at an unknown time before 2:30 pm