Conversation: 502-011
Prev: 502-010 Next: 502-012Start Date: Thursday, May 20, 1971 3:18 PM
End Date: Thursday, May 20, 1971 3:59 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Ford, Gerald R.; Woods, Rose Mary; Goode, Mark I.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:01:54
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:30:40
NARA Description:
On May 20, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Gerald R. Ford, Rose Mary Woods, and Mark I. Goode met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:18 am to 11:59 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 502-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 502-11
Date: May 20, 1971
Time: 11:18 am - 11:59 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement Congressional briefing
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
J. William Fulbright
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Allen J. Ellender
-F. Edward Hébert
-Staff reaction
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Effect
-Cabinet meeting Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
-Reaction
-Undersecretaries
-White House staff
-William L. Safire
-John B. Connally's reaction
-Treaty
-Mansfield reaction
-Yesterday's Congressional vote
-William P. Rogers
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] agreement
-Kissinger
-Soviet public opinion
-US public opinion
-Soviet and American agreement
-President's efforts
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 11:26 am.
Evening cocktails with President and Mrs. Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon, May 20, 1971
-Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA] staff
-Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
-National Security Council [NSC] members
-Kissinger
-Connally
-Richard S. Schweiker
-Other guests
-Tricia Nixon
-Julie Eisenhower
-Mrs. Nixon
-SALT delegation
-Possible location
-Truman Balcony
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Yellow Room
-Mrs. Nixon
-Connally
-Laird
-NSC members
-Richard M. Helms
-John N. Mitchell
-Refreshments Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
-White House kitchen
-Estimates of number of guests
-Balcony
-White House public rooms
Butterfield left at 11:31 am.
Press reaction to SALT agreement
-Questions
-Headlines
-Kissinger
-John A. Scali
-Kissinger's relations with press
-Style of press conferences
-Gallup poll ratings
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Reagan and Agnew
President's schedule
-Lyndon B. Johnson Library dedication, May 22, 1971
-Departure time
-Length of flight
-Upcoming visit of Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Saud, King of Saudi Arabia
-Possible dinner
-Kennedy dinner
-Attendees
-Possible daytime event
-Arrival of Faisal and delegation
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Morning meetings
-Review of troops
-Credentials
-Press conference on May 28th
-Options
Kissinger entered at 11:34 am.
Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
Congress and SALT agreement
-Gerard C. Smith
-Performance at Congressional leader's meeting
-Smith's and Kissinger's views on Congressional consultations regarding SALT
-Smith's schedule
-Meeting with Congressional leaders
-Unknown person
-President's meeting with Congressional leaders
-Kissinger's attendance
-Allen J. Ellender
-J. William Fulbright
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-John G. Tower
-Antiballistic Missile [ABM] efforts
-Kissinger's press briefing, May 20, 1971
-Victor Riesel [?]
-United Press International [UP]
-Television people
-Unknown person
-Press
SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
-Text of President's statement
-Kissinger's views
Kissinger left at 11:38 am.
-Pointers for President's delivery
-Haldeman's views
-Press
-John D. Ehrlichman's views
-Importance of announcement
-Live television
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Butterfield entered at 11:40 am.
SALT announcement, May 20, 1971
-President's statement for press
-Change of wording
-Rose Mary Woods
-Butterfield's views
Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
Secretaries
White House internal operations
-President's shower
-Hot water supply
-Repairs
-Rex W. Scouten
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Hot water supply
-White House plumbing
-Water
Butterfield left and Stephen B. Bull entered at 11:43 am.
SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
-Location
-Press room
-Equipment
-Lights
-Podium
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:47 am.
[The President talked with Gerald R. Ford between 11:50 am and 11:53 am]
[See Conversation No. 3-80]
[Conversation No. 502-11A]
Rose Mary Woods entered at 11:51 am.
[End of telephone conversation]
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
SALT agreement announcement [?]
-Press
-Ronald L. Ziegler
Woods left at 11:54 am.
Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:54 am.
Conv. No. 502-11 (cont.)
President's meeting with Mark I. Goode
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:57 am.
Goode entered at 11:57 am.
SALT agreement announcement, May 20, 1971
-Ziegler
-White House Communications
-Announcement
-Cameras
-Unknown person
-Time till President goes before cameras
Goode left and Kissinger entered at 11:58 am.
Kissinger's briefing of press, May 20, 1971
-Peter Lisagor
-[Forename unknown] Sheldon
-Frank Cormier
-Soviet position
-Text of President statement announcing SALT agreement
-Change of wording
The President, Haldeman, and Kissinger left at 11:59 am.