Conversation: 505-018
Prev: 505-017 Next: 505-019Start Date: Friday, May 28, 1971 1:12 PM
End Date: Friday, May 28, 1971 3:04 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; [Unknown person(s)]; Hoover, J. Edgar; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Mills, Wilbur D.; Bull, Stephen B.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 04:16:58
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 05:58:54
NARA Description:
On May 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, unknown person(s), J. Edgar Hoover, Ronald L. Ziegler, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Wilbur D. Mills, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 11:04 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 505-018 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 505-18
Date: May 28, 1971
Time: Unknown between 9:12 am and 11:04 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
47
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 16s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:12 am and
9:16 am]
[Conversation No. 505-18A]
[See Conversation No. 3-167]
[End of telephone conversation]
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 19s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
***********************************************************************
The White House operator talked with the President at 9:16 am.
[Conversation No. 505-18B]
[See Conversation No. 3-168]
[End of telephone conversation]
48
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Wiretapping and surveillance
-Use
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Compared with hiring researchers
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Kennedy
-Coverage
-Chapman’s friend Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:16 am.
Refreshments
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:34 am.
Wiretapping and surveillance
-1962 experience
-F. Donald Nixon
-President's house
-Charles W. Colson
-John J. ("Jack") Caulfield
-Kennedy
-Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Purpose
-Scandal
-Clark R. Mollenhoff
Press conference
-Timing
-June 1, 1971
-President's schedule
President's schedule
-Memorial Day
-Camp David
-Tomb of unknown soldier
Gallup Poll
-David R. Derge
-Unknown question
-Partisan line
49
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Public relations
-Goals
-Slogans
-Richard A. Moore
-William L. Safire
-Cliff Miller
-Relations with Moore and John A. Scali Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Colson
-Democrats
-New Deal
-Fair Deal
-Great Society
-New Frontier
-Republicans
-Open Door
-Generation of Peace, Revolution
-Importance
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Political
Leon Panetta
-Book
-Robert Finch
-Difficulties
-Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP]
Richard V. (“Dick”) Allen
Patrick J. Buchanan
-Forthcoming talk with Haldeman
-Conservative
-Jeffry Bull
-Talk with Kevin P. Phillips
50
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
[The President talked with J. Edgar Hoover between 9:34 am and 9:43 am]
[Conversation No. 505-18C]
[See Conversation No. 3-169]
[End of telephone conversation]
Hoover
-Understanding of publicity
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 9:43 am.
Announcement of forthcoming press conference
-Timing
-June 1, 1971
-Ziegler's talk with William H. Carruthers and Mark I. Goode
-Time of day
-Audience
-Ratings
-Network suggestion
[The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman between 9:45 am and 9:49 am]
[Conversation No. 505-18D]
[See Conversation No. 3-170]
[End of telephone conversation]
51
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Drugs
-Administration awareness of problem
-Veterans
-Finch and Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Report
-Hippies
-Travel
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
Henry A. Kissinger entered at an unknown time after 9:49 am.
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Privacy]
[Duration: 50s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
**********************************************************************
Press conference
Drugs
-Veterans
-Program
-Youth
-Location
-Veterans
-Upper middle class
-William B. Saxbe
-Congressmen
-Upper middle class
Vietnam
-Harvard professors
-Children
-Percentage serving and killed
-Saxbe
-Congressmen
52
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Wounded in Vietnam
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Navy
-Military service
-Yale University commencement speaker
-1970 comments
-William F. Buckley's research
-Number killed Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:06 am.
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Kissinger's talk with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Gerard C. Smith
-Cable
-Vladimir F. Semenov
-[Forename unknown] Gardiner [sp?]
-Change in USSR statement
-Dobrynin
-Talk with the President
-Gardiner
-Unhappiness of USSR delegation
-USSR establishment
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Kissinger's call to Dobrynin
-Dobrynin's call to Kissinger
-Instructions
-Smith
-Statement
Vietnam
-Xuan Thuy
-Proposal
-Ceasefire deadline
Kissinger’s schedule
President's schedule
-Luis A. Ferre
-William D. Mills [?]
-President's forthcoming meeting
-Presentation
53
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Pictures
William P. Rogers
-President's conversation of May 28, 1971
-Leak
-Anwar el-Sadat
-Leak
-Marshall Green Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Rogers
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Privacy]
[Duration: 5s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
******************************************************************************
-Green
-Leak
-Reason
-People's Republic of China [PRC]
PRC
-Polls
-Forthcoming poll
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Wording
-Admission into United Nations [UN]
-Dual representation
-PRC and Taiwan, Republic of China
-Population
-Charles W. Colson and Harris
-Flyer
-Relations with PRC
-Questions
54
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[The President spoke with an unknown person at an unknown time between 9:49 am and 10:06
am.]
[Conversation No. 505-18E]
-Harris poll
-Delivery to the President
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
[End of telephone conversation]
-Negotiations
-Timing
Vietnam
-Xuan Thuy
-US position
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:49 am.
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:06 am.
-Negotiations
-US position
-Timing
-US position
-Political settlement
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
-North Vietnamese response
-Timing
-Possible South Vietnamese position
-Tone
-Norodom Sihanouk
-David K.E. Bruce
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Cambodia
-Settlement
PRC
-Harris poll
-Size
55
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Question on admission of PRC to United Nations
-Difference between 1968 and 1971 polls
-Timing of 1971 poll
-Diplomatic recognition
-Ambassador
-Two China policy
-1968 compared with 1971 polls
-Harris poll compared with White House polls Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Wording of questions
-Geographic breakdown
-Midwest
-South
-Age groups
-Voters
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-The President
-George C. Wallace
-White House poll
-PRC
-Initiative
-Communists
-Table tennis team
-Visit
-US recognition
-Importance of communication
-Publication
-State Department
-Timing
-Release
-UN vote
-Two China policy
-US position
-Public opinion
Haldeman left at 10:06 am.
Mills entered at 10:07 am.
56
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m 45s ]
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS ENTERED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME AFTER
Conv. No.
10:07
505-18
AM (cont.)
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS LEFT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME BEFORE 10:20 AM
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
**********************************************************************
Mills left at 10:20 am.
Polls on PRC
-International interests
-Domestic interests
-Effect on domestic situation
-Harry S. Dent
-Gallup
-Results
-PRC compared with Vietnam
-Effect on US policy
Foreign trips
-Two China policy
-Delay
-USSR response to summit proposal
-Timing
-Release of poll
-Timing
-US policy
-Delay
-Rogers
-Consultation with allies
-Domestic considerations
-Peking trip
57
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Timing of announcement
-Summit with USSR
-Dobrynin
-Peking trip
-Announcement
-Timing
-1972 Elections
-Democratic Convention Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-1968 bombing pause
-Completion of foreign policy initiatives
-Date
-USSR Summit
-PRC Summit
-Timing
-1972 Election
-Democrats
-Harvard Professor
-PRC
-Trips to Peking
-Opposition leaders
-USSR Summit
-Announcement
-Dobrynin
-Deadline
-Time restrictions
-China card
Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 10:20 am
-PRC
-Timing of reply
-Peking trip
-Trip by the President
-Trip by Kissinger
-President's trip to Peking
-Timing
-Kissinger's secret trip
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Schedule
-Arrangements
-Jean Sainteny
58
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Bruce
-Kissinger's talk
-Support of the President
-Dean G. Acheson
-Attendance on trip
-Negotiations
-Unknown person
-Possible call Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-State Department
-Rogers
-Negotiations
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Foreign Service
-Walter P. McConaughy
-Taiwan
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Berlin
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 35s ]
GERMANY
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
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President’s leadership
-Foreign policy
-Clark MacGregor
-Comments at staff meeting
-PRC and USSR
-Senate and foreign policy
-J. William Fulbright
-State Department
59
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Totalitarianism
-Rogers
-John Foster Dulles
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Rogers
-North Vietnam, PRC, USSR
-PRC
-Foreign minister Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Chou En-lai
-Yeh Chien-ying
-Rogers
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-Press
-Manner
-Brezhnev
-Politburo
-MacGregor
-Votes
-William B. Saxbe
-John Sherman Cooper
-Kissinger's attendance at dinner at Marquis Childs’ home
-Kennedy Center
-Statement on Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., amendment
-Apology
-Childs
-Article
-Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty [SALT]
-Public
-MacGregor
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
Henry A. Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Semenov
-Hotline Agreement
-SALT
Public opinion on foreign initiatives
-President's conversation on Air Force One
-Lyndon B. Johnson Library
-Presidential initiatives
-Senate
-Mutuality
60
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Kissinger’s relationship with Dobrynin
-Kennedy Center
-Dobrynin
-Llewellyn E. ("Tommy") Thompson, Jr.
-Summit
Rogers Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Compared with Elliot L. Richardson
-State Department
Announcement on PRC policy
-Rogers
-Domestic considerations
-USSR
-Initiative
-Summit
-Forthcoming press conference, June 1, 1971
-Response to possible questions
-Consultations with allies
-President's credibility
-Press
-Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
-Budget
-Public opinion
-Polls
-Press
-Kissinger's dinner parties
-John W. Chancellor
-Laotion operation
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 39s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
**********************************************************************
61
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Foreign policy
-R. Sargent Shriver comment
******************************************************************************
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[Privacy]
[Duration: 3s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
******************************************************************************
-Democratic administrations
-PRC
-Test Ban Treaty
-USSR
-US interest
-Edward Teller
-President’s support
-USSR interest
-Disarmament
-Cuban missile crisis
-Berlin Wall
-Laos
-Death of Ngo Dinh Diem
-Nixon administration
-Vietnam War
-USSR
-PRC
-Humphrey
-Moratorium on Antiballistic Missile's [ABMs]
-Multiple Independently-Targetable Reentry Vehicle's [MIRVs]
-Administration policy
-Press play
-Political issue
-Administration
62
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle
-President's telephone calls, May 27, 1971
-O’Boyle
-James Cardinal McIntyre
-Support for the President
-Vietnam War
-Washington Post Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Church
-George Meany
Vietnam
-Meany
-President's policy
-Senators
-Demonstrators
-Press
-Frank F. Mankiewicz
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 44s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
**********************************************************************
Vietnam negotiations
-Memorandum by John A. Scali
-Kissinger
-Peace
-Combat role and peace offer
-Timing
-Thieu
-North Vietnamese answer
-Midway meeting with Thieu
-Press
63
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Announcement
-Troop withdrawals
-Thieu
-Rogers
-Laird
-Thieu
-Combat role of Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Timing Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Press
-Military withdrawals
-Timing
-Thieu
-US combat role
-North Vietnamese
-Peace offer
-Meetings
-Possible delay
-Possible consequences
-Thieu meeting
-Timing
Vietnam
-Press
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Casualties
-Colson
-Compared with earlier figures
-Drug problem
-Casualty figures
Press treatment of administration
-Report on consumer price index [CPI]
-Price rise
-Importance of administration achievements
-Publicity
Berlin
-Publicity
-A leak
-Summit with USSR
-Timing
-Egon Bahr
64
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Invitation to January 1971 moon launch
-Kissinger
-Rush
-SALT
-Crisis
-US credit
-World peace
-Middle East Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Vietnam
-Risk
-PRC and USSR
-Middle East
-Berlin
-USSR
-Berlin
-Egypt
-US negotiations with USSR
-USSR concessions
-Document
-Wording
-Access
-German Democratic Republic [GDR]
-Harry S. Truman
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Kissinger's call to Dobrynin
-Meeting with Rogers
-Gromyko
-Summit
The President's draft
-Forthcoming remarks at US Military Academy at West Point, New York, May 29,
1971
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Outline
Arts Council
-President's remarks
-Press coverage
-President's memorandum
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Press coverage
-Mamie G.D. Eisenhower
65
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
-Reception
-Press quote of Mrs. Nixon
President's speech at West Point
-Kissinger's review
Kissinger left at an unknown time before 10:25 am. Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
Mrs. Nixon
-Press coverage
Kissinger's acquaintances
President's forthcoming trip to West Point
-Ceremonies
-Parade field
-Mrs. Nixon
-Sabre presentation
-President's remarks
-President's review
Ziegler entered at 10:25 am.
ABC "Issues and Answers"
-Scali
-Panel
-Donald W. Riegle, Jr.
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-Riegle
-Previous discussion with the President
-Denial of allegation
-McCloskey
-William F. Buckley, Jr. interview
-ABC
-Ziegler
-Riegle
-1968 campaign
-Michigan
Ziegler left at 10:35 am.
66
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
West Point visit
-President's review
-Departure by helicopter
-Mess hall
-Greeting
-President's remarks
-Amnesty order
-Press coverage Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Timing
-Parade
-Crowd
-Motorcade
-Chapel visit
-Trophy point
-Superintendent's house
-Possible reception
-Compared with Newport
-Crowd
-Chapel
Birmingham visit
-Foreign trips
-Advance work
-Crowd location
-Automobile
-Leaving
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:35 am.
Meeting with Ferre
-Length
-Photograph
-Puerto Rico
Bull left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.
Presidential visits
-Ronald H. Walker
-Work
-Alabama
-Coverage
-Crowd
67
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.