Conversation No. 521-4

Date: June 15, 1971
Time: 2:19 pm - 2:38 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

     Greetings

     President's letter to networks
          -Wedding coverage
                                             2

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



          -Copy to Colson
H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 2:19 pm.

     President's desk
          -Damage
                 -Causes

     Possible wedding rerun
          -Colson talk with National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] executive
                -Gulf Oil Corporation
          -Interest
          -NBC
          -Summer reruns
          -Follow-up

     President's schedule
          -Colson’s request
                 -Set up of meeting with John M. O’Neill
          -Anti-war demonstration
                 -Action of O’Neill
                       -Reaction
                 -"Dick Cavett Show"
                       -John F. Kerry, O'Neill
                       -American Broadcasting Company [ABC]

     Pentagon Papers
          -Administration response
                -National security
                -Damage done
                -Emphasis on "family quarrel" aspects
                -Nixon administration involvement
                -Principle of disclosure
                -Escalation of attack
                      -Benefits
          -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
          -President's role in Vietnam
                -Lyndon B. Johnson attack
                -Barry M. Goldwater
                      -Attack on Johnson
                      -Disclosure of information
                -Security of information passed to State Department and Department of Defense
                      [DOD]
                                        3

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/08)



     -Handling of security material
     -New York Times
     -Freedom of press issue
     -Calls for congressional investigation
           -Benefits
           -Suspects
                 -Leslie H. Gelb
                 -Walter [?] Gellhorn                        Conv. No. 521-4 (cont.)
                 -Morton Halperin
                 -Use of oath
     -Newsweek editor’s conversation with John A. Scali
           -Knowledge of source and method of leak
                 -Use in next week's magazine

Mailing operation
     -Colson supervision
     -Haldeman

Attack on Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
     -Hugh Scott
     -Response to Kennedy's attack on President
           -President's use of religion
     -Reason for Kennedy's attack
           -Presidential credibility
           -Separation from other candidates
     -Donald H. Rumsfeld role
           -Kennedy speech
                 -Jaycees convention in Oregon
     -Mailing of Kennedy statement and Hubert H. Humphrey answer
           -Robert J. Dole role
           -Effect
                 -Editorials
     -Jaycees convention
           -Rumsfeld attack
                 -Familiarity with Vietnam war issue
           -Protest of Kennedy statement
                 -Benefits
     -Kennedy statement
           -Editorials
                                              4

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 47s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2                                               Conv. No. 521-4 (cont.)

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     President's desk
          -Damage

Haldeman and Colson left at 2:38 pm.