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Conversation: 533-001

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Start Date: 30-Jun-1971 5:14 PM

End Date: 30-Jun-1971 6:23 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Butterfield, Alexander P.Woods, Rose MaryHaldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Laird, Melvin R.Mitchell, John N.Kissinger, Henry A.Ziegler, Ronald L.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:01:16

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:08:17

533a.mp3

NARA Description:

On June 30, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Alexander P. Butterfield, Rose Mary Woods, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Henry A. Kissinger, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:14 pm to 6:23 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 533-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 533-1

Date: June 30, 1971
Time: 5:14 pm - 6:23 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Alexander P. Butterfield.

     Telephone
          -Rose Mary Woods

[President talked with Rose Mary Woods between 5:14 pm and 5:15 pm]

[Conversation No. 533-1A]

[See Conversation No. 6-60; one item has been withdrawn]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Cynthia Frink
          -Plans

     [Signing documents]

H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 5:15 pm.

     President's schedule
          -Toast
                 -Peru

Melvin R. Laird, John N. Mitchell, Henry A. Kissinger entered at 5:17 pm.

     President's schedule
          -William E. Timmons’ suggestion
          -Alvin E. O'Konski
          -Invitations

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 5:46 pm.

     Pentagon Papers
          -Supreme Court
               -Decision
                                 2

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. 10/08)



     -Ronald L. Ziegler's possible comment
     -Status
     -Effects
     -Document security
     -Department of Defense [DOD]
            -Document review
     -Publication of documents
     -Sanitization of documents
-New York Times, Washington Post
     -Chicago Tribune
-Availability of documents
-Possible release
     -Supreme Court decision
-Chicago Tribune
     -Release of World War II and Korean War documents
     -Hearst papers, Copley papers, New York Daily News
-Administration's position
     -Release of information
     -Press uncertainty
     -Declassification
            -World War II and Korean War documents
     -Release of documents
     -Court decision
            -Justification
     -Heart papers
            -Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
     -Declassification
            -Possible effect
     -Additional documents
     -Diplomacy
            -Impact
     -Declassification review
     -Daniel Ellsberg
     -Michael Gravel
     -Sanitization of documents
-Hugh Scott, Philip A. Hart
     -Gravel
     -Activities
-Administration's position
     -Declassification
            -Supreme Court's decision
            -Negotiations
                                   3

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/08)



           -Kissinger’s position
           -Public relations
           -Extent
           -Prior restraint of publications
           -Supreme Court's decision
     -Statement
     -Declassification
-Supreme Court decision                                    Conv. No. 533-1 (cont.)
     -Administration's position
     -Administration's response
           -Declassification and release of documents
           -Terminology
           -Media position
           -Availability of documents to the press
           -Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
                 -Possession of documents
                       -Westinghouse Corporation
-Charles M. Cooke [?]
     -Elliot L. Richardson
           -Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
     -Background
     -Duties
     -Possible actions
     -Haldeman's forthcoming call to Richardson
     -Possible actions
           -Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
           -Ellsberg
-New York Times
-Content
     -Robert S. McNamara study
     -Research and Development Corporation [RAND]
-Rand Corp.
-Brookings institute
     -Possible break-in
           -Haldeman's possible conversation with an unknown person
-Administration's possible response
     -Statement
           -Declassification
-Release of documents
-Possible New York Times action
     -Supreme Court decision
-Administration's possible response
                                              4

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



               -Effects of Supreme Court decision
               -Kissinger’s view
               -Publication of documents
                     -Impact
                           -Damage to national interest
                           -DOD
               -Declassification
                     -Extent                                   Conv. No. 533-1 (cont.)
                     -Access
                     -Government’s court position
                     -Lyndon B. Johnson efforts
                     -Public opinion
                     -Integrity of government
                     -Declassification study
                     -Release of documents
                     -Leaks
                     -Procedures
          -Supreme Court decision
               -New York Times
               -Ellsberg
               -Potter Stewart
                     -Health
          -Administration's possible response
               -Declassification
                     -Justification
                     -Cuban missile crisis
                     -President’s view
          -Ramifications
               -Release of documents
                     -New York Times
                     -Chicago Tribune

Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 5:17 pm.

          -Ziegler's statements
          -Press briefings
          -Department of Justice
          -Declassification
               -Interagency group
               -System of classification
          -Release of documents
          -Kissinger’s view
                                 5

              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                         Tape Subject Log
                           (rev. 10/08)



     -Chicago Tribune
     -Declassification study
     -Release of documents
-Declassification
     -System of classification
           -Defense of system
                 -Effect
     -New York Times                               Conv. No. 533-1 (cont.)
     -Washington Post
     -Publication of Pentagon Papers
           -Public opinion
     -Public opinion
     -Timing of decision
     -Delivery of report
           -Laird's schedule
           -J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
           -Solicitor General
-Supreme Court's ruling
     -Prior restraint
     -Possible criminal prosecution
-Administration's possible action
-Questions directed to Ziegler
     -Ziegler's responses
           -Supreme Court opinion
           -Defendants
                 -Leonard Garment
                 -Prosecution of Ellsberg
                       -Department of Justice
-Cooke [?]
     -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
     -Forthcoming conversation with Richardson
     -Government service
           -DOD
           -Department of State
           -HEW
-Administration's possible response
     -Justice Department
     -Supreme Court's decision
           -Effect on prosecution
           -Classification system
                 -Unauthorized disclosure
-System of classification
                                   6

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. 10/08)



-Effect on national security
      -Laird
      -William P. Rogers
-Declassification
      -Kissinger’s view
      -Completion date
-Rogers
      -Possible statement                           Conv. No. 533-1 (cont.)
-Release of documents
-Declassification
      -Completion date
      -Public statements
-Availability to the press
      -Damage to national interest
      -Richard A. Moore, John A. Scali
-Cooke
-President’s view
-Possible conspiracy
      -J. Edgar Hoover
      -Laird's investigation
      -Brookings Institution
            -Break-in
-Administration's possible response
      -Criminal charges
      -Ziegler's press briefings
            -Presidential statement
      -Backgrounders
-Declassification
      -Rationale
-Ellsberg
-Release of documents
      -Effect
            -Democrats
-Possible New York Times article
      -John F. Kennedy
            -Effect
-New York Times
-Washington Post
-Chicago Tribune
-Impact of publication
-Articles
-Wire service reports
                                                 7

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                          Tape Subject Log
                                            (rev. 10/08)



            -Administration's possible response
                -Rationale
                -Television
                      -McCloskey
                      -New York Times
                      -Max Frankel
                      -Benjamin C. Bradlee
                      -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]    Conv. No. 533-1 (cont.)

      Mitchell's schedule
           -W. Kenneth Riland

      Pentagon Papers
           -Possible administration response

The President, et al., left at 6:23 pm.