Conversation: 536-004
Prev:  536-003 Next: 536-005Start Date: 3-Jul-1971 8:00 AM
End Date: 3-Jul-1971 9:55 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Shultz, George P.; Hodgson, James D.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Shultz, George P.; Hodgson, James D.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:26:01
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:15:23
NARA Description:
On July 3, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, George P. Shultz, and James D. Hodgson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:00 am to 9:55 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 536-004 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 536-4 Date: July 3, 1971 Time: 8:00 am - 9:55 am Location: Oval Office The President met with Charles W. Colson Schedule -Meeting with James D. Hodgson and George P. Shultz Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] -Geoffrey H. Moore -Offer of resignation -Approval of Labor Department release of report on unemployment statistics -White House request for transfer of “Goldstein” [Leon Greenberg] -Release of report -New York Times -Handling by Labor Department -Moore -Understanding of political implications -Hodgson, Shultz -Moore -Arthur F. Burns -Action on “Goldstein” -Timing of action -Question of Moore’s tenure -Firing versus resignation -Forthcoming meeting with Shultz, Hodgson -Need for reorganization of BLS -Replacement for Moore -Deputy -”Goldstein” as Associate Commissioner for Statistics -Shultz’s reaction -Moore Schedule -Request for Shultz and Hodgson to join meeting Colson left at an unknown time after 8:00 am 3 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) [Pause] Colson, Shultz, and Hodgson entered at 8:10 am BLS -Recent release of unemployment statistics -Statistical aberrations -Political ramifications -Herbert Stein -Deliberate nature of action -Bureaucrats -Reflection on Hodgson -Moore -”Goldstein” -Attitude during the President’s administration and during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration -Scholarly background -Comparison to Daniel Ellsberg -Effect of forced resignation -Statistical aberration -May and June 1971 figures -News reports -Reporters’ attitude toward administration -Moore, “Goldstein” -Preparation of report -Effect of incident on Hodgson, Peter M. Flanigan -Reorganization -Transfer of “Goldstein” -Ronald L. Ziegler’s report on Hodgson’s briefing -Bureaucrats -Moore -Burns -Unemployment statistics -Use -Comparison to poll figures -Seasonal adjustments -January to June comparison -Effect of recent release on news reports -Emphasis on joblessness -John W. Chancellor -Ziegler -”Goldstein” -Position 4 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Appointment -Transfer -Reorganization -Possible merger of statistical agencies -Congress -William Proxmire -Plan -”Goldstein” Conv. No. 536-4 (cont.) -Polygraph -Responsibility for statement -Associated Press [AP], United Press International [UPI] -Effect of news story -Politicization of labor statistics -Handling of statistics -Census Bureau’s role -BLS’s role -Payroll records -Household survey -”Goldstein” -Congress -Proxmire’s attitude -Press -Replacement of Moore -Moore’s responsibility -”Goldstein” public appearances -Unemployment -Belief in decrease -Effect of stories -Moore -Search for replacement -New job -Political effect of release -Comparison to news stories on Vietnam War casualty figures -Reorganization -Frederic V. Malek -Removal of “Goldstein” -Replacement as statistician -Wilson Allen Wallis -Effect of politicization of statistics -Replacement for Moore -Domination by bureaucracy -Contrast to Wallis 5 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) -Cabinet committee on economics -Wallis compared to Burns -Timing of action on reorganization -Proximity to 1972 election -Labor Day 1971 -Reorganization -Possible merger of statistical agencies -Departmental responsibilities Conv. No. 536-4 (cont.) -Forthcoming call from Hodgson to John B. Connally -Explanation of incident -Administration’s chief economic spokesman -Unemployment -Analysis of trends -Effect on retail sales -Regional figures -California -Pacific Northwest -Montana -The South, Texas -Minnesota, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts -Michigan -Aerospace industry -Efforts to cool off the economy -Durable goods -Automobile industry -James M. Roche -1970 impact -Lingering effect of problem -California -Aerospace industry -Three to five year impact -Effect of economic upturn -Impact of government action -Forthcoming retail sales figures -Laurence E. (“Larry”) Lynn, Jr. -Credibility of statistics -Compared to George H. Gallup, Louis Harris polls -”Goldstein” -Proxmire Possible meeting with Colson on the Pentagon Papers 6 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/08) Shultz, Hodgson, and Colson left at 8:50 am