Conversation No. 538-5

Date: July 6, 1971
Time: Unknown between 9:25 am and 9:50 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
                                         4

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)




The Pentagon Papers case
     -Criminal prosecutions
          -John D. Ehrlichman’s recommendation of meeting with John N. Mitchell
          -J. Edgar Hoover’s conversation with Haldeman
          -Mitchell’s schedule

Media briefings by the President                                  Conv. No. 538-4 (cont.)
    -Purpose
          -Targeted audience
                -Editors
                -Frequency
                -Anticipation of news event
                      -Vietnam negotiations
                -Comparison to background briefing
    -Issues
          -Pentagon Papers
          -Vietnam negotiations
          -Domestic issues
                -Ehrlichman
                -Lack of interest as news event
                -Revenue sharing, the environment, postal service
          -Preparation of briefing
                -Analysis
          -Positive emphasis
                -World leadership role of the President
                      -Counterbalance to the Vietnam issue

Poll on presidential approval
      -Results

The President’s image
     -Televised events
          -Ronald L. Ziegler
          -John B. Connally
          -Cabinet meeting
                 -Control

US foreign relations
     -Possible US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] summit
          -Timing
                 -General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                                         5

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/08)



     -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
     -Soviet perceptions
     -Dr. David K. E. Bruce
     -USSR Summit
           -Arrangements
                -Henry A. Kissinger
     -PRC
     -Haldeman’s views                                        Conv. No. 538-5 (cont.)

Poll on presidential approval
      -George H. Gallup
           -Trend in past polls
      -Supreme Court ruling on Pentagon Papers

Pentagon Papers
     -Focus of attention on issue
          -Charles W. Colson
          -Vietnam
                -John F. Kennedy’s administration
                      -Release of documents
     -Type of material leaked by Daniel Ellsberg
          -Comparison to type of material seen by President while Vice President
     -Security clearances held by former members of the Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson
          administrations
          -Haig
                -List
          -McGeorge Bundy, W[illiam] Averell Harriman, Robert S. McNamara
                -Staff
          -Loss of clearance
     -The press
          -New York Post’s July 4, 1971 editorial
                -Responsibility for security
                -Colson
     -White House coordinator
          -Colson
          -Ehrlichman

Issues
     -Revenue sharing, reorganization
     -Focus of 1970, 1971 State of the Union addresses
     -Domestic council staff
          -California
                                              6

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



          -Revenue sharing, the environment

     Forthcoming meeting in the Cabinet Room
          -Ziegler

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 9:50 am

                                                               Conv. No. 538-5 (cont.)