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Conversation 542-012

TapeTape 542StartThursday, July 22, 1971 at 12:49 PMEndThursday, July 22, 1971 at 12:57 PMTape start time03:09:45Tape end time03:18:59ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob");  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon met with H.R. Haldeman and Stephen B. Bull to coordinate his daily schedule, address upcoming diplomatic meetings, and review recent public opinion polling regarding his initiative toward the People's Republic of China. Haldeman briefed the President on requests from William P. Rogers and Henry Kissinger concerning China representation, while also presenting survey data that showed strong public support for the President's diplomatic outreach. The discussion concluded with logistical arrangements for the President's afternoon appointments, including a meeting with the Future Farmers of America.

People's Republic of ChinaPublic opinion pollsDiplomatic relationsWhite House schedulingHenry KissingerWilliam P. Rogers
AudioNARA Description

On July 22, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:49 pm to 12:57 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 542-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 542-12

Date: July 22, 1971
Time: 12:49 pm - 12:57 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

     The President's schedule
          -Diplomatic Credentials Ceremony
               -Sierra Leone
          -Future Farmers of America
               -Bryce N. Harlow
                      -Press

     Stewart J.O. Alsop
          -Health
                -Absence from Henry A. Kissinger's July 19, 1971 briefing

     William P. Rogers
          -Meeting with Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
                -Request for Presidential phone call

     Kissinger
          -Request for meeting on the People’s Republic of China [PRC] representation issue
               -The President, Rogers
               -Scheduling
                     -Time of meeting
                     -Diplomatic credentials ceremony
                     -Cabinet meeting
                     -Meeting with Melvin R. Laird

     Poll results
           -Presidential approval

          -Effect of events
          -PRC United Nations membership
               -Result
          -PRC initiative
               -Public awareness
               -Approval
               -State of the Union
               -Comparison of effect of events on poll results
               -Forthcoming presidential trip to the PRC
                      -Approval, disapproval
               -PRC initiative effect on world peace
               -The President's world leadership quality
                      -Rating of leaders as negotiators

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:49 pm.

     Future Farmers of America group
          -Members
                -Paul Findley
          -Set-up of meeting with the President

     The President's afternoon schedule
          -Executive Office Building

The President, Haldeman and Bull left at 12:57 pm.

                                                                 Conversation No.542-13

Date: July 22, 1971
Time: Unknown after 12:57 pm
Location: Oval Office

An unknown man (Secret Service) entered.

     [Applause from Cabinet Room]

     The President's location
          -Cabinet Room

This recording was cut off at an unknown time after 12:57 pm.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Boy, do I have a great day.
I'm a bastard today.
I got there just one of those centuries ago.
The era was on me.
Yeah.
I told Buzz that.
No, I just told Buzz.
I thought that, oh, I'm not going to do anything like that.
Seriously, oh, I'm going to get over with leukemia.
You know, he apparently fainted.
He was playing tennis, I think, so I guess over the weekend.
Nobody knows it.
It's not generally known, but he did.
Which is why he wasn't an injury to repeat.
Pretty certain.
Bill Rogers has called to ask for five minutes with you.
He's met with Matthew and has some news he wants to say.
Relate to you?
They want me to call on something.
Yeah.
There's a phone call sheet coming in and everything.
Oh.
All right.
All right.
Also, Henry is urging that you, Henry, and Rogers meet tomorrow on reviewing the U.S. position on China representation.
Well, I'll tell him we meet tomorrow.
We can do it today.
uh maybe
I see.
All right.
Well, why don't you say 3.30, Mom, and I'll catch you on the other side of the station.
345, it's on every, you know, you can't be sure of exactly what's in the bottom of each of the seven times you see an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an inch, an
Hilarious, the thing to do is to just set a time for it.
Hilarious doesn't know that I'd like to, that I want to, you know.
You want to do it, you want to do it today, you want to do it on the 30th, you want to do it today.
Or just set a time next week to do it.
I could do it on the 30th.
and it's in the other way yet approval exactly the same 5432 and 14 necessarily exactly what it was before that's a curious thing i mean all the reactions we've had
Yeah.
He believed coming to China should be admitted.
41 yes, 40 no.
Before it was 37 yes, 44 no.
So the admission shifted back a little bit.
For the admission awareness of the President's announcement of China, 85% aware, 15 no.
Of the aware, 58 favorable, 12 somewhat unfavorable, and 10 unfavorable.
.2 when it was unfavorable.
That's pretty good.
So it's a very strong unfavorable reaction.
Well, it's not really.
The State of the Union, for instance, is having the same reaction of a 73% favorable.
This is 68, 20 unfavorable.
What is this?
Well, my policy report was 57.
It's still very strong.
It's stronger than anything except the State of the Union.
In the State of the Union there was a lower awareness, very small audience.
Do you personally believe it's a good thing that President X and S decided to visit China or is it a 50% good thing, 20% bad thing?
This is of everybody, not just those that are away.
Well, I was pushed by that.
Well, that's good.
We've got a positive thing going for us.
And we tried to get a question that didn't work.
It said, do you think most other Americans, such as your friends and neighbors, favor making a trip to town?
No, I don't think.
36 favor, 20 don't favor, 44 don't know.
And there's people out there that I don't know, and my neighbors think that's amazing.
In general, do you think opening up more normal relations between U.S. and Communist China will be more likely or less likely to lead the world peace?
More likely, 68.
Less likely, 13.
So they see the peace thing.
No difference, 8.
As a result of President Nixon's opening up discussions with the U.S. government, do you personally regard him more favorably as the world leader, less favorably, or does it make any difference?
More favorably, 45.
Less, 11.
No difference, 36.
but they, at least in their own mind, they see it as a favorable thing.
Emily said, when I give you the names of different men in various positions in government, I'd like you to rate each one of them on how capable you think he would be in conducting negotiations and relations with communist China.
He purposely shifted back and forth between the communist and people's republics.
This is where she is abandoned during the morning, going to have a jail, where the results aren't out.
And uh...
The door will be open after the session.
Okay?
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