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Conversation: 544-011

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Start Date: 23-Jul-1971 1:21 PM

End Date: 23-Jul-1971 1:47 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:27:18

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:04:51

544a.mp3

544b.mp3

544c.mp3

NARA Description:

On July 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:21 pm to 1:47 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 544-011 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 544-11

Date: July 23, 1971
Time: 1:21 pm - 1:47 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

     Poll on the People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
           -Forthcoming White House poll
                 -Comparison to May presidential approval rating
           -Gallup poll
                 -Release of poll

     Budget
         -Cuts
         -The President's prior meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
         -Deficit, tax increases
                                 24

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/08)



-Administration responsibilities
      -John D. Ehrlichman
      -Public perceptions
-Political impact of programs
      -Revenue sharing
            -Ronald W. Reagan, Nelson A. Rockefeller
            -Wilbur D. Mills
      -Family Assistance Program
      -Ehrlichman
            -Foreign policy
            -Domestic policy
                  -HR 1
-Cuts
      -Arts funding
      -White House staff
      -Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
            -Transportation, Housing and Urban Development [HUD], and Health,
                  Education and Welfare [HEW] departments
            -Independent agencies, regulatory agencies
      -Timing
      -Personnel
            -Federal government, military
      -Effect on financial community
-Uncontrollable portions
      -Reasons
      -Social Security increases, debt increases
      -Great Society programs
-Domestic programs
      -Cutbacks in non-defense programs
-Defense programs
      -Reorganization
      -Kissinger
-Uncontrollable expenditures
      -Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Weinberger
-Tax increase
-Cuts
      -Political impact
            -Edmund S. Muskie
      -Alternatives
            -Tax increases
                  -Economic, political effect
-Programs
                                              25

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/08)



                -General revenue sharing, Family Assistance Program
                      -States
                      -Wilbur Mills’ possible action
                -Environmental issues
                -Presentation of administration position
                -Headstart
                      -Impact on Blacks
                      -Size of program                              Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
                -Welfare psychology
                -Attitude of young people on expectations
           -Public perceptions
                -Entitlements

    Poll
           -Release
           -Congress
           -William P. Rogers
           -Louis P. Harris
           -Presidential approval figures


**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Privacy]
[Duration: 32s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

**********************************************************************


    Stewart J.O. Alsop
         -Health
               -The President's planned visit to the National Institute of Health [NIH]

    The President's schedule
         -Sequoia outing
         -Meeting with John B. Connally

    The budget
                                         26

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/08)



     -Administration action on programs
          -Food stamp program
                -Political effect
     -Reduction of government personnel
     -Tax reform and reduction
     -Programs
          -Domestic program cuts
          -Drug control, drug abuse                               Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
                -Clinic funding
                      -Prison

Issues
     -Domestic programs
          -Vietnam drug abuse control effort
          -Decrease in Washington, D. C. crime rate
     -Public perceptions
          -Drug control, crime
                -Poll results on public concerns
                      -National direction
                      -Causes
                            -Drug abuse
                            -Vietnam war
                            -Racial tension
                            -Lack of adherence to Golden Rule
                            -Lack of leadership
                            -Economy
                            -Emphasis on money and materialism
                            -Permissiveness
                            -Radical attempts at change
                            -Communism
                            -Youth and its values
                            -Conservatism
                            -Technological increases
                            -Lack of inclusion of environment on poll list
                                  -Harris
                      -Public perception on national direction
                            -Presidential leadership
                            -PRC initiative
                            -Vietnam war
                                  -Forthcoming settlement
                            -Efforts to combat drug abuse
                            -Contrast with early 1950's perceptions
                                            27

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                                     -Perception of Communism as cause
                          -Presidential leadership
                                -Effect of PRC initiative
                                     -Contrast with John F. Kennedy's handling of the Bay of
                                            Pigs and the Cuban confrontation
              -Effect of the PRC initiative
                   -William L. Safire
                   -Peace                                             Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
                   -Administration efforts on issue
                   -Poll

    The PRC trip
         -Advance work
              -John D. Ehrlichman
                   -Kissinger’s objections
                   -Role as top domestic advisor
                   -Experience

    Secret Service
         -Cutbacks
               -Kissinger

    White House staff
         -Cutbacks


**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**********************************************************************


         -Rex W. Scouten
         -Social events
              -Dinner
              -Christmas events
                                             28

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                     -Use of temporary staff
         -Size of social staff
         -US Navy staff
               -Mess
         -Automobile drivers
         -White House mess
               -Mess privileges
                     -Office of Management and Budget [OMB], the National
                                                                  Conv. No.
                                                                          Security
                                                                            544-11Council
                                                                                   (cont.)
                           [NSC], Peter G. Peterson’s staff
                     -Cutback
         -Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld
               -Staff
         -Spiro T. Agnew
         -Handling of staff cuts

    Rumsfeld


**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 58s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

**********************************************************************


    Finch
         -Role
                 -The Cabinet
                 -NSC

    Rumsfeld
        -Staff
              -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
                    -Payroll, details

    White House staff
         -Haldeman's control over operational staff
                                             29

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



                -Ronald L. Ziegler, Charles W. Colson
                     -Size
          -Peterson

     Domestic issues
         -Memorandum from Ehrlichman’s staff
               -Busing
                                                          Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
**********************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Privacy]
[Duration: 13s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

**********************************************************************


     Presidential leadership
          -Safire, Ziegler, Colson, Herbert G. Klein
                -White House leadership
          -Handling of PRC initiative
                -Substantive issues
                      -Peace, Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC
                -Leadership

     Schedule

Haldeman left at 1:21 pm.