Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 546-004

Prev:  546-003 Next: 546-005

Start Date: 26-Jul-1971 5:20 PM

End Date: 26-Jul-1971 6:12 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")MacGregor, ClarkEhrlichman, John D.

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:57:47

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:49:38

546a.mp3

NARA Description:

On July 26, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Clark MacGregor, and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:20 pm to 6:12 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 546-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 546-4

Date: July 26, 1971
Time: 5:20 pm - 6:12 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

     The economy
          -The President's forthcoming meeting with John B. Connally
               -Peter G. Peterson
                                              8

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



Clark MacGregor entered and Haldeman left at 5:21 pm.
     Congressional action
         -Draft extension
               -MacGregor's, William P. Rogers’ efforts
                     -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield, John C. Stennis, F. Edward Hébert
         -Hébert
         -Mansfield Amendment
               -Rogers’ memorandum                                     Conv. No. 546-2 (cont.)
                     -Handling of language
               -Mansfield
               -Stennis-Mansfield meeting, July 26, 1971
               -Senate reaction to compromise language
         -Presidential action
         -The People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
               -Mansfield's resolution
                     -Motives
               -Reaction
         -Motivation for support for the President's proposals
         -Schedule
               -John G. Tower
                     -John N. Mitchell
                     -Busing
                           -Requested meeting with the President
         -Busing issue
               -Possible Constitutional amendment
                     -John D. Ehrlichman
               -1963 legislative efforts on Civil Rights Bill
                     -William Kramer
               -Effect
                     -Kentucky, California, Ohio, Tennessee
                           -Housing issue
               -Education
                     -Teachers

     Foreign policy
          -PRC initiative
               -Mansfield Amendment
               -Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
               -Reaction
                     -Right wing
                          -John G. Schmitz
                     -Walter H. Judd
                                             9

                             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



                           -Anti-communism in the United States
                     -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], Japan, Vietnam
               -Effect
          -The President's action
               -Mideast, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT], Berlin negotiations
               -PRC initiative
                     -Congressional reaction
                     -Votes                                           Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)
               -Public opinion
                     -Blue collar
                     -College educated


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 2s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


     Congress
         -Hébert

Ehrlichman was present at an unknown time after 5:30 pm.

                -MacGregor's forthcoming telephone call
          -Strategy
                -Tower
          -MacGregor's efforts

MacGregor left at 5:34 pm.

     Economic impact of programs and legislation
         -HR 1 welfare legislation
               -Status
               -Strategy
         -Health issues, reorganization
                                         10

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/08)



     -The environment
           -Economic impact of legislative action
           -John B. Connally
                 -Political evaluation
     -General revenue sharing
           -Commitments
                 -Citizen’s Committees
                 -Local governments                              Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)
           -Limitations on cutbacks
           -Edmund S. Muskie's work with Wilbur D. Mills
                 -Possible bill
           -Effect
     -Presidential action
           -Vetoes
     -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
           -Richard K. Cook
           -Carl D. Perkins
           -Director
           -Action on Great Society programs
     -Special revenue sharing
     -Aid to education
     -Timing
           -Congressional recess
                 -October 1971

Proposal to chart Congressional action
     -MacGregor

Carl B. Albert
     -Health
           -Appearance
     -Mrs. Albert
     -John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield
     -Response of junior Democrats
     -Possible action of Mills
           -Speaker of the House
                 -Continuation of House term or Presidential campaign
                                             11

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 41s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4                                                 Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)

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


    Leaks
         -[Charles M.?] Cooke
              -Deposition
                    -Access to confidential cables by Daniel Ellsberg
                          -Elliot L. Richardson
                          -Motives
                                -Tran Ngoc Chau
                                -William P. Rogers, the President
         -Release of information


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Closed by Statute]
[Duration: 4s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

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


         -Top secret report from the President to the Attorney General
              -Haldeman
              -Chicago Tribune
              -New York Times
              -Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
         -Van Cleef (?)
              -Department of Defense
                                          12

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/08)



           -Investigation
                -Polygraph
           -Unnamed State Department employee
                -Contact with William Beecher
           -SALT document

US-German relations
    -Supersonic Transport [SST]                                     Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)
         -Willy Brandt
         -Press
               -Henry A. Kissinger
                    -Egon Bahr

Public service symposium
     -The President's conversation with George H. Mahon

Education
    -School desegregation
          -Ehrlichman’s conversation with Richardson
          -Limitation
    -Busing
          -Constitutional amendment
          -Action
          -President’s conversation with MacGregor
          -Effect on liberals with children
    -Private schools
          -Constitutional amendment
                -Ehrlichman's conversation with John W. Dean III
                -Other alternatives
                      -Effect in Bible-belt region of the United States
          -Perceptions of the President

Lt. William L. Calley, Jr.
     -Status of court case
     -Sentence
           -Position

Model cities program
    -Changes
           -Forthcoming announcement
                -General revenue sharing
                                            13

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/08)




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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Privacy]
[Duration: 46s ]

                                                              Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 24s ]


    UNITED NATIONS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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


    Paul W. McCracken
         -Possible new job and timing of departure
                                       14

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. 10/08)



     -Role in economic policy
          -Connally
          -Senate
                -William Proxmire
          -George P. Shultz

The economy
     -Statistics                                         Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)
           -Connally
           -Unemployment, retail sales
     -Employment
           -Vietnam veterans
     -Narcotics interdiction
     -Peterson
           -Connally, Shultz
     -McCracken
           -Implicit effect of departure
     -Connally's actions
     -Perceptions of possible action
     -Interpretation of statistics
     -Retail sales
     -Consumer confidence
           -Edwin L. Harper's memorandum
     -Analysis
           -Charles W. Colson
                 -Albert E. Sindlinger
     -Timing, method of McCracken's departure

Federal Reserve Board
     -McCracken
          -Arthur F. Burns
     -Burns
          -Visibility with the press
                -Ehrlichman's encounter with Burns
          -Attitude

Newsweek article
                                                15

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 28s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9                                       Conv. No. 546-4 (cont.)

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


     The Pentagon Papers
          -Continuation of efforts
          -The President's administration
               -The PRC initiative

     The Pentagon Papers
          -Declassification
               -World War II-era documents

     The economy
          -Forthcoming Ehrlichman meeting with Haldeman
          -Burns
          -Connally, Shultz, McCracken
               -Peter M. Flanigan
               -Effectiveness
          -Public perceptions
          -Confidentiality and type of action
               -Comparison with with PRC initiative

The President and Ehrlichman left at 6:12 pm.
                                             16

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/08)