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Conversation: 555-010

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Start Date: 5-Aug-1971 4:35 PM

End Date: 5-Aug-1971 5:16 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Buckley, James L.Mitchell, John N.White House photographer

Recording Device: Oval Office

Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:37:56

Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:17:42

555a.mp3

555b.mp3

555c.mp3

NARA Description:

On August 5, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, James L. Buckley, John N. Mitchell, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:35 pm to 5:16 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 555-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 555-10

Date: August 5, 1971
Time: 4:35 pm - 5:16 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with James L. Buckley and John N. Mitchell; the White House photographer
was present at the beginning of the meeting.

     President's schedule
          -President's meeting with business group
                 -Consumers

     Congressional relations
         -Jacob K. Javits
         -William Proxmire
         -Buckley

     US-People’s Republic of China [PRC] relations
         -President's appreciation for Buckley's comments
         -Experience of previous Presidents
               -John F. Kennedy
                     -Vienna
               -Lyndon B. Johnson
                     -Glassboro
               -Dwight D. Eisenhower
                     -Camp David
         -Expectations
         -Developments
               -Henry A. Kissinger
         -President’s recent press conference
               -Conditions
         -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
               -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
                     -Anti-ballistic missiles [ABM]
                                       33

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                          Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)


                -Offensive weapons
Berlin
     -Willy Brandt
     -Egon Bahr
     -Treaty

US-PRC relations
    -Taiwan
    -Vietnam
          -Detente
                -USSR
                -Japan
    -USSR
    -Japan
    -PRC
    -Southeast Asia
          -Thailand
    -India
    -Negotiations
          -Mutual interests
          -PRC
                -Political system
          -Detente
                -USSR
          -Process
          -Effect of current developments
                -Taiwan
    -Political support
          -Cambodia
          -Laos
          -Idealogies
          -Henry M. ("Scoop") Jackson
          -Buckley’s position
                -Conservatives
                      -Trip to Watts [?]
    -William P. Rogers
          -Kissinger
          -Location

National defense
     -ABM
                                  34

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. 10/06)
                                                           Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)


     -Vote
          -Spiro T. Agnew
          -SALT
-Development of offensive weapons
     -Robert S. McNamara
                -Eisenhower Administration
                      -Nuclear submarines
                           -Polaris
                      -Minuteman
-USSR
     -SALT
-Spending
-Republican senators
-Budget
-Melvin R. Laird
-Mitchell
     -National Security Council [NSC]
-Laird
     -Figures
-Naval Forces
     -[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
          -Sixth Fleet
          -USSR ships compared to US ships
-Nuclear weapons
     -Balance
          -USSR
          -US
                -Offensive, defensive weapons or control
     -USSR
-Congressional action
-1972 campaign issue
     -Jackson
     -Edmund S. Muskie
     -Hubert H. Humphrey
     -Edward M. Kennedy
     -Birch Bayh
     -Fred R. Harris
     -The President’s policy
-USSR
     -US
          -Air defense
                                          35

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)


                  -Missile and naval inferiority
      -Support for the President
           -Congress
           -Hearst papers
           -Chicago Tribune
           -Time
           -Newsweek
           -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
           -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
           -American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
                  -President’s support for defense
                        -ABM
                  -Budget cuts
                        -Military view
                        -President’s use of television
                  -Perception of President’s move to left
      -As political issue
           -Conservative critics
           -Buckley's view
                  -William F. Buckley
           -ABM
                  -Bargaining chip
                  -Offensive weapons
           -Press release
                  -US Mediterranean forces
                        -Compared to USSR
           -Kissinger briefing
                  -Possible participants
                        -Rogers
                        -William A. Rusher
                        -Frank S. Meyer
                        -[David J., Jr.?] Mahoney
                        -New York Times

PRC
      -Conservative support
           -James B. ("Scotty") Reston

National defense
     -Laird
     -Rogers
                                     36

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)


     -Congress
          -John G. Tower
     -Possible briefing
          -President's schedule
          -Rogers and Kissinger
     -Budget
          -Salaries
          -Hardware
     -Volunteer army
          -Gates Report
          -Republican platform
          -Budget
                -Hardware spending
          -Military bureaucracy
                -Reform
          -Employment
                -Military bases

Economy
    -Employment
         -Bill
    -Spending
         -Mortgage rates
               -Federal Housing Administration [FHA]
               -Maintaining current rates
                     -Subsidies
         -Research and development
         -Space program
         -Desalinization
         -Breeder reactor
         -Defense
               -Domestic Council
                     -Poll
                           -Space program
                                -Public relations
         -Priorities
               -Democrats
         -Defense

National defense
     -SALT
                                            37

                        NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                             Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)


              -USSR
                     -SS-9's
                     -ABM
              -Consequence of failure
                     -Arms buildup
                           -President’s request
         -Budget
              -Navy
                     -Modernization
              -Air defense
              -Military industrial complex
         -Effect on foreign policy
              -Israel
         -Jordanian crisis
              -Sixth Fleet
                     -Israel
                           -Golan Heights
                                 -USSR intervention
                                      -Syria
              -Greece
                     -Bases
              -Airlift
                     -Analogy to Lebanon crisis, 1958
                     - From Germany to Turkey
         -Naval power
              -Foreign policy
                     -Adm. Albert Thayer Mahan
              -Other forces
              -USSR
                     -Indian Ocean
              -Sixth Fleet
         -Middle East
              -Israel
                     -USSR


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 6s ]
                                               38

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. 10/06)
                                                               Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)




    ISRAEL


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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


               -USSR
                     -Destroyers
                     -Cruisers
                     -Guidance systems
         -Message for conservatives
               -ABM
         -Congress
               -Jackson
                     -Voting record
                          -ABM
                          -Offensive weapons
                          -Navy
                          -Law and order
                                -President
                                      -US flag pin
               -George C. Wallace
         -As issue in South
         -Message for conservatives
               -President’s support for defense
                     -US
                          -Compared to USSR
               -Public and Congressional support
                     -Jewish constituency
         -Possible briefing

    Martha (Beall) Mitchell
         -Ghettos

    Presentation of gifts by President
         -Cufflinks
         -Paperweight
                                               39

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 555-10 (cont.)



Buckley and Mitchell left at 5:16 pm.