Conversation: 557-001
Prev: 556-020 Next: 557-002Start Date: Monday, August 9, 1971 12:52 PM
End Date: Monday, August 9, 1971 3:47 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; Ziegler, Ronald L.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:01:19
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:01:23
NARA Description:
On August 9, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 8:52 am to 11:47 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 557-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 557-1
Date: August 9, 1971
Time: 8:52 am - 11:47 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Weather
President's schedule
-David K.E. Bruce and Ellsworth F. Bunker
-William J. Porter
-Possible meetings
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Staff meeting
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 8:52 am and
8:55 am.
[Conversation No. 557-1A]
Kissinger's location
[End of telephone conversation]
President's schedule
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 22
[Personal Returnable
[Duration: 1m 13s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 22
**********************************************************************
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
Forthcoming legislation
-Appropriation bills
-Agriculture
-Rural sewage and water
-Aid to farmers
-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
-Possible veto
-Blacks
President’s schedule
-Labor-management leaders
-West Coast longshoremen
-Strike
-Harry Bridges
-Coal
-Eastern longshoremen
-Construction
-Railroads
-Firemen, signalmen, shop crafts
-Automobiles
-Steel
-Transportation
Kissinger entered at 8:55 am.
Letter
-Kissinger to send to unknown person
President's schedule
-Bunker
-Porter
-Bunker
-Kissinger's schedule
-Possible meeting
-Press coverage
-Forthcoming Vietnam election
Vietnam
-Bunker’s return
-Purpose
-Election
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Possible North Vietnamese interference
-Media coverage
-Political issue
-Democrats
-Clark M. Clifford
-New York Times article
-President’s intentions
-People's Republic of China [PRC] announcement
-Madame Nguyen Thi Binh
-Proposals
-Timing
-William A.K. (“Tony”) Lake
-Morton Halperin
-President’s comments to press
-Clifford
-Effect on negotiations
PRC
-W[illiam] Averell Harriman
-Visa
-Gardiner (sp?) Coles [?]
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Articles
-Chou En-lai
-Comments about the President
-New York Times
-Reminiscence
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Paris
-India
-Foreign Minister
-Talks with Andrei A. Gromyko
-Relations with India
-Treaty of friendship and cooperation
-Announcement
-Provision
-Significance
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 24
[National Security]
[Duration: 52s ]
INDIA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 24
**********************************************************************
India
-Kissinger’s forthcoming talks with Indian Ambassador
-Relations with US and USSR
-US aid
PRC
-Chou En-lai
-Ideological stance
-North Vietnam
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[National Security]
[Duration: 44s ]
PAKISTAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Reston
-Vietnam
-US troop withdrawal
Refreshment
The President left at an unknown time after 8:55 am.
Foreign policy
-Achievements
-Historical significance
PRC
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 23
[National Security]
[Duration: 8s ]
PAKISTAN
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 23
**********************************************************************
Foreign policy
-Congress
-Democrats
-India
-USSR
The President entered at an unknown time before 10:30 am.
-Democrats
-Clifford
-Republicans
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-PRC
-Vietnam
-Possible US military action
-Clifford
-President's press conference
-Article
-Timing of printing
Vietnam
-Press coverage
-Forthcoming meeting with Bunker
-Forthcoming election
-Paris negotiations
-Consultations
-Paris negotiations
-Democrats
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 46s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
-Declaration of principles
-Publication
-Democrats
-Possible US military action
-North Vietnamese buildup
-Analogy to Tet offensive
-Air force
-Negotiations
-PRC
-Notification
-Timing
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
PRC
-US press
-Reston
-Forthcoming Presidential election
-The President compared to Democrats
-USSR
-New York Times
-Democrats
-USSR
-India
-Administration
-Pakistan
-Possible story
-Democrats
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting
-Congress
-Pakistan
-USSR
Japan
-New York Times editorial
-President's schedule
-Forthcoming visit with Emperor Hirohito
-Anchorage, Alaska
-Simile
-Visit with Georges J.R. Pompidou
-Effect on PRC
-Compared to trip to Japan
-Trade
-PRC
-USSR
India
-Kissinger’s forthcoming talks with ambassador
-Possible war
-Effect
-Development program
-USSR
-President’s friendship
-Possible war
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Effect on US position
-The President’s view
-Cambodia and Laos
-Interest in political settlement, refugees, aid to India
-National Security Council [NSC]
-William P. Rogers
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Washington Post and New York Times
-Rogers
-State Department
-Bureaucracy
-John F. Kennedy
-Forthcoming NSC meeting
-Timing
-Kissinger's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with undersecretaries
-Rogers
PRC
-Rogers
-Kissinger
-State Department
-Bureaucracy
-New York Time and Washington Post
-New York Times
-Japan
-Harriman
-Taiwan
-United Nations [UN]
-Chiang Kai-shek
-Chou En-lai
-Comments to Reston
-USSR
-India
USSR
-Possible developments
-PRC
-Middle East
-Israel
-Democrats
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Possible summit in Moscow
-Relationship to PRC trip
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-President’s letter
-Summit
-Summit
-Timing
-Middle East
-Egypt
-India
Japan
-President's schedule
-Anchorage trip
-Timing
-Television
-Significance
-Gesture
-Emperor of Japan
-Ceremonial aspects
-Television
USSR
-India
-PRC
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-India
-Middle East
-1967 War
-Egypt
-Pakistan
-PRC
-[India]
-Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
-India-Pakistan relations
-Congress
Vietnam
PRC
-Chou En-lai
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-US press
-Speech
-Communist Party cadres
-USSR
-Comparison with PRC
-Voice of America [VOA]
USSR
-David Rockefeller
-Trip
-October [1917] Revolution
-President's 1959 trip
PRC
-Chou En-lai
-Islamabad
Democrats and Liberals
-New York Times, Washington Post, Life, Time, Newsweek
-Anti-ballistic missiles [ABMs]
-SALT
-Pentagon Papers
-Public support for the President
-September 1969 riots
-Vietnam troop withdrawals
-Peace plan
-1968 campaign
-Edith Efron's media study
-Charles W. Colson
-Efron
-Background
-TV Guide editor
-John P. Roche
-Analysis of press coverage
-Television networks
-Issues
-Position
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-The President
-Comparison of coverage
-American Broadcasting Corporation [ABC]
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-George C. Wallace
-Fred Dutton's book
PRC
-Announcement of forthcoming trip by President
-Reston
-PRC leaders’ view
-Rogers
-UN policy
-State Department
-Richard Rovere
-New Yorker
-Article
-US, PRC, and USSR
-Compared with New Republic
-Daniel W. Washburn
-TRB
-[Forename unknown] Goodwin
- Talk of the Town
-Vietnam
-Rovere article
-Democrats
-Youth
-Possible impact
-Press pool for trip
-Guests
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Adele (Langston) Rogers
-Chou En-lai, Mao Tse-tung's wife
Middle East
-Sisco
-Israelis
-Joseph C. Kraft
-Article
-Ceasefire
-Significance
-Rogers
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
PRC
-Forthcoming trip
-New York Herald-Tribune [?] article
-William H. Carruthers
-Political aspect
-Eugene J. McCarthy
-President's speech
-Television
1972 campaign
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Howard Stein
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Humphrey
-Eugene McCarthy
-Edward M. Kennedy
-McCarthy
-Youth crusade
-Kennedy
-Fitness for office
-Other candidates
-Mary McGrory
-Financing
-Personal Fund
-McGrory
New York Times article
-White House church services
-Author
-Identity
-Washington Post
-President’s instructions
Press
-1968 campaign
-Ronald L. Ziegler, Herbert G. Klein
-Humphrey
-Compared to 1960 and 1972 campaigns
-Unknown article
-Unknown person
-Capitol Hill
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-PRC announcement
-National economy news
-Article
-Unknown reporter
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Newsweek
-Victor Gold
-John A. Scali
Unknown person
-Views
-Textile quotas
-Busing
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5m 1s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
**********************************************************************
Support for President
-President as leader
-Kissinger
-PRC trip
-Winston Churchill
-Charles A.J.M. de Gaulle
-President as world leader
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Demonstrators
-de Gaulle
-Foreign policy
-Record evaluated
-[James] Harold Wilson
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National Security]
[Duration: 6s ]
UNITED KINGDOM [UK]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
**********************************************************************
-Richard H. Rovere
Substance abuse
-Alcohol
-Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Russians, British, Germans, Italians
-Chinese
-Japanese
-Compared to drug use
-Southern societies
-India
-Drugs
-Rovere
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD]
-Health effects
-Ulcers
-Marijuana
-Stress
-Sedatives
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
**********************************************************************
-Effects
Television networks
-Colson
-Domestic Council
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 11m 55s ]
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 8:55 am and 10:30 am.
[Conversation No. 557-1B]
[End of telephone conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 14
**********************************************************************
-1968 campaign coverage
-Efron’s media study
-Commentators’ words fun and against
-The President’s compared to Humphrey
-ABC
-NBC
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-USe policy on Vietnam War
-NBC
-Bombing halt
-White Middle class
-NBC
-CBS
-Black militants
-NBC
-The Left
-Demonstrators
-Efron’s conclusion
-Network reporters
-Democratic liberal politicians
-Humphrey
-Republican conservative politicians
-The President
-Efron
-ABC, CBS, NBC, coverage
-PRC trip
-Pentagon Papers
-1970 campaign
-Vietnam
-Biased reporting
-Scali
-Klein
-Ziegler
-Need for balance
-Efron’s study
-Newspaper editorial policy
-Coverage of Laos action
-Tone
-Leftists
-State Department, Department of Defense [DOD]
-John D. Ehrlichman
-George P. Shultz
-Press
-Universities
-Government bureaucracy
Kissinger left at 10:30 am.
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9m 18s ]
[Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 10:30 am and 11:12
am]
[Conversation No. 557-1C]
[End of telephone conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
**********************************************************************
President’s schedule
-Speech
-Congressional recess
-Return
-Golf trip
-George Meany
-Peter J. Brennan
-Radio speech
-Labor Day
-Length
Liberals
-Kissinger's friends
Efron
-Background
-TV Guide
-Media study on campaign coverage
-Historical Research Foundation
-Background
-New York Times magazine
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Look
-Time-Life correspondent
-Publications
-State Department
-Education
-Barnard College
-Columbia University
-Historical Research Foundation
-William F. Buckley
-Media study
-Television news
-1972 campaign
-Fairness Doctrine
-Vice President Agnew's allegations
-Public support
-Network officials’ response
-Tactics
-Alger Hiss case
-Whitaker Chambers
-Background
-Clytia Chambers
-Background
-Education
-Barnard College
-Howard University
--Buckley
-Media study
-Goals
-Media bias
-1968 campaign
-The Left and the Right
-1972 campaign
-Theory
-Analytical method
-Networks, Federal Communications Commission [FCC],
Congress citizens
-Possible Democratic reaction
-Buckley
-White House staff
-Klein
-Richard A. Moore
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Buckley
-Summary of study’s conclusions
President's schedule
-Efron
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 10s ]
[No conversation]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
**********************************************************************
Press
-Televised press conferences
-Efron study
-Black militants
-Free speech
-Berkeley
-Environmentalists
-Consumer issues
-Vietnam
-Disarmament
-ABM
-Religion
-New York Times reporter
-Washington Post
-Judith Martin
-Haldeman's dinner at the Kennedy Center
-Unknown women
- Cave dwellers
-Tricia Nixon Cox's wedding
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Washington Post
-Mrs. Nixon
-New York Times story
-Japan
-Emperor Hirohito
President's schedule
-Kennedy Center opening
-Kennedy family
-John F. Kennedy
-Concert Hall
-Symphony concert
-Opera House
-Symphony concert
-Antal Dorati
-Liszt's Les Preludes
-Opera House
-Leonard Bernstein Mass
-Concert Hall opening
-Announcement
-Ziegler
-Opera House opening
-President’s box
-Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
-Abe Fortas
-Roger L. Stevens
-Mrs. J. Willard Marriott, Jr.
-Reception
-Advancemen
White House response to Efron's book
-Colson
-Pentagon Papers
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Walter H. Annenberg
-Serialization, syndication
-1968 campaign television coverage
-Congressional hearings
-Harley O. Staggers
-White House press relations
-Networks
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Government control
-Media
-Columnists
-Rovere
-Readership
-Article
-PRC trip
President's schedule
-Cyclemates II
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Possible press conference
-Ziegler
The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:30 am and
11:12 am.
[Conversation No. 557-1D]
Requested a meeting with Ziegler
[End of telephone conversation]
President's schedule
-Ehrlichman
-Shultz
National economy
-Time story
-John B. Connally
-Shultz, Arthur F. Burns
-Timing
Ziegler entered at 11:12 am.
President's schedule
-Forthcoming press conference
-Bunker meeting
-Routineness
-Vietnam elections
-President's statement
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Fairness
-Vietnam negotiations
-President's previous press conference
-Helen Thomas
-Possible office press conference
-Timing
-Forthcoming California trip
-Possible speech
-Timing
-September
-Congress
-Frequency
-Issues
-Pentagon Papers
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] speech
-Declassification of World War II and Korea documents
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW] speech
-Knights of Columbus speech
-Vietnam elections
-India-Pakistan relations
-Bunker visit
-PRC
-Domestic
-Economy
-Length
-Forthcoming speeches
-Press coverage
-California trip
-Knights of Columbus
-VFW
-Pentagon Papers
-Limitation of subjects
-Last week's subjects
-PRC, Vietnam, national economy
-Possible press reaction
-Length
-President's preparation
-Issues
-Busing
-Ziegler's briefings
-National economy
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Wage and price controls
-Vice President Agnew
-Time
-Trip
-1972 Republican ticket
-George H.W. Bush
-Robert H. Finch
-Connally
-Bush
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Bush
-Clark MacGregor
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Charles H. Percy
-John V. Lindsay
-Percy
-Illinois
-Trip
-Newsweek article
-Ambassador's wife
-Letter
-Gold
The press
-1968 campaign coverage
-Efron’s media study
-Commentators’ words for and against
-The President compared to Humphrey
-ABC
-NBC
-White middle class
-Black militants
-Author's background
-Humphrey compared to the President
-ABC
-Muriel F. (Buck) Humphrey
-Compared to Mrs. Nixon
-Comments about H. Humphrey
**********************************************************************
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 18
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 39s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 18
**********************************************************************
-Comments about the President
-Media bias
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 28s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
**********************************************************************
-Theory of parallelism
-Choice of film and interviewers
-Efron's conclusions
-Effort to defeat the President
-ABC, CBS, NBC
-PRC trip
-Writing press
-Television reporting
-Possible administration strategies
-Public attitude
-Efron study
-Congress, FCC
-Press objectivity
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
President's schedule
-Possible press conference
-Press reaction
-Timing
-Congressional recess
-President's trip to California
-Questions
-PRC
-President's preparation
-Location and format
-Cabinet Room
-Oval Office
-Kennedy
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Cabinet Room
-Press relations efforts
-Intensity
-Impact on presidency
-Beginning of term
-Barry M. Goldwater, Jr.
-The press
-White House press relations
-Possible questions
-1972 ticket
-Agnew
-Busing
-Congress
-Revenue sharing
-Wage and price board
-PRC
-Vietnam
-Elections
-Kissinger's reaction
-Bunker meeting
-Normal consultations
-Elections
-Internal matter
-National economy
-Foreign affairs
-PRC
-Vietnam
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
-Pakistan
-Rogers's announcement
-USSR-India treaty
Ziegler left at 11:45 am.
-Cyclemates II
-Oval Office
-Gifts
-Press coverage
-Press conference
-Timing
-Television
-Bunker meeting
-Kissinger
Foreign policy
-Presentation of positions
-Positive tone
-Substance
-Analogy to Secret Service
-Kissinger
-Kissinger
-Laos
-Cambodia
-Domestic considerations
-Negotiations
-Channels
-Possible revelation
-PRC
-President as leader
-November 3, 1969 speech
White House public relations
-Frank Leonard
-Maine
-Relations with press
-Franklyn C. (“Lyn”) Nofzinger
-Forthcoming meeting
-President’s note
-Monday mailing
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 557-1 (cont.)
- Journey for Peace
-Kiplinger letter
-Orientation
-Writing press
-Television
-Monday mailing
-Foreign policy
-Kissinger
-Ziegler
-Public relations
-Public statements
-Brevity
-Vietnam negotiations
-Seven points
-US position
-October 7, 1970 speech
-Response
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Ziegler
-The President
-Kissinger's position
-Negotiations
-Interference
-Polls
-Announcement
-Kissinger’s meetings
Haldeman left at 11:47 am.