Conversation No. 574-3

Date: September 17, 1971
Time: 9:08 am - 10:03 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, and Oliver F. (“Ollie”)
Atkins.
                                               2

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                     Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


     Color photographs
          -Atkins
          -Publication in Monday
               -Time
          -Type
          -Posing
               -Conversation with H. R. Haldeman

     New Senator from Vermont [Robert T. Stafford]
         -George D. Aiken, Michael J. Mansfield
         -Possible meeting and telephone call
              -Congratulations
              -Time
         -Aiken
         -House conference report

Atkins and Butterfield left at an unknown time before 9:17 am.

           -Support for the President
           -Handling of congratulatory telephone call

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:08 am and
9:17 am.

[Conversation No. 574-3A]

[See Conversation No. 9-57]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Press relations
           -Miami Herald
           -Orientation
                 -Washington Post
                 -New York Times
                 -Miami Herald, Chicago Sun-Times
                      -Story
                           -Effect
                                                 3

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. 10/06)
                                                                        Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


     Press stories
           -Type of stories
                 -Vote against military service draft bill
                      -President’s statement
                      -Handling of news story
                 -Economic issues
                      -Dollar

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:08 am.

     New York Daily News
         -Constance M. Stuart
         -Review
              -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's television program

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:17 am.

     The President's schedule
          -Race car drivers
               -Reception
               -Time
               -Image of race car drivers
                      -Astronauts
                            -Previous conversation with the President
                      -Competitiveness
                      -American spirit
                      -Mechanics
                      -Haldeman’s view
          -Meetings
               -Type of people
                      -Supporters of the President
               -College professors
          -Meetings with professional bowlers, September 12, 1971
               -Scheduling of event
                      -Meeting with the Head of the American Legion
                            -John H. Geiger
               -White House bowling alley
                      -Visit
                      -Bowling
                                           4

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


                     -Photographers
          -Number of professional bowlers
          -People interested in bowling

Tennis
     -Players
     -Los Angeles
     -Stan Smith
           -Previous visit to the White House
     -Jack Kramer
     -Type of game
           -The President’s view
           -Men
     -Popularity of game
           -Robert H. Finch
           -Spiro T. Agnew
     -Tennis matches
           -Comparison to opera
     -Bowling comparison to rock or pop concerts
     -Reception at event

The President's schedule
     -Previous meeting with astronauts
          -Familities
          -Children
          -Lucy A. Winchester
                 -Handling of news story
          -David R. Scott
     -Race car drivers
          -Presence of race car

Forthcoming Congressional meeting at the White House
     -William Proxmire
     -George P. Shultz
     -Herbert Stein, Paul W. McCracken
     -Counterbalance to Congressmen and support for the President
           -John B. Connally
                -Effect of absence
                      -Vice President Agnew
     -Tone and type of presentation
                                              5

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


     Look magazine
          -Forthcoming cessation of publishing
                -Unknown writer and Thomas R. Shepard, Jr.
          -Life's status
          -Magazines
                -Gardner Cowles
                -Status in current marketplace
                       -Special interest magazines and newsmagazines
                       -Racing car magazine
                             -Special interest
                       -Movie magazines
                       -California magazine
                             -Articles
                             -Pictures
                                   -Patios
                                   -Hawaii
                             -Layout
                                   -Travel
                                   -Homemakeing
                                   -Gardening
                                   -Cooking

The President talked with Stafford between 9:17 am and 9:18 am.

[Conversation No. 574-3B]

[See Conversation No. 9-58]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Stafford
           -Location
           -Appointment situation
           -Swearing-in

     Robert J. Dole

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:18 am and
10:03 am.

[Conversation No. 574-3C]
                                               6

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)



[See Conversation No. 9-59]

[End of telephone conversation]

     Military service draft bill
           -Dole
                -Interest
           -Clark MacGregor
                -Projected support of bill
                -Key issues
                      -Defense issues
                      -Dole
                            -Type of position
                            -Support for the President

     Economic policies
         -Announcement of the end of Phase I
               -Shultz
         -William L. Safire
               -Ideas
               -Wording
               -Shultz
         -Connally
         -Channels and coordination

     Speechwriting
          -Patrick J. Buchanan
          -Safire
          -Buchanan
          -Safire
                -Leading news story
                      -Quote from the President
          -Cost of Living Council [COLC]
                -Statement
                      -Wording
                           -Freeze duration
                           -Program
                      -Type of news story
          -Safire
                -Type of writer
                                            7

                      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                                  Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


                 -Long term assignments compared with daily stories
                 -Safire's ideas and focus

Economic policies
    -The economy
         -Connally
         -Wage-price freeze
    -Freeze
         -Duration
               -Time
               -Date
         -Psychological effect
               -Wording of announcement

Rowland Evans and Robert D. Novak's story
    -Handling
         -Correction of errata for historical record
              -The President’s view
              -Haldeman’s view

Press stories
      -Articles
            -Summary
                 -Controversy
                 -Lack of argument
                 -Administration response
      -Mansfield story
            -Reflection on the Prsident
      -The President's strategy
            -Haldeman
            -Charles W. Colson
            -Buchanan
            -Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Wording of statement
                 -Response to Democrats
                       -Issues affecting the national interest
                       -Vietnam
                       -Military service draft
            -Economic policies
                 -Wage and price freeze
                 -Response
                               8

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                      Tape Subject Log
                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                        Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


    -Kissinger
    -John D. Ehrlichman
    -Shultz
    -Ehrlichman
    -Safire
           -Focus issues on economic issues
                 -Foreign issues
    -Buchanan
           -Mobilization of conservatives
    -Safire
           -Comparison with Buchanan
                 -Appeal to conservatives
                 -Answers to reporters in briefings
                 -Type of job
-Mansfield
    -Safire
           -United Press International [UPI]
                 -Source of information
           -Speechwriter
           -Wider coverage of Mansfield's story
           -Implications
                 -Safire
    -MacGregor
           -Response
    -Coslon
    -MacGregor
           -Response
           -Effect of Safire and UPI on the administration
    -Response
           -Ernest F. (“Fritz”) Hollings
    -Meeting of the Senators
    -Voting position
    -Handling of story by the administration
    -Safire
           -Written story
           -Source of information
                 -Democrat Senator
           -Safire's response
    -Democrats' response
-Administration's position
                                           9

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


Staff
        -Allen Locke
             -Possible appointment
        -Professor of geology
             -Environmentalist
                   -Shepard
             -Position on advisory council
             -Domestic Council
                   -Speech for the President
                   -Shepard's article
                         -Response to administration
                              -Statistics
                              -Government reporting
                              -Misinterpretation
        -John C. Whitaker

The environment
     -Pollution
           -Birds
           -Mockingbirds
     -Shepard
     -Whitaker
     -Position paper
     -Reconciliation of facts
     -Paper
           -Resolution
     -Ehrlichman

Foreign affairs
     -White House announcements
           -Ronald L. Ziegler
           -Japan
                -Terms
                      -Overseas customer
                            -Semantics
                      -Comparison to Canada
                            -Size
           -US foreign relations
           -Overseas customer

Press relations
                                         10

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


     -Winchester's handling of astronaut news story
     -Safire
     -Buchanan
     -Safire
           -Type of work
           -Support for the President

Raymond K. Price, Jr.
     -Work on speech series
          -Projected completion
          -Subjects
                 -Busing
The President's trip to Detroit
     -Busing question
          -Regional appeal of issues
          -Pontiac, Michigan

Speeches
     -Issues
           -The position of the US in the world
                -Isolationism
     -Use of quotes from the President's speeches by Cabinet officials
           -Buchanan
           -John A. Scali, Price
     -Speechwriters
           -Effect of speech
                -Congressmen
                -Senators
           -Effectiveness of speeches
                -Congressmen
                -Senators
                -Buchanan
                       -Economy issue
           -The President's speech
                -Effect on Capitol Hill

Administration's response to the Democrats
    -Colson
    -Vice President Agnew's role
          -Governors' Conference
          -Revenue sharing
                                            11

                         NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. 10/06)
                                                                   Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


               -Democrats
          -Defense issues
               -Right wing
                     -Buchanan
                     -Senate

     Television
          -Independent group of television station owners
          -Accuracy in news reporting
                -Monitoring system
                -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] affiliate
                -American Broadcasting Company [ABC], National Broadcasting Corporation
                     [NBC]
                -Use of data from Edith Efron's book
                -Network officials
                -Counteraction
                     -Forthcoming 1972 presidential system
                     -Handling of bias issue

     Democrats
         -Handling of issues
               -Military draft
               -Obstruction
               -Partisanship
                     -Foreign policy
                          -Vietnam war
                                -Peace efforts
                                -Draft
                     -The economy and the wage and price freeze
               -Support for the President

     The President's schedule
          -Trip to Camp Hoover
                -Comparison to Camp David trip
                -Length
                -Time
                -Flight pattern
                -Dinner

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:18 am.
                                             12

                            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. 10/06)
                                                                       Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


     Kissinger's schedule

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:03 am.

     The President's schedule
          -Camp Hoover
               -Feasibility of using facility
               -Cabin
               -Dining room
               -Winter season
               -Spring season
               -Manolo Sanchez, King Timahoe

     Scheduling
          -Press conferences and speeches
          -Role of the President
                -Public appearances and meetings
                     -Comparison to Connally
          -Press conferences
          -Use of the President's time
                -Leadership projection
                     -The President's role
                -Buchanan
                -Appearances
                     -Number
                            -In Washington, DC
                            -Out of Washington, DC
                                 -Nebraska, New Hampshire
                                 -Cow Palace
                            -Possible impact
                -Types of speeches
                     -Iowa
                     -Texas
          -Projection of leadership qualities
                -Press conference
                     -Effectiveness
                            -Speeches
                                 -Comparisons on effectiveness and time spent on preparation
                            -Wording
                                 -Effect compared with prepared speech
          -Radio talks
                                               13

                           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)



Kissinger entered at 9:52 am.

     Press briefing
           -Scali
                 -Associated Press [AP], UPI

     Vietnam
          -Public relations
                -Impact
                -Speculation
          -Policy
                -The President
                      -George S. McGovern
                -Timing and method of withdrawal
                -Troop withdrawal
                      -Timing
          -Strategy
                -Plan
                      -Goal
                      -South Vietnam
                            -Retention of government
                            -Return of Prisoner of War [POWs]
                      -Responsibillity of the President's opponents
                      -McGovern's comments on ceasefire
          -Negotiations
                -North Vietnam position
                      -Nguyen Van Thieu
                -Strategy
                -Flexibility
                -Time duration
                -Forthcoming US Presidential election
                      -Effect on negotiations
                      -Post North Vietnamese action
                -Strategy


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Privacy]
                                               14

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. 10/06)
                                                                         Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


[Duration: 3s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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


          - Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
                -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
                -North Vietnam
                -Artillery action
                      -Target
                      -The President’s instructions
                            -Statement
                            -Timing
                -Armed forces
                      -North Vietnam action
          -US military action
                -Melvin R. Laird
                -DMZ
          -Negotiations
                -US position
          -Target
                -Dong Hoi
          -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                -Forthcoming trip
                      -Time
          -Military action
                -The President’s instructions
                -Public relations
                      -Handling
                            -Violations
                            -DMZ

     Press conference, September 16, 1971
           -The new economic policy
                -The President's conversation with Haldeman
                      -Use of quotes from the President's press conferences
           -US image
                -Isolationism
                                           15

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                  Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. 10/06)
                                                            Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


                -International role
     -Partisanship
           -Democrats
                -Agnew
                -Draft
                -Vietnam
                -Reaction
                -Party
                -Press response

Vietnam
     -Withdrawal
     -Ngo Dinh Diem
          -News reporting of the President's comments
     -Diem
     -Thieu
     -The President's response in press conference
          -Follow-up
     -Effect of present stance
          -Press
          -Saigon

Foreign relations
     -US foreign aid
           -Elected foreign leaders
                 -Manner of attaining office
                      -Statistics
                            -Percentages
                      -Parliamentary governments

Environmental issues
     -Birds

Kissinger's press briefing
     -Stewart M. Hensley
           -Vietnam issue
                 -Administration strategy
                        -The President's position
                             -Opponents

Schedule
                                              16

                              NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. 10/06)
                                                                      Conv. No. 574-3 (cont.)


           -Maurice H. Stans

Kissinger left at 10:03 am.

     Stans's forthcoming meeting with the President
          -Minority Business Enterprise
          -Fundraising dinners

     Meeting with Safire
          -Use of quotes from presidential statements

Haldeman left at 10:03 am.