Conversation: 574-003
Prev:  574-002 Next: 574-004Start Date: 17-Sep-1971 9:08 AM
End Date: 17-Sep-1971 10:03 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie"); White House operator; [Unknown person(s)]; Stafford, Robert T.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:15:43
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:12:29
NARA Description:
On September 17, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, White House operator, unknown person(s), Robert T. Stafford, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:08 am to 10:03 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 574-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
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 ************************************************************************** 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.