Conversation: 579-003
Prev: 579-002 Next: 579-004Start Date: 28-Sep-1971 12:04 PM
End Date: 28-Sep-1971 1:40 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Colson, Charles W.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Kissinger, Henry A.;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 00:36:27
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:09:21
NARA Description:
On September 28, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles W. Colson, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:04 pm to 1:40 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 579-003 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 579-3
Date: September 28, 1971
Time: 12:04 pm - 1:40 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Charles W. Colson.
The President's previous trip to northwest United States
The President left and returned at an unknown time before 12:15 pm.
Public coverage of the President
-Amount
-Comparison
-Announcement of trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Newspapers
-Date
-Leads from television
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Detroit Economic Club
-Impact from the President's appearance
-Crowds
US economic policy
-Stock market
-Aberrations
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Points
-Atmosphere in US
-Announcement of Phase II
-Business
-Labor
-Cooperation of labor
-Labor practices
-Controls
-Profits
-Prices
-Businessmen
-Colson's conversations, September 27, 1971
-Flow of money
-Amount
-Cash reserves
-Buying
-Consumer confidence survey
-Actual reflections of consumer buying
-Albert E. Sindlinger survey
-Unknown survey
-Variable numbers
-Time magazine
-News story
-Board of economic advisors
-Estimate of Gross National Product [GNP] for 1972
-Amount of growth
-Walter W. Heller
-Otto Eckstein
-Alan Greenspan
-Effect on stock market
-Stock market
-Effect of the President's Detroit Economic Club speech
-Predictions compared to unpredictability
-Figures
-Phase II
-Certainty compared to uncertainty
-Herbert Stein's economic statement for the President
-Labor
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Meeting between George P. Shultz and Colson
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-George Meany
-Reactions from public
-American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations
[AFL-CIO]
-Political following of the President
-Leonard Woodcock
-[Joseph] Lane Kirkland
-Organization support in election
-Comparison to amount of money for support
-Votes
-1968 campaign
-Humphrey
-Votes
-Louis P. Harris's views
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 12:15 pm.
Funeral for Justice Hugo L. Black
-The President's attendance
-John N. Mitchell's suggestion
-Chief Justice [Warren E. Burger]
-Justice John M. Harlan
-Justice Thurgood Marshall
-Location
-Memorial service
-Purpose
-Winston L. Prouty's funeral
-Atmosphere
-Respect for Court
-Politics
-The President's relationship with the Court
-Politics
-The President's attendance or non-attendance
-Possible effect
-Television coverage
-Effect
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell's suggestion
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Funeral attendance
-The President's relationship with Justice Black
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Black's views of the President's administration
-Ku Klux Klan
-The President's schedule
-Meeting with the President of the Organization of African Unity and five
African prime ministers
-Delay of meeting
-Possible impact
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell
-Respect for the Supreme Court
-Lawyers
-Colson
-Leonard Garment
-Richard A. Moore
-Ehrlichman
-Possible appointment of liberal judge
-Ehrlichman
-Garment
-Moore
-Mitchell
Supreme Court
-Appointments
-Supreme Court Justices
-William J. Brennan
-Type of service
-Marshall
-Byron R. (“Whizzer”) White
-Rhodes scholar
-Potter Stewart
-Type of service
-Abe Fortas
-Black
-Harlan
-Black
-Fortas
-Earl Warren
-Burger
-Backgrounds
-Burger
-Poff
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Black
Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Secret Service
-The President's seat at church
-Public display
-Reasons
-Mitchell
-The President's seat at church
-Ehrlichman
-Public display
-Secret Service
Secret Service protection
-Secret Service position stations for limousine
-Appearance
-The President's instructions to Robert Taylor
-The President's previous trip to Alaska
-Secret Service agent
-Injury
-Consequences
-Crowds' belief
-Protection of the President
-Secret Service agents as shooting targets
-The President as target
Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Informing press corps
-Decision
-Timing
-Advance man
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Exploitation of funerals
-Press coverage
-The President's funeral
-The President's strategy
-Ziegler
-Preparations
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Timing
-Mitchell
-Length of attendance
Supreme Court
-Harlan
-Funerals
-Prouty's funeral
-Ages
-The President's attendance
US economic policies
-Haldeman's conversation with John B. Connally
-Meeting
-Accomplishments
-Japan
-Negotiation
The President’s schedule
-Proposed meeting between the President and Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
-Connally’s conversation with Burns
-The President's forthcoming meeting with Schweitzer
-Length
-Reception for International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Connally's presence
-Burns's presence
-Other people in attendance
-Presence of Burns and Connally
-Length of meeting
-Reception of IMF
Time
-The President's meeting with Andrei A. Gromyko
-Time
-IMF
-Reception
-The President's statement
-Preparation
-Time
-Meeting with Gromyko
-Meeting with Manlio Brosio
-Medal of Freedom ceremony
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Preparation of statement for IMF reception
-Timing
-Meeting with Brosio
-Reception by the President of IMF
-Time
-The President's meeting with Gromyko
-Time
-Preparation of statement for IMF
-Time
-Meeting with Brosio
-Time
-The President's meeting with Gromyko
-Preparation
-IMF reception
-Time
-Meeting with Gromyko
Haldeman left at 12:30 pm.
Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Health of others
-Harlan
-Marshall
-William O. Douglas
-Harlan's funeral
-American Bar Association [ABA]
-American Medical Association [AMA]
Funerals
-Living person
-Letters
-Communication
-Family members
-Colson's attendance at Prouty funeral
Supreme Court
-Appointments
-Confirmation
Michael J. Mansfield amendment
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Time duration
-Politics
-[Agnew's] response
Vietnam
-Mansfield
-Political abilities
-Mansfield amendment
-House of Representatives
-Vietnam War
-Democrats responsibility
-End of war
-Effect on the President
-Colson's attendance at dinner party
-Clark MacGregor
-Carl B. Albert
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mansfield amendment
-Impact
-Constituents
-Type of issue
-Effect on Capitol Hill colleagues
-Draft bill
-Debate
-Authorization bill
-Delay
-MacGregor
-Anti-war issue
-Elections
-Press coverage
-Public apathy
-Colson's conversation with Louis P. Harris
-Trip to the Soviet Union
-Vietnam War
-End of war
-Prisoner of War [POW] issue
-POW wives
-Elections
-Mansfield amendment
-Military Procurement Bill
-Senate
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Effect on House
-Vote on conferees
-Delay of vote
-Senate
-Albert
-Support of the President
US economic policy
-Activity on Capitol Hill
-Trend of economy
-Prime rate
-Inflation
-Employment
-Growth rate
-Effect on buying trends
-Unemployment
-New York figures
-Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] figures
-Correspondence with Colson
-Annual federal figures
-New York
-California
-Illinois
-Ohio
-Pennsylvania
-Types of figures
-Seasonal
-Monthly
-BLS
-Employee
-Conversation with Colson
-Figures to reflect administration's desires
-Commerce Department
-Head of "Presidential Commission on Statistics"
-Credentials
-W. Allen Wallis
-University of Pittsburgh
-Geoffrey H. Moore
-Burns
-Employees
-Jewish
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Democrats
-Answering Colson's questions
-Trend of economics
-Media coverage
-Economic reports
-Type of reports
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Retail sales
-August 15, 1971
-Available money
-Spending money
-Spending activity
-Harold C. Passer
-Report on retail sales
-September 1, 1971
-The President's statement on August 15, 1971
-Sindlinger
-Impact
-Retail sales
-Louis Harris series
-Reaction to economy
-Economic trend
-Harris
-Public attitude
-Politicians
-Recovery of economy
-Milton Friedman's views
-Recession
-Public statement on economy by Jackson
-Humphrey
-Economic trend
-Response by administration officials
-Vietnam casualties
-George Romney
-Speech
-Maurice H. Stans
-Press conference
-Media response to the President's ending Vietnam War
-Reactions to administration's statement
-Lack of coverage
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
Press relations
-The President's statements
-Reaction of press
-Foreign policies
-Peace and war prosperity
-Prosperity without war
-Democrats
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Speeches for administration
-Out of town location
-Denver, Colorado
-Coverage
-Comparison to Washington, DC
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
Henry A. Kissinger's schedule
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm.
Public affairs
-Leonard Bernstein's Mass
-The President's appearance
-News coverage
-Editorials in Catholic Standard
-Daniel and Philip Barrigan
-Angela Davis
-Patrick J. Buchanan's possible statement
-Catholic Standard's comments
-The President's relations with Catholics
-Knights of Columbus
-Administration's position
-Knights of Columbus speech
-Terence Cardinal Cooke
-Brochure
-The President's remarks
-Catholic community
Polls
-Harris poll
-Public attitude toward government
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Election campaign
Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm.
Polls
-Harris
-Support for the President
-Current times
-Minority support
-Public attitude
-Impact
-The President's trips around US
-Type of crowds
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 29s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
Race relations
-Busing
-Constitutional amendment
-Administration's position
-Unknown Michigan judge
-De facto segregation
-Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
-Busing
-Robert P. Griffin
-Boston, Massachusetts
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Integration
-Blacks
-Schools and colleges
-Housing
-Slow procedure
-Irish Americans
-John A. Mulcahey
-Italians
-Stratification of white society
-Elmer H. Bobst
-Human nature
-Forcing issue
-Results
-Prohibition
-Comparison to busing
-Human nature
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m 1s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with President of Mauritania
-Africa
US economic policy
-Citizens committee
-Washington Post
-Support
-Money
Kissinger entered at 1:04 pm.
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
Vietnam
-Politics
-Mansfield amendment
-House of Representatives
-Head count
-Conferees
-Impact on administration
-MacGregor
-Deadlines
-House of Representatives incentive
-Capitol Hill
-Members of the House supporting the President's policies
-Deadline
-Vietnam and China
-Democrats
-Republicans
-Number
-Relationship with the President
-Election
-Albert
-Conferees
-Mansfield amendment
-Possible consequence of passage
-End of war
-Congressional action
-Facts compared to allegations
-Effect actions on Capitol Hill have on negotiations
-The President's conversation with Mansfield
-Success of ending the war
-Question of who did it
-Credit for the President for ending the war
-Democrat party caucus
-Administration's response to opponents
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Administration's options
-F. Edward Hebert
-Albert
-Type of vote
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Effect on negotiations
-Matter of timing
-Mansfield amendment
-Troop withdrawal from Vietnam
-Politics
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 1:10 pm.
Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Motorcade with Mitchell
-Time
-Departure
-Press coverage
Haldeman left at 1:12 pm.
Vietnam
-Mansfield amendment and effect on Vietnam negotiations
-Filibuster of Defense Procurement Act
-Cut back on military programs
-Deadline
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Previous results
-House of Representatives
-Possible reaction by Hanoi
-Resolution
-Deadline
-Delay of bill
-Date of next troop withdrawal announcement by the President
-Politics
-Negotiations
-The President's conversation with Mansfield
-Negotiations
-Possible damage by Mansfield amendment
-Republicans
-House of Representatives
-Kissinger's conversation with POW wives
-The President's efforts in Vietnam
-Effect on Democrats
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Mansfield
-Albert
-Hebert
-Southerners' patriotism
-Support for the President
-Negotiations between US and Vietnam
-Congress
-Money
-Mansfield amendment
-Possible modification
-Voting
-Results
-Negotiations
-Effort by the administration
-Record
-Effect
-Comparison to the President’s August 15, 1971 speech
-Credit
-POWs
-Amendment
-Kissinger's knowledge
-POWs
-Number of remaining troops in Vietnam
-Negotiating strategy
-Bombings
-Negotiations
-Mansfield Amendment
-Delay
-Compromising
-Effect on US position
-Draft bill
-Hebert
-Support for administration
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] announcement
-Hebert
-House of Representatives
-Support for the Administration
-Military Procurement bill
-Hebert
-Instructions
-House of Representatives
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Hebert
-Committees
-Possible veto
-Change of language
-Delay
-Filibuster
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Timing
-US interests
-US history
-Troop withdrawal
-Timing of vote
-Election in South Vietnam
Colson left at 1:22 pm.
The President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Moktar Ould Daddah
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National Security]
[Duration: 36s ]
-AFRICA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
**********************************************************************
US foreign policy
-State Department area desks
-Africa
-Latin America
-Gromyko meeting
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Kissinger's memorandum
Mansfield amendment
-Ford's conversation with Colson
-MacGregor
-Statement at Godfrey Sperling's breakfast
-Possible November 15, 1971 announcement of US withdrawal
-Colson
-Support for the President
-Congress
-Responsibility
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger, September 27, 1971
-Announcement of next troop withdrawal
-October 5, and 12, 1971
-Effect
The President's schedule
-Haldeman
-Accidental War Agreement signing
-Gromyko
-Press coverage
-Foreign policy leadership
Accidental War Agreement
-Press coverage
-Gerard Smith
-Conversation with Kissinger
-New York Times
-Smith's reaction
-Kissinger’s reaction
-Significance of agreement
-Compared to accomplishments of John F. Kennedy
-Possible motivation
-Kissinger’s view
-News summaries
-Reactions
-Questions to the President
-Detroit, Portland
-President’s schedule
-Possible attendance at signing
-Effect on Soviet Union and PRC
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-PRC announcement
-Announcement on Accidental War Agreement
-Backgrounder
-Smith
Vietnam
-Plan
-Paris
-Timing
-PRC announcement
-Soviet announcement
-Letter or note to North Vietnamese
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Possible resignation
-Election
-Negotiations
-Response by North Vietnamese
-Speculation
-Public announcement
-Date
-Thieu
-Election
-Gromyko's forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
-Middle East
-Kissinger's schedule
-Moscow
-Comment prior to the President's forthcoming November 15, 1971
announcement
-Troop levels
-Ground combat
-"Vietnamization"
-"Vietnamization"
-Timing of announcement
-POWs
-Residual forces
-Possible announcement in January 1972
-The President's forthcoming November 15, 1971 announcement
-Impact
-Congress
-Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Trip to Vietnam
-Preparation by administration
-Critics of the President's policy
-US position
-Negotiation
-Rogers and Laird
-Possible leaks
-Knowledge
-Forthcoming announcement, November 15, 1971
-PRC announcement
-Message from US to PRC
Soviet Union
-Position in regards to US
-Possible implications of spy scandal in Great Britain
-Seriousness
Mansfield amendment
-Effects of Congress on foreign negotiations
-Supreme Court nominees
-Mitchell
-Congress
-Congress
-Supreme Court nominees
-Delays
-Responsibility
-Kissinger’s view
South Vietnam
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.'s trip
-Status
-The President’s press conference
-Timing
The President's schedule
-Meeting with President Daddah of Mauritania
-Kissinger’s possible attendance
-Duration of meeting
-French language
Haldeman entered at an unknown time before 1:35 pm.
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
**************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National Security]
[Duration: 4s ]
AFRICA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
**************************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-African ambassadors form the organization of African unity
-Number
-Duration of meeting
-African ambassadors
-Participation in meetings
-Time duration
-Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell
-Martha Mitchell
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Mrs. Black
-Bill signing
-Delay
-Photographs
-“Big Four” Congressman
Kissinger left at 1:35 pm.
US politics and foreign relations
-Colson
-MacGregor
-Conversation about the President's position
-Kissinger
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)
-Speculation
-The President's forthcoming announcement, November 15, 1971
-Actual response to questions on announcement
-Kissinger
Funeral for Justice Black
-Wire services
-Public announcement
-The President's schedule
-Attendance at funeral
-Funerals and religious services
-Exploitation
Haldeman left at 1:40 pm.