Conversation: 632-011
Prev: 632-010 Next: 632-012Start Date: Wednesday, December 8, 1971 4:14 PM
End Date: Wednesday, December 8, 1971 5:30 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Butterfield, Alexander P.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:43:00
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:56:02
NARA Description:
On December 8, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:14 am and 12:30 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 632-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 632-11
Date: December 8, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:14 am and 12:30 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President's talk with George H.W. Bush
-Bush
-Press conference
-New York Times
-[India]
-United Nations [UN]
-Aggression
-Democracy
-Dictatorship
-Other countries
-Possible US assistance
-Use of force
The President's recent talk with John B. Connally
-Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Forthcoming veto
-Controversial issues
Bush and Connally
-Praise from the President
-Henry A. Kissinger
Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] Christmas special
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s schedule
-Memphis, Tennessee
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Television special
-Time change
Republican youth voting registration drive
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Request to be honorary chairman
-Political figure compared to member of the First Family
-Television appearances
-Limits in the future
-Difficulties
-Separating political figure from family figure
National Broadcasting Company [NBC] program
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-John A. Scali
-Timing
-Length
-60 minutes compared to 90
-Use of film
-Possible ratings for program
-Possible public reaction to program
-Compared to [Tricia Nixon Cox’s] wedding
-John W. Chancellor interview
-Value of program
Television
-Talk shows
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Tour of the White House
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC] show
-President’s opinion of show
-Barbara Walters
-Douglas L. Hallett
-One-on-one
-Feasibility
-Audience
-Public opinion
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Probable public reaction
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-Accuracy of NBC program
-The President’s schedule
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 14s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
-Birthday calls
-Number
-[Gary Washington]
-Athlete
-Five women generals
-Meetings
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Kissinger
-King Timahoe
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 26s ]
CANADA
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
Polls
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 11:27 am.
Press briefing
-Timing
The President's talk with Bush
-UN vote on India-Pakistan
-Result of vote
-Anti-aggression
-Bush’s report
-Democracy comparison
-Size of country
-India compared to Pakistan
-Aggression
-Type and size of government of a country
-Justification for aggression
-UN General Assembly vote
-Vietnam comparison
-Bush’s previous conversation with the President
-India’s size
-The “Establishment”
-India’s democracy compared to Pakistan’s dictatorship
-Kissinger’s backgrounder
-Bush’s analysis of UN vote
-US position on aggression
-US overwhelmingly on side of world opinion
OEO legislation
Pension legislation
-Vesting rights
Brussels announcement
-Robert Strausz-Hupe nomination
-US Ambassador to Belgium
-Unknown person
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
Forthcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] meeting
-David M. Kennedy
-Location
-William P. Rogers
-Announcement
-Timing
Forthcoming trip to the Azores, December 12, 1971
-Accommodations
-Number of rooms
-French press accommodations
-Transportation
-Supersonic transport [SST]
-Types of airplanes
-French
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-President offers congratulations to Pompidou and the French
Ziegler left at 11:35 am.
Ziegler
-Difficulty of Ziegler’s job
Scali
-Briefings
-Possible performance
Kissinger
-John Kenneth Galbraith dinner
-Importance
-Paris diplomatic group
-Possible failure
-Vietnam negotiations
-Le Duc Tho
-Blow to Kissinger
-Assessment of blame
-Congress
-Ziegler
-Rogers
-Cambodia
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-California
-State of the world
-Kissinger’s staff
-Responsibility
-US
-Biafra
-State Department
-Rogers
-Neutral stance
-Charles E. Goodell
-US position
-Haldeman's talk with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Nelson A. Rockefeller
Haig
-Trust
White House staff
Kissinger
-Negotiating skills
-Communiqué
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Future programs
-Networks
-Democrats
Press conference
-Timing
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Offering insights on the Presidency
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 26s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
**********************************************************************
Kissinger
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Plan on how to deal with Kissinger
-Haig
-PRC and USSR trips
-Kissinger’s possible attendance
-Possible resignation
-Rogers
-PRC trip
-USSR trip
-The President
-Request for Kissinger’s attendance during trips
-Rogers
-Connally
-Possible job performance
-Confidence
-Compared to Rogers
-Rogers
-Vietnam
-Troop withdrawals
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 11:35 am.
The President's schedule
-John W. McCormack
-Location
Butterfield left at an unknown time before 12:30 pm.
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
Official dinners
-Time of year
-Supreme Court
-Congress and the Vice President [Spiro T. Agnew]
-Cabinet
-Clifford M. Hardin
-Maurice H. Stans
-Timing
-Walter J. Hickel
-Honoring retired members
-Supreme Court
-Conservatives
-Votes
-Lawyer votes
-Understanding
-Press coverage
-Mrs. William O. Douglas
-State dinner
-Mrs. Emilio Garrastazu Médici and daughter
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 10s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
**********************************************************************
Dinners
-James Earl Jones [?]
-Mike Royco [?]
-Attendance
-Rose Mary Woods
-Invitations
-Difficulties in arranging dinners
-Diplomatic
-Ambassadors
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-Benefits of dinners to the President
-Contributors
-Dinner attendees
-Meaning
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 7m 5s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
**********************************************************************
India-Pakistan situation
-UN vote
-Importance of vote
-Communist countries
-Bush
-Kissinger’s plan
-USSR
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Indira Gandhi
-Possible US course of action
-Potential aid cut-off
Public relations
-Sports-celebrity rally
-Poll data
-Drug issue
-Importance to America
-Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe
-Salute to Hollywood
-Opera
-Leonard Garment
-Nancy Hanks
-Music
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-Entertainment at White House
-Violinist at White House, December 17, 1971
-Itzhak Perlman
-Compared to Isaac Stern
-Health
Dinners
-Salute to Hollywood and sports rally
-Supreme Court
-Swearing-in ceremonies
-Chief Justice
-New Associate Justices
-Protocol
Peter G. Peterson
-Secretary of Commerce
-Chief Executive Officer
-The President’s possible staff reorganization
Maurice H. Stans
-Trip to USSR [?]
John N. Mitchell
Kissinger
-Appearance on “A Day in the Life of the President”
-Feelings
-Rogers
-Diplomatic wires
-Backgrounder
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Possible outcome
-PRC and USSR trips
-Kissinger’s skill as a negotiator
-Middle East
-Job stresses and performance
The President's schedule
-Azores
-Distance
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-Florida
-Washington, DC
-Latitude
-Press conferences
-Timing
-President’s concern
-Types of press conferences
-Duration of visit
-Christmas decorations
-Invitation to the press
-Press corps reception
-Timing
-Number of press at reception
-Briefing
-Press assignments
-Florida
-Azores
-Press
-Mrs. Nixon
-New York
-Decorations
-Timing
-Time magazine interview
-Bermuda to Florida
-Dates
-Christmas
-Proposed work schedule
-Time magazine interview
-Length
-Christmas tree lighting
-Press conference
-Christmas decorations
-Time magazine interview
-Suggested dates
-New York
-Timing
-Scali
-Press
-Questions
-Possible press embargo
-Bermuda
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)
-Vietnam War
-Rogers
-NATO meeting
-December 16 and 17, 1971
-Press corps reception
-Christmas tree lighting
-Bermuda
-Length of trip
-Football games
-Television
-Florida
-Willy Brandt meetings
-Proposed dates
-Press article
-Jerrold L. Schecter
-Separate from Time interview
-Tour of the White House
Haldeman left at 12:30 pm.