On December 21, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John N. Mitchell met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 5:58 pm and 6:07 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 639-029 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 639-029 Date: December 21, 1971 Time: Unknown between 5:58 pm and 6:07 pm Location: Oval Office The President talked with the White House operator; John N. Mitchell was present at the beginning of the conversation. [See Conversation No. 16-129] Conversation No. 639-030 Date: December 21, 1971 Time: 6:07 pm - 6:59 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with John N. Mitchell. President's schedule -Meeting in Bermuda -Weather -Cooperation -France, West Germany -Public reaction -Edward R.G. Heath -Work involved -Willy Brandt -President's past Christmas plans -Eisaku Sato H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman entered at 6:09 pm. [General conversation] President's schedule -Swearing-in of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist -Timing -Wallace H. Johnson Unknown person -American Broadcasting Company [ABC] The President’s schedule ********************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 06/14/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Personal Returnable] [639-030-w002] [Duration: 6s] John D. Ehrlichman’s comment on the President ********************************************************************** The President’s schedule -Willy Brandt Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] reports -India-Pakistan -Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG] -Egil G. (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr. -David R. Young, Jr. -Henry A. Kissinger -Maturity -Leak -Source -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS] -National Security Council [NSC] -Yeoman Charles E. Radford -Relationship with Anderson -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Experiences in Vietnam -Polygraph -Adm. Robert O. Welander -JCS -Unknown person -Radford -Experience -Polygraph -Question on stolen documents -Administrator -R[embrandt] C. (“Hugh”) Robinson -Welander -Kissinger -Haig -NSC -JCS -Length of activity -Kissinger -Haig -Young -Report -Interrogator -Excision -Department of Defense [DOD] -Haig -Knowledge -Source -Activities -JCS liaison officer -Types -Studies -Young -DOD interrogation -Conversation with Mitchell -Anderson -Radford -Knowledge -Kissinger and North Vietnamese negotiations -Possible court martial -Administration strategy ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 [National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN-T-MDR- 2012-004. Segment exempt per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 05/23/2019. Archivist: DR] [National Security] [639-030-w004] [Duration: 50s] INDIA END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4 ********************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Richard M. Helms -Haig -Call to Ehrlichman -Kissinger -Informed by Ehrlichman -Radford -Access -WSAG meetings -The Pentagon and NSC -Methods used -Phone tap -Possible arrest -JCS liaison office -Location -Executive Office Building [EOB] -NSC -Robinson -Young -DOD -JCS -Prosecution -Strategy proposed -JCS liaison officer -Proposed relocation -Need for security officer -Kissinger -JCS -Transfer of Welander -Transfer of Radford -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer -Possible discussions with Mitchell -Melvin R. Laird -Discipline of Welander, Robinson -Necessity for discipline -Robinson -Cambodia briefing ********************************************************************** [Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and released 06/14/2019.] [Unintelligible] [639-030-w001] [Duration: 30s] Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Military officer -Attempts to acquire intelligence -Charles E. Radford -Robert O. Welander ********************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -JCS -Story -US Naval action in Straits of Malacca, Bay of Bengal -Radford’s relationship with Anderson -Welander -Robinson -Previous knowledge -Radford’s experience -India -Anderson -Anderson -Possible prosecution -Possession of documents -Welander -JCS -Haig -Knowledge -Tour of Vietnam with Radford -Polygraph of Radford -Anderson -Normandy -Parents -Radford -Age -Religious faith -Moorer -Possible transfer -JCS -Kissinger -Anderson columns -Examination -Young -Robinson -Relationship with Radford ************************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/14/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Privacy] [639-030-w008] [Duration: 41s] Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Charles E. Radford -Marital situation -Finances -Second job -Bank account balance -John D. Ehrlichman’s opinion -Jack N. Anderson -Interrogation ************************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Radford -Call to Moorer -Haig -Involvement -People’s Republic of China [PRC] -JCS -Kissinger’s briefcase -NSC staff -Helmut (“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt -Kissinger -Secretaries -Haig -John Negroponte -Richard Smyser -Col. Richard T. Kennedy -Jack D'Arcy [sp?] -[Forename unknown] Murphy -Kennedy -Strategy -Laird -Ehrlichman’s telephone conversation -John Glenn [?] -Gen. [Forename unknown] Percy [?] -Radford -JCS -Possible view of India -Maj. Gen. James D. (“Don”) Hughes's knowledge -Haig ********************************************************************** BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 [National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number LPRN-T-MDR- 2014-033. Segment exempt per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 05/09/2019. Archivist: DR] [National Security] [639-030-w005] [Duration: 26s] INTELLIGENCE END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5 ********************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Use of classified documents -Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. -Involvement -Radford -Moorer -Zumwalt -Mitchell’s forthcoming meeting with Moorer -Mitchell’s view -President's presence -Documents from Kissinger's briefcase -JCS -Robinson -EOB -Welander -Moorer -Radford -Possession of documents -Interrogation -Results -Welander -Kissinger -Haig -Kissinger -Leak -Candidate for NSC Security Officer -Charles Sither -Ability ********************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/14/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Privacy] [639-030-w006] [Duration: 5s] Jack N. Anderson columns -Candidate for NSC Security Officer -Charles Sither -John D. Ehrlichman’s opinion of sexual orientation ********************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Candidate for NSC Security Officer -Charles Sither -John D Ehrlichman’s opinion -The President’s question on conduct ********************************************************************** [Previous PRMPA Privacy (D) reviewed under PRMPA regulations 06/14/2019. Segment cleared for release.] [Privacy] [639-030-w007] [Duration: 4s] Jack N. Anderson columns -Candidate for NSC Security Officer -Charles Sither -John D. Ehrlichman’s opinion of sexual orientation ********************************************************************** Jack N. Anderson columns -Candidate for NSC Security Officer -[First name unknown] Specter[?] -Location -Certification -Hughes -Haig -Kissinger -Radford -Tap -Surveillance -NSC -Welander -Robinson -Possible action taken -Moorer -Strategy -Kissinger -Security -Office -Interrogation -Anderson -Welander -Laird -Election -JCS -Security -Interrogation -Welander knowledge -Haig and Kissinger -Robinson -Involvement -Laird -Meeting with Moorer -Welander -Transfer from EOB -Kissinger's briefcase -Radford -Relationship with JCS -JCS -Other possible activities -Moorer -Lyndon B. Johnson Administration -Recommendations to Mitchell -Strategy -Kissinger -Welander -Possible interrogation -Anderson -Haig -Security officer -Unknown activities -John B. Martin [?] -Welander -Interrogation -Alger Hiss case -Compared to Radford interrogation -Knowledge -Welander interrogation -JCS -Relationship to Kissinger -Strategy -Moorer -Haig -Kissinger The President, Mitchell, Haldeman, and Ehrlichman left at 6:59 pm.
This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.