On February 1, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, John B. Connally, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:05 pm to 5:33 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 663-005 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 663-005
Date: February 1, 1972
Time: 4:05 pm - 5:33 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and John B. Connally.
President’s schedule
Connally schedule
-Testimony
-George P. Shultz
-Reaction
-Taxes
-Pittsburgh trip
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. conference
-Timing
-Testimony
Haldeman left at an unknown time before 5:33 pm.
People’s Republic of China [PRC] and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] trips
-Possible gifts for officials
-George Washington
-Indians
-Medals
-Suggestions by Connally
-PRC and USSR
-Chou En-lai, Mao Tse-tung, Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Gold
Domestic programs
-Congressional relations
-Revenue sharing
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Welfare
-Abraham A. Ribicoff role
-Blind benefits
-Political impact
-Social Security
-Political benefits
-Welfare
-Unemployment
-Public opinion
-Government reorganization
-Polls
-Timing
-Re-election of the President
-Congressional leadership
-Mills
-John W. Byrnes, Keith Sebelius, Frank T. Bow
-Byrnes
-Ways and Means Committee
-Al Ullman
-James A. Burke
-Unknown person
-Dan Rostenkowski
-Charles A. Vanik
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[663-005-w001]
[Duration: 7m 36s]
1972 election
-Realignment of US political parties
-Harry F. Byrd Jr.
-Example of realignment
-Democratic Party
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Potential nomination
-Potential adoption of centrist positions post-nomination
-Arizona and Iowa caucuses
-Strategy
-Potential move to left
-As opposed to moving to center
-George S. McGovern
-Polls
-Southern states
-Response to candidacy of George C. Wallace
-Attempts to win Northern states rather than Southern states
-Compared to previous Republican Party strategy
-Potential impact on Democratic campaign in South
-Georgia
-Alabama
-Texas
-Border states
-Potential candidacy as a Democrat
-Voters
-Southern states
-Mountain states
-Farm states
-California
-New York
-Ohio
-Common bonds with President
-As compared to Edmund S. Muskie
-As compared to Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-John C. Stennis
-Commonalities with Democratic Party
-Commonalities with Republican Party
-Democratic Party
-President’s opinion
-Strength of left-wing
-Rules Committee for 1972 convention
-Southern Democrats
-[first name unknown] Davies
-Medicare
-[first name unknown] Callaghan
-Reform rules
-Control over 1972 convention delegations
-Rules
-Equal representation
-Primaries
-Delegate selection
-Makeup of delegates
-Gender and racial diversity
-Flexibility of rules
US Congress
-Need for reorganization
-Democratic members
-President’s view
-John B. Connally’s view
******************************************************************************
Connally’s conversation with Pittsburgh businessmen, January 31, 1972
-National Association of Manufacturer [NAM]
-US Chambers of Commerce
-Labor leaders
-George Meany
-Unknown person
-Unknown bankers
-John D. Harper, Bob Dorsey
-Connally’s schedule
-Reception
Conservative compared to liberal philosophies
-Connally’s opinion
-Uniformity
-Labels
-Radicals
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[663-005-w002]
[Duration: 5m 40s]
1972 election
-Democratic Party
-1972 Democratic Party convention
-Forces operating within
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Potential nomination
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-View of John B. Connally
-Attempts to deny nomination to Edmund S. Muskie
-President
-George S. McGovern
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Opposition to Edmund S. Muskie
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Attitude towards Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-News coverage
-Prominence of Kennedy family
-American Sportsman
-Magazine stories covering Kennedy family
-Ethel (Skakel) Kennedy
-Robert F. (“Bobby”) Kennedy
-Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Rose F. Kennedy
-Attempts to influence Democratic Party nomination
-Strategy to get Democratic Party nomination for president
-Chappaquiddick
-Plans prior to 1972 Democratic Party convention
-Risks of strategy
-Potential makeup of 1972 Democratic Party convention
-1968 Democratic Party convention
-Texas delegation
-View of John B. Connally
-Populist nature
-Black delegates
-As compared to Michigan delegation
-As compared to New York delegation
-As compared to California delegation
-Participation of labor activists and labor groups
-Diverse makeup of delegation
-Men
-Women
-Mexicans
-Blacks
-Contested seating of delegation
-Potential of walking out from 1972 Democratic Party convention
-Eugene J. McCarthy
-State delegations to 1968 Democratic Party convention
-Colorado
-View of John B. Connally
-Compared to delegations from other states
-Wyoming
-New York
-Connecticut
-Delegations to 1968 Republican convention
-New York
-Jewish makeup of delegation
-President’s view
-John B. Connally’s view
Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 4:31 pm.
Ronald L.Ziegler
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Interest in discussing welfare reform with President
******************************************************************************
Press announcement
-Welfare reform
-Meeting with governors
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Daniel J. Evans
-President’s instruction to Ziegler
-Trial cases
-Common ground with Congress
-Reagan
-California, New York
-Ribicoff proposal
Ziegler left at 4:34 pm.
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[663-005-w003]
[Duration: 5m 16s]
Domestic politics
-John B. Connally suggestions
-February through March 1972
-Republican members of US Congress
-Importance of keeping in check
-Wives
-One-on-one meetings
-Presence of Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Photographers
-Potential benefits to President
-President’s response to suggestion
-Potential scheduling of meetings
-After President’s People’s Republic of China [PRC] visit
-Proximity to 1972 election campaign
-Suggestions for President
-Democrats in Congress
-One-on-one meetings
-Cabinet undersecretaries
-Assistant secretaries
-Aides
-Lower-echelon staffers
-Wives
-Description of undersecretary-level officials
-Potential receptions
-Meeting with general counsel of Treasury Department
-Week of January 24, 1972
-Church attendance
-Interaction with unnamed individual
-Individual’s respect for Claudia A. (Taylor) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
-Individual’s wife
-Dislike for Lyndon B. Johnson
-Home portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson
Remaining length of President’s meeting with John B. Connally
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Federal funding of campaigns
-Possible legislation
-Timing
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC] compared to networks
-Congressional action
-Long term solution
-Use of network time
-Prime time schedules
-Advantages
-Nationalization
-Great Britain
******************************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[663-005-w004]
[Duration: 4m 1s]
1972 campaign
-Importance of establishing political machine
-John B. Connally’s interaction at Democratic National Committee [DNC]
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] program
-Democratic Party
-Thomas F. Eagleton
-Issue of equal time given to coverage of presidential campaigns
-Involvement of Bill Monroe
-State of the Union coverage
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] program
-Robert S. Strauss
-Lawrence F. O’Brien Jr.
-Birch E. Bayh Jr.
-Wendell R. Anderson
-Patricia Harris
-Mary Lou Gallagher[?]
-John B. Connally’s opinion of program
-Divisive nature of program
-Description of Democratic Party officials appearing on program
-Democratic Party identification with the poor
-Racial issues
-Presentation of Republican viewpoint
-Economic class
-Potential 1972 campaign issue
-Reform
-Democratic Party criticisms of Republican Party
-Described by John B. Connally
-Republican Party approach to wealthy Americans
-Compared to approach to poor Americans
-Importance of point person to answer criticisms
-Robert J. Dole
-Republican Party chairmen
-President’s analysis
-Distinguishing between campaign operator
-Compared to campaign spokesman
-John N. Mitchell
-Leaving February 15, 1972
-Position of campaign manager
-Description of Robert J. Dole
-John B. Connally
-Need for spokesmen for President’s re-election campaign
-Inside and outside US Congress
-Governors
Democratic Party criticisms of Republican Party
-Economic policies of Herbert C. Hoover
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Domestic politics
-Criticism of President
-Bob Eckhart
-Ways and Means Commission
-Unemployment charts
-Republican administrations compared to Democratic ones
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-John F. Kennedy
-Harry S Truman
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Comparisons
-War economy
-Barber B. Conable, Jr.
-World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War
-Care for people
-Wealthy members of President’s administration
-Red Smith article
-Aerospace industry
-Rich compared to poor
-Possible friction from the public
-Wage criticism
-John N. Mitchell
-Maurice H. Stans
-Reagan
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Possible role
-Congressional feeling
-Robert J. Dole
-Hugh Scott
-Gerald R. Ford
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Spokesmen for President’s view
-Vietnam
-Appearances
-John V. Lindsay
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Reagan
-Support for the President
-Opposition efforts
-Welfare, People’s Republic of China [PRC], class hatred
-Connally
-Goldwater
-Television presence
-The President’s forthcoming trip to the PRC
-Class distinctions
Economy
-International monetary conditions
-Status
-Gold bill
-European Economic Community [EEC] view
-Connally’s previous conversation with unknown person
-Canada
-Canada
-Cabinet
-Forthcoming election
-US efforts
-Possible statement
-Progress
-Pierre E. Trudeau
-View of negotiations
-US public opinion
-State and Commerce Departments
-Excise taxes
-Budget deficit
-World War II
-Alternatives
-Congress
-Amount of taxes
-Stagnation
-Economic stimulus
-Jobs
-1968 economy
-Inflation
-Unemployment
-Productivity Commission
-Public relations
-Connally’s meetings in Pittsburgh
-Wage and price controls
-Alternative
-Inflation
-US steel
-Japan, West Germany
-Productivity Commission
-Importance
-Haldeman
-Possible speech
-Possible material for speechwriters
-Connally
-Transcripts
-Class distinctions
-International monetary conditions
-Suspension of convertibility
-Complexity of issue
-Europe
-Arthur F. Burns
-Europe
-US economic growth
-Great Britain, France, Japan
-The President’s August 15, 1971 speech
-Burns
-Recommended call to James Dewey Daane
-Wage and price controls
-Trade
-Connally’s testimony
-Memorandum from Peter M. Flanigan
-Peter G. Peterson
-Confirmation as Secretary of Commerce
-Testimony
-Timing
-William D. Eberle
-Previous conversation with Connally
-Flanigan
-Gold
-Surcharge
-Connally’s previous with Eberle
-State Department
-Peterson
-Testimony
-Negotiations with Canada
-Treasury Department
-EEC
-Commerce Department
-Concerns
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[Previous archivists categorized this section as unintelligible. It has been rereviewed and
released 02/27/2019.]
[Unintelligible]
[663-005-w008]
[Duration: 17s]
Economy
-Trade
-William D. Eberle
-President’s concerns
-Ultra-liberal stance
-Tariffs
-Similarity to Dwight A. Ink[?]
-President’s opinion
**************************************************************************
Economy
-President’s concerns
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Eberle
-John Meyer
-Possible appointment of businessman
-Tariffs
-Concern
-Burns’s involvement
-Quadriad
-The President’s previous meeting with unknown people
-Lack of business input
-State of the economy
-Criticism
-Money supply
-Banking
-Long term rates
-Reduction
-Inflation
-Treasury bonds
-Interest
-Long-term rates
-Long term bonds
-Percentage
-Big business and bankers
-Budget
-Investment tax credit
-Wage and price controls
-1963-69 trends
-Effect
-Competition
-Intimidation by statistics
-Retail sales
-Refusal to get too high or too low
-Connally view on the economy
-Unemployment
-Campaign issue
-Percentage over the last few years
-Movement of inflation indicators
-Effect on public
-Haves compared to have nots
-PRC, USSR
-Possible trade bloc
-Latin America
-Flanigan, Peterson
-Style
-President’s opinion
Personnel
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Understanding of people
-Personal styles
-Communication skills
Appointments
-Justice Department
-Connally’s talk with Mitchell
-Commerce Department
-Peterson
-Bureaucracy
Government reorganization
-1972 election
-November 7, 1972
-1968
-Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW]
-Treasury Department
-Justice Department
-State Department
PRC trip
-1968
USSR trip
-Timing
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[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 02/27/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[663-005-w007]
[Duration: 6m 2s]
President’s schedule
-President’s conversation with [name unknown] about trip
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Conversation with John B. Connally
-President’s suggestion to John B. Connally
-End of February 1972
-Trip to Florida
-Advantages
-Privacy
-Attitude of residents
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Golf course
-Fishing
-Warns against staying in hotel
-Presence of media
-John B. Connally
-New York
-Phone call from H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Invitation to Camp David
-Apology to President
-Schedule
-California
-As a vacation spot
-President’s family
-President’s opinion
-President’s suggestion to John B. Connally
-Trip to New York
-House in Florida
-Private beach
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-United States Secret Service [USSS]
-Dates
-February 17, 1972
-John B. Connally
-Meetings with Republican leadership
-February 1, 1972
-David N. Parker[?]
-Trip
-President’s suggestion of trip to Florida
-Meeting with John B. Connally February 9-10, 1972
-Dinner
-Fishing
-Sailing
-George A. Smathers
-Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
-Houseboat
-Presence of Coast Guard
-Upcoming meeting with President
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Connally left at 5:33 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.