Conversation: 679-008
Prev: 679-007 Next: 679-009Start Date: 7-Mar-1972 10:57 AM
End Date: 7-Mar-1972 12:31 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Elbourne, Timothy G.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Kissinger, Henry A.; Bull, Stephen B.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Haig, Patricia; Haig, Barbara E.; Fox, Alonzo; Andrews, John K., Jr.; Brennan, John V.; Coffey, Vernon C., Jr.; Coffey, Sarah; Coffey, Karen; Coffey, Vernon C., III; Coffey, Craig; Scowcroft, Brent G. (Gen.); White House photographer;Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:04:23
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 02:37:28
NARA Description:
On March 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Timothy G. Elbourne, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry A. Kissinger, Stephen B. Bull, Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Patricia Haig, Barbara E. Haig, Alonzo Fox, John K. Andrews, Jr., John V. Brennan, Vernon C. Coffey, Jr., Sarah Coffey, Karen Coffey, Vernon C. Coffey, III, Craig Coffey, Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:57 am to 12:31 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 679-008 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 679-8
Date: March 7, 1972
Time: 10:57 am - 12:31 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Florida trip
-Rest
-The People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
The President talked with Timothy G. Elbourne between 10:57 am and 10:58 am.
[Conversation No. 679-8A]
[See Conversation No. 21-9]
[End of telephone conversation]
William P. Rogers
-The President’s view
-The President’s remarks at Andrews Air Force Base, February 28, 1972
-The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung
-Chou En-lai
-Newsweek
-Press clippings
-State Department
The President’s schedule
-John B. Connally meeting
-Time
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Meeting on economic issues
-Wage Board and Price Commission
-Rogers meeting
-The President’s view
-Haldeman
-Possible line
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Backgrounder
-Haldeman’s view
Rogers
-PRC trip
-Mao Tse-tung meeting
-Rogers’s attendance
-Press
-Marshall Green
-Stewart J. O. Alsop [?]
-Kissinger
-State Department
-Stewart Alsop [?] and Kissinger
-Columnists
-Understanding of totalitarian society
-Role of foreign minister
-Kissinger
-The President’s view
-John A. Scali
-Work with Congress
-Press conference
-Haldeman’s view
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Kissinger
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Television coverage
-Dita Beard memorandum
-Press
-Beard’s doctor
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
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The President’s schedule
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Meeting
1972 campaign
-High School poll
-Detroit Free Press
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 37s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
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-Votes
-Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
-News shows
-Democrats
-Edmund S. Muskie
-George S. McGovern
-Republicans
-The President
American Broadcasting Company [ABC] news documentary
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-PRC trip
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Timing
-Kissinger
Rogers
-Kissinger
-Shanghai Communiqué
-Scali
-Marvin L. [?] Kalb
-Ziegler, Richard A. Moore
-Talk with Haldeman
Schools
-Neil H. McElroy Commission
-Report
-Multiracial experience
-Blacks
-Mexicans
-Jews
-Catholics
-Christian Scientists
ITT case
-Strategy
-Charles W. Colson
-Big business
-Press reports
-Coverage
-White House involvement
-Campaign
-Beard
-Memorandum
-Lobbyists
-Compared to Congressional staff
Television publicity for the PRC trip
-ABC news documentary
-Mrs. Nixon
-Possible perception
-Report to the nation
-Rogers
-Television appearances
-Kissinger
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Rogers
-The President
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Herbert G. Klein
-Television
-Haldeman’s view
-Timing
-PRC trip
-Rogers
-Television appearance
-Sunday talk shows
-New Hampshire primary
-Florida primary
-Kissinger
-PRC
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-John N. Ashbrook
Rogers
-Previous talk with Haldeman
-Stewart Alsop [?] article
-State Department
-PRC trip
-Columnists
-Kissinger
-Rogers’s meeting with Chou En-lai
-State Department’s view
-Taiwan, Republic of China
-Japan
-Korea
-Soviet Union
-Connally’s view
-Haldeman’s view
-Forthcoming US-Soviet summit
-Plenary session
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Compared to Mao Tse-tung
-Planning sessions
-Kissinger
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Meeting with the President
-Planning sessions for PRC trip
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Marshall Green
-State Department
-Session on biological warfare
-Loyalty
-White House
The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 10:58 am and 11:35
am.
[Conversation No. 679-8B]
Request for Ehrlichman to come to the Oval Office
[End of telephone conversation]
Buchanan
-Possible resignation
-Shelley A. (Scarney) Buchanan
-Kissinger, Ehrlichman and Haldeman meeting
-Buchanan’s career potential
-Editorial writer
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat
-Chicago Tribune
-Richard Blumentahal [?]
Ehrlichman entered at 11:35 am.
The President left at an unknown time between 11:35 and 11:41 am.
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Possible resignation
-Shelley Buchanan
The President re-entered at an unknown time between 11:35 and 11:41 am.
-Resignation of staff members
-The President’s view
-Possible resignation
-Haldeman’s view
-Role in PRC trip
-Shanghai Communiqué
-Toasts
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Take-off speeches
-Hawaii
-Guam
-Arrival statements
-Alaska
-Writing skill
-Arrival statement
-Staff as consultants
-The President’s view
-Speechwriting
-Press relations
-Possible resignation
-Lack of substantive work
-News summaries
-Press conferences
-Memoranda
-Ehrlichman
Kissinger entered at 11:41 am.
PRC trip
-Connally
-Forthcoming talk with Kissinger
-Shanghai Communiqué
-Rogers
-State Department
-Secretaries of State
-Presence on trips
-Rogers’s efforts at previous summits
-The President’s meeting with Georges J. R. Pompidou
-Azores
-Kissinger’s efforts
-Connally
PRC Trip
-Rogers
-Status of PRC Foreign Minister
-Rogers possible meeting with Chou En-lai
-Secretaries Of State
-Andrei A. Gromyko
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Politburo
-Chinese
-Rogers and Kissinger
-The President’s first meeting with Chou En-lai
-Rogers’s meeting with the PRC Foreign Minister
-US presence in Asia
-The President’s initial speech
-Chou En-lai
-Kissinger’s view
-Rogers
-Rogers’s statements
-Cabinet meeting
-US presence in Asia
-Africa
-Memoranda of conversations
-Timing
-John H. Holdridge
-Winston Lord
-Green
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 41s ]
PRC
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
*****************************************************************
-Rogers’s meeting with Chou En-lai
-State Department
-Chinese
-Time Magazine
-Hugh S. Sidey
-Kissinger
-Green
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Shanghai Communiqué
-The President’s view
-Meeting with foreign leaders
-Latin America
-Leaks
-The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung
-Soviet summit
-Rogers
-State Department
-Previous talk with Haldeman
-Forthcoming meeting with the President
Issues facing the President
-Foreign policy
-Busing
-Welfare reform
-The President’s forthcoming meeting with Rogers
-Re-election
-ITT case
-John N. Mitchell
PRC Trip
-The President’s meetings with Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung
-Ceremonies
-Rogers
-Shanghai Communiqué
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Kissinger
-Changes to the communiqué
-Politburo
-Drafting
-October draft
-Concessions
-Taiwan
-Forthcoming US-Soviet summit
-Foreign policy
-White House
-State Department
-Media
-State Department’s efforts
-Significance
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-India-Pakistan war
-Rogers
-Press conference
-Taiwan
-Memorandum
-Report on foreign policy
-Kissinger’s view-Connally
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Meeting with Haldeman
-The President’s meeting with Pompidou
-Azores
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:41 am.
Forthcoming promotion ceremonies
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:02 pm.
Busing
-Constitutional amendment
-Congressional leaders
-Blacks
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Barbara E. Haig, Alonzo Fox, John K. Andrews, John V.
Brennan and Bull entered at 12:02 pm; the White House photographer was present.
Greetings
Photographs
Beard
-Doctor’s testimony
Haig’s work
Haig, et al., except Bull left at 12:04 pm.
The President’s schedule
-Vernon C. Coffey, Jr. and family
Bull left and Coffey, Sarah Coffey, Karen Coffey, Vernon C. Coffey, III, Craig Coffey,
Andrews, Brennan, and Brig. Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft entered at 12:04 pm; the White House
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
photographer was present.
Greetings
Photographs
Haig
Coffey’s promotion
Presentation of gifts
Vacation
Coffey, et al. left at 12:09 pm.
The President’s advisors
-Soviet trip
-Buchanan
-William L. Safire
-The President’s consultation with advisors
-Ehrlichman’s experience
-Busing
-Leaks
-Moratorium
-Constitutional amendment
-Buchanan, Raymond K. Price, Jr., Safire, Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
-Leaks
-State Department
PRC trip
-McGeorge Bundy’s view
-Rogers
-The President’s meeting with Mao Tse-tung
-Media reaction
-Media coverage
-Speculation
Cabinet
-Relationship with Presidents
-Abraham Lincoln
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-John Foster Dulles
-John F. Kennedy
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Harry S. Truman
-Dean G. Acheson
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Eisenhower
-Dulles
-Trips
-Rogers
-State Department
-Record of meeting
-Leaks
-Rogers
-Briefing by Kissinger
Busing
Kissinger left at 12:20 pm.
-Forthcoming paper
-Language
-McElroy Commission report
-Day care centers
-School districts
-Reorganization into multi-racial schools
-McElroy
-James S. Coleman
-George P. Shultz
-Governor of Virginia
-Haldeman
-The Presdent’s experience
-Athletics
-Nathaniel George
-William Brock
-Coleman
-Burden on schools
-Gerald R. Ford
-Letter
-J. Stanley Pottinger
-Edward L. Morgan
-Unknown lawyer
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Campaign spending
-Regulations
-Elmer B. Staats
-Laws
-Republicans
-Veto
Social security
-Possible increase
-The President’s possible approval
-Shultz
-Legislation
-Clark MacGregor
-Possible Ehrlichman, Shultz, Ford, Leslie C. Arends, Robert P. Griffin, Hugh
Scott meeting
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 24s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
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1972 campaign
-New Hampshire primary
-Japanese Government lobbyists
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Connally
-Milk producers
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 47s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
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General Motors [GM]
-James M. Roche
-Richard C. Gerstenberg
-Possible meeting with the President
-Shultz
Haldeman and Ehrlichman left at 12:31 pm.