Conversation: 699-007
Prev: 699-006 Next: 699-008Start Date: Friday, March 31, 1972 5:02 PM
End Date: Friday, March 31, 1972 6:58 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Woods, Rose Mary; [Unknown person(s)]Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:51:39
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:48:24
NARA Description:
On March 31, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Stephen B. Bull, Rose Mary Woods, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:02 pm to 1:58 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 699-007 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 699-7
Date: March 31, 1972
Time: 12:02 pm - 1:58 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.
Media
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-H.R. (“Bob”)Haldeman
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Appearance
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Backgrounder
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower's television appearance
-Dinah Shore
-Haldeman
-Ziegler
-William L. Safire
-Richard A. Moore
-Kissinger
-Interest in substance
-State Department
-Return from Moscow
-Democratic National Convention
-Forthcoming television appearance
Haldeman entered at 12:08 pm.
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower television appearance
-Godfrey Sperling, Jr.
-Staff viewing
-Conduct on television
-Ingrid Bergman
-Christmas show
-Shore
-Christmas show
-Maria McCllelan
-Harry Reasoner
-Shore
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s performance
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-The President
-Kissinger’s possible appearance on CBS
-Kissinger's press conference
-Transcript
-The PRC press corps
-The President's meeting with Chou En-Lai
-PRC
-The President and Mrs. Nixon
-Conduct
-Audience
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-CBS
-Kalb
-Kissinger
-Herbert G. Klein
-Compared to efforts of John A. Scali
-Press coverage
-Ziegler’s view
-Timing of Kissinger’s appearance
-PRC
-The President’s forthcoming Soviet trip
-Kalb
-The President’s view
-The President’s press conferences compared to John F. Kennedy’s
press conferences
-Nicholas P. Thimmesch
-Peter Lisagor
-Kalb
-Timing
-Soviet trip
-Democratic National Convention
-Partisanship
-White House staff
-Domestic Council
-Klein
-Dealings with the press
-Compared to Kissinger
-John B. Connally
-Network coverage
Economy
-Prices
-Meat
-Percentages of increase
-Family budgets
-The President
-Work in a grocery store during the Great Depression
-Connally
Media
-Kissinger’s possible television appearance
-Kalb
-Prime time
-Kissinger's talk with Ziegler
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Kissinger's previous meeting with the President
-Termination
-Timing
-William P. Rogers
-State Department
-Timing
-Soviet trip
-Networks
-Bargaining
-Questions
-Vietnam
-Taiwan, Republic of China
-Middle East
-Soviet summit
-Balance of power
-Middle East
-Original purpose of appearance
-PRC
-Timing
-CBS
-Spokesman for US foreign policy
-Rogers
-The President
-Soviet summit
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Kalb
-Herbert E. Kaplow
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-Removed from White House press detail
-Radio
-Sponsorship by insurance company
-Television
-Possible resignation
-NBC
-White House coverage
-Forrest Boyd
-Thomas E. Jarriel
-William A. Gill, Jr.
-CBS
-Robert Pierpoint
-Dan Rather
-Schedule
-NBC
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-John W. Chancellor
-Richard G. Valeriani
-Wife
-Previous interaction with the President
-Kaplow
-Pierpoint
-Rather
-Radio and television correspondents dinner
-Ziegler
-Rather’s January 2, 1972 interview with the President
-News summary
-Warren E. Burger
-Ziegler's introduction of correspondents
-Kaplow, Jarriel, Rather
-Rather
-Humor
-Ziegler
-PRC trip
-Suits
-Kaplow
-Humor
-Rather
-Reaction to comments
-Rather
-Talk with Ziegler
-Talk with Nancy Plessinger Ziegler
-Public reaction to Rather’s humor
-Haldeman’s view
-Kaplow
-The President's trip around the world, 1963
-The President's visit to Caracas
-White House coverage
-Possible environment job
-Other White House positions
-Haldeman’s view
-Scali
-Rather
-Correspondents dinner
Gridiron dinner
-Burger’s possible attendance
-Edgar A. Poe
-Call from the White House
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Roger’s possible call to Burger
-Carl B. Albert
-Rogers's appearance
The President's meeting with Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-George Meany
-Pay Board
-Meany
-American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-
CIO] council meeting
-Leonard Woodcock
-Loan from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
-Labor leaders compared to businessmen
-The President’s view
PRC trip
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's television special
-Constance M. Stuart
-Scali
-Highlights of Mrs. Nixon's tours
-Voice-over by Mrs. Nixon
-Script
-Importance
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Length
-Timing
-Preparation
-Scali
-Ziegler
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Decision date
-Narration
-Highlights of Mrs. Nixon's tours
-Audio tape
-Scripting
-Mrs. Nixon’s voice
-Narration
-Announcer
-Stuart
-Scheduling
-Haldeman’s view
-Hairdresser during trip [Rita R. DeSantis]
-John V. (“Jack”) Brennan
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Mike Schrauth
-John P. D'arcy
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Talk with Haldeman
-Film
-Compared to moon landing
-Footage of banquet
-Guest House
-Narration
-The President’s activities during the trip
-Public interest in trip
-John F. Kennedy administration
-Trips
-Jacqueline (Bouvier) Kennedy
-Paris
-Mt. Vernon party for Mohammed Ayub Khan
-Opportunity
-Narration
-Voice
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Talk with Haldeman
-Ziegler
-Importance
-Mrs. Nixon's schedule
-Public event in California
-Importance
-Audience
-Beginning of program
-Film
-Voice-over
-Haldeman's talk with Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Kissinger's possible television appearance
-The President’s view
-Willingness
-Kalb's involvement
-Timing
-Soviet trip
-The President’s memoranda
-Buildup of Kissinger
-Soviet trip
-Foreign policy question
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Ziegler’s schedule
American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE] reception
-Number of participants
-Questions and answers [Q and A]
-White House events
-Frequency
-Panel
-Location
-East Room
-The President's appearance
-Questions
-Length
-Date
-The President's press conference
-Television
Press conferences
-Office
-Television coverage
-Writing press
-Previous press conference in the Oval Office, March 24, 1972
-Television coverage of stories from the press conference
-Haldeman
-Film cameras
-Ziegler’s view
-NBC
-Possible story on refusal to answer questions
-Location
-Previous press conference in the Oval Office
-Television compared to the writing press
-Impromptu nature of office press conferences
-Location
-East Room compared to Press Room
-Press coverage
-Audience
-Equal time
-315 ruling on press conferences
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC] testimony memorandum
-Newton Minow
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Election
-Democratic primary
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-John N. Ashbrook
-Democrats
-Presidential advantage
-Democratic National Convention
ASNE reception [April 20, 1972]
-Length
-White House policemen, fire chiefs, church services
-Comparisons
-News conference
-Length
-Networks
-Ziegler’s view
-Editors
-[First name unknown] Whiteough [?] from Missouri
-Unknown editor from North Dakota
-Orange County
-White House press corps
-Numbers
-White House correspondents
-Q and A session
-Klein
-Wives
-Length
-Timing
-Press conference
-Q and A
-Television
-Possible event at ASNE hotel
-White House reception
-Timing
-Press conference
-The President’s forthcoming trip to Canada
PRC
-Ping Pong match between PRC and US teams
-Press coverage
-Timing
-White House tennis court
-Grandstand
-Doubles
-Singles
-Mixed doubles
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Demonstration for the President
ASNE reception
-Questions
-Previous press conference
-Length
-Location
-Questions
-Number of attendees
-Radio
-Live
-Time
-Networks
-Television
-Q and A
-Location
-Radio
-Length
-Editors
-Radio
-Time
-Audience
-Dinner
-Panel
-Number of participants
-Applause
-Wives
-Press conference
-Questions
Press conferences
-Television
-Number
-Timing
-Soviet trip
-Democratic National Convention
-Possible dates
-Possible network interview
-“Three on one”
-Soviet trip
-Foreign policy
-Ziegler’s view
-Timing
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-“Three on one”
-Press conference
-Summits
-Foreign policy
-Pattern
-1969
-ABC
-One on one interview
-CBS
-One on one interview
-NBC
-A Day in the Life of the President
-Three on one
-Timing
-Soviet summit
-Format
-Q and A
-Television
-Networks
-Equal time
-315 ruling
-Soviet summit
-Busing
-Networks
-Audiences
-1960 campaign
-Claire Booth Luce
-Speech
-Rating
-Air time
-Vice Presidential candidates
-Henry Cabot Lodge
-Rating
-The President’s appearance as a candidate
-Rating
ASNE reception
-Radio
-Importance
-Endorsements
-Klein
-Convention
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Drawing
-Criteria for attendance
-Q and A
-Location
-Receiving line
-Blue Room
-Redecoration
-Compared to Red Room and Green Room
Ziegler left at 1:16 pm.
The President's schedule
-Possible speech at the National Catholic Educational Association [NCEA]
convention
-Timing
-Connally
-Tax reform
-Wilbur D. Mills
The President left at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.
Request for Manolo Sanchez
The President re-entered at an unknown time before 1:53 pm.
The President's schedule
-Possible trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Harvard University
-Spring vacation
-Plane travel
-Size of plane
-Press
-Backup plane
-Helicopter
-Large plane
-Possible departure from Camp David
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Departure from airport
-Gettysburg
-Harrisburg
-Press pool
-Advance notice of trip
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Easter Sunday
-News
-Demonstrations
-Previous Easter
-Episcopal priests
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Departure
-Time
-Helicopter
-Mrs. Nixon
-Car
-Ellipse
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:53 pm.
Rose Mary Woods entered at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.
Camp David
-Departure
-Woods's call to Mrs. Nixon
-Time
-Car to Ellipse
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:16 and 1:53 pm;the
President can be heard talking with Woods in the background.
The President's schedule
-The President’s possible speech at the NCEA conference
-Cancellation
-Tennis racquets
Woods left at an unknown time before 1:53 pm.
-Camp David
-Time
-Departure
[End of telephone conversation]
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Material for the President's review
-Canadian Parliament speech
-U.S. News and World Report article
-Canadian Parliament speech
-Safire
-Price
-Kissinger
Emil (“Bus”) Mosbacher, Jr.
-Possible participation in the Soviet trip
-Seating arrangements in motorcades
-The President's car
-Patricia R. Mosbacher
-Emil Mosbacher’s possible participation in Soviet trip
-Advance trips
-Patricia Mosbacher
-Adele (Langston) Rogers
-Advance trips
-William R. Codus
-Protocol
-Hussein ibn Talal [Hussein, King of Jordan]
Woods entered at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.
The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Mrs. Nixon
-Travel plans
Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:16 pm.
-Time
Bull left at an unknown time before 1:53 pm.
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m ]
30
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
**********************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-Flight to Camp David
-The President’s possible speech at the NCEA
Woods left at an unknown time before 1:53 pm.
-Elliott Richardson
-Politics
-Importance
-Connally
-Vice-President Spiro T. Agnew
Camp David
-Dwight David II and Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Use of helicopter from Andrews Air Force Base
-Compared to driving
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Cabinet
-Staff
-Military aide
-Tricia Nixon Cox
-Convenience
-Forthcoming discussion with the President regarding public
programs
News summary story
-Contributors
-John V. Tunney
-C. Arnholt Smith
-1968
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Dita D. Beard
-Secretary
-Vance Hartke
-Helicopter and plane story
-Contributions
31
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Democratic
Charles W. Colson
-Schedule
-Location
-Relaxation
Busing issue
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Role
-Rowland Evans and Robert D.Novak
News summary
-Evans and Novak
-Politicians
-Analysis
-Detail
ITT case
-Robert H. Finch
-Effect on the administration
-Press
-Finch
-Quotation
-Dealing with the press
-Klein
-Possible meeting with Finch
-Kissinger
-Rogers
-Clark MacGregor
-Colson
-News
-Secretary's testimony [Mrs. Stanwich?]
-Hartke
-Airplane
-Harold S. Geneen
-White House strategy
-Tunney
-Questions
-Hartke
Congress
-Use of airplanes
32
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Gill report
-State Department
-Investigation
-Alcohol
-John E. Hunt
-Overseas travel of Congressmen and Senators
-Use of funds
-Kleenex story
-ABC
-Congressmen's calls to the State
Department
Democrats
-Contributions
Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Television appearance
-Staff viewing
-Convention plans
-John Reagan (“Tex”) McCrary
-Dinah Shore show
-Staff viewing
Media
-Possible meetings with the President
-Kissinger
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-John Chancellor
-Howard K. Smith
-Kissinger's role in establishing meetings
-Scali
-Klein
-Writing press
-Lunch with Stewart J. O. Alsop
-Joseph G. Kraft
-New Republic
-Cronkite
-Chancellor
-Smith
-Kissinger
-Handshaking
PRC
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
-Ping Pong team
-Visit to the US
-Newsworthiness
-Travel
-Pandas
-Naming
White House staff
-Discipline
-Klein
-Finch
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Lyndon K. (“Mort”)Allin
-Reporting of Finch’s comments
-Finch’s and Klein's statements
-Foreign policy remarks
-Youth
-Primaries
-ITT case
-Settlement
-Convention
-Republicans
-William V. Roth, Jr.
-Sherman Adams example
News summary
-Preparation
-Allin
Press
**********************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 9m 59s ]
Woods entered at 1:53 pm.
Woods left at 1:54 pm.
Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:54 pm.
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
**********************************************************************
Haldeman and Bull left at 1:58 pm.