Conversation: 705-015
Prev: 705-014 Next: 705-016Start Date: Monday, April 10, 1972 9:00 PM
End Date: Monday, April 10, 1972 9:41 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Butterfield, Alexander P.; Bull, Stephen B.; [Unknown person(s)]Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 03:59:06
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 04:35:27
NARA Description:
On April 10, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Alexander P. Butterfield, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 4:41 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 705-015 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 705-15
Date: April 10, 1972
Time: Unknown after 4:00 until 4:41 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman; the recording began at an unknown time while
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
the meeting was in progress.
White House staff
-[John D. Ehrlichman]
-Henry A. Kissinger
-George W. Romney
-John A. Volpe
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. and George P. Shultz
-Utilization
-Talk with Haldeman
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 12s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
*****************************************************************
The President's schedule
-Foreign policy
-Speeches
-Hugh Scott- Michael J. Mansfield meeting
-Changes
-Upcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Peter G. Peterson
-Arthur F. Burns-John B. Connally meeting
-Departure time for trip to Canada
-Leaders meeting
-Press conference
-Wednesday
-Scott-Mansfield meeting
-Breakfast meeting
-Caucus
-Timing
-Tuesday
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-Leaders meeting
-Meeting with Connally
-Burns
-Length
-Smithsonian conference
-Connally
-Herbert Stein’s memorandum
-Leaders meeting
-Cabinet meeting
-Reason
-A picture
-Unknown person’s location
-A conference
-Preparation for speech
-Timing
Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 4:15 pm.
Speech for Kissinger's review
-Delivery
-The President’s remarks
-Return to the President
Butterfield left at 4:16 pm.
The President's schedule
-A picture
-Connally and Peterson
-Changes
-Trip to Canada
-Timing
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 11s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's attendance at James F. Byrnes's funeral
-Call to Maude (Busch) Byrnes
-Harry S. Dent
-Strom Thurmond
Connally
-Unknown person's qualifications for unknown job
The President's schedule
-Politics
-Camp David
-Connally's possible presence
-Trip to Texas
-Trip to Florida
-Mrs. Nixon
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 13s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
*****************************************************************
-Camp David
-Compared with Florida
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-Weather
-Facilities
-Relaxation
-Televised press conference
-Likelihood
-Speech
-Vietnam
-Questions and Answers [Q&A] session
Vietnam
-Public relations efforts
-Kissinger, John A. Scali and Ronald L. Ziegler
-Hawks
-Speech
-Value
-Domestic impact
-Administration's policies
-Domestic support
-Impact on North Vietnam and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-USSR
-Berlin Treaty
-Kissinger
-North Vietnam
-Speech
-William L. Safire's draft
-US actions
-US destroyers
-B-52s
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Kissinger’s suggestion
-Possible South Vietnamese collapse
-Impact on Soviet trip
-Possible US loss of South Vietnam
-The President’s previous conversation with Kissinger
-Impact on US foreign policy
-Credibility of US in world
-Middle East and Europe
-Need for risks
-Stakes for US
-Cabinet officers' understanding
-Connally
45
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-William P. Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
-Rogers
-US actions
-Necessity
-Speech draft
-Phrase, “The Guns of April”
-[Barbara Tuchman, The Guns of August]
-Public knowledge of book
-Haldeman’s view
-Safire
Foreign policy
-White House staff
-Kissinger’s earlier statement
-Biological Warfare Treaty
-The President's remarks at signing ceremony
-Authorship
-Contents
-Louis Pasteur
-Significance
-The President's remarks at ceremony
-Intent
-Gerard C. Smith and William C. Foster
-Arms control
-Soviet line
Speechwriters
-Understanding of the President's policies
-Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Kissinger
-Ability
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-The President’s view
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Safire
-Lee W. Huebner
-Problems
-Quality of writing
Vietnam
-US actions
46
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-Concentration on issue
-Politics
-Polls, trial hunts
-Domestic issues
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Charles W. Colson
-Clark MacGregor
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Domestic response
-Compared with Laos operation
-Decisive victory
-US commitment
-Saigon
-Critics
-Lack of patriotism
-Fears
Economy
-Unemployment
-Retail sales
-Wholesale Price Index [WPI]
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Ehrlichman
-Food prices
-Drop
-Mansfield's statement
-Middleman
-News summary
-Public relations efforts
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:16 pm.
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger's parents
-Arrival
-Presidential gifts
-Money clip
-Compact
Bull left at an unknown time before 4:41 pm.
47
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-Meeting with Connally
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 35s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
*****************************************************************
Haldeman’s responsibility
-White House staff
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 4:16 pm.
Domestic issues
-Confusion
-Connally's advice
-Polls
-Influence on Lyndon B. Johnson and the President
-The President’s view
-Vietnam
-Article by Robert B. Semple, Jr. in New York Times
-Possible contacts in White House
-Robert H. Finch
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Price
-Leonard Garment
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:41 pm.
Vietnam
-White House attitudes
-Conversations with press
-Kissinger
-Support for the President
48
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 705-15 (cont.)
-Cabinet
-Laird
-Rogers
-Support
Haldeman left at 4:41 pm.