Conversation: 709-009
Prev:  709-008 Next: 709-010Start Date: 17-Apr-1972 9:35 AM
End Date: 17-Apr-1972 10:32 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Sanchez, Manolo; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Sanchez, Manolo; Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 01:00:03
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 01:55:32
NARA Description:
On April 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Ronald L. Ziegler, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:35 am to 10:32 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 709-009 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 709-9 Date: April 17, 1972 Time: 9:35 am - 10:32 am Location: Oval Office The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. 12 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) Richard G. Kleindienst confirmation -Meeting with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. -Clark MacGregor -Call to Ervin -Reason -Paul J. Fannin -Next move -Likely result -Options -Russell B. Long's statment -John N. Mitchell -Belief in success -MacGregor -View of Kleindienst's chances -Democrats' strategy -Washington Post story -Replacement -Caspar W. Weinberger -Risks -Rejection -Lewis F. Powell, Jr. -Risks -William French Smith -Interests -Oil -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] -Prestige -Dean at Duke Law School -Qualities -John D. Ehrlichman -Charles S. Rhyne -Washington Post story News summaries -The President’s instructions -Cambodia and Laos -Screening -Vietnam -Developing stories -Republican National Convention [?] -The President's attention 13 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Haldeman's review -Ehrlichman and Charles W. Colson Issues -ITT -Colson -Busing -Ehrlichman's project -Vietnam -Cabinet meeting -Publicity -Alarmism The President's schedule -Camp David -Henry A. Kissinger -Length of stay -Monday -Kissinger's Paris meeting -Kissinger's Soviet trip -Public statements -Cover -Ehrlichman and Ronald L. Ziegler -Comparisons to Key Biscayne -Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr. -Return to US -Kissinger's trip -Meeting with Haig -Report to the President -Camp David -Time -Press conference -Troop withdrawals announcement -The President's trip to Capitol -The President’s instructions -Press coverage -Ziegler -Problems -Entrance to building -Blocking reporters 14 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) Kleindienst nomination -Mitchell -Support for Kleindienst Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 9:49 am. William P. Rogers's television appearance -Time Pandas -Photographs -Ziegler's conversation with Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's schedule -Conflicts with table tennis event -Two People’s Republic of China [PRC] stories -Ziegler's call to Mrs. Nixon -Mrs. Nixon’s location -Washington Post story -Musk oxen from the PRC -Sickness -Treatment in zoo -Washington Post story -Photographs -Associated Press [AP] story -Postponement -Theodore H. Reed -Musk oxen -Sickness -Thelma C. (“Pat” ) Nixon's schedule -Photographs with pandas -Table tennis match -Publicity -Schedule of team Table tennis -PRC’s team visit -Publicity value -Mrs. Nixon's schedule -Ziegler's call -Historic significance -Postponement of appearance with pandas 15 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Scheduling problems The President's schedule -Meeting with Polish Ambassador, Witold Trampczynski -Photographs -Kissinger -Arrangements -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] trip -The President’s upcoming conversation with Kissinger -Ramifications Soviet summit -Ziegler's line -Answer to USSR and PRC protests on Vietnam -Rogers -Melvin R. Laird -Bombing -Impact -Ziegler's statements -Guidelines -Possible questions -New York Times -Terence F. Smith -Story about Hue -World War I -France and Germany -Verdun -Losses -Symbolism -White House staff -Conversations with New York Times reporters -Prohibitions -Robert B. Semple, Jr. Vietnam -Ziegler's comments -Protests -Edmund S. Muskie and Hubert H. Humphrey -Counterattacks -North Vietnamese invasion -Failure 16 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Resolutions in the US Senate -Critics -North Vietnamese invasion -Lack of criticism -US policies -Rhetoric -Criticism -Support for the enemy and hostility toward South Vietnam -Rogers's statement -White House support -Negotiations -Ziegler's statements -Bombing -Limitations -The President’s previous conversation with Rogers -Cessation -Nuclear weapons -Withdrawal of US forces across the demilitarized zone [DMZ] -Conditions -Wording -South Vietnam -Praise -US Air Force [USAF] -Praise -Defensiveness -Bombing -Escalation of debate -Colson and Kissinger -Kissinger’s view -Democrat attacks -Critics -Answer -Need to defend South Vietnam and US airmen and seamen -Current line -Muskie -United Nations [UN] consideration -UN Security Council -Humphrey's resolution -President’s view -Soviet and PRC vetoes -Humphrey as Vice President 17 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Muskie's resolution -Cessation of all operations by US -Ziegler's responses -Individual attacks -Rogers -The President's decision to bomb -The President’s instructions to Ziegler -Press -Hugh S. Sidey and John F. Osborne -Boycott -The President's decision to bomb -Ziegler's response -Soviet summit -The President’s previous conversation with Kissinger -Possible comments by Kissinger -US policies -Hard line -Defense of policies -Attack from Democrats -Counterattack -Posture of confidence -Negotiations -Ziegler's statement -The President's November 25th speech -US policies and record of Administration -Private channels -Release of record -Embarrassment of press -“Red faces” -Rogers's statement Mrs. Nixon -Ziegler's upcoming telephone call -PRC related stories -Number -Pandas -Table tennis game Ziegler left at 10:12 am. Vietnam 18 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Public relations -Press reports -Embarrassment -Colson -Spiro T. Agnew -Attacks -Patrick J. Buchanan speech -Nelson A. Rockefeller and Ronald W. Reagan -Joint statement -Agnew -Schedule and location -Buchanan -Draft of speech -Criticism of critics Rogers -Relations with Kissinger -Conflict -Possible action taken by Kissinger Unknown treaty Vietnam -Unknown lieutenant colonel -North Vietnam -Press -President’s view Press -Quality -Decline -Richard (“Dick”) Wilson -William S. White -Public relations -White House -Indifference to press hostility -An Loc -Television media reports -Terence F. Smith -Conversation with unknown White House aide -Identity of aide -Story of Hue loss 19 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Joseph W. Alsop Moon shot -Audience -Raymond K. Price, Jr. -Diplomatic Corps -Invitations -Acceptances -The President's daughters -Haldeman’s children [?] -Television equipment -Increase in amount of coverage The President's schedule -William M. Colmer luncheon -Bicentennial Gardens -Location -Frank T. Bow -Meeting with the President -Future plans -Colmer luncheon -Seating -Bow -Age Vietnam -Edward M. Kennedy -Criticism about Vietnam -White House strategy -White House position -Public opinion -Hawkishness -Supporters -Rockefeller -Kissinger [?] -Young Americans for Freedom [YAF] -Input -White House staff -Buchanan -Timidity -Show of pride for administration 20 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Support for the President -Criticism of administration -Public reactions of leaders -British view [?] -Public support for administration -Leaders -Rockefeller -William F. (“Billy”) Graham -Chancellor of University of North Carolina -North Vietnamese offensive -State Department -Public relations value -Press reports -Compared with Cambodian invasion -North Vietnamese violations -Horror stories on television -Refugees -US-South Vietnamese atrocities -Reports -North Vietnam -Propaganda about US advisors -Truck driver incident Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:12 am. -US bombing of Haiphong -Sanchez’s view -North Vietnamese and Soviet complaints -US responses Sanchez left at an unknown time before 10:32 am. -North Vietnamese invasion -US responses -Softness of American Society -White House staff -Problems -Soviet Summit -The President’s instructions to Haldeman White House staff 21 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 709-9 (cont.) -Problems -Dealings with aides -Ehrlichman, George P. Shultz and Herbert G. Stein -Dealings with Cabinet officers -John B. Connally -Ehrlichman and Haldeman -Dealings with Connally -Meetings with the President Weather at Camp David -Spring -Sunlight -Rain and thunderstorms White House staff -Kissinger's staff Vietnam -Haig -B-52s -Navy -Success -Vietnamization -Muskie's criticism -Cease-fire -Problems Haldeman left at 10:32 am.