Conversation: 711-014
Prev: 711-013 Next: 711-015Start Date: Tuesday, April 18, 1972 5:21 PM
End Date: Tuesday, April 18, 1972 6:46 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Kissinger, Henry A.; [Unknown person(s)]; Colson, Charles W.Recording Device: Oval Office
Full Tape Conversation Start Time: 02:20:40
Full Tape Conversation End Time: 03:45:43
NARA Description:
On April 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Henry A. Kissinger, unknown person(s), and Charles W. Colson met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:21 pm to 1:46 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 711-014 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 711-14
33
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Date: April 18, 1972
Time: 12:21 pm - 1:46 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with People’s Republic of China [PRC] table tennis team
Tricia Nixon Cox
-Trip to University of Maryland
-William P. Rogers
-Advisability
-Radicalism
-Trips
-William and Mary College
-Detroit
-Cobo Hall
-Demonstrators
-Avoidance
-First Family
-Purpose
-University of Maryland
-Scheduling
-Mistakes
-Bombing in Vietnam
-Demonstrators
-Purpose
-Violence
-Arrests
-Public appearances
-Demonstrations
-Campuses
-Problems
-Fieldhouse
-Comparisons to other events
-Schedule
-Haldeman's review
-Demonstrations
-The President’s trip to Canada
-Protests
34
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Henry A. Kissinger entered at 12:28 pm.
Soviets
-Statements
-Contents
-Approval
PRC
-Statements
-Relation to US bombing in Vietnam
-Hanoi and Haiphong
-Visit of table tennis team
-Scali
-Table tennis team
-Press reactions
-Sympathy for enemy
-President’s view
Vietnam
-Melvin R. Laird testimony
-Effectiveness
-Exchange with J. William Fulbright
-Interruptions
-Foreign Relations Committee
-Caliborne Pell
-Public opinion
-Lack of support
-Press reports
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] News
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-Editorializing
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Comment by Charles D. Hamilton
-Compared with British press
-British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC]
-Shanahan [sp?] [first name unknown] piece
-British
-Kissinger’s meeting with George R.S. Baring [Earl of Cromer]
-Support for the President and administration
-News stories
-Soviets
35
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Tricia Nixon Cox
-Trip to University of Maryland
-Demonstrations
-Scheduling
-Mistakes
-Catcalls
-Introduction
-Crowd reaction
-The President's previous experience with crowds
People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Report on Soviet trip
-Timing
-Discussion of Vietnam
-Chou En-lai [?]
-The President’s trip to Moscow
-Reaction to Kissinger’s trip to Moscow
-Discussion of US-PRC relations
-The President’s instructions to Kissinger
-Soviet summit
-Vietnam
-PRC statements
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National security]
[Duration: 29s ]
PRC
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
*****************************************************************
Agnew
-Statements
-Previous conversation with Haldeman
36
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
The President's schedule
-Meeting with Earl L. Butz and Kissinger
-Timing
-Picture
-Termination
Kissinger left at 12:36 pm.
Tricia Nixon Cox's schedule
-Attendance at sporting events
-Introduction
-Rogers
-Public appearances
-Experience
-Comparisons
The President's schedule
-Public appearances
-Capitol visit, April 17, 1972
-Protests
-Agnew
-Confrontation with protesters
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 51s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
Vietnam
-Protests
-March in Washington, DC
-Date
-Event, April 15, 1972
37
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Milton Pitts
-Organization
-Size
-Arrests
-Pitts's comments
-Appearance of protesters
-Events, April 22, 1972
-Washington, DC
-Other cities
-Build-up
-National student strikes
-Haldeman’s view
-Public reactions
-Interests
-Teacher incitement
Certificates
-Pictures
-Preparations
Press
-Meeting with reporters
-Wilson [first name unknown], Herbert E. Kaplow and Helen A. Thomas
-Arrangements
Vietnam
-Protests
-Campuses
-Issues
-Protesters
-Rogers and Laird
-Testimony
-Questions
-Cabinet officers
-Appearance before Congressional committees
-John B. Connally
Charles W. Colson
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 12:36 and 12:47 pm.
38
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
[Conversation No. 711-14A]
Request that Colson join them
[End of telephone conversation]
The President's meeting with table tennis teams
-American team
-Women
-The President’s view
-Korean
-Blacks
-Hippie
-Absence
-Handshakes
-Trip to PRC
-Match with PRC team
-Losses
-Compared with PRC players
-PRC team
-Physical condition
-Compared with Americans
-Physical appearance of American team
-Sports teams
-Tennis and basketball
-Blacks
Colson entered at 12:47 pm.
Vietnam
-Administration's counterattacks against critics
-Agnew
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Drafting of speech
-Christine Jorgenson [?]
-Houston speech
-Food prices
-Speechwriter
-Speechwriters
-Kenneth W. Clawson
-Abilities
39
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Laird and Rogers testimony
-Transcripts
-Readiness
-Rogers
-Briefing of senators
-Morale
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Resolution for Senate
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Colson's role
-Critics' disadvantages
-Victory of administration
-Edmund S. Muskie statement
-President’s view
-Need to attack
-Accusation to treason
-Defense of enemy
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Compared with Laos, Cambodia and Tet
-Compared to Lyndon B. Johnson administration
-US peace offers
-Number of withdrawals
-US determination to win
-Colson's role
-Kissinger’s support
-Attack on critics
-Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Edward M. Kennedy
-George S. McGovern
-President’s instructions
-Critics
-Muskie
-McGovern
-Administration assistance
-Attacks
-Humphrey
-Agnew
-United Nations [UN] suggestion
-PRC and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Membership in UN Security Council
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
40
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Democrats
-Mood of nation
-Misleading
-Polls
-The President's policies
-Disregard of summit and election
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Leonard Garment
-Peace
-Superpowers
-US motives
-US deliberation
-Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Rogers and Laird
-Support for the President
-Reevaluation
-The President’s relationship with Rogers
-New York Times article [?]
-Call from Colson
-Cabinet
-The President's calls
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Charles E. Wilson
-Conversation with the President
-John Hannibal
-Eisenhower
-Rogers
-Initiative
-Polls
-Albert E. Sindlinger
-Hawkishness
-Increase
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Condemnation
-Senate
-Accusations against Senate
-Clifford P. Case, Jacob K. Javits and J. William Fulbright
-Use of rhetoric
-Anticommunism
-The President’s instructions to Colson
-The President's speeches
-Kissinger
41
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Need for strong talk
-William J. Porter
-Rogers
-Press
-Hostility for administration
-Counter-rhetoric
-Name calling and toughness
-Speechwriters
-Price and Lee W. Huebner
-Buchanan
-Kenneth L. Khachigian
-Hawks
-Noel Cook
-Robert J. Dole
-Clawson
-Rogers
-Testimony
-Reception
-Table tennis match attendance with Tricia Nixon Cox
-Reception
-Television coverage
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 57s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
***************************************************************
Vietnam
-The President's supporters
-Joseph L. Vicites [?] of Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Statement
-Herbert R. (“Chief”) Rainwater
-Charge against Democrats
-Desire for US loss
-North Vietnamese offensive
-Resolution by Goldwater
42
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Appeal for Democrats' support
-House Resolution [HR]
-Condemnation of North Vietnam
-Support for the President
-Wording
-Kennedy and McGovern
-Entrapment
-Language
-The President's critics
-Attacks by administration
-Condemnation
-Ads
-Draft with Colson
-Networks
-Harassment
-Cronkite
-Attacks by administration
-Human Events
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
-Goldwater
-Use of White House materials
-Support for the President
-Public sentiment
-Sindlinger poll
-Sindlinger's attitude on foreign policy
-Hawkishness
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Sympathy for the President
-The President's peace offers and conditions
-North Vietnamese violations
-Sindlinger poll
-Public anger at North Vietnam
-Percentage
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 29s ]
43
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
*****************************************************************
Vietnam
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Critics of the President
-Reticence
-Administration response
-Kennedy
-Public opinion
-Hostility
-Sindlinger
-Timing of new poll
-Attacks by administration
-Newsweek
-Public support for the President
-[Arnold] Eric Severeid
-Statement on the news
-Public opinion
-Support for the President
-Press hostility and fears
-Cambodia invasion
-Media reports
-War as issue
-Lessening personal involvement
-Draft calls and casualties
-Cambodia
-Kent State University
-Laos
-Photojournalism
-North Vietnamese invasion
-South Vietnamese performance
-Press reports and photography
-Battlefield proficiency
-North Vietnamese soldiers
-Enchainment to seats of tanks
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower's report to the President
-Unknown Associated Press [AP] reporter
-Press reports
-Purpose
44
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Casualties
International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Latest news
-Peter M. Flanigan letter
-Executive session
-Disputes in committee
-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
-Reaction of Kennedy and John V. Tunney
-Lack of agreement
-White House staff testimony
-Herbert G. Klein, William E. Timmons, John D. Ehrlichman
and Colson
-Republican position in committee
-John N. Mitchell
-Advantages
-Ervin
-Robert C. Mardian
-Edward J. Gurney, Roman L. Hruska and Marlow W. Cook
-Statement
-Kennedy
-Democrats
-Questions
-Armco Steel
-American Airlines
-DC subway lines
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Disadvantages of position
-Ervin's position
-Flanigan
-Opposition to Kennedy and Tunney
-Clark MacGregor
-Testimony
-Jack Gleason
-Hugo L. Black memorial service
-Harry D. Steward
-C. Arnholt Smith
-Recommendations for job of San Diego US attorney
-Background
-Link with Robert H. Finch
-Gleason
-Delays
45
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
-Flanigan
-Departure from town
-Latest options
-Delays
-Senate debate
-Timing
-Maneuvering
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-MacGregor
-Contacts with committee
-Flanigan testimony
-Benefits for administration
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 18m 50s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
*****************************************************************
War issue
-Appeals to patriotism
-Rogers
Haldeman and Colson left at 1:46 pm.