Conversation No. 722-7

Date: May 9, 1972
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:01 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John B. Connally; Ollie F. (“Ollie”) Atkins was present at the beginning
of the meeting.

     Greetings

     Vietnam
          -President's previous speech on the blockade
                -Connally’s view
                      -Delivery
                                         16

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Jan-02)             Conv. No. 722-6 (cont.)


Photographs
     -Atkins
     -Connally ranch
     -Gift to John and Idanell B. (“Nellie”) Connally
     -Quality
     -Location
     -Kay Dobson [?]
     -Tom O'Connor
     -Woody [surname unknown] [Horses?]
     -Norman [surname unknown] [Horses?]
     -Surget [sp?]

Research
     -Book, Twentieth-Century Glass, American and European
          -Metropolitan Museum of Art
          -Engraving

Vietnam
     -President's previous speech on the blockade
           -Public opinion
                 -Treasury Department
                 -Working people
                       -Blacks
                            -Chauffeur
                            -Arthur F. Burns's report
                            -Support for action
                 -Support for President
                       -Alexander P. Butterfield [?]
     -Blockade
           -National Security Council [NSC] meeting
                 -Henry A. Kissinger
                 -Connally's speech
           -Cabinet meeting
                 -Kissinger, Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                 -Opposition
                 -Length
                 -Melvin R. Laird
                 -William P. Rogers
                       -Stance
                            -The President’s view
                 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
                 -Connally's support for President
                                              17

                       NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Jan-02)                 Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

                      -Rogers and Laird
                            -Opposition
                                 -Reasons
                -Bureaucratic leadership
                      -Qualities
                            -Connally’s view
                            -Compared with business leaders
                -Laird
                      -Opposition
                -Success
                      -NSC meeting
                            -Rogers and Connally
                      -Rogers's view
                            -The President’s view
                -Kissinger
                -Alternatives for US
                -Bargaining power
                      -Prisoners of war [POWs]
           -North Vietnamese offensive
                -South Vietnamese defeat
                      -Consequences for President and US
                            -Forthcoming election
                            -US defeat
                -President's response

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 3:09 pm.

           -Blockade
                -Ziegler's briefing
                     -Report from Michael J. Mansfield and Hugh Scott
                            -Statement for press
                                  -Personal greeting
                                       -Chou En-lai
                                             -Speeches
                                  -Discussion of President's speech

Ziegler left at 3:11 pm.

                 -Opposition
                       -Motives
                 -Necessity
                 -Mining
                 -Air strikes
                                  18

          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                          Tape Subject Log
                            (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

           -Rails
           -Petroleum, oil and lubricant [POL] dumps
           -Military expectations of success
                 -The President’s view
                       -Rails
                       -POL
                 -Connally’s view
           -B-52s
                 -Laird
                 -Gen. Creighten W. Abrams, Jr.
                 -Adm. Thomas H. Moorer
                 -Possibility of success
           -Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson's tactics
                 -Limitations
           -President's tactics
                 -Rails
                 -Intensity of bombing
           -Rails
                 -Repairs
           -Equipment
                 -Compared with World War II
           -Targets
                 -Priorities
                 -Power plants
           -Public opinion
           -Intensity
                 -Benefits
                       -Power failures
                 -Destruction of North Vietnam machinery
           -Impact
-North Vietnamese offensive
     -Kontum
     -Hue
     -South Vietnamese countermeasure
           -Nguyen Van Thieu
     -Air strikes
-Blockade
     -A treaty
     -Soviet Summit
           -Possible cancellation
                 -Public opinion
                       -Support for President
           -President's attendance
                                        19

               NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Jan-02)                     Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

                     -Conditions
                         -North Vietnamese offensive
                         -Compared to Dunkirk
          -Criticism
                -President's previous support for John F. Kennedy
                -Democrats
                      -Hubert H. Humphrey
                      -Edmund S. Muskie
                      -Edward M. Kennedy
                      -George S. McGovern
          -Cessation
                -President's offers
                      -Connally’s view
                      -Troop withdrawals
                      -Thieu
                      -North Vietnamese rejection
                            -Reason
          -North Vietnamese demands
                -US response
                      -Compared to Armageddon
                      -US great power status

Public opinion
     -Connally’s view
     -Influence of Edward Kennedy, Muskie, McGovern
     -Unrest, frustration
           -Proportions
     -Situation in Texas
           -Governor's race
                 -Voting results
                       -Ben F. Barnes
                       -Dolph Briscoe
                       -Frances T. (“Sissy”) Farenthold
                            -McGovern support
                 -Runoff
                       -Briscoe
                       -Farenthold
                       -Barnes
                 -Briscoe
                       -Background
                       -[Forename unknown] Walker media campaign
                            -Effect
           -Attorney General's race
                                   20

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. Jan-02)            Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

             -John Hill
                   -The President’s view
      -Parallel to US
             -Issues
                   -Revenue sharing, welfare reform
             -Leadership
                   -George C. Wallace and McGovern
                         -Response
                   -Humphrey
                         -Lack of support
-Influence of "Atomic Age"
      -Nagasaki, Hiroshima
      -Psychological effect on US
      -Previous wars
      -Psychological effect on US
             -Influence on international affairs
             -Influence on monetary affairs
             -Influence on domestic affairs
                   -Government
-Manifestations
-Political leadership
      -State and local levels
      -Congress
      -President's role
      -Public expectations
             -President's role
      -Necessity
             -Possibility of arnarchy
      -Democrats' leadership
             -1972 candidates
                   -Edward Kennedy
                   -Humphrey
                   -McGovern
                   -Impact on US
      -Longshoremen's strike
             -President's role in ending
      -Busing
             -Administration's actions
                   -Delays
                         -Studies
                   -Amendment
                   -Rhetoric
                   -Deficiencies of plan
                                         21

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Jan-02)    Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

                      -Responsibility
                      -Rhetoric
                           -Quality
          -President's speech
                -Show of leadership
     -Congress
          -Conflicts with President
                -Connally’s view

Forthcoming election
     -Incumbents
           -Past elections
                 -Governors
                       -Florida
                             -Farris Bryant
                       -Georgia
                             -Carl E. Sanders
                       -Kentucky
                             -Bert T. Combs
                 -Defeats
     -Polls
           -Reliability
           -Undercurrents
           -Shortcomings
     -Texas election
           -Polls
           -Defeat of Barnes
           -Farenthold
                 -Position on social issues
                       -Radicalism
                             -Abortion, marijuana
                 -Briscoe
                       -Connally’s view
                 -Age
                 -Background
                 -Family
                 -Education
                 -Character
                 -Intelligence
                 -Home
                 -Constituency
           -Democrat primary
                 -Defeats
                                   22

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. Jan-02)           Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

-Democratic Party
      -Unrest
      -1972 compared with 1968 convention
      -Texas primary
            -McGovern vote
            -Wallace vote
            -Uncommitted
                  -Humphrey, McGovern supporters
            -McGovern vote
                  -Reasons
            -Support for President
                  -Contrast with Ohio and Illinois
-President's leadership
      -Domestic
      -International
-Democrats
      -McGovern
            -Vulnerabilities
                  -Taxes
                  -Amnesty
                  -Abortion
                  -Marijuana
            -President's response
            -Nomination
      -Edward Kennedy
      -Humphrey
            -California
            -Weaknesses
            -Lack of support
            -Compared with the President
      -Edward Kennedy and McGovern
            -Divisions in nation
      -Convention
            -Turmoil
            -McGovern supporters
                  -Intellectuals
                  -Liberals
                  -Blacks
                  -Chicanos
      -Lack of leadership
            -John V. Lindsay
            -Richard J. Daley
                  -Illinois delegation
                                   23

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                           Tape Subject Log
                             (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

            -New York
            -Pennsylvania
            -California
                  -Samuel W. Yorty
                  -Joseph Alioto
            -Texas
            -Colorado
            -Wisconsin
            -Minnesota
            -New York
            -Connecticut
            -New York
                  -McGovern support
            -Lack of brokers
                  -Harry S. Truman
                  -Samuel Rayburn
                  -Johnson
                  -Daley
                  -Robert Wagner
                  -David Lawrence
                  -Continuity
            -Lack of leadership
                  -McGovern supporters
                  -Anarchy
            -Edward Kennedy
                  -Nomination
                  -Anarchy
-President's leadership
      -Need
      -Rhetoric
      -Major issues
      -Attacks on Congress
            -Budget issues
                  -Spending cuts
                        -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, George P. Shultz
            -Size of government
      -Cuts
            -Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
            -Social Security
            -Job programs
                  -Manpower training
                  -Results compared with costs
      -Taxes
                                     24

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                            Tape Subject Log
                              (rev. Jan-02)                     Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

            -Increases
            -Reforms
                  -Problems with Congress
                  -Possible recession
                        -Effects
-Primary results
-Democrat candidates
      -McGovern
            -The President’s view
            -Connally’s view
            -Comparison with Barry M. Goldwater
                  -The President’s view
      -Edward Kennedy
            -Connally’s view
      -Humphrey
            -The President’s view
      -McGovern
            -Radicalism
            -Ideology
      -Edward Kennedy
            -Patriotism
            -Connally’s view
            -Political ambitions
                  -Connally’s view
            -Robert F. Kennedy
                  -Previous election
                        -Attacks on law enforcement
-Stakes in election
-Political opinion
      -Need to mobilize
      -Sense of lack of control
            -Need for leadership
      -Possible dictatorship
      -Need for President's leadership
      -Need to take a stand
            -Communism
            -Connally's stand on international trade, monetary affairs
                  -Public reaction
      -Need for leadership
            -Appealing to instinct
      -Need for leadership on Vietnam
            -Necessity of action
                                         25

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                 Tape Subject Log
                                   (rev. Jan-02)              Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

Media
    -View of US
    -President's approach
    -Agnew’s attacks
          -Popular appeal
    -Biases
          -Columnists
          -Television newsmen
                -Editorials

Jews
       -Liberals
       -Influence
       -Actions to take against
             -Connally’s view
       -The President’s view
       -Department of Justice
       -Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC]
       -Lawyers in government
             -Control
                   -Frederic V. Malek

The federal government
     -Actions in second term
           -Presidential appointees
                 -Park Service director
                       -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo's report
           -Dismissals
                 -Impact
                       -The President’s view
     -Incestuousness of philosophies
           -Treasury Department
                 -Tax lawyers
                 -Economists
                 -Harvard University Business School
           -Harvard University
           -Yale University
           -Stanford University
           -University of Chicago
           -Influence on government
           -Harvard University
           -State universities
                 -Texas
                                        26

                NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Jan-02)                 Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

                -Ohio
                -Environment
     -Presidential appointees
           -Resignations
           -Cabinet
                -Resignations
                -Changes
     -Pentagon shakeups
           -Robert S. McNamara associates
                -Systems analysts
     -State Department shakeups
     -Planning
           -Malek
           -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
           -Dismissal list
                -The President’s view
           -Loyalists
                -Number
     -Appointments
           -Business people
                -Loyalties of appointees
                      -Interior Department, Bureau of Land Management, Federal
                            Communications Commission [FCC] , SEC, Treasury
                            Department
           -Congressional patronage
     -Andrew Jackson and the spoils system
           -Benefits
     -Civil Service
           -The President’s view
           -Disadvantages
           -Need for loyalists

Supreme Court
     -The President’s view
     -Replacements
           -Number
           -Importance
     -Potter Stewart
           -The President’s view
                 -Connection with the “Georgetown social set”
           -Voting record
           -Influences
     -Warren E. Burger
                                           27

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Jan-02)                  Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

         -Harry A. Blackmun
         -William H. Rehnquist
         -Lewis F. Powell
         -Thurgood Marshall and William O. Douglas
               -Departure
               -Effect on Court
               -Effect on nation

    Forthcoming election


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 38s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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    Congress
        -Connally’s view
             -Charles Vanik
             -Henry S. Reuss
             -Sam M. Gibbons
             -William Proxmire

    Economy
        -Strength
              -Unemployment

    Vietnam
         -Blockade
              -Connally's forthcoming statement
                   -National Security Council [NSC] interview with Robert B. Semple of
                         New York Times
                   -Press conference
                         -Television
                                               28

                          NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Jan-02)        Conv. No. 722-7 (cont.)

                 -Democratic caucus
                      -Connally's press conference rebuttal
                 -George Meany
                      -Support

Connally left at 4:01 pm