On May 19, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, Robert C. Byrd, John D. Ehrlichman, Clark MacGregor, White House photographer, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:05 pm to 4:13 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 726-013 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 726-13
Date: May 19, 1972
Time: 4:05 pm - 4:13 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Robert C. Byrd, John D. Ehrlichman, and Clark MacGregor; the White
House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.
Greetings
[Photograph session]
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Arrangements
-Byrd's last visit
-Vietnam
-US withdrawal
-Byrd's views
Black lung bill
-Memorandum to President from Caspar W. Weinberger and MacGregor
-Costs per annum
-“Budget-buster”
-Byrd's views
-MaGregor's report
-Ehrlichman
-Meeting with President
-Talk with Byrd
-President's signature
-Announcement
-Date
-Arch A. Moore, Jr.
-Meeting with Byrd
-Announcement
-President's decision
-Announcement
-Costs
-Byrd's help
-President's veto
-Reason
-Override in Congress
-Likelihood
-Re-introduction
-Likelihood of passage
-President's support
-Byrd's meeting with President
-Press statement
-President's considerations
-Presentation of case for bill
-Decision by President
-Date
-Tone of meeting
-Decision by President
-Speculation
-Call to Moore
-Date
-Time
-Ehrlichman and MacGregor
-Announcement of decision
-MacGregor's role
-Time
Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 4:05 pm.
Congressional leaders
-Location
Bull left at an unknown time before 4:13 pm.
Black-lung bill
-Byrd's meeting with President
-Press statement
-Moore's support for bill
-Byrd's conversation and meeting with President
-Call to office
-Time
-Congressional leaders meeting
President's Soviet trip
-Byrd's best wishes
-Expected results
-Vietnam
-Effect in Congress
Congressional leaders meeting
-Byrd's presence
Byrd and MacGregor left at 4:13 pm.
The President left at 4:13 pm.