Conversation: 791-002
Prev:  791-001 Next: 791-003Start Date: 3-Oct-1972 10:59 AM
End Date: 3-Oct-1972 11:31 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ehrlichman, John D.; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On October 3, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:59 am to 11:31 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 791-002 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 791-2 Date: October 3, 1972 Time: 10:59 am - 11:31 am Location: Oval Office The President met with John D. Ehrlichman. House Resolution [HR] 1 -Forthcoming telephone call from Elliot L. Richardson to the President -The President’s recent conversation with Republican Congressional leaders -Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW] -Adlai E. Stevenson, III -Amendment -Similarity to HR 1 -The President’s recent conversation with Republican Congressional leaders 2 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) HEW -Welfare rolls Water bill -Office of Legal Counsel -Mandatory spending -Pocket veto period -Options -Pocket veto -Ehrlichman’s view -Mandatory spending -Possible problems -Possible telephone calls to congressional leaders -Veto possibility -Caspar W (“Cap”) Weinberger -Legal -Opinions -Veto override -Mandatory spending -Justice Department -Office of Management and Budget [OMB] -Option -Veto -Pocket veto -Veto message -Press -Taxpayers -Television [TV] broadcast -Radio speech -Spending -Taxes -Water quality -Difficult decisions -Possible choices Richardson -HEW bureaucracy -Liberal views -Charles H. Percy 3 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Job performance -Support for HEW programs -Compared to Robert Finch -Welfare -Political decision -HEW -Stevenson amendment -Titles I, II, III -Cost -HR 1 -Political decision Social Security legislation -Veto possibility -Titles I, II, III -Wilbur D. Mills -Title IV -Mills -Increase -Retirement age -Administration actions -Delay -Public relations -House of Representatives -Limitation on spending -Republicans -George H. Mahon -Mills -Senate -Limitation on spending -Chances for approval -Hubert H. Humphrey -Washington Post -Partisan election issue -Gulf of Tonkin resolution comparison -Chance of success -Taxes -Veto of Titles I, II, III possibility -Payroll taxes -Older Americans 4 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Check increases -Letter from the President -Washington Post -Article on campaign -Comments HR 1 -Richardson -Telephone call to the President -Cabinet -Political decisions -Ehrlichman’s forthcoming telephone call -The President's decision on veto -Titles I, II, III -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. -Forthcoming conversation with Ehrlichman -Titles I, II, III -Recommendation to sign Press conference -Ehrlichman’s and Weinberger’s report on the President’s meeting with Republican Congressional leaders -Ronald C. Ziegler -Andrei A. Gromyko Media relations -George S. McGovern’s corruption charges, October 2, 1972 -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew’s response -National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] -The President’s conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Ziegler Previous conversation with the President -Herbert G. Klein -1968 election -Patrick J. Buchanan's analysis of press coverage -Analysis of coverage -Eleanor (Stegeberg) McGovern -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] -Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon’s trips -Moscow -Peking 5 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Television [TV] coverage -McGovern -1964 election -Lyndon B. Johnson -Barry M. Goldwater -Comparisons -McGovern -The President signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT], October 3, 1972 -Andrei A. Gromyko -Anti-ballistic missiles [ABM] -Historic summit battles -Congressional leadership, ambassadors -Agnew -Cabinet -1968 election -Compared to 1972 campaign -Buying advertising time -Position papers -Radio -McGovern -Debate -Corruption charges -Effect -L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III -Interview, October 2, 1972 -Press corps -Scrutiny -Congress -Scrutiny -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] -US-Soviet Grain deal -Watergate -Integrity -Discussion of corruption FBI -Gray’s personnel management -[Wesley G. Grapp] -Los Angeles 6 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Dress code -Adm. Elmo L. Zumwalt, Jr. -Insubordination -Stock speculation -[Robert K. Kunkel] -Washington -Grapp -Los Angeles -Stock transactions -Ehrlichman’s view Media relations -1968 campaign -Compared to news coverage in 1972 -NBC -Agnew -Eleanor McGovern -CBS -Rationale for coverage -1972 election -Possible outcome Washington Post -Invitations to dedication of new building -Acceptance by members of administration -President’s instructions -John N. Mitchell -Maurice H. Stans -William P. Rogers -Cabinet officers -Alexander P. Butterfield -White House staff -Henry A. Kissinger -Kenneth W. Clawson -Rogers -Ehrlichman’s invitation -Response 7 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) Domestic policy -Administration actions -Social Security signing -Necessity -Weinberger -Black lung Foreign policy accomplishments -Peking -Moscow -Vietnam war -The President's May 8, 1972 announcement Press relations -Washington Post -Haynes B. Johnson -Compared to Joseph C. Kraft -Kraft -Story -Summits -Swing vote -News summaries -President’s campaign activities -Press corps -Support for the President -Ehrlichman’s possible backgrounder -New York Times -Integrity -McGovern -Amnesty -Permissiveness -Abortion -Legalization of marijuana -Vietnam -Defense -Mandate -McGovern’s position -Criticism of the President -Demonstrations -Vietnam 8 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) -Cambodia -May 8, 1972 decision -Amnesty -Marijuana -1972 election -1972 campaign -McGovern -The President’s activities -R. Sargent Shriver -Edmund S. Muskie Revenue sharing ceremony -Signing of legislation -Independence Hall -Philadelphia City Hall -Milton J. Shapp -White House -Shapp -Possible negative story -The President’s recent SALT signing ceremony -Introductory by the President -Agnew -Length of ceremony -Warren E. Hearnes -Nelson A. Rockefeller -Gladys N. Spellman -Mayors -Richard G. Lugar -Frank C. Rizzo -Guest lists -Citizens Committees for Revenue Sharing -Reception -Pens -Timing -News coverage -Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins -Photographs with mayors 9 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. Nov-03) Property taxes -Syracuse, New York -Announcement -1972 Election -Timing -President’s possible statement -Meeting with Robert E. Merriam -Federal taxes Ehrlichman left at 11:31 am.