Conversation 810-014

TapeTape 810StartTuesday, October 31, 1972 at 2:44 PMEndTuesday, October 31, 1972 at 2:52 PMParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Recording deviceOval Office

On October 31, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 2:44 pm and 2:52 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 810-014 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 810-14

Date: October 31, l972
Time: Unknown between 2:44 pm and 2:52 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with an unknown person [H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman].

        Compilation of material
           -Radio tapes
           -Television tapes
           -Film
           -Letters

                                       (rev. Nov-03)

                                                  Conversation No. 810-l5

Date: October 31, l971
Time: 2:52 pm - 3:23 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

        Nelson A. Rockefeller's National Press Club speech
            -Quality of speech
                -Kissinger’s view
            -Reaction
            -Defense of the President’s foreign policy
            -Reception

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 2:52 pm.

        Refreshment

The unknown person left at an unknown time after 3:23 pm.

        Nelson A. Rockefeller's National Press Club speech
            -Points
                -Vietnam peace treaty
                    -The President's stance
                        -Details of agreement
                             -Armistice compared to peace
                             -Response by audience
                    -Quality
                        -Kissinger’s recent press conference
                             -Response by audience

        Vietnam negotiations
            -Public relations
                -The Administrations aggressive stance
                     -Demonstrators
                -Support from conservatives
                     -Details of agreement
                -Troop Withdrawal
                     -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]

                           (rev. Nov-03)

         -Los Angeles Times
         -New York Times
         -Marvin L. Kalb
         -Dan Rather
    -Coalition Government
         -Kalb
              -[Arnold] Eric Sevareid
              -Possible result in collapse of South Vietnamese government
-US failure to sign agreement
    -The President’s moral position
    -Bombing halt of 1968
         -Public perception
    -North Vietnamese reaction
         -Kissinger’s view
              -Anticipation of victory
                   -Instructions to cadres
    -Press reaction
         -Kissinger
         -Nguyen Van Thieu’s reaction
         -North Vietnamese reaction
    -Ambiguities
    -North Vietnamese Position
         -Negotiation schedule
         -Bombing halt
         -1972 election
         -Attacks on Kissinger
              -Kissinger’s use of the phrase “peace is at hand”
    -US position
         -Possible message after 1972 election
         -Negotiation record since October 22, 1972
              -US initiatives
         -Possible message to Thieu
              -Thieu’s position
    -Outcome
         -Polls
         -Effect of negotiations on Watergate and other issues
         -News domination
         -Public perception
              -The President’s strength
                   -Settlement signing prior to 1972 election
              -Kissinger's mail

                           (rev. Nov-03)

    -News summary
         -Emphasis on negative stories
    -Liberal Reaction
-Troop withdrawal
    -Kissinger’s efforts with press
-Announcement of signing
    -Timing
         -Late November 1972
    -Benefit to the President’s second term
-Bombing
    -Possible deployment of B-52s
    -Possible reconnaissance around Hanoi
    -Extent
    -North Vietnamese reaction
         -Possible continuation of war
-North Vietnamese strategy
    -Territorial situation
    -Reaction of cadres
-US position
    -Initiative
    -Insistence on a proper agreement
    -Military Pressure
-Rockefeller's National Press Club speech
    -Audience response
    -Television coverage
    -US stance
         -Peace compared to armistice
    -Support for the President
-George S. McGovern’s position
    -Desire to negotiate agreement
    -Desire to sign agreement
-North Vietnamese strategy
    -Negotiating stance
         -Possible break off of talks
         -William J. Porter
    -Military Position
         -Offensive
              -Feasibility
         -Resupplying
              -Effect on signing
         -US bombing

                                      (rev. Nov-03)

           -Forthcoming People's Republic of China [PRC] note
           -PRC refusal to attend dinner party
               -New York
               -Chiao Kuan-Hua
               -Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
           -PRC note
               -Possible tone
           -Public Reaction
               -Joseph C. Kraft
                    -Quality of US diplomatic performance
                        -PRC
                        -Soviet Union
                        -North Vietnam
                        -South Vietnam
               -Post-1972 election reactions
           -US honor

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 58s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

*****************************************************************

       The President's post-1972 election schedule
           -Possible trip to Florida
               -Cabinet

       Vietnam negotiations
           -Kissinger’s schedule
           -US power
               -1972 election
           -North Vietnamese actions
               -Seizure of territory
               -Coalition government
           -North Vietnamese statement on peace

                                    (rev. Nov-03)

              -Continuation of war
          -Thieu
              -Casualties
              -Kissinger's talk with Max Frankel
                   -US preparations for peace
              -Protests over terms
              -Post-1972 election stance
                   -Victory claims
              -Relationship with the President
              -Possible visit with the President
                   -San Clemente
          -Negotiation schedule
          -Press relations
              -Kissinger’s possible meeting with John W. Chancellor
              -Message from the President
              -Sevareid
              -Howard K. Smith
              -Hugh S. Sidey
              -“Georgetown set”
              -“New York set”
              -Time-Life
              -Reaction to the administration’s success
                   -Shift blame from liberal ideas to McGovern
              -Press sympathy for McGovern
                   -Opposition to US power
              -Possible Vietnam settlement
                   -Thieu
                   -Coalition government
                   -US military assistance to South Vietnam
          -Congress
              -Funding for South Vietnam assistance
                   -1972 election

*****************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 2m 15s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

                                        (rev. Nov-03)

*****************************************************************

         Vietnam negotiations
             -Attacks on US position
                 -North Vietnam
                 -Thieu
                 -Washington Post
             -North Vietnamese strategy
                 -Possible break off of negotiations
                      -1972 election
                           -Polls
             -Press relations
                 -Timing
                 -The President’s forthcoming trip to Chicago
                 -Ronald L. Ziegler

         McGovern campaign
            -Press blaming of McGovern
                -News Summary
                -Thomas F. Eagleton
                     -Effect on McGovern campaign
                         -McGovern's stand on issues
            Democratic National Convention
                -Marlo Thomas, Shirley MacLaine
                     -Abortion issue
                Appearance of delegates

         Kissinger's forthcoming conversation with Jay Lovestone

Kissinger left at 3:23 pm

                                                  Conversation No. 810-l6

Date: October 31, l972
Time: Unknown between 3:23 pm and 3:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

                                        (rev. Nov-03)

        The President’s signing of the 1973 Appropriations Act
            -Mementoes
                -Alexander P. Butterfield
                -Presidential library [?]

Bull left at an unknown time after 3:25 pm.

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

When you get all that material that's over, you know what we've done, don't forget those damn radio tapes that I did too.
She's got the radio tapes.