Conversation: 815-011
Prev:  815-010 Next: 815-012Start Date: 24-Nov-1972 9:37 AM
End Date: 24-Nov-1972 10:14 AM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Romney, George W.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Sanchez, Manolo; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On November 24, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, George W. Romney, John D. Ehrlichman, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 9:37 am to 10:14 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 815-011 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 815-11 Date: November 24, 1972 Time: 9:37 am - 10:14 am Location: Oval Office The President met with George W. Romney and John D. Ehrlichman. Greetings Thanksgiving Romney’s schedule -Appearance at real estate convention -Hawaii -Maunakea -Laurance S. Rockefeller -The President's visit -1966 campaign -[Randolph Crossley] -Maunakea -Climate -Weather -Volcanoes -Swimming -Lenore L. Romney -Golfing -16- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 9:37 am. Refreshments -Coffee -Coca-Cola -Pepsi-Cola Sanchez left at an unknown time before 10:14 am. Second term reorganization -George Romney -Agenda for current meeting -Subsequent meetings -George Romney’s schedule -Successor -Personal plans -Successor -Richard C. Van Dusen -Departure -Confirmation -Retention -Departure -Timing -January 1973 -Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] -Romney's recommendations -National housing problems -Personal plans -HUD -HUD -Romney’s recommendations -Subsequent meetings -Successor -Timing -Retail and wholesale market -Subsidized housing and community development -State responsibilities -Congressional relations -17- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Budget cuts -Taxes -Timing -Statutory changes -The President’s budget message -George Romney’s conversations with Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger and Frank C. Carlucci -Subsequent meeting Domestic affairs -Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW] -Expenditures -Department of Transportation -Problems -Highways -Railroads -Inheritance from 1960s HUD -Accomplishments -Review -Decentralization -1972 economy -The President’s meeting with building trades industry, circa 1970 -Romney's accomplishments -The President's letter -Substance -Second term reorganization -Domestic affairs ************************************************************************** [Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift] 1972 election -The President’s long-standing supporters -House of Representatives -1962 election -The President’s landslide -Compared to Romney’s work -18- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) [End segment reviewed under deed of gift] ************************************************************************** -Resistance from bureaucracy, Congress, industry -Change -Time required -Housing -Central cities -State responsibilities -Social problem -Compared to physical problem -Local governments -New York -Nelson A. Rockefeller -John V. Lindsay -Railroads -New York City -Federal government role George Romney -Concerns -Crisis and reform -Previous conversation with the President -Job offers -Urban Coalition -James M. Roche -Andrew Heiskell -Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. -Status -John W. Gardner -Areas of support -National Center for Volunteer Action [NCVA] -W. Clement Stone -Douglas K. Kinsey -Activities -Voluntary action information centers -Inquiries -Volume -19- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Concerns -Privatization -Political process -Dependence on crisis -Reform -Proposals -A merger of Urban Coalition and NCVA -Effect on stocks -Heiskell’s concern -Max M. Fisher -Edwin D. Etherington -Stone -Fisher -Etherington -Citizens’s coalition -Previous meeting with the President -Papers -Concept, organization -Presentation to the President -Merger of the Urban Coalition NCVA -Advantages -Contributors, workers -Lenore Romney -Urban collation -Heiskell -Gardner -NCVA -Think tank -NCVA -Compared to Urban Coalition -Name -Common Cause -Citizens Coalition for Voluntary and Community Action [CCVCA] -Citizens coalition for Community Action [CCCA] -Television [TV] commercials -Gardner -Bigger agreement -Left wing -The President’s and George Romney’s view -20- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Spending -George Romney’s challenge at national governor’s conference -Future assistance -Nelson Rockefeller -Assistance to George Romney -Meeting with the President at Camp David -Cabinet -John B. Connally -Financial aid -Support for think tank -Think tank -Administration support -Urban coalition -NCVA -George Romney’s role -Front man, fund raising -The President's advice to Melvin R. Laird -Departure from cabinet -Possible Senate candidacy -Business -Plans -Recruitment by groups -George Romney’s connections, experience -Romney's control -The President’s experience in 1960 -Offers from organizations -Business -Boys Clubs of America -Herbert C. Hoover -Fundraising -Think tank -Communications -Tax exemptions -Politics -Detroit school study -Recommendations -Urban Coalition -Gardner’s split -Tax exempt status -21- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Common Cause -Problems -Tax exemption status -Possible organizational split -Name -Use of “national” -NCCCA, N3CA -Administration support -Heiskell -Jordan -Ehrlichman -Urban League -Meetings on George Romney, the President -North Carolina Second term reorganization -Community development department -Environmental protection agency [EPA] -Land use, city planning -HUD -Minority groups -Safety valve -Racial problems -Lyndon B. Johnson -Burning ethics -Appointments -Sympathy -George Romney’s tenure -Samuel J. Simmons -Samuel C. Jackson -Qualifications -Possible move -1972 campaign -Black administrators -Jackson -Relationship with blacks -Title -General Assistant Secretary -Policy decisions -White administrators -22- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Jackson -Under secretaryship -Structure -Functional basis -Decentralization -Assistant secretaries -Staff function -Line function -Secretary’s office -Staff -Policy organization -George Romney’s conversation with Ehrlichman -Blacks -George Romney’s forthcoming conversation with Ehrlichman -White House -Robert J. Brown -Stanley S. Scott -Symbolism -Treasury Department -Samuel R. Pierce, Jr. -George Romney's successor -Forthcoming meeting with Ehrlichman and George Romney -Confidentiality -George Romney’s successor -Cabinet -Congressional elections -George Romney’s possible statement -HUD -Department of Transportation -Urban problems -Roy L. Ash -Assistant secretary -Revised functions -Regionalization -Possible meeting with Ash George Romney -Future -23- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08) Conversation No. 815-11 (cont’d) -Appointments -Announcements -Timing -Announcement of departure -Timing -Possible press conference -Timing -Letter of resignation -Romney's plans -Successor -The President’s acceptance -Release of letter -Timing -White House -Timing -William W. Scranton’s invitation to George Romney -Municipal League -Minneapolis -Resignation letters Second term reorganization -George Romney’s view -Cabinet -Bureaucracy -Changes in positions -Laird -William P. Rogers -Vietnam negotiations -Mistakes of previous Presidents -Dwight D. Eisenhower -Retention of Cabinet officers -George T. Humphrey -“Hair-curling” depression statement -Arthur Summerfield -Ezra Taft Benson -Decentralization -Tax cuts -Revenue sharing Ehrlichman and Romney left at 10:14 am. -24- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. Jan.-08)