Easy NixonAbout

Conversation: 836-009

Prev:  836-008 Next: 836-010

Start Date: 9-Jan-1973 11:09 AM

End Date: 9-Jan-1973 1:23 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Malek, Frederic V.Bull, Stephen B.Atkins, Oliver F. ("Ollie")Ehrlichman, John D.Ash, Roy L.Kennedy, Richard T. (Col.)Cole, Albert L.[Unknown person(s)]Sanchez, ManoloWhite House operator

Recording Device: Oval Office

836-009a.mp3

836-009b.mp3

836-009c.mp3

NARA Description:

On January 9, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Frederic V. Malek, Stephen B. Bull, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, John D. Ehrlichman, Roy L. Ash, Col. Richard T. Kennedy, Albert L. Cole, unknown person(s), Manolo Sanchez, and the White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:09 am to 1:23 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 836-009 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 836-9

Date: January 9, 1973
Time: 11:09 am - 1:23 pm
Location: Oval Office

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman met with Frederic V. Malek and Stephen B. Bull; the White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

       Staff schedules

       Photographs
             -Ollie Atkins

The President entered at 11:10 am.

       Birthday greetings

       Maurice J. Williams
             -Photograph
             -Wife
             -Location
                     -Press room

Bull and the photgrapher left at an unknown time before 11:36 am.

       Second term reorganization
             -The President's confidence in Malek
                     -Management skills
             -Loyalty of appointees
                     -Priority
                             -Compared to intelligence
             -Internal Revenue Service [IRS] appointment
                     -George D. Webster
                     -Charles W. Colson
                     -Requirements
                             -Loyalty
                             -Tax lawyer
                     -Roger Barth
                     -Jews
                              -25-

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                       Tape Subject Log
                        (rev. Mar.-09)

                                               Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

              -Herbert Stein
                       -Loyalty
              -Tax lawyer
                       -Chicago
              -[First name not unknown] Seidman [?]
              -[First name not unknown] Allabrandi [?]
              -Northern Corporation President
                       -Alaman [?]
              -Importance
              -Webster
              -Colson
      -Personnel management
      -Schedule C appointments
      -Campaign loyalists
      -Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
              -Malek as Deputy
              -Roy L. Ash
              -George P. Shultz
              -Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
              -Purpose
              -Shultz
                       -Performance
              -Weinberger
                       -Performance
              -Ash
                       -Manager
      -Malek
              -Value
              -Department of Transportation
                       -Claude S. Brinegar
                       -Egil (“Bud”) Krogh, Jr.
              -Staff
-Management reorganization
      -Malek’s plans
      -Domestic Council
      -Staff cutbacks
              -OMB
              -White House staff
              -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
              -White House staff
                                                -26-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                              Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                                     -Career staff
                             -Secret Service
                             -Military aides
              -Assistant Secretary for Administration within each Department
                     -Duties
                     -Defense
                     -Ash
                     -George W. Romney
                     -Shultz
                     -Commerce Department
                     -OMB
                             -Regional officers
                                     -Administration loyalists
              -Inspectors General
                     -Departments
                     -State Department
                     -Labor Department
                             -Peter Brennan
                             -Picture of the President
                     -Fitness reports
                     -Assistant Secretaries for Administration
                     -OMB

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:10 am.

       The President's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:36 am.

       Second term reorganization
             -Inspector generals
             -Defense Department
             -State Department
                     -William J. Casey
                     -Ambassadors
                            -Tricia Nixon Cox
                            -Frank J. Shakespeare
                     -Foreign Service
                            -Frank C. Carlucci
             -Armed Services
                                              -27-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

              -Quality of Personnel
                      -Enticements of recruiting
                               -Compared to 1969
              -OMB
                      -Staff transfers
                      -New recruits
              -Criteria for employment
                      -Political sensitivity
                      -Nepotism
              -OMB
              -Peter M. Flanigan
                      -Ambassadors
              -Recruitment
                      -Shared philosophy
              -Regional concerns
                      -Harvard Law School
                      -Harvard School of Business Administration
                      -Harvard School of Medicine
                      -Henry A. Kissinger and Foreign Service
                               -Harvard School of Political Science
                                       -Quality
                               -Harvard School of Diplomacy
                                       -Quality
                                       -Pacifism
                               -Montana State
              -Unknown man
                      -Under Secretary of Labor
                               -Czech
                               -Career history
                                       -Yale University
                                       -Harvard Law School
                                       -Cambridge University
                      -Brennan
                      -Regional considerations
                               -Harvard University
                               -Yale University

The White House photographer, Ash, John D. Ehrlichman entered at 11:36 am.

       Second term reorganization
                                             -28-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                            Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

              -Loyalists

Malek left at 11:36 am.

The White House photographer left at an unknown time before 12:14 pm.

       Ash's responsibilities
               -Shultz
               -Stein
               -Economic policies
                       -Quadriad member
                       -Wage and price controls
               -Spokesman for economic forecasts
                       -1972 economy
                       -Predictions for 1973 and 1974
                              -Congressional spending
               -Shultz
               -Stein
               -Ehrlichman’s memorandum

       National economy spokesmen
              -Shultz
                      -Labor-Management Committee
                              -Wage and price controls
                      -Farmer
                              -Food prices
              -Congressional spending
                      -Threat to prosperity
                              -Full employment budget
                              -Tax increases
              -Ash’s background
                      -Businessman
                      -Non-businessmen
                              -Shultz
                              -Weinberger
                              -John B. Connally
                      -Litton Industries
              -Others
                      -Economists
                      -Stein
                                          -29-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                       Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

               -Treasury Department
               -Arthur F. Burns

Burns
        -Performance
                -1972 campaign
                        -Discount rate
                        -Money supply
                        -Effectiveness
        -Possible relationship with Ash
        -Status as economist

Ash
        -Washington Post
        -Criticism
                -The President’s advice
        -Noah Dietrich
                -Character
        -Status in administration
                -Confirmation
        -Relationship with Cabinet

OMB
        -The President's conversation with Malek
        -Budget emphasis
               -Shultz
               -Weinberger
        -Lack of management concerns
               -Shultz
               -Weinberger
               -Personnel
                       -Budget man
                               -Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
               -Management emphasis
                       -Malek
        -Budget concerns
               -Samuel M. Cohen
                       -Professionalism
        -Congressional liaison
               -Bryce N. Harlow
                                       -30-

             NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                         Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                 -Congressional constituencies
                 -Meeting
                         -Harlow
                         -Ehrlichman
                         -Ash
         -Shifts in job assignments
                 -Congressional relations
                 -Cabinet officers
                         -British Cabinet
                         -Elliot L. Richardson
                                 -Department of Health, Education , and Welfare [HEW]
                                        -Advocacy
                                 -Defense Department
                         -Weinberger
                                 -HEW
                 -Budget officers
                         -Lack of political judgment
                                 -White House intervention

Budget
         -Domestic Council
         -Ash’s political judgment
         -Reviews
                 -Earl L. Butz
                 -James T. Lynn
         -Cabinet members with political judgment
                 -Butz
                 -Lynn
                 -Weinberger
                 -Richardson
                 -Clark MacGregor
                 -Rogers C. B. Morton
                 -Brinegar
                         -Krogh
         -Ash’s relations with Congress
                 -Eldon B. Mahon
                 -John C. Stennis
                 -Wilbur D. Mills
                 -Impoundment
         -Strategy
                             -31-

    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                      Tape Subject Log
                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                            Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

        -Unemployment
-George W. Romney
        -Housing
        -Paul H. O’Neill
        -Speech
        -Lynn
-Impoundment
        -Outside assistance
        -Carlucci
        -Congressional support
        -Joseph W. Barr
        -Former Secretary of the Treasury
        -Shultz
        -Former Budget Directors
        -Meet the Press
        -Thomas Jefferson
        -Weinberger
                -Briefing paper
        -Presidential reaction
        -Tax increase
        -Congressional reaction
        -Analysts reaction
        -Taxes
                -Weinberger
                -Inflation
        -David M. Kennedy
        -Public relations [PR] strategy
-1974 budget presentation
        -Weinberger
        -Ash
        -Ebenezer Scrooge
-Bipartisan Congressional leaders meeting
-Republican Congressional leaders meeting
        -1973 budget
        -Support for impoundment
        -Kleindienst
                -Legality of impoundment
        -Taxes
        -“No new taxes”
-Polls
                                             -32-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                               Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                     -Gallup
                     -Taxes
                     -Spending
              -Tax increase
                     -Social programs
                     -Thomas J. Meskill
                             -Connecticut budget
                     -Nelson A. Rockefeller
                             -New York
                             -Polls
                             -Austerity budget
                     -Framing the issue
                     -Domestic spending
                             -Defense cuts
              -Impoundment
                     -Presidential justifications
              -Congressional relations
                     -Mahon
                     -Russell B. Long
                     -Consultation
                     -Appropriation committees
                     -New structure
                     -Henry S. Reuss
                     -William E. Brock, III
                     -Mills
                             -Litton contribution
                                     -Mills School of Public Administration
                                              -University of Arkansas
                             -Speech
                             -Taxes
              -707 analogy
                     -OMB

       Henry A. Kissinger's telephone call
             -Birthday greetings

Ehrlichman and Ash left at 12:14 pm.

       Kissinger's letter
              -Vietnam settlement breakthrough
                                                -33-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                             Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

              -Protocols
              -October agreements
              -Congressional relations
              -Saigon

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown item after 12:14 pm.

       The President's schedule
              -William P. Rogers
              -Col. Richard T. Kennedy
              -Ash
              -Cole
              -Richard Kennedy

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:20 pm.

              -Free days
                     -Press conference
                     -Florida
              -Appointment times
                     -Cabinet
                     -Members of Congress
              -Malek
              -Donald McI. Kendall
              -Types of meetings
                     -Unscheduled afternoons
              -Bull
                     -Responsibilities
                     -Haldemen’s responsibilities

Richard Kennedy entered at 12:20 pm.

       Henry A. Kissinger's letter
             -Vietnam settlement
             -Distribution
                     -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
                     -Richard Kennedy
                     -Rogers
                             -William H. Sullivan
                     -Melvin R. Laird
                                               -34-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                         Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                     -Ronald L. Ziegler
                            -Press relations

       Vietnam settlement
             -Prospects
             -Kissinger
                     -Optimism
             -North Vietnamese negotiating stance
                     -Timing
                     -Congress
                     -Press
                     -Canada
             -US – South Vietnam relations
                     -Nguyen Van Thieu
                             -South Vietnamese people
                                     -Thieu in October
                     -Haig
                     -Kissinger
                             -Birthday greetings
                             -Report
                             -Secrecy
                                     -Kennedy’s role
                                     -Haldeman’s role
                             -Presidential directives
                     -Birthday gift
                     -Negotiating strategy
             -Haig
                     -Timing for trip to Saigon
                     -Political agreement
                     -Kissinger’s schedule
                     -Haig’s trip
                     -Disclosure to Haig
                     -Creighton B. Abrams
                     -Kissinger
             -Rogers

Kennedy left at 12:30 pm.

       The President’s schedule
                                             -35-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                                Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

Cole entered at 12:31 pm.

       Birthday greetings

       Relations between Ehrlichman and Cole
              -Ehrlichman's PR activities
                     -Congressional relations
              -The President's confidence in Cole

Unknown person entered at an unknown time after 12:31 pm.

       Lunch

Unknown person left at an unknown time before 1:22 pm.

       Cole's duties
               -Ehrlichman
               -Presidential schedule
                      -Haldeman’s duties
                      -Bull
               -Paperwork
                      -Memoranda length
                      -National Security Council [NSC]
                      -Details
                      -Memoranda
                               -The President's interest
                                      -Staff Secretary
                                      -Further information
                                              -News summaries
               -Paper flow
                      -Ehrlichman’s duties
                      -Cole’s role
                      -The President’s schedule
                               -Bull
                      -Ehrlichman’s views
                               -Impoundment
               -Personal meetings
                      -Domestic Council
                               -Bryce N. Harlow [?]
                      -Undersecretaries
                                               -36-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                            Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                     -Assistant Secretaries
                             -Training program
             -Cole's age
             -Speeches
                     -Ehrlichman
                     -State of the Union
                             -Radio speeches
                     -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
                     -William E. Timmons
                     -Congressional relations
                     -Radio messages
                     -Capital punishment for drug dealers
                             -Rockefeller
                                    -Polls
                                    -Public support
                                    -Civil libertarians
                                    -Motives


*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Privacy]
[Duration: 4s   ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************


                                   -Contacts with White House
                                           -Ehrlichman
                            -The President's interest
                                   -Fight on drugs
                                   -Justice Department
                                   -Public support

      Contracts for New York
             -Ehrlichman
             -AX contract
                     -Experimental fighter
                     -Northrup in California
                                             -37-

                 NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                   Tape Subject Log
                                    (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                           Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                   -Fairchild in Long Island
                   -Competition
                   -Presidential intervention
                   -Competition
                          -Robert Seamans
                                   -Long Island economic impact
                          -Grumman
                          -Fairchild
                   -Northrup
                   -California
                   -Grumman

      Frank L. Rizzo
             -The President's concern
             -Schools
                    -Grant system
             -Treatment by Milton N. Shapp
                    -Federal actions
                            -Pennsylvania
             -Education money
                    -HEW
                    -Philadelphia


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

            -Shapp
            -1972 election support
            -1973 Inauguration
                   -Personal problem

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


            -Political plans
                    -Governor
            -Personal problem
                                             -38-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                              Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:03 pm and
12:52 pm.

[Conversation No. 836-9A]

[See Conversation No. 35-104]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Romney
            -Transition
                   -Lynn
                   -Weinberger

       National economy
              -Spending
              -Taxes

The President talked with the White House operator at 12:52 pm.

[Conversation No. 836-9B]

[See Conversation No. 35-105]

[End of telephone conversation]

       Letter to Mills

       Spending
             -Charles W. Colson
             -Congressional relations
             -Kenneth W. Clawson
             -Ziegler

The White House operator talked with the President at an unknown time between 12:52 pm and
1:22 pm.

[Conversation No. 836-9C]

[See Conversation No. 35-106]
                                               -39-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                           Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)


[End of telephone conversation]

       Romney

       John A. Volpe
              -1972 campaign
              -Ambassador
              -Secretary of Transportation

       Relations between Ehrlichman and Cole
              -Paperwork
              -Priorities

Cole left at an unknown time before 1:22 pm.

       The President's schedule
              -Free time
              -Meetings
                      -Cabinet, Quadriad, NSC
                      -Counsellors
                      -Congress
                      -Business labor
              -John B. Connally
              -John N. Mitchell
              -Kissinger
              -Colson
              -Kissinger
                      -Telephone call
                             -Birthday wishes
                             -Cable
                             -Conversation with Haldeman
                             -Gratitude to the President
                      -Vietnam settlement
                             -Breakthrough
                             -Thieu
                             -North Vietnamese
                      -Conversation with the President
                             -Haig
                                                -40-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                                  Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

       Herbert G. Klein
              -Meeting
              -Counselor for communications
                      -New job
              -Press story

Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:52 pm.

       Ziegler's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:22 pm.

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:52 pm.

       Dishes

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:22 pm.

       Klein
                -Responsibilities
                       -Counselor for communications
                               -Cabinet meetings
                               -NSC meetings
                       -Press secretary
                       -Salesman for administration
                       -Programming Cabinet
                       -Executive Office Building [EOB]
                -Frank Dale
                       -Uses
                       -Rose Mary Woods
                       -Opposition
                               -Preston Wolfe
                                       -1972 Campaign
                -Office of Communications
                -Press Office
                -Colson’s office
                       -William J. Baroody, Jr.
                               -Special Assist to the President
                               -Letters to editor
                                       -Herbert G. Klein
                                      -41-

           NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                    Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

               -“Attack group”
       -Responsibilities
               -Staff
       -Employment possibilities
               -California job
               -James S. Copley
       -Press coverage
       -Baroody
       -Anne L. Armstrong
               -Staff
               -Bicentennial
               -Bicentennial Commission
                      -Counselor to the President
                      -Executive Director
                      -Chairman
                               -David Mahoney

The President's schedule
       -Florida trip
               -Vietnam settlement
                       -Negotiations
       -Kissinger
               -Haig
       -1973 Inauguration
       -The President’s work
               -Inaugural speech
               -Personnel
               -Congressional messages
               -Cabinet meeting
               -Congressional leaders meeting
               -Budget
               -State of the Union speech
       -Florida schedule
               -Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo
               -Swimming
       -Appearance
               -Sun
               -Television
               -Inaugural activities
                       -Concert
                                             -42-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Mar.-09)

                                                             Conversation No. 836-9 (cont’d)

                              -Balls
                              -Inaugural speech
                              -Parade
                      -Trip to Soviet Union
                      -1972 election
                      -Inaugural activities
                              -Parade
                              -TV coverage
                              -Balls
                                     -Miss America contest
                              -Church service
                                     -Radio coverage
                                             -Popularity

       Roses
               -Delivery

Haldeman left at 1:22 pm.