Conversation No. 857-3

Date: February 15, 1973
Time: 9:20 am - 10:40 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

       Press briefing
              -Environment
              -William D. Ruckleshaus
                                               -5-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                         Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




                     -Meeting with President
              -Pentagon visit by President

       Photographs
             -Ruckelshaus
             -Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster
                    -Meeting with President


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

       Donald W. Riegle, Jr.
             -Switch to Democratic Party

       Garry Brown [?]

       Charlotte Reid

       Paul N. McCloskey, Jr.
              -Party change
              -“Fraud”


[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]

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       Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
             -Reception
                    -Volunteers
                    -Ziegler's role
             -Fundraiser
                                           -6-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                     Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




              -Washington, DC
       -Photographs
       -Washington Star
       -Washington Post
       -Publicity

Corsages to Prisoners of War [POWs] wives
      -Press coverage

POW press coverage
     -News summary
     -Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr.
             -News of “peace with honor”
                     -Effect on POWs
                     -Whistling “California here we come”
     -Tom Jarriel's story
             -Raising of flags

President's message on environment
       -American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
       -National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
       -Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
       -Reports

News stories about President
      -Associated Press [AP]
      -“New Nixon”
      -President's isolation
      -President's visit to Trader Vic's
              -Effect

Pentagon visit
       -Ziegler's attendance
       -Freehan [?]
       -Purpose
                                      -7-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                               Tape Subject Log
                                 (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                       Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




              -POW jobs program
       -Recognition for POWs
              -Adm. Thomas Moorer’s suggestions
              -Medal for POWs
              -Ziegler's statement
                      -Suggestion for recognition
                      -Defense Department’s recommendations
                      -Congress
       -North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] policy
       -Implementation of cease-fire
              -Withdrawal schedule
       -Back pay to POWs
              -Sums
              -Congressional authorization
                      -Korea
       -Ceremonial protocols
              -Joint Chiefs of Staff [JCS]
              -Service secretaries
              -Cabinet

Cabinet meeting
       -Ziegler's statement
       -Purpose
              -Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's report on trip
              -George P. Shultz's report on trade

William P. Rogers’s press conference
       -Ziegler’s role
       -People’s Republic of China [PRC]
              -Normalization of relations

Press relations
        -Vietnam settlement
                - Telegrams from abroad
                       -Public release
                                               -8-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




                              -Distribution
                      -World reaction
                      -Environment
                              -John D. Ehrlichman
              -POWs, veterans
                      -Jobs
                      -Difficulties
                      -Jobs for veterans program
                      -Recognition
                      -Amnesty
                      -Effect of administration efforts
              -Press conference
                      -Henry A. Kissinger’s trip
                      -Briefing
                      -Barbara Walters’s role
              -President’s statement
              -Vietnam settlement
                      -Aid to North Vietnam
                      -Kissinger’s abilities
              -Kissinger’s plans
                      -Cable to Ziegler
                      -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:20 am.

       President's meeting with Haldeman and Ehrlichman.

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:39 am.

       CBS news program
             -Problems
                    -Communique
             -Dan Rather
                    -Story on PRC
                           -Walter Cronkite assessment
                                              -9-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




Haldeman entered at 9:39 am.

      Press relations
              -Kissinger's cable to Ziegler
                      -Press conference plans
                      -Statement by President
                              -North Vietnam aid
                      -Kissinger’s style
                              -Pham Can Dong
                      -Plans for press conference
                              -President’s role
                                     -Television [TV]
                      -Joint communiqué
                              -Kissinger’s promise to North Vietnamese
              -Kissinger's return to US
                      -Date
                      -Stop in Japan
              -Background briefing
                      -Press conference
                              -Congress
                      -Briefings
                              -President
                              -Cabinet
                              -Congress

      Pentagon visit
             -Command center
                     -Public relations [PR]
             -Purpose
                     -Jobs for veterans
                     -Troop withdrawal, cease-fire
             -Press conference
                     -Informality
                     -President's statements to press
                                               -10-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                                Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




                       -Ziegler’s role

Ziegler left at 9:45 am.

       Kissinger
              -Joint communiqué
                      -President’s knowledge
              -Aid to North Vietnam
                      -Kissinger’s abilities
              -Press conference
              -Trip to Hanoi
                      -POWs
                      -Purpose

Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am.

       Request for Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft

Bull left at an unknown time before 9:49 am.

       Press relations
               -Kissinger
                       -Press conference
                       -New policy
               -President's statement
                       -Delay
               -Public relations
                       -George P. Shultz
                               -International monetary policy
                       -John B. Connally

Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:45 am.

       William E. Timmons
                                               -11-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                                Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




Bull left at an unknown time before 9:49 am.

       Invitation to White House church service

Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft entered at 9:49 am.

       POWs
              -Pentagon visit
              -Recognition
                     -Congress
                             -Medal of Honor
                     -Presidential unit citation
                     -Ribbon
                             -Star for each year of captivity
              -Jobs
                     -Ehrlichman
                     -Veterans
                     -Statement
                             -California
                     -Cabinet meeting
                             -Service
              -National heroes
                     -Let-down
              -Physical and psychological
                     -Sense of euphoria
                             -Let-down
              -Need for psychiatric help, let-down
                     -Family problems
                     -Children
                             -Problems
                     -Pornography
                             -Television [TV]
                             -Movie
                     -Bad language
                             -Children, women
                                       -12-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                Tape Subject Log
                                  (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                        Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




       -Recognition
             -Citation
             -Missing in action [MIAs]
                     -Posthumous citation

MIAs
       -Similar status of Killed in action [KIA]
              -Reasons
       -Help for families
       -Presidential letter
              -Content
              -Delicate language
                       -Someone to write
                               -Raymond K. Price, Jr.
                               -Claudia A. (Taylor) (“Lady Bird”) Johnson’s role
              -Accounting
               -Correspondence
                       -Specialists
                                -Offer to Mrs. Johnson
                               -State Department

Kissinger's proposed press conference
       -Problems
       -Ziegler's statement
       -Need for salesmanship
       -Aid to North Vietnam
               -Difficulty of issue
                       -President’s statement

Joint communiqué
        -Copy to President
               -Scowcroft’s role

Aid to North Vietnam
       -Sensitivity of issue
                                              -13-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                                Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




               -POWs
                      -Horror stories
               -Kissinger’s perception
               -POWs
                      -JCS
               -Reasons
                      -Guarantee of peace
                      -Reconstruction
                      -Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
                      -Leverage
               -Timmon’s comments
                      -Bilateral compared to multilateral aid
                      -Congressional reaction
                      -Timmon’s style
                      -Positive line
                              -Peace
               -Multilateral approach
                      -Lack of leverage

        Foreign aid
               -Congress
               -Multilateral aid
                      -Disadvantages
                               -International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [World
Bank]
               -Bilateral aid

        Vietnam settlement
              -Agnew’s briefing of Cabinet
              -Kissinger’s return to US
              -Cabinet meeting with Kissinger
                      -President's opposition
              -National Security Council [NSC] meeting
                      -Control
                      -Anne Armstrong
                                      -14-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                                (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                       Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




               -Pham Van Dong
       -Cabinet
               -Complexity of issue of aid to North Vietnam
       -Aid to North Vietnam
               -Ash
               -Sales pitch
                       -Defense spending
                       -1974 budget
       -Congressional relations
               -Kissinger’s return
               -Budget
                       -Aid to North Vietnam
                               -Reparations
                       -Domestic social programs
               -Kissinger
                       -Sales pitch
                               -Aid to North Vietnam
               -Kissinger
                       -Portrayal of North Vietnam leaders
                               -Experience in Hanoi
                               -Chou En-Lai
               -1974 budget
                       -Ash
                       -Defense budget estimates
                               -Vietnam
                               -Laos
                       -Optimism about aid appropriations
Pentagon visit
       -Ziegler, Scowcroft
               -Dress
       -Ash
               -Purpose
                       -Kissinger
                               -POWs
                                            -15-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




Scowcroft left at 10:09 am.

Bull entered at 10:09 am.

       President’s schedule
              -Goodpaster [?]
              -Ash
              -Ehrlichman

Bull left at 10:09 am.

William E. Timmons entered at 10:09 am.

       White House social events
             -Evening at the White House
                     -Entertainment
                            -Army choir
                            -Quality
                     -Congress
                     -Scheduling
             -Number attending
                     -Couples
                            -Number
             -Church services
                     -Number attending
             -Invitations
                     -Republican congress members
                            -Evening or church services, dinners
                                   -State dinner
                                           -Golda Meir
                     -Loyalists
                     -Freshmen
                            -Reception
                            -Republicans
                            -Democrats
                                            -16-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                           Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




                      -Democrats
                             -Opponents
                      -Number invited
                             -Democrats
                                     -Morris K. Udall
                                     -Bella S. Abzug
                                     -George S. McGovern
                      -Donald W. Riegle
                             -Party switch
                      -William B. Saxbe
                      -Church service
                             -Saxbe
                                     -Invitation
                             -Charles H. Percy
              -Invitation
                      -Rose Mary Woods
                      -Lucy A. Winchester
                             -Handling
                      -Timmons's role
                      -Woods's role
                             -Social Office role

Timmons left at 10:16 am.

The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 10:16 am and 10:40 am.

                     -Mailing
                     -Representatives, Senators
                            -Number invited
                     -Financial contributors
                            -Maurice H. Stans
                            -Dinners
                            -Number
                     -Church services
                            -Number invited
                                             -17-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                        (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                              Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




                            -Washington, DC
                            -Administration officials
                            -New Executive Branch employees
                      -Congress members
                            -Winchester
                            -Timmons
                                   -List
                                          -Mailing
                                   -Loyalists
                                   -Others
                                          -Republican
                                                  -Richard S. Schweiker
                                                  -Riegle
                                                          -Party switch

[End of telephone conversation]

       Woods
               -William L. Duncan
                       -Support
                       -Edward L. Morgan
               -Birthday party for Dr. Walter R. Tkach
                       -San Clemente
                       -Robert H. Taylor's presence
                       -Demeanor
               -Helen Thomas’s story on Secret Service controversy
                       -Time of release
               -Conversation with Dwight L. Chapin
                       -Haldeman’s role
               -Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s note
                       -Woods on airplane

       Secret Service controversy
              -Duncan and Taylor
                      -Meeting with President
                                                -18-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                         Tape Subject Log
                                           (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




               -Woods
                      -Delay of farewell letters
                      -President's signing
               -Farewell letters
                      -Delay
               -Woods
               -Tkach
               -Taylor story
                      -Ziegler's role
               -New York Times
               -Taylor
                      -Meeting with Haldeman
                      -Job change
               -Administration's image
               -Farewell letter
                      -Memorandum
                      -Bull
                      -Delay

Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.

       Letters to Duncan and Taylor
               -Drafts
                       -Price
                       -David R. Gergen
               -President's signature
               -Preparation

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.

       Woods
               -Problems
               -Chapin
                      -Visit to office
                                                -19-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                          Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.

       Ash's location
               -Shultz

       Woods
               -Letters to Duncan and Taylor
                       -President's signature

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.

       Woods
               -Haldeman's role
               -Ehrlichman's advice

       Announcement
             -Taylor
                     -Decision to stay
             -Secret Service

       Woods
               -Internal fights
               -Julie Nixon Eisenhower
               -Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
               -Taylor and Duncan
               -Duncan
               -Patricia R. Hitt
                       -Memo
                                -Ehrlichman’s answer
                       -Robert H. Finch
                       -Conversation with Woods
                       - Conversation with Haldeman

Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.
                                                -20-

                    NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                       Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                          Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




       Letters to Taylor and Duncan
               -Retirement

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.

       Woods
                -Conversation with Haldeman

       Morgan

       Taylor
                -Plans to move
                -Ehrlichman and Haldeman’s roles
                -Promotion
                -Offer of promotions
                        -Treasury Department
                -Duncan
                        -Directorship
                        -Tkach
                -Julie Nixon Eisenhower

       Letters to Taylor and Duncan
               -Signature
               -Note
               -Date

       Taylor
                -Retention
                -Job changes
                       -Court administrators
                       -Leave of absence
                -Job opportunities
                       -Morgan’s suggestion
                -Treasury Department
                       -Promotions
                                                -21-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                          (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                             Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




       Hitt
              -Ehrlichman’s responsibility

Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:16 am.

       Arrival of Rogers C. B. Morton

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:40 am.

       Hitt
              -Meeting with Ehrlichman
              -President’s support
              -Job
                     -Finch’s memorandum
                     -Reorganization
                              -Caspar W. (“Cap”)Weinberger
                     -Finch’s memorandum
                              -ACTION position
              -Conversation with Ehrlichman
              -Complaints
              -President's reaction
              -Woods's reaction
                     -Conversation with Haldeman
                              -John E. Nidecker
                              -Herbert G. Klein
                     -Chapin’s departure
                     -Motivation
                              -Relations with Chapin

       Woods’s conversation
             -Conversation with Charles G. ("Bebe") Rebozo
             -Secret Service, Hitt
             -Discussion with Helen Thomas
                     -Airplane ride
                                            -22-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Oct.-09)
                                                            Conversation No. 857-3 (cont’d)




              -Conversation with Haldeman
                    -Haldeman's approach

Haldeman left at 10:40 am.