Conversation: 895-020
Prev:  895-019 Next: 895-021Start Date: 13-Apr-1973 11:53 AM
End Date: 13-Apr-1973 12:59 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Brennan, Peter J.; Cole, Kenneth R., Jr.; White House photographer; Recording Device: Oval Office
NARA Description:
On April 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Peter J. Brennan, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:53 am to 12:59 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 895-020 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 895-20 Date: April 13, 1973 Time: 11:53 am - 12:59 pm Location: Oval Office The President met with Peter J. Brennan and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. The White House photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting. Cole’s health -Chicken pox -Daughters Cabinet officers -Forthcoming Cabinet meeting -General issues -Role of Brennan in Cabinet -Compared to President’s meeting with Rogers C. B. Morton in California -Alaska Pipeline -Indians -Separate meetings with President -Elevation of issues to Cabinet level meetings -Other departments interested -Economic policy -George P. Shultz -George [Surname unknown] [Meany] [?] -Conflicts with Brennan [?] -Earl L. Butz -Option papers -Brennan’s arguments -President’s support for Brennan’s advocacy on issues Youth differential -Administration’s proposal -George Meany’s reaction -Youth employment compared to adult employment -Adult disenfranchisement -35- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Child labor -Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration -Proposal -Meany’s proposal -Minimum wage -Public enemies -Domestic workers -Congressional support for President -Support for Meany -President’s role in legislation -Veto -Brennan’s role in administration -Advocacy for beliefs -Support for President -President’s schedule -San Clemente, California -Newspaper interviews -Meeting with Nguyen Van Thieu -Brennan’s support for President -Former career with organized labor -Progress -Business community Public employees -State and local employees -President’s interaction with unions -Federal government -Problems -New York State -Decentralization -Return to local governments Anti-discrimination law -Role of states -Civil Rights Act -Discrimination of Age Act -Economic issue -36- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Merits Minimum wage law -States’ reaction -Rise in taxes -Brennan’s defense of President -Chamber of Commerce’s reaction -Meany’s reaction -National Association of Manufacturers [NAM] Butz -Credibility with farmers -Prices President’s schedule -April 16, 1973 -President’s greeting -Avoidance of speechmaking -Brennan -Attendance with President -Meany -New Orleans, Louisiana -Audience -Attacks on Brennan Meany -Attacks on President and Brennan -Miami [?] -Mental state -Compared to Gen. Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle, Konrad Adenauer, Jawaharlal Nehru -Intellectual rigidity Building Trades Union -Support for President’s policies -Meany’s background -Diversity of opinion -Support for President’s Vietnam policies -37- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Prisoners of War [POWs] President’s speech at April 16, 1973, meeting -National defense -Defense budget -Domestic issues -Administration’s “open door” policy -Brennan -Roles in administration -Defense of labor -Debates within the administration -Team mentality Building Trades -Control Board on Wages [CSRC] -Price levels -Fairness -Construction -Review of labor laws -Situs picketing reform -Support of previous President’s -Taft-Hartley Act -Problems with subcontracting -Discriminatory nature -Prior legislation -Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. [?] -Congress of Industrial Organizations [CIO] President’s April 16, 1973, speech -Common situs picketing -Brennan -President’s position -Position paper -Brennan’s leadership -Meany [?] -President’s addressing of issue -Follow through -38- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Length of conference -Common situs picketing -Role of Congress -William E. Timmons Building Trades -Support for President’s policies -1972 election -Budget -National defense -Vietnam -POWs -Emotions -Rehabilitation -Job creation -Brennan’s role -President’s April 16, 1973, speech -POWs -Labor -Mike Donovan -Death of son -Attendance at meeting -President’s April 16, 1973, speech -President’s appreciation for support -Trade -National security -Goals -Brennan -Administration’s respect for labor’s view -President’s availability -Discussions -Compromise -Disagreements -Balance between labor and business -Brennan’s role -Honesty compared to pandering -Brennan’s role -39- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Independence -Resignation -Press coverage -Leslie E. Carpenter -Washington Star -Meany’s opposition to Brennan, President -President of unknown organization -Reactions to Meany’s opposition to administration Industrial Peace Commission -Dave Coleman -Brennan’s credibility Meany’s attack on Brennan -Business reaction -Effects -Administration’s progressive actions -Cole’s role -Administration’s highlighting of pro-business attacks Brennan’s appointments -Brennan’s concerns -Ken Gould [?] -President’s April 13, 1973, conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman -George P. Shultz -[First name unknown] Jones -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] checks -Confirmation process -Future FBI Director -Duration -Richard F. Schubert -Appointment as Under Secretary -Background -Solicitor -Bethlehem Steel -Honesty, religiosity -Paperwork -40- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) Brennan’s visit to Boston -Protests against President -Black leaders -Brennan’s address -Newtown, Massachusetts -Funding -Labor Department’s programs -Expansion of successful programs -School programs -Julie Nixon Eisenhower -Reaction -Boston Community Development Corporation -Collaborative effort -Funding of programs -Federal funding -Program funding -Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO] -Local funding -Research for additional funding -Closing of Boston Navy Yard -Conversation with Kevin D. White -Federal budget -Support for President -Partisanship -Gubernatorial prospects -Closing of bases -Unemployment -Brooklyn, New York President’s national defense policy -Ending of Vietnam War -Closing of bases -Budget cuts Agenda for forthcoming Cabinet meeting -Energy -41- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Forthcoming Presidential message -Congressional leaders [?] -Utility to Cabinet -Press coverage -Reaction to President’s program -Support -Criticism to President’s program -Business President’s energy program -Coal miners -Support for President’s message -Alaska pipeline -Canada -Robert F. Kennedy’s proposals -Nuclear power -Purchase from Canada -Compared to building New York plants -Brennan’s opposition -Transit -Grid -Impact of conflict with US -Pipeline issue -Presidential obligations -US people, labor -Pierre E. Trudeau -Radicals -Potential for pipline sabotage -Environmental impact of Alaska pipeline -Reindeer Environmentalism -Brennan quotes -New York Times -New York City -Housing, roads -Robert Moses -42- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Support for President -Vietnam -Invitation to White House -Rose Mary Woods -Moses’ vitality -Brennan’s statement -Public statement -Publicity -Moses’ ability Nuclear power -Popular fears -Compared with Super Sonic Transport [SST] -Reticence of public -Soviet ingenuity -Job creating potential -George S. McGovern -Opposition to SST -Partisan tendencies President’s April 16, 1973 speech -Acknowledging constituents -Brennan’s Oval Office visit Forthcoming Cabinet meeting -Attendees -Undersecretaries -Staff seating -Undersecretary of Commerce -Vacancy -Undersecretary of Labor Department -Need for confirmation Frederick B. Dent -Meeting with businessmen [?] -Blair House -Monthly basis -43- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Unemployment insurance bill -Meany -New York, Rhode Island -Pay for strikers -Victims of lockout -Pay for victims -Jack T. Conway [?] -President’s understanding of a “gray area” -Language -Congress members -Strikers -Meany battle -President’s compassion -New York law on strikers -Unemployment insurance -Activation timeline -Victims of lockout -Activation timeline -Safeguard recommendations and provisions from Labor Department -Verification of victim status Veterans parade in New York -Antiwar veterans -New York Times -Worker’s reactions -Vietnam Veterans Against the War [VVAW] -Back turning Brennan’s statement at dinner -Response to claim that draft dodgers are heroes -Brennan’s conversation with veterans -English veteran -Admiration for President -Pride -Veteran’s father -President’s role in world -Draft dodgers -44- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) Prisoners of War [POWs] -Torture President’s schedule -Address to Building Trades Department -Brennan’s travel with President Brennan left at 12:46 pm. Cole’s conversation with George H. W. Bush -William T. Cahill -Campaign contributions -Taxes -Campaign manager -Request for intervention with US Attorney -Primary -Leaks -Cole’s decision -Bush’s agreement -Grand Jury Veteran’s legislation -William Jennings Bryan Dorn -Cemeteries -Conference committee -Drug bill -House of Representatives -Inaction -Medical Act -American Medical Association [AMA] -Vetoes Older Americans Act -Albert H. Quie -White House social event, April 12, 1973 -Vetoes -45- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Need for cooperation -Democratic Party -Nixon’s philosophy on cooperation -Capitulation -Cole’s conversation with William E. Timmons -President’s relationship with Congress -Compromised principles -Work behind closed doors Public Employment Act and Emergency Employment -Appropriations -House bill -Status -Budget -Possible veto -Employment statistics -Labor unions -Mayors President’s vetoes -Possibility -Upholding -Public response -Congressional response -Veterans bills Urban community revenue sharing act -James T. Lynn’s briefing -Support -Congress -Bipartisanship -Pressure -Cutbacks -Mayors -Housing bill -Passage -46- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) Economic stabilization program -Cole’s involvement -Public perceptions -Technicalities of program -Effect of controls -Congressional interpretation -Labor unions -Brennan -Potential confrontation -Price freezes -Wage freezes -Public perception -Boom economy -Inflation -1971 Emergency Medical Services Act -Budget -Test program -President’s veto -Planning Legal Services Corporation Bill -Howard J. Phillips’s view -Payments by states -Opponents of President -Public perception -Congressional vote -President’s conversation with Phillip Crane, April 12, 1973 -Budget Taxes -Harris Poll -Hugh Scott’s and Gerald R. Ford’s projection -News summary -Congressional reaction -President’s Vietnam speech -47- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. April-2011) Conversation No. 895-20 (cont’d) -Higher prices, taxes -Edmund S. Muskie -Congressional tax bill -Estate tax reform -Capital gains -Tax rate increases -Wilbur D. Mills -Possible vetoes -Aid to parochial schools -Estate tax reform -Brennan’s constituency -Extensions -Demogoguery Cole’s health -Childhood diseases -Measles Cole left at 12:59 pm.