35–90

Conversation No. 35-90

Date: January 4, 1973
Time: 8:13 pm - 8:34 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

Vietnam negotiations
-Public statements
-Henry A. Kissinger’s view
-Timing
-Melvin R. Laird, William P. Rogers, Kissinger, White House staff, John A.
Scali
-Press relations
-Scali
 -84-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-Stewart J. O. Alsop
-Pham Van Don
-Kissinger’s view
-Kissinger’s view
-Time
-Compared to Kissinger
-Network coverage
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Compared to Kissinger
-Sensitivity
-Timing
-Harry S. Truman’s memorial service
-Talk shows
-Kissinger’s forthcoming trip to Paris
-Settlement agreement
-Kissinger’s view
Settlement agreement
-Failure
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Rogers
-Laird
-Kissinger and public relations [PR]
-Cambodia invasion
-The President’s November 3, 1969 speech
-Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-The President’s appearance on television [TV]
-Effect
-Major confrontation
-Louis P. Harris’s article, January 4, 1973
-Kissinger’s credibility on Vietnam War
-Kissinger’s skill as negotiator
-“Hawks”
-Congressional relations
-“Hawks” opposition to Charles H. Percy’s resolution supporting the
President on Vietnam
-Colson’s forthcoming conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-William E. Timmons
-Thomas C. Korologos
-John G. Tower
-Invitations to the White House
 -85-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-Norris Cotton
-Principle
-Instruction for Colson
-Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman
-Timmons
-Clark MacGregor
-Congressional schedule
-MacGregor
-1972 election
-Haldeman
-Instruction for Colson
-Recent conversation with the President
-Ehrlichman
-Loyalty
-Demeanor
-1972 election
-The President’s meeting with Barry M. Goldwater
-Tower
-William E. Brock, III
-Haldeman
-Ehrlichman
-Administration failures
-1972 election
-The President’s Vietnam policies
-Correctness
-Public statements
-Kissinger’s view
-Congressional relations
-Ehrlichman
-Haldeman
-George P. Shultz
-Scali
-Time
-Network coverage
-Wires
-The President’s recent conversation with Haldeman
-Congressional relations
-End the war legislation
-Effect
-Washington, DC
 -86-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-Network coverage
-Scali
-Congressional relations
-End the war legislation
-Washington, DC press
-Democratic Senators
-Washington Post
-Network coverage
-Tone
-Howard K. Smith
-Colson's meeting with James Roosevelt
-Mood
-Roosevelt compared to MacGregor
-Possible appointment for Roosevelt
-[Franklin D. Roosevelt]
-James Roosevelt’s recent call to Colson
-Los Angeles Times editorial
-Public support for the President
-James Roosevelt’s experience
-Samuel Rayburn
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Public support for the President
-“Hawks” opposition to Percy’s resolution
-Ehrlichman
-Haldeman
-Shultz
-House of Representatives
-House of Representatives
-Office contests
-Vote
-Gerald R. Ford
-Kissinger’s briefing of J. William Fulbright
-Kissinger’s briefing of Fulbright
-Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-Colson’s recent conversation with Kissinger
-Kissinger’s mood
-Composure
-Suspiciousness
-Settlement agreement
-Kissinger’s view
 -87-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-Congressional relations
-Republicans
-Timmons
-Compared to Bryce N. Harlow, MacGregor
-Technical ability
-Compared to inspirational ability
-Need for leadership
-MacGregor
-Korologos
-Percy’s resolution
-Percy’s resolution
-Senate Republican Conference
-Office contests
-Votes
-Percy
-Kissinger
-Cotton
-News coverage
-House Republican Conference
-Ford
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.’s motion
-Kissinger
-Melvin R. Laird
-Briefing of loyalists
-January 6, 1973 vote
-Effect on North Vietnamese
-Kissinger
-End the war legislation
-Democrats
-Kissinger
-John J. Rhodes
-Instruction for Colson
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman
-Bipartisan leadership meeting
-Republican support for the President
-McCloskey
-Importance
-Resumption of talks
-Public opinion
-TV
 -88-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-07)

Conversation No. 35-90 (cont’d)

-End of US bombing
-Time headline
-Rhodes
-Laird briefing
-Loyalty
-Republican support for the President
-Goldwater
-Letter to the New York Times
-Timing
-Analogy to Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Korean War
-US bombing
-Purpose
-Effect
-Distribution
-Laird
-Loyalists