Secret White House Tapes

409–17

About this recording

409–17
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Charles W. Colson
  • Stephen B. Bull
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • Rose Mary Woods
  • UNKNOWN
February 6, 1973
Conversation No. 409-17

Date: February 6, 1973
Time: 2:52 pm - 4:26 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

The President's schedule
-Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-California
-Golf
-Cost of Living Council [?] [COLC]
-American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO]
-Fitzsimmons
-George P. Shultz
-Telegram
-Peter J. Brennan
-Florida
-Fitzsimmons
-California

Colson’s schedule
-Speech at Brown University
-Meetings
-Fitzsimmons
-Brennan

New York Times article
-Washington Star
-The President’s administration’s support for Teamster’s union president
-Fitzsimmons
-James R. (“Jimmy”) Hoffa
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Parole
16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Fitzsimmons
-Justice Department
-Shultz
-Fitzsimmons
-1972 election support
-The President’s support
-Justice Department
-Meeting in California

Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Constitutional lawyer
-North Carolina politics
-1974 election
-B. Everett Jordan
-Publicity
-Candidate for governor [James E. Holshouser, Jr.]
-James C. Garner [?]
-Candidacy

States
-Identification with the President
-North Carolina
-Duke University
-Maryland
-Iowa
-Ottumwa
-Arizona
-The President’s brother
-California
-New York
-Florida
-North Carolina
17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




Colson’s conversation with John W. Dean
-1972 campaign
-Demonstrators
-Paid
-Violence
-San Francisco
-Justice Department

Second term reorganization and political appointees
-Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
-Congress members
-Tax returns
-Robert J. Dole
-Edward W. Brooke
-Shultz
-George D. Webster
-Labor Department
-Donald F. Rodgers
-Peter J. Brennan
-Richard Schneider [?]
-Harvard University
-Brennan
-Ehrlichman [?]
-Opinion
-Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Cabinet
-Anne L. Armstrong
-Invitation
-atricia Colson
-Labor Department
-Frederic V. Malek, Ehrlichman, Haldeman
-Clique
-Brennan
-Shultz
-Brennan
-Budget cuts
18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Bureaucrats
-Political appointees
-Compared to first term
-Knowledge
-James D. Hodgson
-Shultz
-Brennan
-Rodgers
-Influence
-Education
-Reorganization
-Democrats
-Columns
-Thomas W. Braden
-Marquis Childs
-Clayton Fritchey
-White House staff
-Ehrlichman [?]
-Haldeman
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Robert H. Finch

Voting patterns
-White, blue collar, South
-South
-George C. Wallace
-North
-New York
-Wallace
-California

Polls
-Gallup
-Washington Post
-Presidential approval rating
19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Vietnam settlement
-Press conference

Press relations
-News summary
-Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
-News magazines
-Hugh S. Sidey
-The President’s image
-Performance
-Patrick J. (“Pat”) Buchanan

The President’s opponents
-Alger Hiss case
-Fund speech [?]
-Harold E. Stassen
-“Dump Nixon”
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-1960 election
-Comeback
-The President’s foreign policy
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Soviet Union
-Vietnam settlement
-Press relations

Polls
-Gallup

Stephen B. Bull entered at 3:15 pm.

The President’s schedule

Bull left at an unknown time after 3:15 pm.
20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




Polls
-Vietnam War
-Bombing
-Gallup
-Fluctuations
-Press’ role
-Uncertainty
-Laos

Henry A. Kissinger entered at 3:16 pm.

Colson's schedule
-Speech at Brown University
-Luncheon
-Foreign policy successes

Colson left at 3:17 pm.

King Hussein’s visit

The President talked with Rose Mary Woods at an unknown time between 3:16 pm and 4:26 pm.

[Conversation No. 409-17A]

The President’s schedule
-Guest list
-States
-Maine, Ohio
-Republicans, Democrats
-Chairmen
-States
-California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas

[End of telephone conversation]
21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




Kissinger’s schedule
-Trip to Southeast Asia
-Bangkok
-Vientiane
-Meeting with Souvanna Phouma
-Hanoi
-Hong Kong
-Japan
-Kissinger’s return

Vietnam settlement
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Courage
-Reparations
-Congress
-Defense funding
-Domestic programs
-Economic commission
-Timing
-Congress
-Shultz
-World Bank
-Yearly sizes of program
-Annual Congressional appropriations
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Economic commission
-Reconstruction
-Amount
-Liberals
-Bombing of North Vietnam
-Lyndon B. Johnson’s proposal
-The President’s May 1969 speech
-Letter to the North Vietnamese
-Secret deal
-Revisions
22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-US Constitution
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Shianouk
-Bipartisanship
-US budget
-Roy L. Ash
-Shultz
-Congress
-Source of money
-Defense spending
-“Hawks”

Polls
-Gallup
-The President’s approval ratings
-1973 Inauguration
-Publicity
-New York
-Approval of Kissinger
-Rive Gauche restaurant [?]
-John Kenneth Galbraith
-Telephone call
-Critics of the President’s policies
-Foreign policy
-The President’s trip to PRC
-Spring 1972 offensive
-Vietnam
-Soviet Summit

US foreign policy
-Summit meetings in the upcoming year
-Europe
-Japan
-Location
-Soviet Union
23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Integrated package
-Georges J. R. Pompidou
-Edward R. G. Heath
-Willy Brandt
-Kakeui Tanaka
-Charter
-Arthur F. Burns
-Monetary situation
-Shultz
-Trade matters
-Compared to previous meetings with Soviet Union
-Shultz
-Team player
-Timing
-Latin America
-Invitations from the President of Brazil
-Kissinger’s visit to Japan
-[Emperor of Japan] Hirohito’s visit with the President
-The President’s meeting with Heath
-Queen Elizabeth II
-The President’s possible visit to Great Britain
-Head of State visits
-US public opinion
-Visit by Hirohito
-Trips by the President
-Domestic issues
-Priority
-Middle East
-Anwar el-Sadat
-Israel
-Timing of settlement
-US elections
-Soviet Union
-Arabs
-Israel
24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-South Vietnam
-Jordan [?]
-Egypt
-US position in the world
-The President’s opportunity
-Future presidents
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-The President’s legacy
-Latin America

Foreign relations
-The President’s possible trip to Brazil
-State Department
-Scheduling on trips
-Mexico
-The President’s trips
-Canada
-Africa
-India
-PRC
-Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
-Military equipment

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 3:16 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Appointment

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:26 pm.

Foreign relations
-India
-Military equipment
-Pakistan
25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Contracts
-State Department
-Moynihan
-Kissinger’s trip to PRC

Vietnam settlement
-Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
-Implementation of agreement
-Economic issues
-International conference
-Diplomatic contacts
-PRC
-Taiwan
-Withdrawal of US forces from Vietnam
-Southeast Asia
-Peace
-PRC’s assistance
-Sihanouk
-Lon Nol
-Meeting with the President
-San Clemente
-Demeanor
-Charles Whitehouse
-Cambodia
-Laos
-Wife
-Diplomats
-G. McMurtrie Godley
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Soviet Union
-Pakistan
-Ambassadors
-Lifestyle
-US foreign policy accomplishments
-Soviet Union
26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-PRC
-Vietnam settlement
-Dean Rusk
-Kissinger’s trip to Hanoi
-The President’s instructions
-Economic aid
-Handouts [?]
-Reparations
-Reconstruction
-Japan
-North Vietnam’s expectations
-Kissinger’s conversation with William H. Sullivan
-Kissinger’s conversation with Robert S. McNamara
-Budget
-Congress
-Cuts
-Economic aid
-Model cities
-Poor
-Hiding appropriations
-Indochina program
-Richard Lowenthal [?]
-Study
-Foreign aid

Foreign relations
-Talks
-Columnists
-PRC
-South Vietnam
-Soviet Union
-PRC
-Balkanization of Southeast Asia
-Attitudes
-Soviet Union
27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Japan
-Chou En-Lai
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting
-Release of US prisoners
-John T. Downey
-Michael J. Mansfield
-Hugh Scott
-Reaction to President’s policy
-Buchanan’s memorandum
-Soviet Union
-Kissinger’s Southeast Asia Treat Organization [SEATO] trip

Europe
-The President’s conversation with Heath
-Great Britain’s business opportunities
-PRC
-Kissinger’s view
-Compared to Japan
-The President’s view
-Compared to Africa
-Divisions
-Heath
-Vision
-Pompidou
-Economics
-Brandt
-Italy [?]
-Gen. Charles A. J. M. de Gaulle

US foreign policy
-The President’s leadership
-State Department
-De Gaulle
-Task force
-Latin America
28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-Africa
-South Asia
-Latin America
-Japan

The President’s schedule
-West Coast
-Meeting with Kissinger
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Golf
-Schedule

The Presidency
-Work schedule
-Agnew
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Decisions
-Cabinet
-The President’s working relationship with Kissinger
-Newspapers
-Vietnam War
-1972 election
-Bombing
-Melvin R. Laird
-Vietnam settlement
-Credit
-Peace
-Hugh S. Sidey’s article in Time
-Intellectuals
-Honesty
-The President’s opponents
-The President’s accomplishments
-PRC
-Chemical weapons
-Compared to John F. Kennedy & Lyndon B. Johnson
29

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Conversation No. 409-17 (cont’d)




-1963 nuclear test ban treaty
-Foreign policy disasters
-Historians
-Laos
-Cease-fire
-Cost
-Combing
-Economic aid to North Vietnam
-1974 budget
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Ash
-Investment
-Peace
-Press conference

Kissinger’s schedule
-Dinner
-North Vietnam
-Lunch
-Secretary of State
-Secretary of Defense
-National Security Council [NSC]
-Washington Special Action Group [WSAG]
-Southeast Asia
-Missing in Action [MIA]
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Vietnam negotiations
-Haiphong Harbor mines
-US ships

The President’s schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger

Kissinger left at 4:26 pm.
30

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Aug.-09)
Secret White House Tapes |

409–17

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