About this recording
475–16
- Henry A. Kissinger
- Rose Mary Woods
- Thomas H. Moorer
- Stephen B. Bull
- H. R. Haldeman
April 8, 1971
Conversation No. 475-16
Date: April 8, 1971
Time: 9:18 am - 10:07 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Reaction to staff
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
[The President talked with Rose Mary Woods at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:37
am]
[Conversation No. 475-16A]
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
[End of telephone conversation]
Staff meeting
Kissinger’s schedule
-Briefing of columnists
Kissinger’s possible call to Shirley Taylor
-Public comments
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Admiral [Thomas H. Moorer] talked with the President at an unknown time between 9:18 am
and 9:37 am]
[Conversation No. 475-16B]
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Reaction
-Senate and House “doves” Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Military
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Left wingers
-Atrocity stories
[End of telephone conversation]
-Moorer’s call to Kissinger, April 7, 1971
-Woods
-Praise for the President
-Kissinger’s New York friends
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Comments
-Rockefeller family
-Kissinger’s meeting with David Rockefeller
-Kissinger’s conversation with John D. Rockefeller, III
-Wealth
-N. A. Rockefeller’s support for President
Congress
-Support for President in House and Senate
-Gerald R. Ford
-Carl B. Albert
-Robert C. Byrd
-Prisoners of War [POW] issue
-Democratic Caucus report
-Troop levels
-POW “trade”
People’s Republic of China [PRC] invitation to US Ping-pong team
-Significance
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Location
-Schedule
Staff and Cabinet
-Kissinger and Haldeman
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Pressures Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Family
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Robert H. Finch
-Kissinger’s conversation with Taft Schreiber
-Finch
-Finch
-Response to speech
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Length
-Conclusion
-Reaction
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Kissinger
-President’s bearing
-Unknown woman friend of Kissinger
-Reaction
-President’s bearing
-Foreign policy researcher for N. A. Rockefeller
-Creative aspects of speech
-President’s own idiom
-Kissinger’s evaluation
-Kissinger’s conversation with unknown Harvard University professor
-Reaction
-Kissinger at Harvard University
-Cabinet and staff
-Unknown Harvard University professor
-Reaction
-Responsibility
-President as commander-in-chief
-Congress
-Withdrawal from Vietnam
-Consequence of early departure
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Doves
-Residual force in South Vietnam
-Figures
-US policy
-Draftees in Vietnam
-James L. Buckley
-US Army
Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr.
-Birch E. Bayh, Jr.’s criticism of President
-Doves reaction
-Country’s reaction
-President’s role in case
-Review
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Unknown Georgia Republican’s call to Kissinger
-Calley
-Response to President’s speech
Vietnam
-American people’s desire for victory
-”Right wing” point of view
-Definition of a US victory
-Save South Vietnam
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Impact on negotiations
Press questions to Kissinger
-Television commentators and commentary
-Laos
-Cabinet statements on combat in Vietnam
-Melvin R. Laird and William P. Rogers
-Inconsistency with White House statements
-Number of combat troops
-Reduction
-Combat mission changing
-Defensive
-Withdrawal date
-Air sortie figures
-Press reaction
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Reporting
-Washington Post
-Instructions to Kissinger
-Kissinger’s comments to Albert
-[Distribution to members of Congress]
-Questions
-Air sorties
-Killing of civilians Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Substitution of Asians for Americans
-Reporters
-[Forename unknown] MacGavern [sp?] of Chicago Sun-Times
-Criticism of speech
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Press bias
-MacGavern [sp?]
-Kissinger’s reply to press
-Accomplishments by President in withdrawal program and in military situation
in Vietnam since July 1, 1969
[The President talked with Stephen B. Bull at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:37 am]
[Conversation No. 475-16C]
President’s call to Haldeman
[End of telephone conversation]
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Writing press
-Commentaries
-Kalb and Dan Rather
-Unknown Pentagon correspondent
-John W. Chancellor
-Television briefing
Haldeman entered at 9:37 am
White House staff and Cabinet
-President’s frustration
-Haldeman and Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-John B. Connally
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Support for administration’s Vietnam policy
-Support in future campaign
-Butterfield and Bull
-Opposition
-[Establishment, Washington Post, news magazines, television, Congress]
-Need to get tough
-Charles W. Colson
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Praise for Kissinger and Haldeman’s support
Charts on casualties
-Use in briefings
-President’s possible uses
-Talking points
Kissinger left at 9:41 am
Kissinger’s forthcoming memorandum
-Circulation to spokesmen, Congressmen, Senators, editors
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Chart used in speech
-President’s evaluation
-Line
-Lettering
-Mark I. Goode
-William H. Carruthers
-Schedule
-President’s conversation with Goode
-Importance of chart
-Television crew
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Goode
-Understanding problem
-Connally
-Evaluation
-President’s movements
-Chart
-Connally
-Chart
-Impact
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Rather
-Troop withdrawals
-Timing
-Figures
-Use of television images
-Illustration of soldier
-Troop withdrawals Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Chart
-Picture/chart contrasted
-Rogers’ use
-Goode, Haldeman, and Butterfield
-Rogers’ chart
-Picture of a soldier
-Camera work
-Evaluation
-Praise
-Difficulty
-White House coordination with producers
-Goode
-Producers’ view
-Haldeman’s view
-Goode
Dinner for W. Clement Stone, April 8, 1971
-Receiving line versus mingling
-Attendees
-Number
-Announcements
-Table
-President’s remarks
-Location
-Press coverage
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Poll
-Telephone calls
-Priority calls
Meeting with Peter G. Peterson
-Opening remarks for briefing
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:41 am
-Arrangements for forthcoming briefing [domestic briefing for Administration wives,
April 8, 1971]
President’s schedule
-President’s instructions to Bull
-Instructions for Peterson [for forthcoming meeting of Council on International
Economic Policy, April 8, 1971] Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:07 am
Moral support for President by staff
-Reflection of country
-Lack of use for weak men
-Haldeman and Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-White House staff
-Rumsfeld
-Clark MacGregor
-Kissinger’s attitude
-Congress
-Ford
-Administration’s spokesman
-Effectiveness
Haldeman’s staff meeting
-Kissinger
-Response of staff
-Evaluation
-Backup
-Bombing and casualty reductions
-Charts
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Graphs
-Use in revenue sharing speeches
George P. Shultz
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Congress
-House
-Education bill
-Ford
Polls
-President’s performance
-Approval rating Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Figures
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Audience
-Figures
-Favorable/unfavorable reaction
-Figures
-President’s Vietnam policy
-Approval/disapproval ratios
-Political make-up of respondents
-Gender of respondents
-Approve/disapprove
-Calley
-Bayh
-Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
-Calley
-Instructions to Haldeman to publicize poll
-George H. Gallup poll
-Current standing
-Figures
-Calley poll
-Publicity
-Circulation to Congress
-Ehrlichman and Robert A. Taft, Jr.
Taft
-MacGregor
-Colson
Polls
-ORC poll
-Figures
-Gallup poll
-Circulation
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Haldeman’s conversation with Colson
Calley issue
-Taft
-President’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Captain Aubrey M. Daniel
-Possible strategy
-Letter to President Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Stanley R. Resor
-Possible letter to Daniel
-President’s possible conversation with Laird
-White House handling
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Connally’s reaction
-Press reaction
-Ending
-CBS analysis
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]/National Broadcasting Company
[NBC]
-Telephone responses
-Telegrams
-Compared with November 3, 1969 speech
-Silent majority
-Telegrams
-Emotional appeal
-Possible demonstrations
-Peace groups
-John W. Gardner
-Reassurance to followers
-Finch and Rumsfeld
-Opponents
-Delivery, presentation
-Charts
-Rogers’ chart
-Kissinger
-Department of Defense
-Rogers
-Effects
-Telephone calls
-Editorial reactions
-”Hawks”
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-President’s supporters
-Laos
-Vietnam
-Casualties
-Compared with 1970
-Decline since 1969
Kissinger’s conversation with Shirley Taylor Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Taylor family
-Response to speech
-Kevin Taylor
-Karl (“Skipper”) Taylor, Jr., and daughter
-Family watching speech on television
-S. Taylor’s comments
-Sergeant Karl Taylor
-Comments about Vietnam War
-Visit to White House
-Kevin Taylor
-Story in newspaper
-Kevin Taylor
-Press play
-Kevin Taylor’s salute
-S. Taylor
Haldeman left at 10:07 am
Date: April 8, 1971
Time: 9:18 am - 10:07 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Reaction to staff
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
[The President talked with Rose Mary Woods at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:37
am]
[Conversation No. 475-16A]
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 32s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
******************************************************************************
[End of telephone conversation]
Staff meeting
Kissinger’s schedule
-Briefing of columnists
Kissinger’s possible call to Shirley Taylor
-Public comments
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Admiral [Thomas H. Moorer] talked with the President at an unknown time between 9:18 am
and 9:37 am]
[Conversation No. 475-16B]
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Reaction
-Senate and House “doves” Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Military
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Left wingers
-Atrocity stories
[End of telephone conversation]
-Moorer’s call to Kissinger, April 7, 1971
-Woods
-Praise for the President
-Kissinger’s New York friends
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Comments
-Rockefeller family
-Kissinger’s meeting with David Rockefeller
-Kissinger’s conversation with John D. Rockefeller, III
-Wealth
-N. A. Rockefeller’s support for President
Congress
-Support for President in House and Senate
-Gerald R. Ford
-Carl B. Albert
-Robert C. Byrd
-Prisoners of War [POW] issue
-Democratic Caucus report
-Troop levels
-POW “trade”
People’s Republic of China [PRC] invitation to US Ping-pong team
-Significance
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Location
-Schedule
Staff and Cabinet
-Kissinger and Haldeman
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Pressures Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Family
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Robert H. Finch
-Kissinger’s conversation with Taft Schreiber
-Finch
-Finch
-Response to speech
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Length
-Conclusion
-Reaction
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. and Kissinger
-President’s bearing
-Unknown woman friend of Kissinger
-Reaction
-President’s bearing
-Foreign policy researcher for N. A. Rockefeller
-Creative aspects of speech
-President’s own idiom
-Kissinger’s evaluation
-Kissinger’s conversation with unknown Harvard University professor
-Reaction
-Kissinger at Harvard University
-Cabinet and staff
-Unknown Harvard University professor
-Reaction
-Responsibility
-President as commander-in-chief
-Congress
-Withdrawal from Vietnam
-Consequence of early departure
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Doves
-Residual force in South Vietnam
-Figures
-US policy
-Draftees in Vietnam
-James L. Buckley
-US Army
Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr.
-Birch E. Bayh, Jr.’s criticism of President
-Doves reaction
-Country’s reaction
-President’s role in case
-Review
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Unknown Georgia Republican’s call to Kissinger
-Calley
-Response to President’s speech
Vietnam
-American people’s desire for victory
-”Right wing” point of view
-Definition of a US victory
-Save South Vietnam
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Impact on negotiations
Press questions to Kissinger
-Television commentators and commentary
-Laos
-Cabinet statements on combat in Vietnam
-Melvin R. Laird and William P. Rogers
-Inconsistency with White House statements
-Number of combat troops
-Reduction
-Combat mission changing
-Defensive
-Withdrawal date
-Air sortie figures
-Press reaction
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Reporting
-Washington Post
-Instructions to Kissinger
-Kissinger’s comments to Albert
-[Distribution to members of Congress]
-Questions
-Air sorties
-Killing of civilians Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Substitution of Asians for Americans
-Reporters
-[Forename unknown] MacGavern [sp?] of Chicago Sun-Times
-Criticism of speech
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Press bias
-MacGavern [sp?]
-Kissinger’s reply to press
-Accomplishments by President in withdrawal program and in military situation
in Vietnam since July 1, 1969
[The President talked with Stephen B. Bull at an unknown time between 9:18 am and 9:37 am]
[Conversation No. 475-16C]
President’s call to Haldeman
[End of telephone conversation]
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Writing press
-Commentaries
-Kalb and Dan Rather
-Unknown Pentagon correspondent
-John W. Chancellor
-Television briefing
Haldeman entered at 9:37 am
White House staff and Cabinet
-President’s frustration
-Haldeman and Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-John B. Connally
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Support for administration’s Vietnam policy
-Support in future campaign
-Butterfield and Bull
-Opposition
-[Establishment, Washington Post, news magazines, television, Congress]
-Need to get tough
-Charles W. Colson
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Praise for Kissinger and Haldeman’s support
Charts on casualties
-Use in briefings
-President’s possible uses
-Talking points
Kissinger left at 9:41 am
Kissinger’s forthcoming memorandum
-Circulation to spokesmen, Congressmen, Senators, editors
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Chart used in speech
-President’s evaluation
-Line
-Lettering
-Mark I. Goode
-William H. Carruthers
-Schedule
-President’s conversation with Goode
-Importance of chart
-Television crew
-Dwight L. Chapin
-Goode
-Understanding problem
-Connally
-Evaluation
-President’s movements
-Chart
-Connally
-Chart
-Impact
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Rather
-Troop withdrawals
-Timing
-Figures
-Use of television images
-Illustration of soldier
-Troop withdrawals Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Chart
-Picture/chart contrasted
-Rogers’ use
-Goode, Haldeman, and Butterfield
-Rogers’ chart
-Picture of a soldier
-Camera work
-Evaluation
-Praise
-Difficulty
-White House coordination with producers
-Goode
-Producers’ view
-Haldeman’s view
-Goode
Dinner for W. Clement Stone, April 8, 1971
-Receiving line versus mingling
-Attendees
-Number
-Announcements
-Table
-President’s remarks
-Location
-Press coverage
President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Poll
-Telephone calls
-Priority calls
Meeting with Peter G. Peterson
-Opening remarks for briefing
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:41 am
-Arrangements for forthcoming briefing [domestic briefing for Administration wives,
April 8, 1971]
President’s schedule
-President’s instructions to Bull
-Instructions for Peterson [for forthcoming meeting of Council on International
Economic Policy, April 8, 1971] Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:07 am
Moral support for President by staff
-Reflection of country
-Lack of use for weak men
-Haldeman and Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-White House staff
-Rumsfeld
-Clark MacGregor
-Kissinger’s attitude
-Congress
-Ford
-Administration’s spokesman
-Effectiveness
Haldeman’s staff meeting
-Kissinger
-Response of staff
-Evaluation
-Backup
-Bombing and casualty reductions
-Charts
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Graphs
-Use in revenue sharing speeches
George P. Shultz
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Congress
-House
-Education bill
-Ford
Polls
-President’s performance
-Approval rating Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Figures
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Audience
-Figures
-Favorable/unfavorable reaction
-Figures
-President’s Vietnam policy
-Approval/disapproval ratios
-Political make-up of respondents
-Gender of respondents
-Approve/disapprove
-Calley
-Bayh
-Opinion Research Corporation [ORC] poll
-Calley
-Instructions to Haldeman to publicize poll
-George H. Gallup poll
-Current standing
-Figures
-Calley poll
-Publicity
-Circulation to Congress
-Ehrlichman and Robert A. Taft, Jr.
Taft
-MacGregor
-Colson
Polls
-ORC poll
-Figures
-Gallup poll
-Circulation
-President’s speech on Southeast Asia
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
Haldeman’s conversation with Colson
Calley issue
-Taft
-President’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Captain Aubrey M. Daniel
-Possible strategy
-Letter to President Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
-Stanley R. Resor
-Possible letter to Daniel
-President’s possible conversation with Laird
-White House handling
President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Connally’s reaction
-Press reaction
-Ending
-CBS analysis
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]/National Broadcasting Company
[NBC]
-Telephone responses
-Telegrams
-Compared with November 3, 1969 speech
-Silent majority
-Telegrams
-Emotional appeal
-Possible demonstrations
-Peace groups
-John W. Gardner
-Reassurance to followers
-Finch and Rumsfeld
-Opponents
-Delivery, presentation
-Charts
-Rogers’ chart
-Kissinger
-Department of Defense
-Rogers
-Effects
-Telephone calls
-Editorial reactions
-”Hawks”
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-President’s supporters
-Laos
-Vietnam
-Casualties
-Compared with 1970
-Decline since 1969
Kissinger’s conversation with Shirley Taylor Conv. No. 475-16 (cont.)
Taylor family
-Response to speech
-Kevin Taylor
-Karl (“Skipper”) Taylor, Jr., and daughter
-Family watching speech on television
-S. Taylor’s comments
-Sergeant Karl Taylor
-Comments about Vietnam War
-Visit to White House
-Kevin Taylor
-Story in newspaper
-Kevin Taylor
-Press play
-Kevin Taylor’s salute
-S. Taylor
Haldeman left at 10:07 am