475–21

Conversation No. 475-21

Date: April 8, 1971
Time: 1:12 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler, Bryan Lewis, Jenifer Pine, James Little, Erich
Hoffman, Harmon Carswell, Susan Horsley, Carol Eags, and Amy Gellis; the White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting

Greetings

[General conversation]
-Texas
-Missouri
-Introductions
-Stephens College
-University of Texas
-Hometowns
-Austin
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Photo session
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Ziegler

University of Texas football
-Gift to the President
-Picture Conv. No. 475-20 (cont.)
-[Forename unknown] Wooster [sp?]
-Notre Dame

Interested in politics

Presentation of gifts
-Paper weight
-Presidential Seal

Pictures

Mood of country

Lewis, et. al. left at 1:17 pm; Ziegler remained

President’s remarks at end of speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Surprise
-President’s decision to include remarks
-Timing

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 1:18 pm

-Notes
-Staff
-Decision
-Timing
-Check with military aides
-Major General James D. (“Don”) Hughes
-Sergeant Karl Taylor’s son
-Name
-Age
-Kevin Taylor
-Salute
-Hughes’ response
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Dinner for W. Clement Stone, April 8, 1971
-Foster G. McGaw, American Hospital Supply Corporation
-Neal Ball
-Appointment to Ziegler’s staff
-McGaw
-Ball’s qualifications
-Deputy Press Secretary Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)

President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Extemporaneous nature of conclusion
-Press
-United Press International [UPI]
-Washington Post
-Story on Shirley Taylor
-UPI
-Son

President’s meeting with K. Taylor
-Brother
-Karl (“Skipper”) Taylor, Jr.
-Nickname “Skipper”
-Possible news story
-”Skipper”
-Kevin Taylor’s salute
-Hughes
-”Skipper”

Ziegler left at 1:23 pm

Poll results after President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7,l971
-Rating
-Figures
-Compared to Columbia Broadcasting System’s [CBS] “60 Minutes”
-Tricia Nixon

President’s schedule, April 9, 1971
-Paul W. McCracken
-Composition of council
-George P. Shultz
-David M. Kennedy
-Trip
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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-California
-John B. Connally
-Church service
-Duration
-Phil Watts
-Dr. John Harper
-Pictures
-Hughes Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
-Secret Service
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Watts
-Mrs. Nixon
-President’s instructions to Haldeman
-Dean Burch
-Camp David
-Cabinet meeting

Camp David
-Weather


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 52s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************


Support for President by staff
-Difficulties

President’s meeting with William J. Casey
-Postponement
-Schedule
-[April 14, 1971]
-Swearing-in ceremony
-[Casey as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission]
-Leonard W. Hall
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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-Bernard J. (“Bunny”) Lasker
-Fred C. Scribner, Jr.

Domestic briefing for administration wives, April 8, 1971
-Mrs. Nixon
-John D. Ehrlichman and Mrs. Nixon

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:23 pm Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)

President’s schedule

Gordon C. Strachan and family
-Arrival
-Background
-Attorney for Nixon, Mudge

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:36 pm

Strachan
-Background
-Work on staff
-Jeb Stuart Magruder
-Herbert G. Klein
-Schedule
-Speeches

State visits
-Henry A. Kissinger’s review
-Changes in schedule
-King [Moulay] Hassan II
-April
-Josep Broz Tito
-General Lon Nol
-August
-Emilio Garrastazu Médici
-September
-Tito
-Schedule
-October
-Yakubu Gowon
-October
-Indira Gandhi
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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-November
-King Malik Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Saud
-May or June
-Willy Brandt
-June
-Leopold Sedar Senghor
-Anastasio Somoza Debayle
-State dinner Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
-Anniversary
-Twenty-fifth
-Nicaragua
-Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa
-Schedule
-Rogers
-Thailand
-Somoza Debayle
-Graduation exercises
-Luncheon with Maurice H. Stans
-Dinner with President
-Juan Velasco Alvarado
-[Unintelligible name]
-July
-Lon Nol
-Health
-Agha Muhommad Yahya Khan
-Emperor Hirohito of Japan
-Kissinger
-Schedule
-Textile negotiations

Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:23 pm

Introduction of Strachan and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Dempsey

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:36 pm

Strachan and Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey entered at 1:36 pm; the White House photographer was
present at the beginning of the meeting

Greetings

Residence
 36

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-California
-Santa Rosa
-Valley of the Moon

Education
-Law school
-University of Southern California
-Berkeley Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)

Photo session
-Atkins

Tour of White House grounds
-Rose Garden
-Tulips

Presentation of Presidential gifts
-Presidential Seal
-Cufflinks

Rose Garden

Strachan and parents left at 1:40 pm

Strachan and parents

President’s meeting with White House staff members
-Unstructured basis

Domestic briefing for administration wives, April 8, 1971
-Complaints by unknown man
-Upcoming briefing for Congressional wives at State Department

Staff
-Enthusiasm
-Appointment of staff members
-Need for loyalists
-President’s speeches

Press
-Impact on administration families
-Need for new staff
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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News summaries
-President’s instructions to Haldeman
-Read and take action
-President’s forthcoming interview by editors
-Significance
-”For your information”
-President’s wish to focus on important matters Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)

President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Exercise at end
-Effort in preparation
-Staff
-Story
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Staff
-Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
-Story
-Anecdote form

Administration women
-President’s briefing
-Attitude of wives
-Social events
-Women in general
-Gossip
-Attitude
-Virginia H. Knauer
-Loyalty to President
-Professor “Higgins”
-Role in government
-Women in general
-Clothes
-Conversation
-Social events
-Social events
-Idanell (Brill) (“Nellie”) Connally
-Wives of Italian and Nicaraguan ambassadors
-Giulia (Rossi) Ortona
-Doña Lillian Somoza de Sevilla Sacasa
-Somoza’s daughter
 38

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[National Security]
[Duration: 14s ]

Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
FOREIGN AFFAIRS


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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-D. L. S. de Sevilla Sacasa
-Wife of British ambassador
-Catherine (Dove) Freeman

Domestic briefing for administration wives, April 8, 1971
-Value

Vietnam
-President’s speech, April 7, 1971
-Conclusion
-Poll results
-Rogers’ view
-Administration’s policy
-Hugh Scott
-Emotion
-Intellectuals

President’s speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-President’s credibility
-Effectiveness
-Camera work
-President’s pause
-Impact
-Chart
-Effectiveness
-Rogers’ chart
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Graph
-Use of illustration of soldier
-Audience
-CBS
-Ziegler’s report on press reaction
-Possible criticisms by press
-Laos
-Credibility Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
-Connally’s response
-Defense of Lyndon B. Johnson
-Previous administration’s policies
-Responsibility for involvement in Vietnam
-1972 campaign
-Charts
-William L. Safire
-Kissinger’s draft
-Casualties
-Rogers’ response
-Contribution
-Emotional impact
-Reaction by “doves”
-Possible poll by television
-Opinion Research Corporation [ORC]
-Tom Denham [sp?]
-Support for President
-Release of results
-Timing
-George H. Gallup
-Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr.
-President’s decision to review case
-Demonstrations
-Haldeman’s conversation with Denham [sp?]
-Distribution of results to Senators and Congressmen
-Republican National Committee

Polls
-White House relations with ORC
-Haldeman’s conversation with Denham [sp?]
-Refusal to tamper with figures
-Selective use of figures
-David R. Derge and Charles E. Benton
-Reactions to Calley actions by President
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Popular reaction
-Calley case
-Strength in Presidency
-Contrast with Congress
-Calley
-Vietnam
-Personal approval
-Possible overstatement by President Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
-Democratic Caucus
-Approval of war
-Figures
-”Hawks”

President speech on Southeast Asia, April 7, 1971
-Polarization on Vietnam
-Demonstrations
-Supporters
-Opponents

President’s schedule
-Florida
-King [Moulay] Hassan II
-Florida
-Demonstrations
-Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] dinner
-King Hassan II dinner
-Florida
-Chamber of Commerce meeting
-Time-off period
-Shultz

Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:40 pm

David Rockefeller
-Luncheon with President
-President’s schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 2:00 pm

President’s schedule
-Stone dinner
-Questions and answers session
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
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-Duration of dinner
-President presiding
-Breakfast
-Remarks at Stone dinner
-Questions and answers session
-Media response

Polls Conv. No. 475-21 (cont.)
-Rating on President’s speech on Southeast Asia
-Emotion

Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:40 pm

President’s schedule
-Date
-Executive Office Building [EOB]
-Briefing
-Stone dinner
-Questions and answers session
-Breakfast

Bull and Haldeman left at 2:00 pm