531–24

Conversation No. 531-24

Date: June 28, 1971
Time: 6:50 pm - 7:25 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 6:50 pm.

Items for the President
-Signature

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 7:05 pm.

Pentagon Papers
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Pending judicial action
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Prior restraint
-Theft of documents
-Intent
-Government proof
-Handling by government
-Public reaction
-President's barber
-Poll Conv. No. 531-22 (cont.)
-Colson's carpenter
-Prosecution
-Effect on Democrats
-Congressional hearings
-Pending judicial action
-Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy
-Possible additional leaks
-Cambodia, Laos
-Casualties
-Reaction
-Harry F. Byrd, Jr.'s conversation with Colson
-Prosecution
-Prosecution
-Possible effect
-Ellsberg
-President's phrase \"stolen documents\"
-Repetition
-Press reaction
-Prosecution
-Martyrdom
-Credibility of administration
-Ellsberg's motives and associates

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 6:50 pm.

Sanchez's schedule

President's schedule

Refreshments

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 7:05 pm.

Pentagon Papers
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Prosecution
-John N. Mitchell's views
-Leonard Garment
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.'s, Richard A. Moore's views
-Credibility of administration
-Effect on Democrats
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Justification Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)
-Liberal media
-Phil Potter of the Baltimore Sun
-Effect on career
-Effect on Edmund S. Muskie
-Administration’s efforts
-1968 election
-Muskie's defense of Johnson’s war policy
-H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Popular reaction
-Administration polls
-Gallup and Harris polls
-Opinion Research Corporation [ORC]


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 31s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 7:05 pm.

Presidential statement and event

Butterfield left at 7:08 pm.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 22s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2 Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)

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Pentagon Papers
-Impact on John F. Kennedy image
-Robert S. McNamara
-Public opinion

[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 7:08 pm and
7:12 pm]

[Conversation No. 531-24A]

[See Conversation No. 6-10]

[End of telephone conversation]

Pentagon Papers
-Effect on public opinion
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Duration

[The President talked with Rex W. Scouten between 7:12 pm and 7:13 pm]

[Conversation No. 531-24B]

[See Conversation No. 6-11]

[End of telephone conversation]

President's schedule
-Chowder and Marching Society dinner
 24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



Pentagon Papers
-Impact on administration
-Impact on Democrats

Polls
-National economy
-Public perception
-President's standing Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)
-Vietnam
-Pentagon Papers
-Economic changes
-Effect

National economy
-Unemployment
-President's comments to Cabinet, June 28th
-Administration statements

Polls
-Public perception
-Effect of media
-National economy
-Five-year performance
-Trend
-War issue

1972 election
-John P. Roche's column
-President's prospects
-1956 election
-Economy
-War
-Advantages
-”Aura” of the Presidency
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 21s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)

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National economy
-Harris poll
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] Television News reports
-Public confidence
-President’s previous meeting with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy
-Council of Economic Advisors [CEA] leaks
-Colson's comments to Paul W. McCracken
-Dan Rather's statements
-John B. Connally as spokesman
-Arthur F. Burns

Vietnam
-Duration as issue

Pentagon Papers
-Ellsberg
-Jury selection
-Judicial process
-Alger Hiss case
-Duration
-Ellsberg's possible testimony
-Reaction
-Byrd
-Miami Herald
-Detroit News
-Copley chain

Forthcoming issues poll
-Louis P. Harris
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



Harris
-Views on 1972 election

Polls
-Trial heats
-Contrast with election process

The President and Colson left at 7:25 pm. Conv. No. 531-24 (cont.)