544–11

Conversation No. 544-11

Date: July 23, 1971
Time: 1:21 pm - 1:47 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

Poll on the People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
-Forthcoming White House poll
-Comparison to May presidential approval rating
-Gallup poll
-Release of poll

Budget
-Cuts
-The President's prior meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
-Deficit, tax increases
 24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Administration responsibilities
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Public perceptions
-Political impact of programs
-Revenue sharing
-Ronald W. Reagan, Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Family Assistance Program
-Ehrlichman
-Foreign policy
-Domestic policy
-HR 1
-Cuts
-Arts funding
-White House staff
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Transportation, Housing and Urban Development [HUD], and Health,
Education and Welfare [HEW] departments
-Independent agencies, regulatory agencies
-Timing
-Personnel
-Federal government, military
-Effect on financial community
-Uncontrollable portions
-Reasons
-Social Security increases, debt increases
-Great Society programs
-Domestic programs
-Cutbacks in non-defense programs
-Defense programs
-Reorganization
-Kissinger
-Uncontrollable expenditures
-Haldeman's forthcoming conversation with Weinberger
-Tax increase
-Cuts
-Political impact
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Alternatives
-Tax increases
-Economic, political effect
-Programs
 25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-General revenue sharing, Family Assistance Program
-States
-Wilbur Mills’ possible action
-Environmental issues
-Presentation of administration position
-Headstart
-Impact on Blacks
-Size of program Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
-Welfare psychology
-Attitude of young people on expectations
-Public perceptions
-Entitlements

Poll
-Release
-Congress
-William P. Rogers
-Louis P. Harris
-Presidential approval figures


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Privacy]
[Duration: 32s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Health
-The President's planned visit to the National Institute of Health [NIH]

The President's schedule
-Sequoia outing
-Meeting with John B. Connally

The budget
 26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Administration action on programs
-Food stamp program
-Political effect
-Reduction of government personnel
-Tax reform and reduction
-Programs
-Domestic program cuts
-Drug control, drug abuse Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
-Clinic funding
-Prison

Issues
-Domestic programs
-Vietnam drug abuse control effort
-Decrease in Washington, D. C. crime rate
-Public perceptions
-Drug control, crime
-Poll results on public concerns
-National direction
-Causes
-Drug abuse
-Vietnam war
-Racial tension
-Lack of adherence to Golden Rule
-Lack of leadership
-Economy
-Emphasis on money and materialism
-Permissiveness
-Radical attempts at change
-Communism
-Youth and its values
-Conservatism
-Technological increases
-Lack of inclusion of environment on poll list
-Harris
-Public perception on national direction
-Presidential leadership
-PRC initiative
-Vietnam war
-Forthcoming settlement
-Efforts to combat drug abuse
-Contrast with early 1950's perceptions
 27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Perception of Communism as cause
-Presidential leadership
-Effect of PRC initiative
-Contrast with John F. Kennedy's handling of the Bay of
Pigs and the Cuban confrontation
-Effect of the PRC initiative
-William L. Safire
-Peace Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
-Administration efforts on issue
-Poll

The PRC trip
-Advance work
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Kissinger’s objections
-Role as top domestic advisor
-Experience

Secret Service
-Cutbacks
-Kissinger

White House staff
-Cutbacks


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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-Rex W. Scouten
-Social events
-Dinner
-Christmas events
 28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Use of temporary staff
-Size of social staff
-US Navy staff
-Mess
-Automobile drivers
-White House mess
-Mess privileges
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB], the National
Conv. No.
Security
544-11Council
(cont.)
[NSC], Peter G. Peterson’s staff
-Cutback
-Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Staff
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Handling of staff cuts

Rumsfeld


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 58s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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Finch
-Role
-The Cabinet
-NSC

Rumsfeld
-Staff
-Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Payroll, details

White House staff
-Haldeman's control over operational staff
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Ronald L. Ziegler, Charles W. Colson
-Size
-Peterson

Domestic issues
-Memorandum from Ehrlichman’s staff
-Busing
Conv. No. 544-11 (cont.)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Privacy]
[Duration: 13s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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Presidential leadership
-Safire, Ziegler, Colson, Herbert G. Klein
-White House leadership
-Handling of PRC initiative
-Substantive issues
-Peace, Taiwan, Republic of China [ROC
-Leadership

Schedule

Haldeman left at 1:21 pm.