712–1

Conversation No. 712-1

Date: April 18, 1972
Time: 3:56 pm - 4:56 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.

Greetings

Busing
-Ehrlichman's approach
-Article by Alexander M. Bickel in New Republic
-Constitutionality
-Impact on Congress
-Circulation among opinion makers
-Robert H. Bork
-Press conference in Washington
-Press conference
-Necessity
-Controversy
-Irene McCabe
-Intended action
-Position
-National Action Group
-Pontiac, Michigan
-Publicity
-Article in National Journal
-Reprints
-Circulation
-Authority
-McCabe
-Article
-Rally
-Timing
-Analysis
-Topics
 2

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
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[Duration: 1m 48s ]


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-Bickel
-Liberalism
-Opposition
-Bork
-Ivy League background
-[Charles A. Wright]
-Texas
-Willingness to speak out
-Southerners
-Mobilization
-Disbandment of bi-racial committees
-Edward L. Morgan
-Court cases
-Reopening
-Impact
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Moratorium
-Passage in Congress
-Congress
-The President's opposition to busing
-Publicity
-Difference from George C. Wallace
-Sympathy for blacks
-Political benefits
-Support of middle-of-the-roaders
-Challenge to Congress
-Moratorium
-Constitutional amendment
-Political advantages
-Political support
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Answer
-Ehrlichman's draft
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Burden on Congress
-Problems for children
-Article in National Journal
-Quality of article
-List of cities
-Detroit
-Indianapolis
-Denver
-Richmond
-Suburbs
-Administration interventions
-Publicity
-Trips to communities
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-Grand Rapids, Michigan
-Ehrlichman
-Morgan
-Value
-Arrangements
-Gray
-Kleindienst
-Publicity
-Ehrlichman's trip
-Statement
-Bork
-Legal arguments
-Wright
-Texas lawyer
-Joseph T. Sneed
-Duke University
-Support for the President
-Recruitment
-Judgeship positions
-Attorney General
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT] case
-Debates
-Advantages
-Peter M. Flanigan testimony

Busing
-National Journal article
-The President's review
-Analysis of congressional voting records
-Changes
-Administration opposition
-Impact on communities
-Divisiveness
-Supporters of busing
-Liberals
-Time
-Reasons
-Attacks on white middle class suburbanites
-Children's schools
-Investigation of journalists
-Results
-Use in press conference
-Journalists
-Residences
-Suburbs
-Compared to Washington, DC
-Robert P. Novak
-Kleindienst
-Children's schools
-Democratic candidates
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Children in public school
-Children
-Schools
-Publicity

Crime
-Washington Post
-Ehrlichman's briefing
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Time
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Publicity
-Business leaders in Washington, DC
-Meeting
-Impact of crime
-Washington, DC
-Level
-1968 campaign
-Decline
-Credit for administration
-The President's law and order policies
-Criticism
-Law Enforcement Assistance Administration [LEAA]
-Funds for Washington, DC
-Funds for localities
-Uses
-Illegal drugs
-Issue for Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Campaign


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Privacy]
[Duration: 18s ]


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-Political benefits
-Law enforcement and rehabilitation
-Pushers
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Privacy]
[Duration: 9s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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-Fact sheet
-Drafts
-Distribution
-Agnew
-Discussion and publicity
-Republicans
-Material for speeches
-Publicity
-Arrangements

Economy
-Latest figures
-Inventory
-Backlog of demand
-Release
-Progress
-Staff meeting
-Herbert Stein
-Ezra Solomon
-Optimism
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Last month's figures
-Wholesale food prices
-Food prices
-Political issue
-Life magazine
-Meat
-Cheaper cuts
-Chicken
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Complaints from consumers
-Complaints
-Substance
-Inevitability
-Depression of 1930's
-Publicity
-Life
-Timing
-Decline
-Jawboning
-Summer decline
-Earl L. Butz
-Policies
-Trip to Soviet Union
-Statements
-Criticism
-Future statements
-Benefits for Farm Belt
-Work with administration
-Political sensitivities
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
-Ehrlichman
-Work with farmers
-Success
-Ehrlichman’s trip to Denver
-Article
-Butz’s talk with the President
-Complaints
-Current mood
-Improvement
-Cattlemen
-Prosperity
-Milk producers
-Jawboning
-John B. Connally
-Price Commission
-Dr. C. Jackson (“Dan”) Grayson, Jr.
-Benefits
-Shoe prices
-Jawboning by Peter G. Peterson
-Level
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Price of hides
-Scarcity
-Jawboning
-Jawboning
-Timing with election
-Effectiveness
-Food prices
-Decline
-Market chains
-Safeway
-Ads
-Fear of controls
-World War II
-Cattle growers

Other issues
-Crime
-Drugs
-Busing
-Prices

Taxes
-Property taxes
-School funding
-Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations [ACIR]
-Ehrlichman's meeting with Connally
-Option paper
-Connally's advice
-Debt ceiling
-Testimony
-Connally, George P. Shultz and Stein
-Loopholes
-Connally
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Hearings on Health bill
-Tax bill
-Ways and Means Committee
-Revenue sharing
-House Resolution [HR] 1
-Location in Congress
-Senate Finance Committee
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Confusion
-Republicans
-Meeting at White House
-Caucus
-Opposition to Russell B. Long's changes
-Long's proposals
-Costs
-Criticism of the President by Long

ITT case
-Flanigan testimony
-Conditions
-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.’s reaction
-Long's reaction
-Reasons

Revenue-sharing
-Senate Finance Committee
-Passage
-Likelihood to be defeated
-Shultz and Mills
-The President's efforts
-Appreciation by local officials

Taxation
-Treasury Department
-Connally
-White Paper
-Opposition to property taxes
-Populism
-Congressional resistance
-Tax reform
-Democratic voting records
-Publicity
-Connally as spokesman
-Speeches
-Policy of administration
-Property tax relief and relief for parochial schools
-Value-added tax [VAT]
-Administration credit
-Alternatives
 10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Administration study
-Wallace telegram
-Connally's answer
-Challenge for answers
-Loopholes
-Connally's views
-Abolition
-Problems
-Mortgage deductions
-Charitable exemptions
-Capital gains
-Abolition
-Impact
-Mortgage deductions
-Edmund S. Muskie's position
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Democratic opposition
-Charity, home and family deductions
-Gas tax deduction
-Sales tax deduction
-US tax system
-Tax inequities
-Congressional responsibility
-Candidates
-Wallace


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 18s]


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Budget
-Frank L. Rizzo
-Federal money for Philadelphia
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Defense funds
-Telephone call from the President
-Federal money
-Law enforcement
-Narcotics control
-Child care
-Benefits for Rizzo


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 39s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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Jews
-Golda Meir
-Israelis

Edward M. Kennedy
-Bill on Chappaquiddick
-Staff work
-Political prospects
-Bill on Chappaquiddick
-Chappaquiddick
-Press reports
-Denver
-Conviction
-Driver's license
-Grand Jury proceedings
-Public interest
-First reports
-The President's location
-Ehrlichman's location
-Kennedy's speech
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-The President's and Ehrlichman's locations
-Failure
-Richard N. Goodwin
-Public disbelief
-Compared with Checkers Speech
-Failure
-Lack of validity


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 22s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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Busing
-Administration position
-Approach
-The President's daughters
-Integrated schools
-Sidwell Friends
-The President and Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Integrated schools
-Whittier schools
-Quaker tradition
-Smith and Finch Colleges
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-The President's decision
-Publicity
-Ways to improve education
-Parental discretion
-George H. Gallup poll results
-Opposition
-Blacks
-Opposition
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 7/07)
Conv. No. 712-1 (cont.)


-Candidates' supporters
-Wallace, Nixon, Muskie
-Views on busing
-Regional breakdown
-Public response
-Wide agreement on opposition
-Experts
-Uncertainty about benefits
-Parental discretion
-Racialism
-Parents versus courts and sociologists
-Administration position
-Experts

Ehrlichman left at 4:56 pm.