Secret White House Tapes

804–1

About this recording

804–1
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • Alexander P. Butterfield
  • John D. Ehrlichman
  • Stephen B. Bull
  • White House operator
  • William E. Timmons
October 18, 1972
Conversation No. 803-22/804-1

Date: October 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 3:23 pm and 5:43 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman. This recording began at an unknown time
while the conversation was in progress.

[An unknown portion of this conversation was not recorded while the tape was changed.]

Vietnam negotiations
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-The President’s view

The President's schedule
-Camp David
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Radio talks
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Radio talks
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Work on legislative backlog
-Photograph session
-Timing of October 19, 1972 scheduled departure
-Radio talks
-[Philosophy of Government] October 21, 1972
-Time
-Repeat cycle
-Veterans speech on October 22, 1972
-Timing of broadcast
-Church service
-West
-Live audience
-News coverage
-Veterans Day
-Arlington National Cemetery
-New York

Vietnam
2
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Recent National League of Families meeting
-Carol Hanson's endorsement of the President
-The President's policy on the return of POWs
-Statement regarding George S. McGovern's
Vietnam policy


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 19s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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


The President's schedule
-News value
-October 17, 1972
-Charles W. Colson
-Cabinet, Cost of Living Council [COLC]
-Labor leaders
-Meeting with Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, George P. Shultz,
-Herbert Stein
-Budget cuts
-Spending ceiling legislation
-Ehrlichman
-Ehrlichman
-Judgement
-Colson, Weinberger
-Timing of announcements during 1972 campaign
period
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-School lunch programs
-Transportation department
-Washington Metro construction
-Impact
3
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Veterans issues
-Bill signing ceremony
-John M. O'Neill veterans group
-Young labor group
-Television [TV] coverage
-POW event
-Press conference
-Colson
-Frequency
-Issues
-Watergate
-Vietnam
-Sarah McClendon, Clark R. Mollenhoff
-Colson’s meeting recommendations
-Elliot L. Richardson, James D. Hodgson, Ehrlichman,
Daniel P. (“Pat’) Moynihan, Congressional leaders
-Welfare reform
-Family Assistance Program [FAP]
-Employment
-Press briefing
-Questions
-1972 election
-Announcement
-Defense budget
-Church attendance in Annapolis, Maryland
-US Naval Academy
-Price Commission
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Pay Board
-Church attendance
-Gettysburg
-October 29, 1972
-Ohio
-October 22, 1972
-Radio speech timing
-1972 election
-West
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at 3:47 pm.
4
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


Congressional schedule
-Debt ceiling

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 3:58 pm.

-Price commission
-Budget meeting
-Weinberger
-Ehrlichman's role

The President's schedule
-Kentucky
-Vietnam War
-Possible Settlement
-Timing
-Conversation with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Thieu
-Henry A. Kissinger’s possible meeting with Le Duc Tho
-Kissinger's Possible Itinerary
-Vientiane, Saigon, Hanoi, Washington, DC
-Thieu


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 46s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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


The President’s schedule

Haldeman talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 3:47 pm and 3:58 pm.

[Conversation No. 803-22/804-1A]

Request for a meeting with Ehrlichman
5
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)



[End of telephone conversation]

The President’s schedule

The President left and Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 3:47 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Telephone

Bull left and The President entered at an unknown time after 3:58 pm.

[Bonsai?] trees
-Value
-Haldeman’s possession

The President talked with an unknown person [Haig?] at an unknown time between 3:47 pm and
3:58 pm.

[Conversation No. 803-22/804-1D]

Request for a meeting

[End of telephone conversation]

[Bonsai?] trees
-Value
-Nellie L. Yates
-Trip [to Peoples Republic of China [PRC]?]
-Possible gift to the White House

Ehrlichman entered at 3:58 p.m.

Memorandum
-Arthur F. Burns
-Rose Mary Woods

The President talked with Woods at an unknown time between 3:58 pm and 4:01 pm.

[Conversation No. 803-22/804-1B]
6
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


Letter from Burns
-Ehrlichman

[End of telephone conversation]

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 3:58 pm.

Refreshment

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 4:01 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Budget meeting recommendation
-Stein, Weinberger, Shultz, Ehrlichman
-Spending limit
-Briefing by Weinberger
-Proposed cuts
-Pre-election period
-Cabinet meeting
-News value
-Meeting at Camp David
-William E. Timmons
-New York

Woods entered at 4:01 pm.

Memorandum from Burns
-Weinberger’s draft

Haig entered and Woods left at 4:02 p.m.

Foreign Relations
-US-Soviet Union trade agreement
-William P. Rogers’s view
-State Department
-Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty [SALT], Shanghai Communique,
Berlin agreement
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Vietnam Negotiations
-Possible settlement
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with Thieu
7
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Political issues
-Coalition government in South Vietnam
-Kissinger’s forthcoming meeting with Thieu
-State Department
-Security issues
-North Vietnam
-POWs
-Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Kissinger's schedule
-Thieu
-William H. Sullivan
-Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Bangkok
-Philip C. Habib
-Seoul
-Park Chung Hee
-Thieu

Haig left at 4:08 p.m.

The President's schedule
-Camp David budget meeting
-Veto announcement
-Revenue sharing signing ceremony
-Shultz, Weinberger
-Transportation arrangements
-Helicopters
-Philadelphia revenue sharing ceremony trip
-Press pool
-Ehrlichman
-Story
-Photograph opportunity
-Recent Senate vote override
-New York
-Press relations
-Legislation vetoes
-Announcement
-The President's role
-Colson
-Taxes
-Questions
-1972 election
8
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Mollenhof
-McClendon
-Colson's perception
-Radio statement
-News value
-Ehrlichman
-Veterans legislation
-Colson
-Arrangements for signing ceremony
-Young veterans group
-GI Bill
-O’Neill
-Labor group
-Badges
-Impact of event
-New York
-Photograph opportunity
-Veterans issue
-Radio speech on education, October 25, 1972
-Preparation
-Schedule
-Butterfield
-Radio speeches
-Veterans, New Majority topics
-William L. Safire
-Appalachian trip
-Airport
-Ashland, Kentucky
-Release of statement by the President
-Rural development, black lung
-Accomplishments and proposals
-Robert C. Byrd
-McGovern
-Kentucky, West Virginia
-Auditorium
-Louie R. Nunn
-New York speech
-Theme
-Goals for future
-John B. Connally's foreign policy speech
-Broadcast
9
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Tone
-The President's goals for the future
-[McGovern's] programs
-World peace, prosperity
-Press corps
-Nelson A. Rockfeller’s home
-Connally broadcast
-Audience reaction
-Tone
-Positive nature of the President's appearances
-Kentucky and Appalachia
-John Sherman Cooper
-Support for the President
-Lucy A. Winchester
-Stump speeches
-Press reaction
-Audiences
-Fund raising speeches
-Reading a speech
-Rallies
-Radio
-Issues and events
-Welfare programs meeting
-Colson
-Richardson
-Moynihan
-Congress
-Price Commission
-Rumsfeld briefing
-Price increases
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
-Timing of release
-Gross National Product [GNP]
-Revenue sharing
-Meeting with young voters for the President
-Colson
-East Room
-Defense budget
-Defense officials
-Kissinger
-Austerity effort in budget matters
10
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Vietnam
-Trips
-Kentucky
-Film of Connally speech
-New York
-Statement on plans for the future
-News value of events
-Rallies
-Georgia, Michigan, Texas remarks
-New York
-Fund raiser
-California
-Los Angeles
-Public enthusiasm
-Kentucky
-Appalachia
-Expression of views
-Peace, world view, economy, goals for America
-The President’s trip to Independence Hall
-Revenue sharing
-Price's draft of speech
-Length
-Talking points
-Substance, anecdote, theme
-TV
-George Washington on the Constitution
-The President’s 1970 trip to Philadelphia
-Philadelphia Orchestra
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Winston S. Churchill quote
-TV coverage
-Effect of issue
-General public
-Mayors, officials
-Stewart J.O. Alsop
-Trust in localities compared to Washington, DC
-Water bill
-Veto
-House of Representatives
-Chances for sustaining
-Colson’s view
11
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends
-Environmentalists
-News coverage
-Trade agreement with the Soviet Union
-Lend-Lease agreement
-The President's trip to Kentucky
-Airport
-Louisville
-Huntington, West Virginia
-Possible Air Force base
-Portsmouth, Ohio
-Ashland, Kentucky
-Charleston, West Virginia
-Symbolism of the President's visit to West
Virginia
- Arch A. Moore, Jr.
-Charleston, West Virginia

Al-Fatah
-Terrorism committee report
-David R. Young, Jr.
-1972 election
-The President
-Yitzak Rabin
-Response
-White House
-L.[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-Use of Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National security]
[Duration: 14s ]

TERRORISM


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
12
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


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


-Authorization by the President
-Rabin
-R. Sargent Shriver
-The President
-Rabin
-Israeli security
-Ehrlichman's airplane flight with Abba Eban

Statements
-Theme
-The President's next term
-Peace, economy, welfare
-Goals
-Peace, prosperity, growth

Congress
-Adjournment
-Telephone call to the President
-House of Representatives, Senate
-Possible meeting with the President
-Timmons
-Schedule
-The President’s view
-The President as freshman Congressman
-Daylight savings time
-District of Columbia
-Debate
-Virginia farmers
-Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Michael Gravel, John V. Tunney, Frank F. Church, Warren G. (Maggie”)
Magnuson
-Charles H. Percy
-Vote on spending limitation
-McGovern
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Parliamentarian [Floyd M. Riddick]
-J. Mark Trice
13
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


Inaugural
-Progress
-Stands
-Seats, framework
-Routes
-Brookings Institute
-Transition planning
-Franklin B. Lincoln, Jr.
-Telephone call after Democratic National Convention
-Placement of people in government agencies

Brookings Institute
-Establishment
-Richard P. Nathan's new job
-Welfare program
-Personnel


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 12m 59s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 10

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


Senate
-Votes on Watergate investigation, spending limit, Water bill
-Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
-Kennedy
-Charles E. Goodell
-The President's role during campaign
-Surrogates
-Daniel J. Evans
-Ehrlichman
-Watergate
-Mathias
14
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Kennedy
-Edward J. Gurney
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Mathias
-Agnew
-Percy, William B. Saxbe
-Support
-Fredrick, Maryland
-Percy
-Downstate Illinois
-Opposition to the President
-Jacob K. Javits
-Edward W. Brooke
-Clifford P. Case
-Javits
-Comparison to Percy, Mathias, Hugh Scott
-Scott
-Water bill
-Pennsylvania Association of Industries
-Re-election as minority leader
-Breakfast conversation with the President
-Fund raising
-Composition
-Possible changes in leadership
-Nunn's election
-Scott
-Robert P. Griffin, Howard H. Baker, Jr., William E.
Brock, III
-Baker as possible leader
-Scott
-Gordon L. Allott, Jack R. Miller
-Leadership qualities
-Robert J. Dole
-[Republican National Committee]
-Wallace F. Bennett
-Roman L. Hruska
-Milton Young
-Peter H. Dominick
-Brock

House of Representatives
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Possible change of leadership
-Ford
-Rumsfeld
-Grand Rapids
-Rumsfeld
-John J. Rhodes, John B. Anderson
-Anderson
-Scott
-Cooperation
-Comparison to Ford
-John C. Stennis

Senate
-Stennis
-Possible party change
-Possible change in leadership
-Margaret C. Smith, Byrd
-Scott, Hruska
-Harry F. Byrd
-Possible change in political affiliation
-Bryce N. Harlow

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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 5m 44s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

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


The press and media
-MacGregor's Washington Post statement
-1972 election
-New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Time
-TV networks
-Attitude towards administration
-White House events
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Katharine L. Graham
-Ziegler
-New York Times, Washington Post, Time, Life, Newsweek
-Hugh S. Sidey
-TV networks
-Business executives
-William S. Paley, Frank Stanton, Leonard H.
Goldenson, Robert W. Sarnoff
-Reporters
-Daniel L. Schorr
-George Herman’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Schorr
-Wife, brother
-Campaign activities in support of
McGovern
-The President's East Room press conferences
-Frank van der Linden
-Recognition of reporters
-New York Times
-Carroll Kilpatrick
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-TV compared to newspapers
-Washington Post
-Compared to Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Washington Post newspaper syndicate
-Hobart Rowen
-Ehrlichman’s attendance at Associated Press [AP] editors
meeting
-Los Angeles Times
-Ehrlichman's letter
-Publication and circulation
-New York Times
-Story on Watergate
-Donald H. Segretti's telephone calls to White House
-Dwight L. Chapin, E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-Innuendos, implications
-Double standard
-Leaks
-Pentagon Papers, National Security
Council [NSC] leaks
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Pulitzer Prize
-Kissinger
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Washington Post editorial
-Government employment
-Committee to Re-elect the President
-Hunt
-Chapin
-Chapin
-Purported position and access to the President
-Wiretaps
-Frequency
-Reporters
-Access to the White House
-New York Times, Washington Post
-Christmas parties
-Reaction of potential big election victory by the
President
-Philip L. Geyelin
-American people
-Franklin D. Roosevelt’s election
-Haldeman’s grandfather’s view
-Allen S. Drury
-Books
-Intellectual establishment
-John F. Osborne
-Washington Post, New York Times

McGovern
-Connally's broadcast
-McGovern's views
-Henry A. Wallace era

The President's schedule
-Congress
-Adjournment

Ehrlichman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 5:28 pm and 5:37
pm.

Chapin
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)



John D. Ehrlichman talked with an unknown staff member in Timmons's office at an unknown
time between 5:28 pm and 5:37 pm.

Haldeman left at 5:28 pm.

Ehrlichman talked with Timmons at an unknown time between 5:28 pm and 5:37 pm.

[Conversation No. 803-22/804-1C]

[See Conversation No. 31-120]

Haldeman entered at 5:32 pm.

[End of telephone conversation]

Congress
-Adjournment
-Highway bill
-Highways Conference
-Javits's reaction to Magnuson amendment on unemployment
-“Pins and needles” bill
-Tax amendment
-Senate passage of debt ceiling bill
-Ford
-Javits
-Debt ceiling bill
-The President's schedule
-Comparison to 1960s, [1947-1960], [1969-1972]

The President’s schedule
-Huntington, West Virginia
-Airport
-Charleston, West Virginia
-Previous trip during flood
-Ashland, Kentucky

Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Meeting with Frederic V. Malek
-Congressional adjournment
-Status
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)


-Senate
-Javits
-Quorum
-Debt ceiling bill
-Weinberger’s staff

Ehrlichman left at 5:37 pm.

Watergate
-News stories
-New York Times
-Chapin
-Timing of release of stories
-Colson’s recommendation
-Time
-Dan Rather story
-Responsibility
-Chapin, Jeb Stuart Magruder
-The President, John N. Mitchell, Haldeman
-CBS reporters
-Rather, Robert Pierpoint, Schorr
-ABC
-Thomas E. Jarriel
-Access to reporters
-Marvin L. Kalb, Schorr, Rather
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Coverage
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC] coverage during campaign


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 55s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 12

*****************************************************************
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)



The President’s schedule
-Congressional adjournment

Haldeman left at 5:43 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

804–1

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