104–9

Conversation No. 104-9

Date: July 21, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:16 am and 10:57 pm
Location: Cabinet Room

The President met with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, William P. Rogers, George P. Shultz,
Melvin R. Laird, Ralph E. Erickson, Rogers C. B. Morton, Earl L. Butz, James D. Hodgson,
John G. Veneman, George W. Romney, John A. Volpe, David M. Kennedy, Caspar W. (“Cap”)
Weinberger, Robert H. Finch, Donald H. Rumsfeld, George H. W. Bush, H. R. (“Bob”)
Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman, Peter M. Flanigan, Dr. Edward E. David, Jr., Raymond K. Price,
Jr., Alexander P. Butterfield, Robert J. Brown, Charles W. Colson, Dr. James R. Schlesinger,
James C. Fletcher, Donald E. Johnson, Frank J. Shakespeare, Dr. John A. Hannah, Arthur F.
Sampson, Frank C. Carlucci, Clark MacGregor, Robert J. Dole, Herbert Stein, Arthur J. Sohmer,
and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
[Recording begins while the conversation is in progress]

Federal budget
-Shultz
-Stein
-Difficulties
-Congress
-The President’s vetoes
-Political repercussions
-Cabinet’s cooperation
-Budgetary cuts
-The President’s compliments

Economy
-Consumer Price Index [CPI]
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Increase
-Gross National Product [GNP]
-Real increases
-Figures
-Unemployment
-Decline
-Statistical adjustments
-Lay-off rate in manufacturing
-Employment
-Increase
-Prospect
-The President’s strategy
-Benefits
-CPI
-Agricultural prices
-Butz
-Increases in food prices
-Increase in other prices
-Business Week magazine
-Unemployment
-Measurements
-Decline

Economy
-Delicacy
-Political aspect
-Messages to American people
-Inflation
-Causes
-Federal deficits
-1974
-Federal budget
-”Ceiling letters”
-Heads of agencies
-Lowered budgets
-Guidelines
-Political aspects
-Budget cuts
-Political opposition
-Alternatives
-Increased taxes, prices
-Results
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Reduced spending
-Congressional opposition
-Reasons
-Sympathy for people
-The President’s concern for taxes and prices
-Political benefits
-Economic outlook of recovery
-The President’s concerns
-”Ceiling letters”
-Accordance with guidelines
-Budgetary balance
-Immediacy of need
-Difficulties
-Increases in Social Security taxes
-Employment
-”Full” employment
-Federal budget
-Deficit spending
-Popular reaction
-1975 budget
-Balance
-1974 budget
-Reduced spending
-1975 budget
-Accuracy of the President’s assessment
-1973 budget
-1974 budget
-Balance
-Presidential vetoes
-1975 budget
-Balance
-Inflation
-Popular comprehension
-”Wage-price push”
-Fiscal policies
-Federal spending
-Federal taxation
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 35s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Naval bases
-Portsmouth, New Hampshire
-Laird
-Presidential promise
-Political effects of cuts

Federal budget
-Increased taxation
-Popular concern
-Republican sentiment
-Inflation
-Poll of popular opinion
-Blame on government


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 8m 56s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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The President’s accomplishments
-Reform of Supreme Court
-Importance
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Press coverage
-Press opposition
-Popular attitude
-Respect for law
-Opposition

Adjournment of meeting

The President left at 10:45 am

[General conversation/Unintelligible]

Media
-Response to administration

Congress
-Speeches
-Democrats


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 12s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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Unknown people left at an unknown time before 10:57 pm
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)