280–14

Conversation No. 280-14

Date: September 23, 1971
Time: 1:06 pm - 1:16 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler and Stephen B. Bull.

The President's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:16 pm.

Supreme Court appointments
-Ziegler’s press briefing
-John M. Harlan
-Resignation
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman's and John D. Ehrlichman's views
-Announcement
-Time
-Ziegler's call to John N. Mitchell
-Press briefing
-The President's statement on Harlan
-Harlan's career
-Appointments to Supreme Court
-Criteria
-Philosophy
-Strict construction of Constitution
-Advance notice
-Anticipating Harlan's resignation
-Harlan's health
-Advance information
-Letter from Harlan
-Resignation
-Time
-Announcement
-Hugo L. Black’s vacancy
-Selection process
-Appointment
-Supreme Court
-Vacancies
-Nomination
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 280-14 (cont.)


-Confirmation
-Nominees
-Names of nominees
-Sending names to Congress
-Information
-Date
-List of nominees
-Black's vacancy
-Consultation with American Bar Association [ABA]
-Veto power
-Consultation with Congressmen
-Mitchell's consultation with the Judiciary Committee
-House
-Senate
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Woman nominee
-Nominees
-Women
-Lower courts appointments
-Future appointments to the Supreme Court
-Justice Department
-Discussion
-Mitchell
-William O. Douglas
-Appointments of Justices
-Other Presidents
-George Washington
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Nominees
-Geographical considerations
-Political considerations
-Geographical considerations
-Minnesota
-Warren E. Burger
-[Harry A. Blackmun]
- Southern seat perception
-Black
-Selection process
-Representation of the country
-Nominees
-Geographical considerations
 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 280-14 (cont.)


-Statement
-The South
-Process
-Politics
-Selection
-Richard H. Poff
-Mitchell

The People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Assessment of domestic situation
-Kissinger
-Call from Paris
-Chinese embassy
-Chou En-lai
-Mao Tse-tung


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[National Security]
[Duration: 21s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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Forthcoming press briefing
-Questions
-News briefing
-The President's trip to the West Coast
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 280-14 (cont.)


-Time
-California
-Other events
-Question and answer session

Ziegler left at 1:16 pm.