321–21

Conversation No. 321-21

Date: March 8, 1972
Time: 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

Refreshment

Busing issue
-Release of statement
-Timing
-John D. Ehrlichman
-President’s schedule
-Hugh Scott
-Primary
-Timing
-Decision-making
-Camp David
 21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-21 (cont.)


-Legal research
-Ziegler’s briefing
-Possible delay of announcement
-Florida primary
-Ehrlichman
-Previous conversations with Ziegler
-Attorney General
-John B. Connally
-Florida primary
-National problem
-Busing
-President’s policy
-Possible solutions
-Referendum
-Florida primary
-Controversy
-New Hampshire
-Patrick J. Buchanan

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 2:15 pm

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 2:45 pm.

Busing issues
-Release of statement
-Timing
-Florida primary
-March 10, 1972 announcement
-John N. Mitchell
-Connally
-John N. Ashbrook
-Issues
-Ehrlichman
-Upcoming conversation with Ziegler
-Camp David
-Legal research
-President’s instructions to Ziegler
-Decision
-Preparation
-Issues
-Constitutional amendment
 22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-21 (cont.)


-Possible legislation
-Probable language involved
-Time of decision
-Optimism for reaching a decision
-Future announcement
-Constitutional information
-Possible influence from the primaries
-Drafting
-Timing
-Florida primary
-Ehrlichman
-Decision
-Newspapers
-Television
-Magazines
-George C. Wallace
-Constitutional amendment
-Primary
-Upcoming decision
-Press

Attorney General
-Nomination hearings
-Richard W. McLaren
-John V. Tunney and Edward M. Kennedy
-Questions
-Supreme Court
-Delay of submission of International Telegraph and
Telephone [ITT] case
-Kennedy and Tunney
-Public opinion on activities
-Wire services
-Settlement
-Fairness
-Influence
-Richard G. Kleindienst’s, Peter M. Flanigan’s, and McLaren’s view
-Sheraton Hotel
-White House
-Flanigan
-Media coverage
-Flanigan
 23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-21 (cont.)



People’s Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Henry A. Kissinger’s possible television appearance
-Ziegler’s previous conversation with Kissinger
-Relationship with the State Department
-Backgrounder
-Helpfulness to the President
-Television
-President’s achievement
-William P. Rogers
-Kissinger’s “mystique”
-Successes
-Several keys
-Public interest
-The President’s involvement
-President’s approach
-Credibility
-Kissinger’s viewpoint and experience
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Anxiousness from the network
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Agreement
-Interview
-Kissinger’s willingness
-Structure
-“Behind the scenes” scenario
-Issues
-Communiqués
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Magazines
-News
-Toast
-Chou En-lai
-Relationships
-Types
-CBS
-Potential agreement for interview [?]
-Kissinger
-Chou En-lai
-Backgrounders
-PRC
 24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-21 (cont.)


-Kissinger’s knowledge
-Great Hall of the People
-President and Thelma C. (“Pat” ) Nixon
-Journalists
-Chou En-lai

Ziegler left at 2:45 pm.