Secret White House Tapes

391–5

About this recording

391–5
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • John D. Ehrlichman
  • Stephen B. Bull
November 1, 1972
Conversation No. 391-5

Date: November 1, 1972
Time: 2:10 pm - 2:57 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.

Greetings

1972 campaign
-3-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Gimmick


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

-Radio program
-Compared to “Amos and Andy”
-Morning show
-Number of stations
-Subjects
-Networks
-Mark Evans
-John B. Connally
-Surrogates
-Public relations [PR]
-Techniques
-Presentation of views
-George S. McGovern
-The President
-Kennedy
-Hecklers
-Rallies
-Utility
-Lack of civility
-Television [TV]
-Expense
-Prime time coverage
-Radio
-Advantages
-Reach
-Compared to TV
-Style
-Franklin D. Roosevelt’s use
-The President’s speeches
-Labor Day
-Health
-Foreign policy
-Timing
-Place
-4-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Distribution to press
-California
-Substance of issues
-Vermont Royster’s column
-Advantages
-Compared to rallies
-Compared to TV
-Interference with prime time
-Collection in booklet
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with Henry Hubbard
-Distribution
-TV speeches
-Number
-The President’s speeches
-Welfare
-Positive points
-Reform
-Health
-Education
-Transportation
-Farms
-Peace
-Justice
-Health
-Education
-Security
-Prosperity
-Jobs
-Dignity
-Inflation
-Welfare
-Taxes
-Quality of Life
-Law and order
-Equal rights
-Crime
-Drugs
-Federalism
-Wording
-Additions
-5-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Welfare
-Busing

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


Civil rights
-Quotas
-Jews
-Blacks
-Jews
-Ignorance of issue
-Jews
-Columnists
-Meeting with Max M. Fischer’s associate, Lawrence Y. Goldberg
-J. Stanley Pottinger
-Washington, DC government
-Blacks
-Integration into American society
-Current status
-Future
-Larry Brown
-Music
-Dancing
-Personal warmth
-Whites
-Brown
-Ehrlichman’s viewing on television [TV]
-Impact on welfare
-William Rasberry’s November 1, 1972 column
-Sammy Davis, Jr.
-Opposition to administration
-Impact of welfare program
-Self-reliance
-Welfare programs
-Cost
-Black caucus
-Foreign aid to Africa
-Robert J. Brown
-6-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Today show
-Sally Brown, Anne Francis (Hazard) Richardson, Margaret
(“Myra”) (Dunbar) Kleindienst
-Barbara Walters
-Questions
-Tone
-Answers
-Tone
-Second term
-Robert Brown
-Role in administration
-Administration supporters
-Treatment
-White House contact
-Criticism of other blacks
-Treatment
-Timing
-Ambassadorships


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

1972 campaign
-The President’s speeches
-Themes
-Permissiveness
-Crime
-Judges
-Respect for police
-Volunteer army
-Peace
-Military strength
-Health
-Cancer
-International exchanges
-People’s Republic of China [PRC], Soviet Union
-Tax increases
-Rejection
-Dental care
-7-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Young children
-Importance
-Dentists’ support
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.’s role
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-New York Times
-Coverage
-Henry A. Kissinger
-The President’s speeches
-Outline
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Style
-Writers
-Coordination with the President’s thinking
-Editing
-Timing
-Chicago
-North Carolina
-Cole
-Delivery
-John K. Andrews, Jr.

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


Watergate issue
-Post-1972 election actions
-Theodore H. White’s forthcoming book [The Making of the President, 1972]
-The President’s recent conversation with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Ehrlichman’s forthcoming conversation with White
-Accusations
-Rebuttals
-Double standard
-Embarrassment
-Break-in
-Justification
-Donald H. Segretti
-Activities by previous campaigns
-John B. Connally’s view
-8-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-1972 campaign compared to other campaigns
-The President, surrogates, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Tone, issues
-Post-1972 election actions
-Revelations
-Timing
-The President’s possible press conference
-Investigation by White House
-Allegations against Dwight L. Chapin
-Private nature
-Publication
-Investigation by the White House
-John W. Dean, III, Ehrlichman
-Chapin
-Segretti
-Affidavit
-Confidentiality
-Justification
-Presidential statement
-Investigation
-Chapin
-Haldeman
-Chapin
-Relationship with Segretti
-Recruitment
-Instructions
-Herbert W. Kalmbach
-Role in Watergate
-1972 election contributions
-Common Cause lawsuit
-Settlement
-Disclosures
-Pre-March 9, 1972
-Challenge to tax exemption
-John W. Gardner
-Suit against Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP]
-Public statements
-CRP
-1972 campaign
-Common Cause
-9-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Victory claim
-Post-1972 election
-Internal Revenue Service [IRS] investigation
-Litigation committee
-Liberal Democrats, liberal Republicans
-Investigation by White House
-Dean
-Richard A. Moore
-Ehrlichman
-Conclusion
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Opponents’ frustration
-1972 campaign
-Demonstrations
-Hecklers in Boston
-The President’s recent conversation with Haldeman
-Charles W. Colson
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Activities
-Car burnings, use of obscenities, George S. McGovern
buttons
-Number
-Compared to treatment of the President, Agnew
-Reaction in Boston
-Boston Globe
-Colson
-Investigation by the White House
-Presidential statement
-Timing
-Post-1972 election
-Speculation

The President’s schedule
-Press conferences
-Trip to California
-1972 election day
-Postponement
-Statement
-Government reorganization
-Vietnam negotiations
-10-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-The President’s trips to the People’s Republic of China [PRC],
Soviet Union
-National interest
-Frequency
-Second term
-Oval Office press conference
-TV
-Statements on second term, 1972 election
-Timing
-News magazines
-1972 election

Watergate
-Presidential statement
-Embarrassment
-Investigation by the White House
-Publication
-White House Press Corps
-Double standard
-Administration of justice
-Washington Post editorial, November 1, 1972
-Washington Post
-Possible antitrust action
-Monopoly


*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

1972 campaign
-Washington state
-Distress calls to Ehrlichman
-The President’s schedule
-Telephone calls
-Value
-Candidates
-John G. Tower
-Timing
-Publicity
-Newspapers
-11-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Next meeting

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


Watergate
-Statement by the President
-Investigation by White House
-Timing
-Burglars
-Presumed innocence
-Washington Post articles on Haldeman [secret fund stories]
-Sources of information
-Talks with US attorney, Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], White
House
-Time article
-Statement by the President
-Press relations
-Katherine L. Graham
-Report from Henry A. Kissinger
-Kissinger’s view
-1972 election
-Arthur Krock column
-Joseph McCarthy, Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Washington Post
-Invitation to White House
-License application
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC]
-Dean Burch
-Appointments
-Nicholas Johnson
-Graham
-Ehrlichman’s conversation with Haldeman
-Kissinger’s report
-Benjamin C. Bradlee
-Bradlee
-Ehrlichman’s view
-Paul R. Ignatius
-Removal
-12-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-08)

Conversation No. 391-5 (cont’d)

-Graham
-Knowledge
-John N. Mitchell
-John J. (“Jack”) Caulfield
-Reasons
-Democratic National Committee
-Lawrence F. O’Brien, Jr.
-Possible statement
-Embarrassment
-Intelligence of actions
-Morality

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:10 pm.

The President’s schedule
-John Cardinal Krol

Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Recent meeting with Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
-Concern

Ehrlichman and Bull left at 2:57 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

391–5

This recording is currently not available on millercenter.org. To listen to it, please email Mike Greco at mdg4u@virginia.edu

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