432–26

Conversation No. 432-26

Date: May 9, 1973
Time: 11:31 am - 12:03 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with George H. W. Bush, David K. (“Pat”) Wilson, William E. Brock, III,
Robert H. Michel, and William E. Timmons.

Greetings

Photograph

Florida
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)


Wilson’s new role as Republican National Committee [RNC] Finance Committee
chairman
-Difficulty
-Fundraising


An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:31 am.

Refreshment

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 12:05 pm.

Wilson

-Bush’s support

-Compared to Brock, Michel


Effect of Watergate

-Involvement of Republican Party

-Finance officials

-Individuals responsible

-Motive



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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Fundraising
-Meeting in Buffalo, Niagara Falls

-Richard B. Ogilvie

-William Miller

-Erie County

-Problems

-Concentration in Washington, DC
-Big donors
-Fundraising dinner
-Lobbyists
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

-Solicitations
-Timing
-Dinners
-Dinners

-Planning

-Timing

-Election
-Watergate as an issue
-Need to deflect interest

Republican Party

-Membership rolls [?]

-Candidate in North Dakota

-George S. McGovern
-Opinion poll
-Prisoners of war [POWs] as candidates
-President’s telephone conversation with Bush
-[First name unknown] Collins
-South Carolina
-Harry S. Dent’s support
-Dent

-Support for RNC

-Watergate

-Intelligence

-President’s role in helping candidates in 1974
-US-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR] summit

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


Watergate

-Public perception

-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III’s actions
-Violence in 1968 and 1972 campaigns
-Focus of issue
-June 1973 U.S.-U.S.S.R. Summit
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

-Leonid I. Brezhnev

-Media coverage

-Senate hearings

-Grand jury

-Senate hearings

-Possible effects
-John N. Mitchell, Jeb Stuart Magruder, H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman,
John D. Ehrlichman
-John W. Dean, III’s appearance
-Effect on future trials
-Dean’s possible testimony

-Immunity

-Effect

-Elliot L. Richardson

-Special prosecutor

-Selection

-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield

-Benefit to Democratic Party

-John B. Connally

-Ervin Committee

-Minority counsel

Republican Party fundraising dinner
-Press coverage
-Speakers
-Supporters

Congressional relations
-Critical vote

-Transfer of authority

-Undecided votes

-Discussion at fundraising dinner

-Cambodia

-Funds for US operations
-Compared to Gulf of Tonkin resolution
-Opposition
-Democrats
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

-Funding of US operations in Cambodia

-Purpose

-House of Representatives

-Conference
-Joe D. Waggoner, Jr.
-Policy Committee
-Gerald R. Ford, Leslie Arends
-Defense Department [?]
-Conservative support
-Supplemental appropriations

-Length

-Limit

-War powers bill

-Foreign Affairs Committee

-Ford

-Alphonzo Bell

-John M. Ashbrook

-Constitutional question

-“Right-wing”

-Supplemental appropriations

-Continuity of US military operations

-Republican Congress


Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Role in White House
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman

-Possible role with Congress

-Strengths

-Appearance before Congressional conference

-Timmons
-Ford, Arends
-Compared with William P. Rogers, Richardson
-Experience in Vietnam

-Managerial style [?]

-Staff


Transfer of funds from the Committee to Re-elect the President [CRP] to the Republican
 -27-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

National Committee [RNC]

-Legal problems

-Size of fund

-Losses

-Maurice H. Stans

-Transfers from RNC to CRP
-Returns
-Size of fund

-Losses

-Legal expenses

-Stans

-Wilson’s role

-Outstanding expenses

-Use of funds

-RNC dinner

-Immediate transfer

-CRP lawsuit
-Robert Strauss
-Impact on RNC
-Stans

-Impact on donors

-“Striped suits”



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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Transfer of funds from CRP to RNC

-Use of funds

-Selective candidates


Candidates

-Press coverage

-Bertie [?] Graham

-Profile

-Louise Hutchinson

-Chicago Tribune
 -28-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

-RNC event

-Selection

-House of Representatives

-Henry L. Bellmon
-Conversation with Shirley Bellmon
-John B. Connally
-Switch of party affiliation

RNC
-Fundraising dinner

-Connally’s attendance

-President’s attendance

-Computerized system of supporters
-J. William (“Bill”) Marriot, Jr. [?]
-White House support
-Haig
-Lists
-Release

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Congressional relations

-Vote on funding US operatives in Southeast Asia

-Henry A. Kissinger

-Support

-William J. (“Jack”) Edwards

-Grudging support
-Trent Lott
-Complaints
-Escalation
-POWs
-Constitutional issues
-Senate’s role
-Supplemental appropriations bill
-Loss of funding
 -29-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. September-2011)

Conversation No. 432-26 (cont’d)

-Resubmission of bill

-Defense Department

-John L. McClellan, John C. Stennis

-Support
-Senate compared with House of Representatives
-House of Representatives
-Vote count
-Gerald R. Ford’s estimate
-Democratic support
-Joe D. Wagonner, Jr.’s leadership
-Robert L. F. Sikes, George H. Majon, Samuel S. Stratton
-Caucus
-Quorum
-Carl T. Albert
-Wagonner [?]

Watergate

-Public perception

-Resignations of Ehrlichman and Haldeman


Bush et al. left at 12:03 pm.