451–12

Conversation No. 451-12

Date: February 18, 1971
Time: 1:20 pm - 2:32 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

Speech changes
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Tape Subject Log
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[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 1:20 pm and
1:22 pm]

[Conversation No. 451-12A]

Call to Raymond K. Price, Jr.

[End of telephone conversation] Conv. No. 451-10 (cont.)

Dedication of [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
-Dean Francis B. Sayre
-Hubert H. Humphrey

[The President talked with Raymond K. Price, Jr. between 1:22 pm and 1:23 pm]

[Conversation No. 451-12B]

Speech revisions
-Wilson’s speeches in Italy
-Use by the President
-William L. Safire

[End of telephone conversation]

Schedule

Speech delivery
-Wilson
-Preparation

Schedule
-Future events

Boston Globe story
-Quality
-Content
-Possible administration response
-Reaction
-John D. Ehrlichman’s [?] view

Public relations
-John B. Connally
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Allen S. Drury
-Trip to California
-Questions submitted to the President
-Clemency
-Schedule
-Interview with the President
Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)
J. Edgar Hoover
-Patrick J. Buchanan’s view
-Hoover’s performance
-Polls
-Retirement
-Criticism of Hoover
-George S. McGovern
-Retirement
-General Lewis B. Hershey
-Political impact
-Appointment of new Director
-President’s view

Appointment
-Unknown person
-John A. Volpe
-Announcement

White House Stag dinners
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Number

Schedule
-Unknown woman

Press conference
-Coverage of foreign versus domestic policy
-Preparation
-Television
-Benefits
-Focus on a single area
-Foreign policy press conference
-”Grab bag” approach
-Preparation
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Head of State visit on March 16
-Press coverage
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s birthday
-Tricia Nixon
-President’s view
-Invitations
-Isabelle Shelton Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)
-Bonnie Angelo
Speech revisions [?]
-Buchanan
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Safire

Unknown man
-Possible interview with the President
-Schedule
-Contract with Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Negotiations

Ziegler entered at 1:42 pm

-Use of Air Force One

Press conferences
-Value
-Preparation
-Haldeman’s view
-Columnists
-Previous press conference, 2/17
-Questions
-Preparation
-Ziegler
-North Vietnam and Laos
-Domestic policy
-Revenue sharing

Buchanan entered at 1:45 pm

-Reaction
-Buchanan’s view
-Preparation
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Tape Subject Log
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-Requirements
-Time allotment
-American Legion speech
-Use of television
-Problems
-Preparation
-Impact
-Reporting of press conference Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)
-Buchanan’s view
-Ziegler’s view
-Health statements
-Power of Presidency
-Health message
-Announcement
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Format
-Topic selection
-Pros and cons
-Suggestions and options
-Domestic versus foreign policy
-Follow-up questions
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Preparation
-Flexibility
-Frequency and timing
-Reaction
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-Peter Lisagor
-James J. Kilpatrick, Jr.
-Drew Pearson
-John F. Osborne
-New Republic
-Ideology of press

Press
-Henry Brandon
-Book
-Influence
-Conversation with President
-Victor Lasky
-Book
-Past reporters
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-Joseph W. Alsop
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Walter Lippman
-Arthur Krock
-Roscoe Drummond
-Richard (“Dick”) Wilson
-Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters
-Memory Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)
-Compared with reporters
-Interviews
-Notes
-Unknown reporter
-Tape recorders
-Use
-Compared with notes
-Vietnam
-Kissinger
-Press story
-Winston S. Churchill
-Journalistic experience
-South Africa
-The President’s programs
-Coverage
-President’s view
-Dorothy McCardle
-Frances Lewine
-Criticism
-Crosby S. Noyes
-News report
-CBS
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-Administration response
-Martin Z. Agronsky
-Content

Vietnam
-Joint interview with [unknown man] and Charles H. Percy
-Statement
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Lasky
-Edmund S. Muskie
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******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 6s ]

Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************

News summary
-Revenue sharing
-President’s notes
-Policy line
-Administration position
-Follow-up

Press conference
-Frequency pattern
-Subjects
-Effects
-Effect of surprise appearance by the President
-Frequency
-Questions
-Focus
-Domestic policy
-Environment
-Administration policy

Democratic criticism of administration
-Muskie
-Kennedy
-McGovern
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Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5m 14s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 Conv. No. 451-12 (cont.)

******************************************************************************


Vietnam
-Public relations
-Conservatives
-Administration position
-Laos
-Cambodia
-Alsop
-Kilpatrick
-James L. Buckley
-Charles W. Colson
-American Legion
-Veterans of Foreign Wars
-Veterans’ groups
-Vietnam veterans
-Administration efforts

Ziegler and Buchanan left at 2:28 pm

Wilson Center speech
-Schedule

Haldeman’s meeting with unknown man

Haldeman left at 2:32 pm
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)