About this recording
470–7
- President Richard M. Nixon
- H. R. Haldeman
- White House operator
- John D. Ehrlichman
- Henry A. Kissinger
- Charles W. Colson
March 19, 1971
Conversation No. 470-7
Date: March 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:53 am and 11:45 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Patrick J. Buchanan’s speech on foreign policy
-”Generation of peace”
-Public opinion
-Vietnam War
-Possible response by a dictator against US allies
-[Arthur] Neville Chamberlain
-Public opinion
-Defense policy
-”Brushfire wars”
-President’s use of phrase in interview
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Africa, Asia
US defense policy
-Disarmament
-Public opinion
-Vietnam
-Israel
-Soviet Union
-Deterrent to war
-”Generation of peace”
-President’s policies
-Buchanan
-President’s Newport, Rhode Island speech
-Buchanan’s work on forthcoming speech by Robert J. Dole
-Effect
Speech themes
-New Federalism
-New American Revolution
-Press coverage
-Domestic issues
-New American Revolution
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-White House staff
-Cabinet
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Forthcoming conversation with Buchanan
-Vietnam War
-US goals
-Peace
-President’s view
-Importance
-Defense
-Buchanan
-Public opinion
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Charles W. Colson
[Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:53 am and
11:15 am]
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Conversation No. 470-7A]
-Location
[End of telephone conversation]
-Meetings with John A. Volpe and George W. Romney
-John D. Ehrlichman Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Meetings on defense
-Size
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
[The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7B]
President’s call to Kissinger
[End of telephone conversation]
[The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7C]
Kissinger’s schedule
The President conferred with Haldeman
Colson’s schedule
Kissinger’s schedule
Laos operation (Lam Son)
-President’s previous call to Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Haig
-Military action
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Withdrawal
-Residual forces
-Future operations
-Kissinger’s view of operation
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[End of telephone conversation]
Cabinet
-John B. Connally’s party
Ehrlichman and George P. Shultz’s meetings with President
-Compared with Kissinger’s meetings with President
-Staff Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
Dr. James R. Schlesinger confirmation
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Ehrlichman
-Harlow
-Gordon L. Allott
Colson entered at 11:15 am
Agnew
-Speech in Boston concerning Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Maurice H. Stans
-Program on hunger
-Stans
-Writer
Buchanan’s speech
-Press coverage of war
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-CBS
-Administration response
CBS coverage of war
-Colson’s view
-Melvin R. Laird
-F. Edward Hébert
-Clifford P. Hansen’s letter
-Rebuttal
-Retraction
-A film at broadcasters’ convention
-Pentagon film
-Possible Federal Communications Commission [FCC] response
-Possible request for equal time
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Pentagon
-Rebuttal
-Use of “fairness doctrine”
-Armed Services Committee
-White House involvement
-Agnew’s speech
NBC report on war Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Buchanan’s speech
-Thomas W. Braden
Network news coverage
-Effect of White House action
-Public opinion
-Colson’s view
-Biases
President’s interview with Howard K. Smith
-Colson’s relations with Smith
-Questions
-Boundaries
-President’s position
-Negotiations in Middle East
-President’s responses
-Southeast Asia
-Domestic and foreign affairs
-President’s responses
John A. Scali
-Hiring on White House staff
-Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s office functions
-Role
-Colson’s relations with Scali
-Previous conversation
-President’s foreign policy
-Speeches
-Neo-isolationism
-Financial sacrifice
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s forthcoming call to an unknown man
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
Scali
-[Name unintelligible]
-Robert J. McCloskey
-Possible White House position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Colson’s view of Scali
-Support for Administration policies
-Smith
Smith’s interview with President
-Questions
-Press image
-President’s possible responses
-Colson’s role
-Press conference questions
-Role of Presidency
-Possible answers
-Buchanan
-President’s schedule
Scali
-Possible White House position
-Relations with Washington people
-John W. Chancellor
-Public relations
-Media relations
-Buchanan meeting
-Colson’s previous conversation with Scali
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
******************************************************************************
-Relations with press
-Role
-Scope of assignment
-Television
-Ziegler’s position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Ziegler’s role
-Scali’s role
-Relations with White House staff
-Kissinger and National Security Council [NSC] staff
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Laos news
-Press
-U. Alexis Johnson
-David Packard
-Moorer
-Relations with Ziegler
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Possible WSAG membership
-Haldeman’s view
-Relations with press
-Television and foreign policy
-WSAG
-Value
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous meeting with Colson
-Colson and Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Kissinger
-Kissinger
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous conversation with Colson
-Kissinger’s relations with press
-Ziegler
-Scali’s observations
-Functions and responsibility
-Haldeman
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Unintelligible]
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
George H. Gallup poll
-Results
-Distribution Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Date and figures
-Approval ratings
-Method
-Advance figures
-Meaning
-February poll
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Laos
-White House poll
-Timing
-Tricia Nixon’s engagement announcement
-Whitney M. Young, Jr. funeral
-”Today” Show appearance
-Women’s press interview
President’s “Today” Show appearance
-Ratings
-New York City
-Alvin Snyder’s view
-Value
Gallup poll
-President’s standing with men and women
-War issue
-Support of Labor
-T. Nixon’s engagement
Lyndon B. Johnson
-Lynda B. (Johnson) Robb’s wedding
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon and daughter’s television viewing
-President’s television viewing habits
-President’s note to L. B. Johnson
-Effect on L. B. Johnson’s popularity
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s popularity
-Effect of family functions
-Gallup poll results
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
President’s schedule Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Kissinger
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
-Scali
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with unknown individual
The President, et al. left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
Date: March 19, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:53 am and 11:45 am
Location: Oval Office
The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
Patrick J. Buchanan’s speech on foreign policy
-”Generation of peace”
-Public opinion
-Vietnam War
-Possible response by a dictator against US allies
-[Arthur] Neville Chamberlain
-Public opinion
-Defense policy
-”Brushfire wars”
-President’s use of phrase in interview
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Africa, Asia
US defense policy
-Disarmament
-Public opinion
-Vietnam
-Israel
-Soviet Union
-Deterrent to war
-”Generation of peace”
-President’s policies
-Buchanan
-President’s Newport, Rhode Island speech
-Buchanan’s work on forthcoming speech by Robert J. Dole
-Effect
Speech themes
-New Federalism
-New American Revolution
-Press coverage
-Domestic issues
-New American Revolution
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-White House staff
-Cabinet
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Forthcoming conversation with Buchanan
-Vietnam War
-US goals
-Peace
-President’s view
-Importance
-Defense
-Buchanan
-Public opinion
President’s schedule
-Meeting with Charles W. Colson
[Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 10:53 am and
11:15 am]
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Conversation No. 470-7A]
-Location
[End of telephone conversation]
-Meetings with John A. Volpe and George W. Romney
-John D. Ehrlichman Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Meetings on defense
-Size
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
[The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7B]
President’s call to Kissinger
[End of telephone conversation]
[The President talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 10:53 am and 11:15 am]
[Conversation No. 470-7C]
Kissinger’s schedule
The President conferred with Haldeman
Colson’s schedule
Kissinger’s schedule
Laos operation (Lam Son)
-President’s previous call to Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Haig
-Military action
-Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Withdrawal
-Residual forces
-Future operations
-Kissinger’s view of operation
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[End of telephone conversation]
Cabinet
-John B. Connally’s party
Ehrlichman and George P. Shultz’s meetings with President
-Compared with Kissinger’s meetings with President
-Staff Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
Dr. James R. Schlesinger confirmation
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Rogers C. B. Morton
-Ehrlichman
-Harlow
-Gordon L. Allott
Colson entered at 11:15 am
Agnew
-Speech in Boston concerning Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Maurice H. Stans
-Program on hunger
-Stans
-Writer
Buchanan’s speech
-Press coverage of war
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]
-CBS
-Administration response
CBS coverage of war
-Colson’s view
-Melvin R. Laird
-F. Edward Hébert
-Clifford P. Hansen’s letter
-Rebuttal
-Retraction
-A film at broadcasters’ convention
-Pentagon film
-Possible Federal Communications Commission [FCC] response
-Possible request for equal time
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
-Pentagon
-Rebuttal
-Use of “fairness doctrine”
-Armed Services Committee
-White House involvement
-Agnew’s speech
NBC report on war Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Buchanan’s speech
-Thomas W. Braden
Network news coverage
-Effect of White House action
-Public opinion
-Colson’s view
-Biases
President’s interview with Howard K. Smith
-Colson’s relations with Smith
-Questions
-Boundaries
-President’s position
-Negotiations in Middle East
-President’s responses
-Southeast Asia
-Domestic and foreign affairs
-President’s responses
John A. Scali
-Hiring on White House staff
-Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s office functions
-Role
-Colson’s relations with Scali
-Previous conversation
-President’s foreign policy
-Speeches
-Neo-isolationism
-Financial sacrifice
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
26
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s forthcoming call to an unknown man
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
Scali
-[Name unintelligible]
-Robert J. McCloskey
-Possible White House position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Colson’s view of Scali
-Support for Administration policies
-Smith
Smith’s interview with President
-Questions
-Press image
-President’s possible responses
-Colson’s role
-Press conference questions
-Role of Presidency
-Possible answers
-Buchanan
-President’s schedule
Scali
-Possible White House position
-Relations with Washington people
-John W. Chancellor
-Public relations
-Media relations
-Buchanan meeting
-Colson’s previous conversation with Scali
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 31s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
27
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
******************************************************************************
-Relations with press
-Role
-Scope of assignment
-Television
-Ziegler’s position Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Ziegler’s role
-Scali’s role
-Relations with White House staff
-Kissinger and National Security Council [NSC] staff
-Washington Special Actions Group [WSAG]
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Laos news
-Press
-U. Alexis Johnson
-David Packard
-Moorer
-Relations with Ziegler
-Scali’s role
-Public relations strategy
-Possible WSAG membership
-Haldeman’s view
-Relations with press
-Television and foreign policy
-WSAG
-Value
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous meeting with Colson
-Colson and Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Kissinger
-Kissinger
-Possible White House position
-Scali’s previous conversation with Colson
-Kissinger’s relations with press
-Ziegler
-Scali’s observations
-Functions and responsibility
-Haldeman
An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
28
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
[Unintelligible]
The unknown man left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
George H. Gallup poll
-Results
-Distribution Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Date and figures
-Approval ratings
-Method
-Advance figures
-Meaning
-February poll
-Timing
-President’s press conference
-Laos
-White House poll
-Timing
-Tricia Nixon’s engagement announcement
-Whitney M. Young, Jr. funeral
-”Today” Show appearance
-Women’s press interview
President’s “Today” Show appearance
-Ratings
-New York City
-Alvin Snyder’s view
-Value
Gallup poll
-President’s standing with men and women
-War issue
-Support of Labor
-T. Nixon’s engagement
Lyndon B. Johnson
-Lynda B. (Johnson) Robb’s wedding
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon and daughter’s television viewing
-President’s television viewing habits
-President’s note to L. B. Johnson
-Effect on L. B. Johnson’s popularity
29
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)
President’s popularity
-Effect of family functions
-Gallup poll results
An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 11:15 am
President’s schedule Conv. No. 470-7 (cont.)
-Kissinger
The unknown person left at an unknown time before 11:45 am
-Scali
The President’s schedule
-Meeting with unknown individual
The President, et al. left at an unknown time before 11:45 am