Secret White House Tapes

505–18

About this recording

505–18
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • White House operator
  • UNKNOWN
  • J. EDGAR HOOVER
  • Ronald L. Ziegler
  • John D. Ehrlichman
  • Henry A. Kissinger
May 28, 1971
Conversation No. 505-18

Date: May 28, 1971
Time: Unknown between 9:12 am and 11:04 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
47

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 16s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1 Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)

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


[The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 9:12 am and
9:16 am]

[Conversation No. 505-18A]

[See Conversation No. 3-167]

[End of telephone conversation]


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 19s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


The White House operator talked with the President at 9:16 am.

[Conversation No. 505-18B]

[See Conversation No. 3-168]

[End of telephone conversation]
48

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Wiretapping and surveillance
-Use
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Compared with hiring researchers
-Edmund S. Muskie
-Kennedy
-Coverage
-Chapman’s friend Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:16 am.

Refreshments

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 9:34 am.

Wiretapping and surveillance
-1962 experience
-F. Donald Nixon
-President's house
-Charles W. Colson
-John J. (\"Jack\") Caulfield
-Kennedy
-Muskie
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Purpose
-Scandal
-Clark R. Mollenhoff

Press conference
-Timing
-June 1, 1971
-President's schedule

President's schedule
-Memorial Day
-Camp David
-Tomb of unknown soldier

Gallup Poll
-David R. Derge
-Unknown question
-Partisan line
49

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Public relations
-Goals
-Slogans
-Richard A. Moore
-William L. Safire
-Cliff Miller
-Relations with Moore and John A. Scali Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Colson
-Democrats
-New Deal
-Fair Deal
-Great Society
-New Frontier
-Republicans
-Open Door
-Generation of Peace, Revolution
-Importance
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Political

Leon Panetta
-Book
-Robert Finch
-Difficulties
-Office of Emergency Preparedness [OEP]

Richard V. (“Dick”) Allen

Patrick J. Buchanan
-Forthcoming talk with Haldeman
-Conservative
-Jeffry Bull
-Talk with Kevin P. Phillips
50

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3 Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)

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


[The President talked with J. Edgar Hoover between 9:34 am and 9:43 am]

[Conversation No. 505-18C]

[See Conversation No. 3-169]

[End of telephone conversation]

Hoover
-Understanding of publicity

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 9:43 am.

Announcement of forthcoming press conference
-Timing
-June 1, 1971
-Ziegler's talk with William H. Carruthers and Mark I. Goode
-Time of day
-Audience
-Ratings
-Network suggestion

[The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman between 9:45 am and 9:49 am]

[Conversation No. 505-18D]

[See Conversation No. 3-170]

[End of telephone conversation]
51

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Drugs
-Administration awareness of problem
-Veterans
-Finch and Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Report
-Hippies
-Travel
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
Henry A. Kissinger entered at an unknown time after 9:49 am.


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Privacy]
[Duration: 50s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4

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


Press conference

Drugs
-Veterans
-Program
-Youth
-Location
-Veterans
-Upper middle class
-William B. Saxbe
-Congressmen
-Upper middle class

Vietnam
-Harvard professors
-Children
-Percentage serving and killed
-Saxbe
-Congressmen
52

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Wounded in Vietnam
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
-Navy
-Military service
-Yale University commencement speaker
-1970 comments
-William F. Buckley's research
-Number killed Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)

Ziegler left at an unknown time before 10:06 am.

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Kissinger's talk with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Gerard C. Smith
-Cable
-Vladimir F. Semenov
-[Forename unknown] Gardiner [sp?]
-Change in USSR statement
-Dobrynin
-Talk with the President
-Gardiner
-Unhappiness of USSR delegation
-USSR establishment
-Leonid I. Brezhnev
-Kissinger's call to Dobrynin
-Dobrynin's call to Kissinger
-Instructions
-Smith
-Statement

Vietnam
-Xuan Thuy
-Proposal
-Ceasefire deadline

Kissinger’s schedule

President's schedule
-Luis A. Ferre
-William D. Mills [?]
-President's forthcoming meeting
-Presentation
53

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Pictures

William P. Rogers
-President's conversation of May 28, 1971
-Leak
-Anwar el-Sadat
-Leak
-Marshall Green Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Rogers


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Privacy]
[Duration: 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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


-Green
-Leak
-Reason
-People's Republic of China [PRC]

PRC
-Polls
-Forthcoming poll
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Wording
-Admission into United Nations [UN]
-Dual representation
-PRC and Taiwan, Republic of China
-Population
-Charles W. Colson and Harris
-Flyer
-Relations with PRC
-Questions
54

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



[The President spoke with an unknown person at an unknown time between 9:49 am and 10:06
am.]

[Conversation No. 505-18E]

-Harris poll
-Delivery to the President
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
[End of telephone conversation]

-Negotiations
-Timing

Vietnam
-Xuan Thuy
-US position

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 9:49 am.

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:06 am.

-Negotiations
-US position
-Timing
-US position
-Political settlement
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Meeting with the President
-Timing
-North Vietnamese response
-Timing
-Possible South Vietnamese position
-Tone
-Norodom Sihanouk
-David K.E. Bruce
-Ellsworth F. Bunker
-Cambodia
-Settlement

PRC
-Harris poll
-Size
55

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Question on admission of PRC to United Nations
-Difference between 1968 and 1971 polls
-Timing of 1971 poll
-Diplomatic recognition
-Ambassador
-Two China policy
-1968 compared with 1971 polls
-Harris poll compared with White House polls Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Wording of questions
-Geographic breakdown
-Midwest
-South
-Age groups
-Voters
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-The President
-George C. Wallace
-White House poll
-PRC
-Initiative
-Communists
-Table tennis team
-Visit
-US recognition
-Importance of communication
-Publication
-State Department
-Timing
-Release
-UN vote
-Two China policy
-US position
-Public opinion

Haldeman left at 10:06 am.

Mills entered at 10:07 am.
56

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m 45s ]


MEMBERS OF THE PRESS ENTERED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME AFTER
Conv. No.
10:07
505-18
AM (cont.)

MEMBERS OF THE PRESS LEFT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME BEFORE 10:20 AM


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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


Mills left at 10:20 am.

Polls on PRC
-International interests
-Domestic interests
-Effect on domestic situation
-Harry S. Dent
-Gallup
-Results
-PRC compared with Vietnam
-Effect on US policy

Foreign trips
-Two China policy
-Delay
-USSR response to summit proposal
-Timing
-Release of poll
-Timing
-US policy
-Delay
-Rogers
-Consultation with allies
-Domestic considerations
-Peking trip
57

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Timing of announcement
-Summit with USSR
-Dobrynin
-Peking trip
-Announcement
-Timing
-1972 Elections
-Democratic Convention Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-1968 bombing pause
-Completion of foreign policy initiatives
-Date
-USSR Summit
-PRC Summit
-Timing
-1972 Election
-Democrats
-Harvard Professor
-PRC
-Trips to Peking
-Opposition leaders
-USSR Summit
-Announcement
-Dobrynin
-Deadline
-Time restrictions
-China card

Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 10:20 am

-PRC
-Timing of reply
-Peking trip
-Trip by the President
-Trip by Kissinger
-President's trip to Peking
-Timing
-Kissinger's secret trip
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Schedule
-Arrangements
-Jean Sainteny
58

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Bruce
-Kissinger's talk
-Support of the President
-Dean G. Acheson
-Attendance on trip
-Negotiations
-Unknown person
-Possible call Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-State Department
-Rogers
-Negotiations
-Prisoners of War [POWs]
-Foreign Service
-Walter P. McConaughy
-Taiwan
-[David] Kenneth Rush
-Berlin


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[National Security]
[Duration: 35s ]


GERMANY


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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


President’s leadership
-Foreign policy
-Clark MacGregor
-Comments at staff meeting
-PRC and USSR
-Senate and foreign policy
-J. William Fulbright
-State Department
59

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Totalitarianism
-Rogers
-John Foster Dulles
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Rogers
-North Vietnam, PRC, USSR
-PRC
-Foreign minister Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Chou En-lai
-Yeh Chien-ying
-Rogers
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-Press
-Manner
-Brezhnev
-Politburo
-MacGregor
-Votes
-William B. Saxbe
-John Sherman Cooper
-Kissinger's attendance at dinner at Marquis Childs’ home
-Kennedy Center
-Statement on Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., amendment
-Apology
-Childs
-Article
-Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty [SALT]
-Public
-MacGregor
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield

Henry A. Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Semenov
-Hotline Agreement
-SALT

Public opinion on foreign initiatives
-President's conversation on Air Force One
-Lyndon B. Johnson Library
-Presidential initiatives
-Senate
-Mutuality
60

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Kissinger’s relationship with Dobrynin
-Kennedy Center
-Dobrynin
-Llewellyn E. (\"Tommy\") Thompson, Jr.
-Summit

Rogers Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Compared with Elliot L. Richardson
-State Department

Announcement on PRC policy
-Rogers
-Domestic considerations
-USSR
-Initiative
-Summit
-Forthcoming press conference, June 1, 1971
-Response to possible questions
-Consultations with allies
-President's credibility
-Press
-Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
-Budget
-Public opinion
-Polls
-Press
-Kissinger's dinner parties
-John W. Chancellor
-Laotion operation


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 39s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 11

**********************************************************************
61

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Foreign policy
-R. Sargent Shriver comment


******************************************************************************
Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[Privacy]
[Duration: 3s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16

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


-Democratic administrations
-PRC
-Test Ban Treaty
-USSR
-US interest
-Edward Teller
-President’s support
-USSR interest
-Disarmament
-Cuban missile crisis
-Berlin Wall
-Laos
-Death of Ngo Dinh Diem
-Nixon administration
-Vietnam War
-USSR
-PRC
-Humphrey
-Moratorium on Antiballistic Missile's [ABMs]
-Multiple Independently-Targetable Reentry Vehicle's [MIRVs]
-Administration policy
-Press play
-Political issue
-Administration
62

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle
-President's telephone calls, May 27, 1971
-O’Boyle
-James Cardinal McIntyre
-Support for the President
-Vietnam War
-Washington Post Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Church
-George Meany

Vietnam
-Meany
-President's policy
-Senators
-Demonstrators
-Press
-Frank F. Mankiewicz


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 44s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 13

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


Vietnam negotiations
-Memorandum by John A. Scali
-Kissinger
-Peace
-Combat role and peace offer
-Timing
-Thieu
-North Vietnamese answer
-Midway meeting with Thieu
-Press
63

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Announcement
-Troop withdrawals
-Thieu
-Rogers
-Laird
-Thieu
-Combat role of Army of the Republic of Vietnam [ARVN]
-Timing Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Press
-Military withdrawals
-Timing
-Thieu
-US combat role
-North Vietnamese
-Peace offer
-Meetings
-Possible delay
-Possible consequences
-Thieu meeting
-Timing

Vietnam
-Press
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Casualties
-Colson
-Compared with earlier figures
-Drug problem
-Casualty figures

Press treatment of administration
-Report on consumer price index [CPI]
-Price rise
-Importance of administration achievements
-Publicity

Berlin
-Publicity
-A leak
-Summit with USSR
-Timing
-Egon Bahr
64

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Invitation to January 1971 moon launch
-Kissinger
-Rush
-SALT
-Crisis
-US credit
-World peace
-Middle East Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Vietnam
-Risk
-PRC and USSR
-Middle East
-Berlin
-USSR
-Berlin
-Egypt
-US negotiations with USSR
-USSR concessions
-Document
-Wording
-Access
-German Democratic Republic [GDR]
-Harry S. Truman
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Kissinger's call to Dobrynin
-Meeting with Rogers
-Gromyko
-Summit

The President's draft
-Forthcoming remarks at US Military Academy at West Point, New York, May 29,
1971
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Outline

Arts Council
-President's remarks
-Press coverage
-President's memorandum
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Press coverage
-Mamie G.D. Eisenhower
65

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Claudia A. (“Lady Bird”) Johnson
-Reception
-Press quote of Mrs. Nixon

President's speech at West Point
-Kissinger's review

Kissinger left at an unknown time before 10:25 am. Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)

Mrs. Nixon
-Press coverage

Kissinger's acquaintances

President's forthcoming trip to West Point
-Ceremonies
-Parade field
-Mrs. Nixon
-Sabre presentation
-President's remarks
-President's review

Ziegler entered at 10:25 am.

ABC \"Issues and Answers\"
-Scali
-Panel
-Donald W. Riegle, Jr.
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-Riegle
-Previous discussion with the President
-Denial of allegation
-McCloskey
-William F. Buckley, Jr. interview
-ABC
-Ziegler
-Riegle
-1968 campaign
-Michigan

Ziegler left at 10:35 am.
66

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



West Point visit
-President's review
-Departure by helicopter
-Mess hall
-Greeting
-President's remarks
-Amnesty order
-Press coverage Conv. No. 505-18 (cont.)
-Timing
-Parade
-Crowd
-Motorcade
-Chapel visit
-Trophy point
-Superintendent's house
-Possible reception
-Compared with Newport
-Crowd
-Chapel

Birmingham visit
-Foreign trips
-Advance work
-Crowd location
-Automobile
-Leaving

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 10:35 am.

Meeting with Ferre
-Length
-Photograph
-Puerto Rico

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.

Presidential visits
-Ronald H. Walker
-Work
-Alabama
-Coverage
-Crowd
67

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Haldeman left at an unknown time before 11:04 am.
Secret White House Tapes |

505–18

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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