514–18

Conversation No. 514-18

Date: June 8, 1971
Time: 4:35 pm - 5:12 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson
Conv. No. 514-17 (cont.)
Television media
-Meeting with National Broadcasting Company [NBC] executives
-Bias of reports
-Confirmation of biases
-William S. (“Bill”) White
-John A. Scali
-President’s manner
-Impression conveyed
-Julian Goodman reaction
-Walter D. Scott
-Economic discussion
-Criticism of reporters
-Bias
-President’s demeanor
-John Loeb
-Criticism of network reporters
-Presentation of facts
-Psychology of meeting
-Goodman/Colson meeting
-Network executives’ reaction
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Criticism of press
-Loss of credibility
-Robert J. Dole attacks on press
-President’s fielding of questions
-White
-President’s image
-President’s demeanor
-Handling of “totalitarians”
-Nikita S. Khrushchev
-Nicolae Ceausescu
-Andrei A. Gromyko
-Use of voice level
-Use of honesty
 30

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Repetition of conversation
-Effect on Goodman
-NBC bias
-War reporting
-Compared to Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Economic report
-Comparison with CBS
-Equal time advertising Conv. No. 514-18 (cont.)
-Federal Trade Commission [FTC] [?] investigation

An unknown person [Stephen B. Bull?] entered at an unknown time after 4:35 pm

President’s schedule

The unknown person [Bull?] left at an unknown time before 5:12 pm

-Public Broadcasting Service [PBS]
-Budget problems
-Personnel problems
-Public relations
-Budget cuts
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Reaction of networks
-Martin Z. Agronsky criticism

Bull entered at unknown time after 4:35 pm

President’s schedule
-Briefing delay
-Photography session
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Timing

Bull left at unknown time before 5:12 pm

Meeting with NBC executives
-Federal Communications Commission [FCC]/FTC [?] investigation
-Contact with Goodman
-FCC/FTC [?] contact with White House
-Conservationists
-Orbach [?]
-Creation as an issue
 31

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Jean Jacques Rousseau
-Philosophy
-Colson critique of meeting
-Scali handling of media
-Scali and Ziegler

“Face The Nation”
-Haldeman Conv. No. 514-18 (cont.)
-Soldier guests
-Tony MacDonald
-Questions from panel
-George Herman apology
-Bruce Morton
-Responses
-Support for President
-Success of Vietnamization
-War crimes
-Appearances
-”Dick Cavett Show”
-”Today Show”

Networks
-Equal time for Democrats
-Use of air time to make partisan points
-Strategy
-Response to partisan questions
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr., George S. McGovern, Mark O. Hatfield
-CBS view versus NBC view
-Newspaper responses versus broadcast responses
-Bias
-Play of economy
-Play of casualty numbers
-Scali role
-Comparison of figures

Hatfield/McGovern Act
-Status in Congress
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Haldeman

The President left at unknown time before 5:00 pm
 32

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



Haldeman entered at 5:00 pm

Network meeting
-President’s performance
-Content

The President entered at unknown time after 5:00 pm
Conv. No. 514-18 (cont.)
-Herbert G. Klein and Ziegler
-President’s reaction
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Biased discussion
-Goodman’s reaction
-President’s image
-Use of television
-Haldeman discussion with Time
-Ziegler
-1956 and 1968 campaigns
-Liberals versus President
-Use of weapons against networks
-Reaction by executives
-Reaction by executives
-Klein
-Reuven Frank
-Executive ability to curb bias
-Goodman view of President’s success
-New York executives
-Haldeman Time interview
-Number of public relations men in White House
-William L. Safire
-Responsibilities
-Richard A. Moore
-Background
-Colson
-Background
-Advertising versus public relations
-Background of White House men
-Haldeman’s hiring role
-J. Walter Thompson, Co.
-Success of Nixon Administration
-Reason for misperception
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
 33

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Klein
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Background
-Present responsibilities
-Need for public relations men
-President’s press conference performance
-Reaction of executives
-Content of discussion Conv. No. 514-18 (cont.)
-Bias
-Training of reporters
-Herbert E. Kaplow
-Civil rights stance
-Other stances
-Handling of executives
-Agnew
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Ceausescu
-Gromyko
-Colson
-Goodman reaction

President’s New York trip
-Attendance
-Ziegler’s role
-Klein’s role

The President, Colson, and Haldeman left at 5:12 pm