542–1

Conversation No. 542-1

Date: July 22, 1971
Time: 9:35 am - 10:01 am
Location: Oval Office

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

National Review hoax on Vietnam War secret papers
-Press reaction
-Walter Cronkite
-William F. Buckley, Jr.
-Press acceptance of validity of documents
-The Department of Justice response
-Magazine issue
-Press acceptance of validity
-The Washington Post

Lockheed loan
-William Proxmire
-Press coverage of issue
-Congressional action
-Campaign reform

Congress
-Henry A. Kissinger's briefing
-Clark MacGregor
-Attendance at Samuel L. Devine's group of Congressmen
-Nature of meeting
-The President's People's Republic of China [PRC] initiative
-Philip M. Crane
-Security
-Taiwan [The Republic of China/(ROC)]
-House of Representatives
-Conservatives
-Attendees
-Public nature of reaction
-July 21, 1971 event
-Congressmen
-Kissinger
-Charles W. Colson
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



US foreign policy
-The PRC initiative
-Forthcoming US-PRC summit
-Handling
-Amount of public comment
-Trip to Tokyo, Japan
-Robert Taft, Jr.
-Kissinger Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
-The PRC
-Trips by Democratic Senators
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-George S. McGovern
-Combined trip
-Briefings
-Japan trip
-PRC trip

Issues
-Pentagon Papers
-Democrats
-The Vietnam war
-Peace issue
-The PRC initiative
-Pentagon Papers
-Focus of issue
-The President's conversation with Kissinger
-Vietnam war issue
-Rhetoric of Democratic war, Republican peace
-Offensive against the Democrats
-Focus on the Pentagon Papers

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:35 am.

The President's schedule

Kissinger’s schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 10:01 am.

The Pentagon Papers case
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Response
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-The Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
-The Department of Defense [DOD]
-Daniel Ellsberg
-Response of Democrats
-Dean Rusk
-Lawrence F. O'Brien
-Administration’s focus
-Hubert H. Humphrey Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
-Edmund S. Muskie

Appeal to youth
-Coordination of effort
-Melville Stephens
-Jeff Donfeld
-Kenneth S. Rietz
-Colson
-Robert H. Finch
-Efforts

Finch
-Possible job
-California
-Ambassadorship
-Mexico
-1972 campaign

Issues
-Vietnam war and the Pentagon Papers
-Impact on 1972
-The Democrats
-Compared to 1970
-Crime and peace
-Contrast with the environment as an effective issue
-Administration's attitude
-The PRC initiative
-Public relations
-Presidential leadership
-Connection to other issues, future action
-Poll results
-PRC initiative effect
-The President as world statesman
-The position of the US
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)



-Foreign press
-Reports on public opinion throughout the world
-Survey effort
-Expenditure of funds
-Leonard [Surname unknown]
-William L. Safire
-Presidential leadership
-Courage, boldness, strength Conv. No. 542-1 (cont.)
-Fluctuation of perceptions on Vietnam war leadership
-November 3, 1969
-Cambodia, Laos
-Domestic issues
-Welfare reform
-Lack of support
-Revenue sharing
-Narrow appeal of issue
-Mayors, governors
-Public understanding
-Senior citizens
-Welfare reform
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Strategy
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Busing issue
-Attempt to use issue to the Administration's advantage
-Supreme Court
-Public opinion among Blacks, Whites
-Legislative action
-Proposed executive order
-Constitutional action
-Strategy
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Emphasis on consistency of opposition to busing
-Effects in the South, the North

Haldeman left at 10:01 am.
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/08)