643–8

Conversation No. 643-8

Date: January 3, 1972
Time: 2:17 pm - 3:07 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 49s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

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 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


The President's interview with Dan Rather, January 2, 1972
-The President's preparation
-Staff research
-The President's use
-Questions
-Number anticipated
-Briefing book
-The President's previous effort
-Briefing book
-Vietnam and Cambodia
-The President's use
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Questions
-Topics omitted
-India-Pakistan relations
-Staff research
-Kissinger’s staff
-Quality
-Vietnam
-Compared to the President’s
-Economic questions
-Points
-Quality
-Time


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 12s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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-Colson’s schedule
-Colson's viewing
-Emotional aspect
-Rather's performance
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman
-Request to see the President
-The President's response
-Briefing book
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Use of interviewer's first name
-Lyndon B. Johnson's practice
-The President's practice
-The President's performance
-Haldeman's view
-Compared with unknown press conference
-John B. Connally's views
-Badgering by Rather
-The President's response
-Tone
-Lighting
-The President's performance
-The President's responses
-Use of Rather’s first name
-Rather's office and wife
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]

Rather
-Importance of interview
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr. and [Arnold] Eric Sevareid
-Mike Wallace
-Letter to Kissinger
-Jews
-Feelings regarding selection of Rather for interview
-CBS’s decision
-Political orientation
-Selection for interview
-Performance

The President's interview with Rather
-Technical aspect
-The President’s talk with Haldeman
-George P. Shultz's view
-William Carruthers
-Mark I. Goode
-Network's responsibility
 10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Camera angles
-The President's appearance
-Staff meeting
-Colson’s view
-Shultz’s view
-Tone
-Lighting
-Effect on Rather's appearance
-Rather's performance
-Preparation
-Note cards
-Reactions
-Reactions
-Calls by Harry S. Dent
-Rather's performance
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Rather’s aggressiveness
-The President's performance
-Compared to his other television performances
-Rather's hostility
-Unnamed Florida National Committeewoman's views
-Media hostility
-Political people
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Possible reaction
-Supporters' possible reactions
-The President’s support
-The President's response to question
-Compared with Dwight D. Eisenhower's support of the President
-Republican National Convention
-Agnew’s performance
-Controversy
-Significance
-Options

J. Edgar Hoover
-Retention in office

Agnew
-Retention in office
-Forthcoming convention
 11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Media speculation
-John B. Connally

The President's interview with Rather
-Question on 1968 bomb halt
-The President's response
-Political aspects
-Glassboro summit
-Press credibility
-Rather's attitude
-Public reaction
-Calls to Rather's office
-Number
-Rather's secretary
-Reaction to complaints
-Rather's supporters

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 2:17 pm.

Refreshment

Manolo Sanchez
-Location
-Residence
-Call to the President
-White House operator

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 2:35 pm.

The President's interview with Rather
-Reactions
-Calls and wires from White House
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Gerald L. Warren
-DeVan L. Shumway
-Dealings with press
-Colson's previous conversation with Louis P. Harris
-Harris's letter to Rather
-Correction on quote of survey
-Context
-The President's 1968 promises
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Poll results
-Copies to Rowland Evans and Robert D. Novak
-Harris's view of program
-The President’s performance
-Effectiveness
-Audience
-Size
-Compared with \"Christmas at the White House\"
-Nielson ratings
-New York audience
-Compared with \"A Day in the Life of the President\"
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] figures
-Ratings
-Simultaneous programming
-Advertising
-Howard K. Smith interview
-Rating

\"Christmas at the White House\"
-Rating
-Increase over preceding program
-Promotion

The President's interview with Rather
-Reaction
-Letters
-White House staff
-Leaks
-Non-government people
-[Opinion Research Corporation [ORC]] polls
-White House based letter campaigns
-Outcome
-Rather's performance
-Compared with the President's performance
-Political people
-Accuracy in Media group
-Network
-Response
-Charles Crutchfield group
-CBS affiliates
-Question on Agnew
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Peace question
-Vietnam
-Bombing question
-Troop withdrawal
-News impact
-Wires
-News value
-Walter R. (“Wally”) Meares [?]

Rather
-Press conferences
-Usual reporting of the President's demeanor
-Azores trip of December 1971
-Feelings toward the White House and the President
-Antagonism
-Credibility
-The President's response to question on press credibility
-Rather's response
-Incorrect reporting of unemployment rate
-Correction
-Damage
-Possible press conference about the press
-Questions regarding the press
-The President's response
-Contacts with White House staff
-Colson
-Other staff
-Compared with Daniel L. Schorr

Schorr
-Story on Connally
-Veracity
-Haldeman’s talk with Connally

Connally
-Possible departure
-Reaction after Texas election loss
-Possible sources
-Periscope
-Newsweek
-Importance to Administration
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Possible pressures
-Associates
-Johnson

The President's interview with Rather
-Question on George C. Wallace
-The President's response
-Democratic Party
-Primaries

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 2:35 pm.

Response to the President's call

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 2:54 pm.

National economy
-Time article
-Timing
-Length
-Economic indicators
-The President's predictions
-Predictions by Board of Economists
-Christmas sales
-Tone
-Advertising
-1972 forecast
-Conference Board's views
-Growth rate
-Unemployment rate
-Time and Fortune
-Bullish views
-1971
-New Economic Policy
-Gross National Product [GNP] figures
-Public psychology
-Stock market
-Consumer attitudes
-Media
-Stock market
-Figures
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Increases
-Media
-Rather
-Negative reports
-Public attitudes
-The President's announcement of New Economic Program
-Administration response
-Recent reports
-Tone
-Democrats
-Effects
-Issues
-August 1971 announcement
-Albert E. Sindlinger poll

George Meany
-Attacks on administration
-Health
-Impact
-The President's speech at American Federation of Labor-Congress of
Industrial Organization [AFL-CIO] convention, November 19, 1971
-Health
-Possible death
-Timing
-Federationist
-Story and photographs on convention
-Contacts with the President
-Escorting
-Shaking hands
-Contacts with the President at convention
-TV coverage
-Editorials
-Summary by Herbert G. Klein
-Contents
-Support of the President
-The President’s note to Colson
-Themes

The President's schedule
-Edwin D. Etherington
-Colson’s role
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-Forthcoming dinner
-Government support
-Value of meeting
-Henry E. Ford, II
-Resignation

Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 2:35 pm.

-Salary as chairman of National Center for Volunteer Action [NCVA]
-Etherington

Colson left at 2:54 pm.

Connally
-Future plans
-Colson's view
-Newsweek story
-Instructions for the White House staff
-Haldeman’s recent meeting with Peter G. Peterson
-Connally's trip to Azores
-Return
-Meeting with Peterson
-International agreement
-Connally's mood
-Connally’s position
-Press coverage
-Credit
-Haldeman's responsibility
-The President’s recent meeting with George P. Shultz
-Appointment of woman to Council of Economic Advisors [CEA]
-Forthcoming call from Shultz
-Value to Administration
-Relations with White House staff
-Shultz and John D. Ehrlichman
-Junior staff

State of the Union address
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-California
-Draft
-Kissinger
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


-The President’s schedule


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 41s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

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Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 2:55 pm.

The President's schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Ford and Etherington

Unknown room
-Cleanliness
-TV crew
-Responsibility
-Janitors
-Cigarette butts and trash
-The President's meeting with Jack J. Dreyfus, Jr.
-Custodial staff
-Schedule
-The President's activities
-Instruction for Bull
-Responsibility
-Rex W. Scouten
-General Services Administration [GSA]

Bull left at an unknown time before 3:07 pm.

-Importance
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 643-8 (cont.)


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 42s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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Eisaku Sato dinner
-Kissinger
-Presence
-Forthcoming Middle East trip
-David M. Kennedy
-Nobuhiko Ushiba
-Armin H. Meyer
-U. Alexis Johnson
-Possible number of invitees
-The President’s schedule
-Kissinger
-People's Republic of China [PRC] trip
-Middle East trip
-Presence

Haldeman left at 3:07 pm.