815–14

Conversation No. 815-14

Date: November 24 1972
Time: 10:43 am - 11:37 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John D. Ehrlichman.

Second term reorganization
-John A Volpe’s recent meeting with Ehrlichman
-Volpe’s retention
-Duration
-Volpe’s forthcoming meeting with the President
-The President’s recent meeting with George W. Romney
-Department or US future
-Future meeting
-Volpe’s activities
-The President's forthcoming meeting with Volpe
-Tone
-First term cabinet

The President left at an unknown time after 10:45 am.

Volpe entered at 10:45 am.

[General conversation]

Volpe's schedule
-Recent trip to Venezuela
-Trans-Amazon
-Villages

The President entered at an unknown time after 10:45 am.

Volpe’s weight

Volpe’s schedule
 -34-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)


-International conference on Highway Transportation in developing countries,
Merida, Mexico

Volpe’s health
-Back
-Dr. W. Kenneth Riland
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-The President
-Sitting
-Muscle spasms
-Pain
-Rockefeller
-US Steel
-Osteopathy
-[Warren E. Burger]
-John N. Mitchell
-The President
-Source
-Nerve
-Remedy
-Riland
-Possible appointment with Volpe
-Timing
-Volpe’s recent trip to Venezuela
-Mexican doctors
-Luis Echeverria Alvarez

US-Mexico relations
-Echeverria
-Trip to US
-Remarks
-Personality
-Volpe’s schedule
-Virgin Islands
-International Conference on Highway Transportation in Developing
Countries

Volpe’s health
-Hospitals
 -35-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Virgin Islands
-Mexico
-International Conference on Highway Transportation in Developing
Countries
-Venezuela

US-Latin America relations
-Volpe’s view
-Volpe’s recent trip to Mexico
-Possible report to the President
-US aid
-Brazil
-International Conference on Highway Transportation in Developing
Countries
-Volpe’s meetings
-[Echeverria]
-Venezuela
-Rafael Caldera
-Brazil
-Emilio Garrastazu Medici
-Duration of meeting
-Relationship with the President
-Brazil
-Importance
-The President’s travels
-Australia
-Wealth
-Volpe’s recent conversation with Ehrlichman
-Volpe’s visit to Trans-Amazon
-Volpe’s schedule
-Trans-Amazon
-Development
-Roads
-US aid
-Military sales
-Congress
-US business
-Lost opportunities
-US aid
-Military sales
 -36-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Lost opportunities
-France
-Civilian

Second term reorganization
-Volpe
-Performance at Department of Transportation
-Successor
-Domestic affairs
-First term Cabinet
-Moves to other positions
-Romney
-Departure
-New approaches
-Department of Transportation
-Cabinet officers
-Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] Secretary
-New role
-Peter G. Peterson
-Performance at Commerce Department
-International economics
-Treasury Department
-George P. Shultz
-Commerce Department, Labor Department, State Department
-International economics
-Expertise
-Shultz
-New assignment
-Peterson’s forthcoming meeting with the President
-Timing


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

-1972 election
-Charles W. Colson
-Ethnic vote
-Southern vote
-Labor vote
 -37-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Shultz
-Ethnic vote
-Catholics
-Italian-Americans
-Breakthrough
-Polish-Americans
-Irish-Americans
-Massachusetts
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy
-Italian-American vote
-Volpe’s aid
-The President’s future book
-Knights of Columbus dinner
-Maryland
-[Unintelligible name]
-Kennedy
-Support for the President
-“Folk hero”

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Volpe
-Ambassadorship to Italy
-Timing
-Political situation in Italy
-Crisis
-Graham A. Martin
-Performance as ambassador to Italy
-Foreign service
-Knowledge of Italy’s politics, heart
-The President’s meetings with Italians
-Compared to other European ambassadorships
-US-Vatican City relations
-[Pope Pual VI] Giovanni Battista Motini
-Third secretary
-Henry Cabot Lodge
-Italian government
-Special representative
 -38-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Volpe’s relations with the Pope
-Advantages
-Check on left wing
-Appeal to Italian-Americans
-US-Vatican City relations
-1972 election
-Vatican City political orientation
-Left wing
-Roman Catholic Church in Latin America
-The President’s interest
-John Cardinal Krol
-Terence Cardinal Cooke
-Tenure
-Second term reorganization
-Recommendations
-Report to Ehrlichman
-Ambassadorships
-Appointments
-State Department
-Bureaucracy
-Great Britain
-Walter H. Annenberg
-France
-West Germany
-Japan
-Back channel to White House
-State Department
-Bureaucracy
-Job offer to Volpe
-State Department
-Bureaucracy
-Volpe’s possible conversation with Clare Boothe Luce
-Timing
-Martin

Department of Transportation
-Volpe’s service in administration
-Department age
-Publicity
-Airline strikes
 -39-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Hijackings
-The President’s forthcoming trip to New York
-Challenges
-Volpe’s recent conversation with Ehrlichman
-Highway Trust Fund
-Public transportation
-Volpe’s successor
-The President's directive to Ehrlichman
-Congressional relations
-Mass transit amendment defeat
-Procedural vote
-The President’s request for a report
-House of Representatives parliamentarian’s [Lewis
Deschler’s] conversation with Edward P. Boland
-Boland’s relationship with Volpe
-Reversal
-Wilbur D Mills
-Outcome
-Thomas P. (“Tip”) O’Neill, Jr.
-[Thomas] Hale Boggs
-Future effort
-Volpe's lobbying
-American Public Works Association
-Truckers
-Oil companies
-Adm.. Eugene Joseph Peltier
-American Road and Transportation Builders
Association [ARTBA]
-Conversation with Volpe
-Relationships with Volpe
-Background
-Navy
-Bureau of Yards and Docks
-Engineering consulting
-St. Louis
-Contracting
-Bureau of Yards and Docks
-Conversation with Volpe
-Peltier’s conversation with executive vice
president
 -40-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Character
-Background
-American Society of Civil Engineers
-ARTBA
-Retirement
-Bureau of Yards and Docks
-Age
-Relationship with Volpe
-Scabees

World War II
-Scabees
-Volpe’s experience
-The President’ s experience
-Food
-Alleged thievery

Volpe
-Highway Trust Fund
-Ambassadorship to Italy
-The President’s previous conversation with Volpe
-William P. Rogers

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Privacy]
[Duration: 1m 42s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Deed of gift-privacy]]
[Duration: 1m 22s ]
 -41-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
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[End of segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Volpe
-Ambassadorship to Italy
-Opportunities
-US Vatican City relations
-Personal contacts
-Compared to formal diplomacy
-Third secretary
-Lodge
-Volpe’s previous visit
-Meeting with Pope VI, November 1969
-Vietnam War
-The President’s policies
-Support
-US troop withdrawals
-Consequence
-Blood bath
-Opposition
-Roman Catholic clergy
-Unknown person
-Pope Paul VI’s support for the President
-Consequences of North Vietnamese victory
-Blood bath
-Communist and North Vietnamese brutality
-Qualifications for job
-1971 meeting with Italian leaders
-Mariano Rumor
-Giulio Andreotti
-Industrialists
-Embassy
-Communism
-Christian Democrats
-Martin
-Martin
 -42-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Relationship with the President
-Thailand
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-State Department
-Symbolism of appointment
-Volpe’s relationship with the President
-Impact on Italians
-Compared to Great Britain
-[Annenberg]
-Compared to France, West German
-Volpe’s stature as Cabinet member


****************************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift

Italian-American vote
-Support for Republican Party
-Consultation with Volpe
-Speeches by Volpe
-Democratic Party tactics
-John A. Gronouski
-Warsaw
-Polish-American vote
-Volpe
-New Majority
-Speeches

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Volpe
-Ambassadorship to Italy
-Cost of living
-Comparison with Great Britain and France
-Martin’s wealth
-H. Gardner Ackley’s wealth
-Ackley’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-US Embassy
 -43-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Residence
-US embassy
-The President’s 1947 trip
-James C. Dunn
-Alcide de Gasperi
-Communism
-Possible visit from Volpe to de Gasperi’s wife
-Acceptance of offer
-Possible delay
-Volpe’s family
-The President’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Martin
-The President’s conversation with Maurice H. Stans
-Timing
-Martin
-Volpe’s relationship with the President
-Effect on Italian-Americans
-Other possible positions in administration
-Congressional relations
-Clark MacGregor
-Democratic Congress
-Volpe as Congressional relations officer
-Problem
-Status
-Downgrade
-International commission
-Agencies
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Cabinet to major embassy
-Status
-Cabinet to White House staff
-Status
-Downgrade
-Cabinet to commission
-Status
-Downgrade
-Ambassadorships
-Volpe’s cabinet colleagues
-Pattern
-Ambassadorship to Italy
 -44-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)

-Volpe’s relationship with the President
-Volpe’s conversations with Italian friends
-Robert H. Finch
-Political aspirations
-Relationship with the President


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Massachusetts
-The President’s campaigning with Volpe
-1962 election
-Defeats
-Republicans
-John P. Roche Column
-Reasons for defeats
-Kennedy family
-Students
-Lack of Republican organizations
-Compared to Connecticut, Rhode Island
-Francis W. Sargent
-1972 election
-Edward W. Brooke
-Volpe
-Loyalty
-Organization
-Absence
-Colson
-Volpe’s service as governor
-1972 election
-State chairman
-John N. Mitchell
-Sargent

The President’s trips
-1952 convention
-Worchester
-Dinner
-Bocchi
 -45-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)


Volpe’s health
-The President’s doctor
-Virgin Islands

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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Volpe
-Ambassadorships to Italy
-Acceptance
-Timing
-Announcement
-Effect on Martin
-Foreign policy assignment
-Compared to John B. Connally
-President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory
Board [PFIAB]
-Connally
-Brazilian Finance Minister’s view
-Martin's performance
-Schedule
-Social life


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

1972 elections
-Republican candidates
-The President’s victory margin
-House of Representatives
-Quality
-Age
-Campaigning
-Contact with voters
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Volpe
-The President
 -46-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan.-08)

Conversation No. 815-14 (cont’d)


[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
******************************************************************************


Volpe
-Plans
-Work with Ehrlichman
-Department of Transportation
-Second term reorganization
-Volpe’s views
-Volpe’s conversation with Ehrlichman
-Timing
-Successor
-Candidates
-Peltier
-Age
-Consulting engineer firm
-Reputation
-Name
-French derivation
-Possible Catholicism
-Civil engineering

Volpe and Ehrlichman left at 11:37 am.