859–21

Conversation No. 859-21

Date: February 21, 1973
Time: 10:47 am - 11:11 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Harry S. Dent; the White House photographer was present at the
beginning of the meeting.

Photographs

President's South Carolina visit
-Black out on television [TV]
-Crowds
-Newspaper coverage
-President’s demeanor
-TV coverage
-President's appearance
-Extemporaneous remarks

South Carolina Democrats
-John C. West
-George S. McGovern supporter
-Support for the President
-Graciousness
-President's popularity
-South Carolina election results
-Effects of December bombing
South Carolina visit
-Strom J. Thurmond
-President’s comments
-Ernest Hollings
-President's statement
-Mrs. James Thurmond
-TV coverage
-President's mixing with crowds
-Image of young boy
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-President’s statements
-Vietnam
-Federal and state powers
-President’s role in Congress
-Campaign pledges
-South
-President's conduct
-Mixing with crowd
-Mrs. Brynes
-Young boy
-Appearance
-Speech content
-South Carolina Democrats
-Legislature
-Governors

Visits to South
-Southern strategy
-Thurmond’s support
-President’s address to the South Carolina state legislature
-Recalcitrance
-Andrew Jackson
-Start of Civil War
-Independence
-Thurmond
-Significance
-West


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[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

-President’s statement
-TV coverage
-Little boy [?]
-Closing statement
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-Book signing

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

-Republican National Committee [RNC]
-Dent’s role
-General Counsel
-Dent’s appreciation
-Prestige
-George H. W. Bush
-Statement
-Southern reaction
-Fred C. Scribner, Jr.


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

Frederick B. Dent
-Briefing paper
-Strength
-1974 election
-Governorship of South Carolina
-Importance of business support
-Republican support
-Democrat
-Weaknesses
-Earle Morris, Jr.
-Divorce

Solomon Blatt
-Support for President in 1968, 1972
-Jewish ancestry
-Compared with Benjamin Disraeli
-Protectionism
 -27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)




Political poll

President’s visit


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

Budget
-Rebellion
-Cuts
-Taxes
-Demonstrations
-Republican
-Cuts to Rural Electrification Administration [REA]
-Complaints
-Public support for President
-Protest
-Agricultural workers
-President's popularity

Pete Strong
-South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
-Statements about support for President

President's policies
-Dent’s statements
-Meeting with Southeast housing officials
-Prisoners of War [POWs] [?]
-Taxes
-Inflation
-Vietnam ceasefire

South Carolina political issues
-Housing
 -28-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-Special interest groups
-REA complaints
-Press reaction
-Newspapers
-Support for President
-Dent's contacts with editors
-President’s appreciation
-Endorsement
-Coverage
-Greenville
-Columbia
-Spartanburg
-Charleston Press
-TV commentators
-Coverage

South Carolina visit
-Coverage
-Motorcade
-Byrnea


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

Dent’s plans
-RNC
-Candidate search
-South
-Democrats

Republicans
-President’s support
-1972 election
-Exceptions
-James O. Eastland, John L. McClellan
 -29-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-Compared with 1974 election
-South Carolina legislature
-Two women
-Need for more women candidates
-South
-Youth
-Governor [John C. West]
-Charles W. Colson

South Carolina Court system
-Democratic control

John B. Connally
-Party switch
-Future in Democratic Party
-Effects on business community
-Effect on party alignment
-Electibility
-Presidency
-Opposition to Connally
-Charles H. Percy
-Ronald W. Reagan
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Percy
-Lack of support in South
-Agnew
-Rockefeller
-Agnew
-Attitudes
-South
-Public opposition
-Approval as Vice President
-Controversy
-Public fears
-South
 -30-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-Republicans
-Democrats
-Public support
-Conversation with Dent
-Party switch
-Delay
-Support at conventions
-Presidential material
-Nomination
-Governor
-Support in South
-Compared with the President
-Midwest
-Illinois, Ohio, California
-Nomination
-Outsider status
-President’s support
-Agnew, Rockefeller, Reagan
-Public respect
-Continuing President’s policies

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


Congressional relations
-Fight with President
-Presidential power
-Democrats
-Russell B. Long
-1972 election
-Vietnam cease-fire agreement
-Herman E. Talmadge
-Support for President
-Interest groups
-Cheese imports
 -31-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov.-09)
Conversation No. 859-21 (cont’d)



-Dairy producers
-Liaison
-Contributions
-REA leaders
-Lobbying groups
-Control of Congress
-Blacks
-Jesse L. Jackson
-Demonstration
-Capitol
-Howard J. Phillips [?]

President's policies
-Second term administration
-Special interests
-Opposition
-Government’s role

Government expenditures
-Great society

Stephen B. Bull
-Governor [West]
-Gift

Dent left at 11:11 am.