871-004a

Conversation No. 871-4

Date: March 7, 1973
Time: 8:53 am -10:52 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with John W. Dean, III.

Greetings

Watergate
-Senate committee
-Impact of L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III hearings
-Senate Judiciary Committee
-Roman L. Hruska
-Support for President
-Ervin Committee
-Edward J. Gurney
-Support for President
-Gray hearings
-Criticism
-Strategy
-Gray hearings
-Questions on Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] procedures
-1968 campaign practices
-Questions on bugging
-1968 campaign practices
-William C. Sullivan
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Senate investigation
-Questions for Gray
-Charges of FBI bugging
-Hruska, Marlow W. Cook
-Gurney
-Kramer [first name unknown]
-Exposure of FBI practices
-1968 campaign
-Surveillance of Spiro T. Agnew's phone
-White House orders
-Gray's comportment
-J. Edgar Hoover
-Dealings with Gray
-Dean
-Testimony on 1968 bugging
-Testimony
-Raw data files
-Edward M. Kennedy's question
-Use of FBI by White House
-John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy
-Past abuses
-Malcolm Smith's book
-Questions by Senators
-Use by Lyndon B. Johnson
-Walter W. Jenkins
-Bugging Nixon's campaign plane
-Questions for Gray
-Gray's answers
-Lie detector tests
-Cartha D. DeLoach
-Hoover
-Lie detector tests
-Gray
-Comportment at hearings
-Desire for job as FBI director
-Thomas C. Korologos' comment on confirmation hearing
Demeanor
-Dean's view
-FBI
 -5-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Importance of position
-Investigations in 1968 campaign
-Questions
-Use of FBI by White House
-Robert F. Kennedy's use
-Lyndon B. Johnson's use
-Gurney
-Contacts with Dean, White House
-Source of questions
-Hruska
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Work with Gray
-Problems
-Call to Dean by Gray
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Questions for Gray
-Dangers
-Internal investigation of 1968 campaign
-Lie detector tests
-DeLoach and Sullivan
-Investigation of FBI
-Methods
-Alger Hiss case example
-Donald H. Segretti
-FBI notes
-Gray’s allegations
-Dean's denial
-FBI investigations
-Dean's involvement
-Right of counsel
-White House
-Sensitivity
-Leaks
-Gray
-Nomination
-Withdrawal
-Responsibilities as director
-Senate Committee
-Questions for Gray
 -6-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Withdrawal of nomination
-Publicity
-FBI directorship
-Jerry V. Wilson
-Gray
-FBI files
-Division from White House
-Congress
-Dean
-Testimony before Congress
-Attorney/client relationship
-Precedents
-Lee Pressman
-Alger Hiss's lawyer
-Civil cases
-Williams and Califano law firm
-Withdrawal from civil cases
-Conflicts in relationship with Washington Post
-Robert Strauss and Lawrence F. O'Brien
-Negotiations
-Settlement of cases
-President's view
-White House staff
-Handling of Watergate
-FBI directorship
-Questions for Gray at hearings
-Use of FBI by the White House

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered and Dean left at 9:16 am.

President's schedule
-Dinner for business leaders
-President's departure
-Maurice H. Stans
-Performance at dinner
-White House dinners
-Introduction of guests
-William R. Codus, military aides
-Stephen B. Bull
 -7-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Need for briefing
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Lucy A. Winchester
-Social aides
-Lists of attendees
-President's study
-Codus, military aide
-Cards for each individual to introducers
-State dinners
-Stans
-Performance at dinners
-Compared with John B. Connally
-Reception line
-Knowledge of individuals
-Cary Grant example
-Importance
-Use of titles
-Form of address
-Residence
-Small talk
-Women
-Long dresses
-John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower
-Lyndon Johnson
-Dealings with people
-Compared with President
-Arrangements
-Small talk
-Stag dinners
-Stans
-Length
-Service of dinner
-Marines
-Contrast with Army
-Army Chorus, Sea Chanters
-Beards, long hair


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 -8-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Candidate coordination
-John W. Rollins
-Work with Harry S. Dent
-Financial contributions

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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David Packard
-Support for President
-Vietnam
-Cambodia
-Earle Wheeler's recommendations on action
-Melvin R. Laird
-Thank you letter
-Henry A. Kissinger, Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Gen. William C. Westmoreland [?]


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

-California politics
-Meeting with Ronald Reagan
-Robert H. Finch’s candidacy
-Senate
-Packard’s assessment
-Edwin Reinecke’s candidacy
-Governor
-Change of mind
-Senate compared to governor
-Pressure
-Haldeman telephone call
-Finch’s decision
-Packard’s meeting with Reagan
 -9-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
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-Meeting with William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Committee work
-Connally as head
-Availability

Laird
-Position with administration
-Counselor to President
-Work with Congress
-Advice on Congress

Spiro T. Agnew
-Invitation to business community dinner
-Attendance
-Connally
-Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Reception
-Press coverage
-News summary
-Speech on amnesty for Vietnam War era draft dodgers
-Publicity
-Abraham Lincoln

Letter from President
-Mailing list
-Haldeman
-Content
-Vietnam
-Prisoners of war [POWs] release
-Effect of bombing
-Capt. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr.
-Publicity

POWs
-Phased release
 -10-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Publicity
-Third, fourth release
-Protest sign
-Public statements
-Patriotism theme
-Criticism of peace groups
-George S. McGovern

Congressional relations
-Amnesty legislation
-Opposition in Senate
-William E. Timmons
-House of Representatives
-Poll
-Associated Press [AP], United Press International [UPI]
-Roll call on issue
-Liberals
POW's
-Public statements
-Themes of patriotism, national character, religion
-Publicity
-Public interest
-Lack of interest in domestic issues
-Personal interest in issues such as busing
-Crime
-John D. Ehrlichman and staff
-Improvements to law enforcement speech

Social issues
-Publicity

Joseph Papp production of Sticks and Bones play about return of blind Vietnam veteran
-Columbia Broadcasting System’s [CBS] cancellation of broadcast
-Possible public reaction
-Papp's appointment as head of Lincoln Center
-Jews
-Leonard Garment
-Two Gentlemen of Verona, other unnamed play
 -11-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


Kennedy Center
-Roger Stevens
-Production of American plays
-Provocative plays
-Foreign plays
-Luigi Pirandello play, Rex Harrison in Henry IV
-Jean Giradoux
-Production new to US
-Call from Haldeman
-President's message
-Current theater
-Decency of plays
-POWs
-Death of blind veteran in Sticks and Bones

Sticks and Bones
-CBS
-Affiliates' decisions on carrying network feed
-WTOP
-Broadcast decision
-Washington Post ownership of station

President's visit to State Department
-Memorial service for Cleo A. Noel, Jr. and George C. Moore
-Statement on terrorism
-Appeal to all nations to prevent

Press relations
-Favorable press coverage
-Victor Lasky
-Roscoe Drummond
-Rowland Evans and Robert D. Novack
-Joseph W. Alsop
-Drummond
-Nicholas P. Thimmesch
-Lasky
-Value of coverage
-Mailing of editorials from White House
-Effects on Dallas, Kansas City publications
 -12-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Walter H. Annenberg [?]
-Controversy
-Ehrlichman's staff
-Social issues compared with budget battle
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Criticism by Wall Street Journal

Internal Revenue Service [IRS]
-Examination
-Representatives and Senators
-White House staff and Cabinet officers
-Frequency
-Handling of sensitive cases
-Jack F. Kemp
-Demand for examination in House
-Importance

FBI directorship
-L. Patrick Gray, III
-Hearings
-Problems
-Dean
-Withdrawal of name
-Means
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Jerry Wilson
-President's preference
-Ehrlichman's recommendation
-Qualifications
-Richard G. Kleindienst, John N. Mitchell
-Possible nomination
-Gray
-Behavior at hearings
-James O. Eastland
-Kleindienst hearings
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
-Judiciary hearings
-Problems
-Qualifications
 -13-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Recommendation
-Mitchell and Kleindienst
-Concern over Wilson

President's schedule
-Hugh Scott, Gerald R. Ford
-Meeting with Wilson
-Meeting with Capt. Jerry A. Singleton
-Meeting with Abdel Rahman Abdallah and Abdel Aziz al-Nasri Hamza
-Sudan
-Meeting with police chief
-Value
-Meeting with mayors
-Value
-Meeting with Thomas G. Corcoran
-Meeting with Robert B. Pamplin
-Logging exports to Japan
-Federal Trade Commission [FTC]
-Value
-Donations
-Stans
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger, Earl L. Butz
-Number and types of events scheduled
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Photo opportunities
-Number scheduled
-George P. Shultz
-VFW winners
-Ambassadors
-Federal Women’s Award winner
-Scheduling
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Mayors, State Department
-Necessity
-Unanticipated events
-Abdallah and Hamza
-State Department lunch
-Meetings with contributors
-Pamplin
 -14-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)



Scheduling
-Meetings
-Thomas A. Pappas
-Watergate burglars
-Financing
-Henry J. Tasca
-Ambassadorship in Greece
-Report
-Monetary expertise
-Advice to President
-President’s visit with George Papadopoulos
-Loyalty to President

Public relations campaign
-President’s role
-Trips
-Meetings with Congressmen
-Discussion with Haldeman
-Meeting with Rockefeller
-Timmons, Bryce N. Harlow, Ehrlichman
-Haldeman
-Purpose
-Polls
-Mail to Congress
-Contact with constituents
-Press conference
-Television [TV]
-Questions on taxes, spending
-Mail to Congress
-Ehrlichman’s schedule
-National tour
-Congressional briefings
-Slogans for President's programs
-Meeting with South Vietnam’s ambassador, Tran Kim Phuong
-Value
-Kissinger, Jacob K. Javits
-Meetings with ambassadors
-Necessity
 -15-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Compared with John B. Connally
-Resulting from social events
-Domestic issues
-Importance

Congressional relations
-President's meeting with Congressional leaders
-Harlow, Timmons
-Value
-Criticism
-Scott, Ford
-Timmons
-Views from Congress members
-Ancher Nelson
-Digest
-Compared to News Summary
- Roscoe Drummond
-Personal contact
-Value
-Listening
-Scott, Ford
-Responsibility of Congress members
-Leaders
-Second level
-Support for President
-Albert H. Quie, Elford A. Cederburg
-John L. McClellan
-Appropriations committee
-Social events

Domestic Council
-Cabinet level
-Ehrlichman
-Cabinet members
-Importance
-As Cabinet meetings
-Non-Cabinet attendees
-Comparison with National Security Council [NSC]
-Domestic issues, foreign aid
 -16-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. attendance
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Defense Department
-Jobs
-Cabinet’s opinion
-Preference for Cabinet meetings
-Ehrlichman’s control
-As Cabinet meeting
-President’s attendance
-Compared to NSC meetings
-Compared to counselor’s meetings
-Purpose of meeting
-Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. [?]

President's schedule
-Domestic council, Cabinet, NSC meetings
-Congressional leaders meetings
-Size
-Ford and Scott
-Whips
-Surrogates and wildcards
-Harlow
-John J. Rhodes
-Value
-Ford, Leslie C. Arends
-John B. Anderson
-Ford and Scott
-Benefit to President
-Frequency
-Meeting with Ford, Scott
-Veto strategy
-Effect of the President's comments on Senate, 3/6
-Votes in Senate compared with House
-Timmons's and Harlow's views
-Meetings with Congressmen
-Value
-McClellan
-Votes, conference
-Interest in Senate
 -17-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Congressional leaders meeting
-Ehrlichman’s attendance

Ehrlichman
-Meeting with South Vietnam’s ambassador
-Work with Timmons
-Agenda
-Editing President’s speech on crime
-Value to President
-Concern over youth
-Time spent in meetings with youth
-Public appearances
-Teacher
-Compared with Kissinger

An unknown man entered at an unknown time after 9:16 am.

President's meeting with Timmons

The unknown man left at an unknown time before 10:12 am.

Melvin R. Laird
-Work with Congress
-Qualities
-Position in administration
-Vice presidential candidacy


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

Connally’s running mate
-Laird
-Richard G. Lugar
-Rockefeller
-Edward W. Brooke
-Balanced ticket
-Difficulties
-Race
 -18-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Qualities
-Loss of election, South
-Republican convention

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


President's supporters and contributors
-Stans
-Views on national issues
-Budget cuts
-War
-Opposition
-Timmons

Timmons entered at 10:12 am.

Congress [?]

Freshmen Republican congressmen
-Meeting with President
-Spending ceilings
-Ford’s comment
-Press conference
-Special order
-Defense of President's ceiling on floor of House
-Special order
-Press conference
-News summary, John B. Conlan
-Meeting with President
-Purpose
-Arrangements
-Cabinet room
-Time
-Scheduling
-Meeting with McClellan
-Purpose
-Appreciation
 -19-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Scott
-Recognition for support
-Importance of freshmen
-Arrangements
-President's meeting with McClellan and Milton R. Young
-Changes
-Breakfast meeting
-Michael C. (“Mike”) Mansfield
-Reelection efforts
-Support from President

Congressional relations
-Haldeman’s meeting with Harlow, Timmons
-Need for recognition
-Problems with dialogue
-Nelsen
-President’s time
-Briefings to Congress
-Constituent concerns
-Referrals to Timmons
-Appointments
-Congressmen's constituents
-Carl T. Curtis
-Appointment to a position
-Comparison of electoral margins of victory

Staff appointments
-Curtis’s request
-Compared to Kissinger’s office [?]
-Helmut (“Hal”) Sonnenfeldt
-Treasury Department
-Shultz
-Unknown person's secretary
-Departure
-Reasons

Congressional relations
-Tactics
-House of Representatives
 -20-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Senate
-Need for support on trade, foreign aid, energy
-Scott
-Curtis
-Work with White House

-Ford
-Problems
-Reelection efforts
-President’s meeting with Freshman Republicans
-Leaders attendance
-Joseph D. Waggonner, Jr.
-House caucus
-Support for President
-Regular meetings
-Concern about caucus
-Democratic Study Group [DSG]
-Meeting with President
-Budget bill
-Recognition
-Compared with Young
-Republicans
-Congressional committee hearings
-President’s meeting with Corcoran
-Bill mark-up procedures
-House compared to Senate
-Public exposure
-Television [TV]
-Executive session
-Candid talk
-Conference committee
-Compromise
-Dangers
-Democracy
-Open rule
-Impact on tax bills, trade bill
-Parochial school aid, property tax
-Veto
-Waggonner
 -21-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Message from President
-Work with responsible Democrats and Republicans

Bull entered at an unknown time before 10:24 am.

President's schedule
-Meetings
-State Department
-Ford
-Mayors
-Corcoran, Pamplin, Wilson
-Abdullah and Hamza
-Ambassador Rolf Pauls
-Other foreign officials
-Necessity

California

President's schedule
-Meeting with editors
-Editorials
-Value
-Congress
-Management Improvement Award
-Value [?]
-Approval by President
-Stans
-Sponsorship
-Commerce Department
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-Ehrlichman
-Haldeman’s approval
-Ehrlichman, Robert Hampton’s recommendation
-Civil service employees
-Number
-Value
-Compared to Women’s award
-Stan’s recommendation
-Ehrlichman, Haldeman
 -22-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-President’s approval
-Press coverage
-Photographs
-Atkins
-Length

Kissinger entered and Timmons and Bull left at 10:24 am.

President's schedule
-Kissinger’s question for Haldeman
-Timmons's work [?]

Leonid I. Brezhnev's visit to US
-Timing
-Scheduling
-President’s trip to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-San Clement
-Arrangements
-Hollywood stars
-Cary Grant, Elizabeth Ashley
-Camp David
-Amount of effort
-Other visits
-Visit to key Biscayne
-Brezhnev’s boat
-Weather
-Boat ride
-Ride on Potomac
-Mount Vernon
-George Washington
-Problems
-Brezhnev’s boat
-Arrival
-State dinner
-Scheduling
-Visit to USSR’s embassy
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin's recommendation
-Visit to Camp David
-Formal arrival ceremony
 -23-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Dinner
-Dates
-Meetings with president
-Return to Camp David
-Brezhnev and Andrei A. Gromyko
-Dates
-Washington, DC, Camp David
-Return dinner
-Embassy
-Trip west
-Stops
-Presidential airplanes
-Facilities
-San Clemente
-Communiqués
-Arrangements
-Kissinger's meetings with Dobrynin
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Treaty for the Prevention of Nuclear War
-scheduling
-Signings
-Itinerary
-Camp David
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Williamsburg
-Arrival ceremony
-Camp David
-Talks with President
-Williamsburg
-Dobrynin
-Camp David
-Talks with President
-Overnight stay
-Boat ride
-New York
-California

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 8:53 am.
 -24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Disneyland
-Nikita S. Khruschev
-Welcome
-President’s tour of USSR

Kakuei Tanaka's visit
-Schedule

President's schedule
-Foreign visitors
-Felix Houphouet-Boigny [?]
-Tanaka
-Visit
-Arrangements
-Foreign visitors
-Ronald L. Ziegler

Haldeman left at an unknown time before 10:43 am.

Foreign relations

Le Duc Tho
-Schedule
-State visit compared with private dinner

President’s schedule
-Ziegler

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 10:43 am.

Vietnam
-Infiltration
-News Summary
-Kissinger’s message to North Vietnam
-Bombing
-State Department, Defense Department
-Recommendations
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-State Department, Defense Department
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Reaction
-Support for actions
-Paper

USSR
-Kissinger's meeting with Dobrynin
-Attitude

Ziegler entered at 10:43 am.

President's meeting with Thomas C. Pappas

Veterans of Foreign Wars [VFW]
-Wire coverage of President's meeting with Voice of
-Democracy contest winners
-Atkins
-Arrangements

Ziegler left at 10:47 am.

US relations with People’s Republic of China [PRC], USSR
-President's successor
-President’s leadership
-Kissinger’s speech before March and Chowder Society
-POW negotiations
-Cheering
-Aid to North Vietnam
-Purpose
-jack F. Kemp’s support
-USSR
-Agenda
-Kissinger’s visit to PRC
-Impact
-Nuclear treaty
-President’s meeting with Brezhnev
-Concern with Mao Tse-Tung
-Kissinger’s trip to Moscow
-Negotiations with Brezhnev
-Preparations for summits
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-President’s conversation with Chou En-Lai
-Reply of President’s conversations with Mao Tse-Tung
-Notes
-Brezhnev’s message to President
-President's talk with Dobrynin, Kissinger
-Brezhnev’s visit to us
-Scheduling
-Time
-Place
-Details of visit
-Treaty for the Prevention of Nuclear War

New York banker
-Talk with President
-Talk with Henry A. Kissinger
-Business leaders’ dinner
-Geneva
-German contacts
-Shultz
-David Rockefeller
-Inter-American development Bank Council [?]

President's meeting with Shultz and Kissinger
-Guidance
-Monetary system intervention
-West Germany’s float
-Kissinger's talk with Shultz

Kissinger meeting with David Rockefeller
-Rockefeller's view of President
-President's place in history
-Vietnam, PRC policies
-Rockefeller's visit to Eastern Europe
-Reaction to president
-Josip Broz Tito
-Nicolae Ceaucescu
-Knowledge of project [?]

Inter-American Development Bank Council
 -27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. May-2010)
Conversation No. 871-4 (cont’d)


-Rockefeller
-Speech by President
-Organization of American States [OAS]

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:47 am.

President’s schedule
-Woman
-Confirmation
-Shultz

Kissinger and Sanchez left at 10:52 am.