321–3

Conversation No. 321-3

Date: February 9, 1972
Time: 12:16 pm - 1:05 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman and Ronald L. Ziegler.

Press relations
-Manolo Sanchez

Democrats
 2

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Foreign policy report, February 9, 1972
-Associated Press [AP]
-Presidential candidates
-Criticism
-Vietnam
-Enemies
-Prolonging war
-Compared to 1968
-President’s instructions to Ziegler
-Candidates
-Edmund S. Muskie
-1968 bombing halt
-1966
-Non-Presidential election year
-Lack of negotiations
-Ngo Dinh Diem
-President’s earlier criticisms
-United Press International [UPI]
-Effect of criticism on war
-1972 election

National policy
-Network commentary
-William P. Rogers’s call
-Bomb shelters
-Nixon administration
-Foreign policy report
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS]
-Dan Rather
-Innovation
-Generosity of peace terms
-History of warfare
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Possible quotes
-Nixon’s critics
-Nixon’s critics
-Henry A. Kissinger
-George S. McGovern
-Communists
-Haldeman’s comments on Today show, February 7, 1972
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC]’s views
 3

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Peter Hackess
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]’s views
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Moscow
-Paris
-Critics
-Debate
-Kissinger
-McGovern
-Plan to end the Vietnam war
-Communism
-Saigon
-Patriotism

Press Room
-Gerald L. Warren
-Vietnam
-Press reaction to text of foreign policy report radio address

Vietnam
-President’s instructions
-Muskie
-McGovern
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Edward M. Kennedy
-Possible attacks form the left
-1968
-President’s foreign policy report speech
-Television line
-Length
-Highlights
-Possible cuts
-Leroy Henderson
-Cameras
-Technicians
-Teleprompter
-The President’s experience

Foreign policy report
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Kissinger
 4

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Press coverage
-Ziegler’s role
-John A. Scali [?]

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s statement on Today show
-President’s reaction
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-The left
-Hugh Scott
-Kennedy
-Ziegler’s views
-Buchanan
-Meeting with Ziegler
-Developing the President’s response

President’s schedule
-Camp David
-PRC
-Readings
-Florida visit
-John B. Connally
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Domestic issues
-Timing
-PRC
-Connally
-Ehrlichman
-Rogers
-Location
-Connally
-Focus on domestic issues
-Adele (Langston) Rogers
-George P. Shultz
-Camp David
-PRC
-Rogers
-Florida
-Domestic issues

White House staff
-President’s defense
 5

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Press
-Vietnam
-Cambodia and Laos
-Unknown person
-Ziegler’s previous conversations
-Comparison with Lyndon B. Johnson administration
-Comparison with John F. Kennedy administration
-Not being able to work together
-Compared to current Administration
-Support for Haldeman [?]
-Domestic issues

Nicholas and Alexandra
-Kissinger
-Grigori Y. Rasputin
-Historical movies
-Production costs

Kissinger
-Podium

Liberals
-Relationship with the President

Press conferences
-Question
-Ziegler’s briefing
-Frequency
-Presidential reaction
-Public view
-AP story
-Johnson
-Policy areas
-Comparisons
-Unknown woman
-Prospects for frequent press conferences
-Previous conversation with Haldeman
-Supposed issue
-Need for frequent press conferences
-Administration “non-issue”
-Credibility
 6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Haldeman
-Unknown woman
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Upcoming press conference
-Style
-PRC
-[Shah of Iran] Mohammed Reza Pahlavi visit
-Timing
-Briefing
-Off the record
-Ziegler’s views
-Kissinger’s backgrounder
-Hawaii
-Upcoming Presidential press conference
-Timing

President’s instructions to Haldeman
-Kissinger
-Muskie
-Humphrey
-Reston’s influence
-Reston’s column
-Kissinger

PRC trip
-Possible press attendees
-Stanley Karnow
-Charles B. Rangel
-Peregrine Worsthorne
-PRC
-Press list
-Jews
-Numbers
-Blacks
-Numbers
-White House staff
-Possible questions
-Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
-Vernon G. Coffey, Jr.
-Military assistant
-Secret Service
 7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)


-Assistance
-Black reporter, [Forename unknown] Simmons
-Style admired by the President
-Press
-Air Force One
-Nationwide selection
-NBC
-Black reporter
-CBS
-Networks
-Ability to choose reporters
-Military aide
-Coffey
-Secret Service
-Blacks
-Detail
-Filipino
-Zosimo T. Monzon

News story
-Buchanan
-Handling
-Story style

President’s schedule
-Buchanan

Ziegler left at 12:50 pm.

News story
-Possible reaction
-Foreign policy report radio address
-“Year of the Breakthrough”
-Kissinger
-Shock
-Statement, February 8, 1972
-Constitutional definition
-Patriotism
-Treason
-Haldeman’s comments
-Kissinger
 8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)



Veterans groups
-Meeting with Henry C. Cashen, II
-Medal of Honor
-National convention
-Herbert R. (“Chief”) Rainwater
-Telegram

President’s speech
-Congress
-Length of time

Vietnam
-Critics of President’s policy
-Foreign policy radio address

World report
-Length
-Possible impact

Foreign policy report radio address


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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 3m 17s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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Unknown person
-Tenure
-John N. Mitchell

Haldeman left at 1:05 pm.
 9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 321-3 (cont.)