415–14

Conversation No. 415-14

Date: February 27, 1973
Time: 11:00 am-11:50 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H. R. Haldeman.

Office

Absence of someone [?]
 -18-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)



John D. Ehrlichman's schedule

Ehrlichman
-News coverage
-Staff meeting
-Inside work at White House compared to outside events
-Dinner
-New York
-Gabriel Hauge
-[Manufacturers Hanover Trust, Corp.]
-Chairman
-Question and answer [Q&A] session
-Compared to Roy L. Ash, George P. Shultz
-Haldeman’s appearance
-Speeches
-Private meetings
-Congressional briefings
-Publicity
-Television [TV]
-Newsweek
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s appearance
-News summary

President’s schedule
-Stephen B. Bull
-Appointment with Jerry V. Wilson
-Ehrlichman’s recommendation
-Departure
-Prevention
-Ehrlichman
-Obsession with Washington, DC
-District police chief
-Problem
-Other meetings regarding Washington, DC
-Responsibility for Washington, DC affairs
-President’s preferences
 -19-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


Henry A. Kissinger and Ziegler entered at 11:04 am.

Vietnam settlement
-Statement about International Conference on Vietnam
-Draft
-William P. Rogers
-Reaction to statement
-Withdrawal from conference
-Editing
-Clarification of North Vietnam’s statement on prisoners of war
[POWs]
-President’s response
-Importance of POW issue
-Likelihood of settlement
-Need for tough rhetoric
-International Conference on Vietnam
-Breakup
-US actions
-Withdrawal
-Rogers
-Importance of POW issue
-Draft statement
-North Vietnam’s reaction
-Bombing
-Breakup
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-France, Czechoslovakia, Canada [?]
-Great Britain
-Rogers
-Sir Alexander F. (“Alec”) Douglas-Home
-Return to London
-Conference schedule
-Statement
-Draft
-Instructions to Rogers
-POW issue
-Clarification
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-Message to North Vietnam
-Mining, troop withdrawal
-US consulate [?]
-Message
-Timing
-Ambassador
-Kissinger’s view regarding North Vietnam’s actions [?]
-Ziegler’s statement
-North Vietnam’s demands
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-POWs
-US actions
-Retaliation
-POWs
-Public opinion
-Withdrawal
-Rogers [?]
-Kissinger’s message
-POWs
-Resolution of problem
-North Vietnam’s request for meeting
-Ministers
-Paris
-Statement
-Importance of POW issue
-Clarification
-Conference
-POW agreement
-International Conference on Vietnam
-Rogers
-POWs
-Leverage
-International recognition of agreement
-Breakup
-Experience with North Vietnam
-PRC pressure
-North Vietnam
-New York Times story
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-US aid

Kissinger and Ziegler left at 11:15 am.

Rogers
-Presence at conference
-“Man of peace”
-POW issue
-Conference
-Delay over POWs
-Troop withdrawals
-New stories
-Relations with Kissinger
-Publicity

Francis A. (“Frank”) Sinatra
-Conversation with Haldeman
-Date of appearance at White House
-Invitation to Irving Berlin event

Cecil Stoughton
-Identity
-White House photographer
-John F. Kennedy
-National Park Service [NPS] photographer
-Oliver F. (“Ollie”) Atkins
-Photographs of President at Inaugural
-Stoughton’s appearance in photographs
-Clothing
-Firing
-Ron Holly [?]
-NPS
-Ronald H. Walker
-Hugh S. Sidey’s article
-Caroline Kennedy
-Appearance in photographs of President’s swearing-in
-Apology
 -22-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


News summary
-President’s conversation with Ziegler
-Length
-Divisions
-News section
-Appendix
-Editorials
-Television [TV]
-Martin Z. Agronsky
-Time
-Washington Post [?]
-Wire services, TV
-Popularity, impact
-Senators, Congressman
-Columnists
-Sidey, Business Week, Agronsky, [Arnold] Eric Sevareid
-Distortions
-Campaign on POWs
-New York Times
-Shana Alexander
-United Press International [UPI]
-Attacks on POWs
-Overreaction
-Budget cuts
-Jacob K. Javits, Clifford P. Case
-Statements
-Newsworthiness
-Columnists’ opinions
-Significance
-Appendix to news summary
-Distortions
-Information currency
-Columnists
-Delay factor
-Rowland Evans and Robert D. Novak
-Kevin P. Phillips’s newsletter
-Length
-Patrick J. Buchanan, Lyndon K (“Mort”) Allin
 -23-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-Need for balance
-New section
-Appendix section
-Opinion
-Columnists
-Magazines
-Books

New York Times
-Campaign against POWs
-Administration’s response
-Purpose

Vietnam War
-American people
-Pride

President’s talk with Charles B. (“Bud”) Wilkinson
-Olympics
-Richard A. Moore

Stoughton
-Statement
-News story
-Explanation
-Appearance in President’s picture
-Atkins
-United States Secret Service [USSS]
-Dismissal
-Retirement
-Sidey’s article
-Kennedy holdovers
-Photographs of John F. Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, John F.
Kennedy, Jr.

Sidey
-Denial of access to White House
-Raymond K. Price, Jr., William L. Safire
 -24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)



Watergate
-Two people who refused jobs
-One person who left
-Regulatory agency
-Identities
-Charles W. Colson
-Haldeman
-Accusations
-Truth
-Staff members
-Colson’s speculation
-Herbert G. Klein

Klein
-Return to California
-Trip to London
-Interactions with Kissinger
-Reluctance
-Spying
-Trip to Hanoi
-Photographs
-Bombing accuracy
-Target areas
-Damage
-Railroad station
-Airport
-Surrounding buildings
-Photographs

Watergate
-Leaks
-Staff member
-Press
-Timing
-1972 election
-White House morale
-Fear of spying
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-Insistence on loyalty
-Colson
-Self-incrimination
-Role in Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy surveillance program
-Tatler articles
-Discussions with President
-Tatler articles
-Edward Kennedy
-Pictures
-Legitimacy
-Source of stories
-Colson’s staff
-Retaliation for firing
-Suspects
-Colson’s reactions

William J. Baroody, Jr.
-Haldeman’s opinion
-Work with Bryce N. Harlow
-Ability
-Congress members
-Importance
-White House involvement
-Organizations

Budget cuts
-Ehrlichman
-Criticism
-Compassion
-Administration’s answers
-Taxes [?]
-Importance of rhetoric
-Congressional, press relations
-Ehrlichman
-Domestic battle
-George P. Shultz, Roy L. Ash
-Substance
-President’s role
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-Press conference [?]

John W. Dean, III’s duties

Ehrlichman
-Tasks
-Responsibilities
-Public relations [PR]
-Crime issue

New York City
-Mayoral candidates
-Law and order

Poll
-Gallup, Phillips

President’s schedule
-Press conference
-POWs
-Controversy
-Escalation
-Time to prepare for press conference
-Quadriad meeting
-Scheduling

Briefing for governors
-President’s appearance
-National Governors Conference attendees’ dinner
-Discussion of taxes, spending
-Compared with President’s press conference
-Ehrlichman
-Need to pick forms
-Scheduling
-Ehrlichman
-Dinner
-President’s remarks
-Peace settlement
 -27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Mar.-09)
Conversation No. 415-14 (cont’d)


-Governors’ wives
-Budget problems
-Forums

Press conference

Education speech

Haldeman left at 11:50 am.