456–12

Conversation No. 456-12

Date: February 23, 1971
Time: 1:05 pm - 2:09 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

The President’s schedule
-Governors’ conference
-President’s comments

[The President talked with John D. Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 1:05 pm and 1:12
pm]
[Conversation No. 456-12A]

-Media coverage
-White House dinner

[End of telephone conversation]

Suspension of Davis-Bacon Act
-Briefing of congressmen
-Clark MacGregor’s view
-Robert P. Griffin
-Jacob K. Javits
-Administration position

White House dinner
-Press coverage
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] interest
-Herbert J. (“Jackie”) Gleason
-Charles W. Colson
-Guest list
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon’s view
-Advantages
-Compared to Edward K. (“Duke”) Ellington dinner
-Gleason
-President’s position
-Beverly Sills
-Location of stage
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Richard (“Red”) Skelton
-Johnny Cash
-Press coverage
-Mrs. Nixon’s view

Newsweek story on State of World message
-Leak
-Haldeman’s conversation with William P. Rogers Conv. No. 456-12 (cont.)
-Henry A. Kissinger
-James J. Kilpatrick, Jr.
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT]
-Arms Control and Disarmament Agency [ACDA]

Colson entered at 1:12 pm

Davis-Bacon Act
-Colson’s role
-Effect
-Wage Price Board
-Wage and price freeze
-James D. Hodgson
-Colson’s view
-Effect on unions
-Purpose

[Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 1:30
pm; the President and Colson can be heard in the background]

[Conversation No. 456-12B]

Call to MacGregor

[End of telephone conversation]

Suspension of Davis-Bacon Act
-Administration position
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-President’s view
-Purpose
-Labor’s view
-Peter J. Brennan
-Administration strategy
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Ehrlichman’s view
-Criticism from left
-Credibility
-John B. Connally’s view
-The President’s view

[Haldeman talked with MacGregor at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 1:30 pm; the
President and Colson can be heard in the background] Conv. No. 456-12 (cont.)

[Conversation No. 456-12C]

-Congressional briefing
-Timing

[End of telephone conversation]

-Administration strategy
-Joint statement by George P. Shultz and Colson
-Wording
-Labor Department section
-Public versus private statement
-Purpose of Davis-Bacon Act
-Union wages
-Re-instatement
-Timing
-State Department view
-President’s view

[Haldeman talked with the White House operator [?] at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and
1:30 pm; the President and Colson can be heard in the background]

[Conversation No. 456-12D]

Call to Shultz

[End of telephone conversation]

Suspension of Davis-Bacon Act
-Administration strategy
-Joint statement by Shultz and Colson
-Wording
-Justification of Davis-Bacon Act
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Union wages

Shultz entered at 1:30 pm

-Department of Labor view
-Paul W. McCracken
-Willie J. Usery, Jr.
-Brennan Conv. No. 456-12 (cont.)
-Effects of opposition
-William L. Safire
-Schedule
-State of the World address
-Oil and steel actions as precedent
-Steel prices
-Bargaining process
-Conditions that fostered Davis-Bacon Act
-Consistency of administration’s actions
-Steel and oil actions

Rose Mary Woods entered at 1:50 pm

-Safire
-The President’s schedule

Woods left at 1:54 pm

State of the World address
-Safire
-Price
-Kissinger
-Newsweek story
-Leak
-Rogers
-ACDA
-Haldeman’s conversation with Rogers
-Kissinger

National Security Study Memoranda [NSSMs]
-Haldeman’s conversation with Kissinger
-Melvin R. Laird
-Number
-Alexander P. Butterfield
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NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Haldeman left at 1:56 pm

Davis-Bacon Act
-Statement from administration
-Wording
-Rationale for administration action
-Meaning to industry Conv. No. 456-12 (cont.)
-Colson’s call to concerned party
-Construction industry
-Hodgson’s statement

Colson and Shultz left at 2:09 pm