459–4

Conversation No. 459-4

Date: February 27, 1971
Time: 11:58 am - 2:58 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

Leonard Garment
-White House Staff
-Haldeman
-John D. Ehrlichman
-George P. Shultz
-Ehrlichman
-Charles W. Colson
-Robert H. Finch
-Role of White House staff
-Minorities
-Arts
-Ehrlichman’s schedule
-Finch

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:58 am

Military retirees
-Report
 12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




John B. Connally
-Washington Post

The President’s schedule
-Des Moines
-Finch
-Location Conv. No. 459-3 (cont.)
-Youth meeting
Bull left at an unknown time before 12:00 pm


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 59s ]


Alexander P. Butterfield and Bull entered at 12:00 pm


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

******************************************************************************


Youth meeting
-Participants
-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare [HEW] staff
-Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.’s staff
-Michael Collins
-Lyndon K. (“Mort”) Allin
-Finch
 13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7 Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

******************************************************************************


Garment entered and Butterfield and Bull left at 12:07 pm

Greetings

Garment’s efforts
-Role on White House staff
-Responsibilities
-Roger E. Johnson
-Minority groups
-Arts

Conference of National Music Educators of America
-Garment’s participation

Public relations
-Portraits of John Quincy and Louisa C. (Johnson) Adams
-President’s role
-Carl Sandburg
-Alexander H. Stephens
-The President’s previous [Thomas] Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars speech
-Coverage
-Robert Pierpoint
-General Joseph Maurer
-Civil War story
-General Ulysses S. Grant
-General William T. Sherman
-Abraham Lincoln
-Staff requirements
-Sandburg
 14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Stephens
-Jefferson Davis
-The President’s speech on Adams
-Career
-Henry Clay
-Career
-James Monroe
-Napoleon Bonaparte Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-American Revolution
-Russian mission
-Thomas Jefferson
-Speeches
-Importance of history
-White House staff
-Example of Adams
-Speeches
-The President’s speech on Adams
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Need for better public relations efforts
-John F. Kennedy
-White House efforts
-Adams’ portraits ceremony
-Attendees
-Speakers
-Adams family descendants
-Historians
-National Gallery spokesman
-The President’s presentation
-Publicity
-Techniques
-Social issues
-Ecology
-Need for uninhibited leadership
-Speeches
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Kennedy
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Harry S Truman
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
-Herbert C. Hoover
-[John] Calvin Coolidge
 15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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(rev. 9/08)



-Wilson
-Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt
-Administration efforts

Finch entered at 12:20 pm

-Bicentennial Commission remarks by the President
-David J. Mahoney, Jr. Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-San Francisco
-Television

Garment
-White House role
-Minorities
-Arts
-Maurice H. Stans
-Minority business speeches
-Finch
-Donald H. Rumsfeld
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Record of administration
-Administration efforts
-Desegregation
-Need for public relations
-Strategy
-Garment’s view
-Planning


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 2m 4s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 1

******************************************************************************
 16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Public relations
-Garment’s role
-Arts
-Mrs. Nixon’s activities
-Adams’ portraits
-Visit by Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
-Press coverage
-Possible leak Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-White House waiters
-Possible stories
-Rex W. Scouten
-Emil (“Bus”) Mosbacher, Jr.
-Possible stories
-Peter M. Flanigan anecdote
-Absence of photographers
-Press release of visit information
-Need for public relations

Press
-Kennedy
-The Trumans
-The Eisenhowers
-Charles L. Bartlett
-Jack J. Valenti
-Mary Lou Gallagher
-Public perception
-George H. W. Bush’s swearing-in ceremony
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Ziegler
-Public relations
-Mills
-White House strategy
-Public relations efforts

Arts
-Mrs. Nixon’s activities
-Evenings at the White House
-J. F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
-Board meeting
-Haldeman
-Founding Artists series
-Previous performance at White House
 17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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(rev. 9/08)



-Beverly Sills
-Johnny Cash
-Isaac Stern
-Leonard Bernstein
-Arthur Rubinstein
-Rudolf Serkin
-Age
-Eugene Ormandy Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Antal Dorati
-White House activities
-List of White House entertainers
-Release to press
-Compared to Kennedy Administration
-Brazil 66
-Sergio Mendes


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Privacy]
[Duration: 21s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

******************************************************************************


-”60 Minutes”
-Anna Maria Alberghetti
-Marine Corps Band
-Nancy Hanks
-The Kennedys
-The Johnsons
-Pearl M. Bailey
-Louis Brown
-Leslie T. (“Bob”) Hope
-Edward K. (“Duke”) Ellington
-Irish entertainment
-Filming
-Cash
 18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

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(rev. 9/08)



-Documentary
-Irish entertainment
-Art Carney
-Herbert J. (“Jackie”) Gleason
-Lennon Sisters
-Jim Ryan
-Castle Group
-Duration of event Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Youth
-Mrs. Nixon
-Des Moines


******************************************************************************

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


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

******************************************************************************


-Exposure
-White House strategy
-Students
-Radio speech
-Finch
-Talk show events
-Issues

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 12:20 pm

Matches

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:05 pm

Public relations
-Finch
 19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Television
-Garment
-View of President
-”Dick Cavett Show”
-Connally
-Kennedy
-Mary Martin
-Marjorie Main Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Greer Garson
-Ann Sheridan
-White House guest list
-Walter Lang
-Sheridan
-Dinner in 1961
-Metropolitan Opera
-Kennedy
-”Morning Show”
-Herbert G. Klein
-Ziegler
-Richard A. Moore
-Laos
-Revenue sharing
-Image of the President
-Alvin Snyder
-Finch’s television appearance in Miami
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Questions and responses
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Television appearance
-Marvin L. Kalb
-Ziegler
-White House staff television appearances
-Snyder
-Jeb Stuart Magruder
-Rumsfeld
-Issues
-Substance versus anecdotes
-Flanigan
-Garment
-Substance
-Kissinger
-William P. Rogers
 20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Melvin R. Laird
-Problem of substance
-White House policy
-Press conference
-The President’s handling
-Kissinger
-Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Press Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Ziegler
-Press questions
-White House policy
-President’s view
-Responses
-Briefings
-Purpose
-Kissinger
-Bernard Kalb
-White House strategy
-President’s view
-Wire services
-Alger Hiss case

Press conferences
-Television
-Frank van der Linden
-Reporters’ view of President
-White House strategy
-President’s view
-Press
-Robert B. Semple, Jr.
-View of the President


******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[Privacy]
[Duration: 6s ]

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

******************************************************************************
 21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




Public relations
-Garment’s role
-Comments about the President
-Friendship
-Background
-1960s Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Nixon’s staff compared to Edmund S. Muskie’s staff
-Staff size
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Dwight L. Chapin
-John A. Scali
-Rose Mary Woods
-Hill case
-President’s leadership style
-Comments about the President
-Finch
-Garment
-Ehrlichman
-Cabinet officers
-Connally
-Daniel P. (“Pat”) Moynihan
-Commentary article
-Paul W. McCracken
-Shultz
-Pornography
-Charlton Heston’s wire
-Hope’s previous conversation with the President
-President’s view
-Forthcoming call to Heston
-President’s view
-”I Am Curious (Yellow)”
-Low budget films

Finch left at 1:05 pm

-Garment’s speech to music teachers
-The President’s music background
-High school
-Mrs. [Forename unknown] Fuller
 22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-College
-Margareta Lohman
-Piano background as aid to memory
-President’s view
-Latin as aid to memory
-Classical music

Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 8s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

******************************************************************************

Garment left at 1:11 pm

Garment
-Public relations ability
-Benefits
-Comparison with Jesus Christ

Kissinger’s interview
-President’s view
-Press
-Kalb
-Television
-President’s policy
-Ziegler

Oval Office decor
-Possible changes

Administration’s image
-Economy
-Vietnam
-Television
-Ehrlichman
 23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Administration’s achievements
-Gallup poll
-Effect of Vietnam
-White House staff efforts
-President’s view
-Economy
-Vietnam
Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
Ziegler entered at 1:15 pm

Kissinger’s television interview
-Kalb
-Rogers and Laird
-Television appearance
-Circumstances
-Klein and Ziegler
-President’s position
-State of the World message
-Rationale
-Rogers
-President’s position
-Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation
-Ziegler’s proposal
-Foreign policy message
-Circumstances
-”Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] Morning News”
-Kalb
-Robert G. Houdek’s role
-Ziegler’s view of Kissinger’s appearance
-Ziegler’s conversation with Kissinger
-Ziegler’s conversation with General Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Length of interview
-Future coordination
-Haldeman’s understanding
-Length of interview
-Kissinger’s schedule
-Ziegler’s role
-Press
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr.
-Use of Kissinger appearance
-Rogers’ view
-Haldeman’s forthcoming conversation with Rogers
 24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Kissinger appearance
-Klein’s role
-President’s position
-White House policy
-Role
-Television appearance
-Ziegler’s view
-Compared to backgrounders Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Public relations
-Possible television appearances by White House staff
-Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-Flanigan
-President’s position
-Content of interview
-Emphasis on President
-Kissinger
-Ehrlichman
-Domestic policy
-Effect on Cabinet officers
-George W. Romney
-Connally
-Elliot L. Richardson
-President’s position
-Briefings
-Kissinger
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-Rumsfeld
-Kissinger’s use
-Backgrounders
-Television appearances
-Backgrounders
-Content
-Length
-Content
-Klein’s briefings
-Content
-Television appearances by White House staff
-Ehrlichman
-Kissinger
-Connally
 25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Interviews
-Support for Administration
-Associated Press request for appearance
-Ehrlichman
-Paul Miller
-Kissinger
-Television appearance
-Future coordination with Ziegler Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Circumstances

Press
-Search and rescue mission
-Laird
-President’s instructions
-Value of briefing
-Ziegler
-Kalb
-Kissinger
-Laos
-Press comments
-United States’ involvement
-Search and rescue missions
-Son Tay Prison raid
-John Sherman Cooper
-Coordination
-Saigon press offices
-Allin
-National Broadcasting Company [NBC] story
-US policy
-Magruder
-Search and rescue operations
-Coverage
-News stories
-Inaccuracies
-Use by Administration
-The Vice President
-President’s position
-Snyder’s role
-President’s position

Press coverage of the Vietnam War
-Administration responses
 26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-The Vice President
-Barbara Walters
-Reporter casualties
-Larry Burroughs
-Richard L. Wilson
-Ken Crawford
-Debate among press corps
-Effect of reporter casualties Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Other casualties
-The Vice President’s role
-Timing of response
-Buchanan
-Allin
-Crosby S. Noyes
-Crawford
-Dennis Warner
-R. L. Wilson
-Editorials
-Wall Street Journal
-President’s view
-Congressional response
-Hugh Scott
-Clark MacGregor
-Robert J. Dole
-Partisan response
-Administration response

Public relations
-Press conferences
-The President’s performance
-Portraits of J. Q. and L. C. Adams
-Ziegler’s view
-Mrs. Nixon
-Washington Post story
-Radio coverage of ceremony
-James McManus
-Donald Fulsom
-Thomas Girard
-Fay G. Wells
-Compared to Washington Post’s coverage
-Dan Rather’s story
-Wire services coverage
 27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Press conference schedules
-Television
-Timing
-President’s view
-Network news
-Options

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 1:15 pm Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Refreshments

The President left at an unknown time before 1:44 pm

Refreshments
-Tea
-Coffee
-Origin

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:44 pm

Television appearance
-Kissinger
-Ziegler’s role
[Haldeman talked with an unknown person at an unknown time between 1:15 pm and 1:44 pm]

[Conversation No 459-4A]

[Unintelligible]

[End of telephone conversation]

Schedule

The President entered at an unknown time after 1:15 pm

Press conference schedule
-Options
-Ziegler’s view
-Coverage
-Radio and replays

Price
 28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Staff
-Lee W. Huebner
-William H. Carruthers
-Richard K. Cook
-William L. Safire
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:15 pm

Price’s whereabouts

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:44 pm

[The President talked with Major General James D. (“Don”) Hughes between 1:44 pm and 1:45
pm]

[Conversation No. 459-4B]

Report on the Connallys at Camp David
-Camp commander
-Location

[End of telephone conversation]
The President’s speech before Iowa legislature
-Television coverage
-Possible network coverage

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 1:45 pm

-The President’s schedule
-Price
-Andrews
-Cook

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 1:47 pm

Press conferences schedule
-Ziegler’s view
-Frequency
-Television pros and cons
-Timing
 29

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Options
-Television pros and cons
-Film
-Audience

[Hughes talked with the President between 1:47 pm and 1:48 pm]

[Conversation No. 459-4C] Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Connally at Camp David

[End of telephone conversation]

Press conferences schedule
-Timing
-Strategy of communication
-Focus
-Benefits to the President compared benefits to press
-Variation of format
-Efficacy of television
-Goals
-Ziegler’s view
-Methods of Presidential communication
-Television
-Press
-Timing

White House press corps
-Role
-Importance
-Contact with the President
-Importance
-Television
-Role
-Press conferences
-Domestic policy
-Shultz
-L. B. Johnson’s dealings with press corp
-Shortcomings

Peregrine Worsthorne’s column
-The President
 30

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Kissinger
-Opposition to Vietnam
-Domestic violence
-Toleration of citizens
-The President
-L. B. Johnson
-The Presidency
-George S. McGovern Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Trip to New Hampshire
-Comments by unknown man
-Humphrey
-Vietnam
-Support for President
-US policy

The President’s schedule
-Time management
-Des Moines
-Blacks
-Flanigan
-Science Advisory
-Muscular dystrophy
-Communications program
-Importance
-Time management
-Health program
-Consumer program
-Revenue sharing

The President’s remarks before Iowa legislature
-Potential impact
-News coverage
-Forum for communication
-Domestic goals
-Indochina goals
-Need to respond
-Laos
-Laird’s press conference
-Ziegler’s view
-Forthcoming press conference

Public relations
 31

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Focus on issues
-Senior citizens
-Compared to youth
-Importance
-Need for White House coordination
-John B. Martin
-Hope’s conversation with Haldeman
-Focus of activities Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-The President’s schedule
-Time management
-Possible meetings with senior citizens
-White House efforts
-Press releases and news stories
-Colson
-Efforts
-Youth
-Electorate
-The President’s previous meeting with Princeton University students
-Finch
-White House policy

Iowa remarks
-Rural development
-Laos
-Pros and cons
-President’s view
-Vietnam goals

Vietnam
-Dole
-Possible statement
-Democratic caucus
-American involvement
-Eisenhower Administration
-Democratic administrations’ war involvement
-Casualty figures
-Republican moves to end involvement
-The President
-Democratic minority
-John C. Stennis
-Cooper
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
 32

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Possible Dole speech
-Buchanan

Media relations
-Negative attitude of press
-Administration treatment of press corps
-Oval Office press conference
-Pres corps view of Presidency Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Reston
-Kissinger
-News stories
-Peter Lisagor
-”Agronsky and Company”
-View
-Impact
-Rather
-Wire services
-Television press conference
-One-on-one circumstances with the President
-Joe Garagiola
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC]
-Importance of television
-Effectiveness
-Benefits
-Compared to press conferences
-Radio speeches
-Special interest groups
-Length of speeches
-Live television speech
-Length
-Timing
-Radio speeches
-Use of tape
-L. B. Johnson
-Timing
-Benefits
-Live radio speeches
-Television out-takes
-Scheduling
-Newspapers
-Radio audience
-Timing
 33

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Youth
-Women

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

Schedule
-Telephone call
-Unknown man Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm

Radio speeches
-Timing
-Women
-Senior citizens
-Issue coverage

President’s forthcoming press conference
-Foreign policy
-Preparation
-Domestic policy
-Revenue sharing
-Press coverage
-Ziegler’s view
-Pros and cons
-Justification
-Length

One-on-one television appearances
-Public perception
-R. L. Wilson
-Emphasis of administration
-Wells
-Adams’ portraits
-Washington Post
-Wells
-Influence of Washington Post

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

Food
 34

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Ziegler and Sanchez left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm

The President’s schedule
-Dinner plans
-Finch
-Shultz

Importance of communication Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)
-Ziegler’s role
-Klein
-Compared to other issues
-Ehrlichman
-Shultz
-John C. Whitaker
-Flanigan

Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

Forthcoming Helen A. Thomas story
-Foreign policy advisors
-Laird
-Rogers
-Richard M. Helms
-Possible Ziegler statement
-Joseph J. Sisco
-Ziegler’s statement
-Focus of White House business
-Foreign policy
-Moorer
-Sisco
-Middle East
-White House meetings
-Participants
-Topics

Ziegler left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm

The President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Connally
-Weekend plans
 35

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



Public relations
-White House efforts
-Time management
-Vietnam

Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

[Unintelligible] Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm

Public relations
-White House efforts
-Haldeman’s view
-Issues
-Polls
-Harlow
-John R. Wanamaker
-Statement on usefulness of advertising
-Use of key resources
-Time management
-The President
-White House staff
-Effectiveness
-George E. Reedy, Jr. book
-Use of staff
-The President’s schedule
 36

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



******************************************************************************

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[National Security]
[Duration: 4m 16s ]


MIDDLE EAST Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)

An unknown person entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

The unknown person left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5

******************************************************************************


The President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Relationship between Connally and Ehrlichman

Bull entered at an unknown time after 1:48 pm

-Departure time for Camp David
-Mr. and Mrs. Taft Schreiber
-Charles W. Butterfield
-A. P. Butterfield
-Location
-Schreiber
-Finch
-Tour of White House
-Butterfield and Schreibers
 37

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Possible meeting with President
-Tour of Oval Office
-Meeting by helicopter

Bull left at an unknown time before 2:58 pm

The President and Haldeman left at 2:58 pm
Conv. No. 459-4 (cont.)