Secret White House Tapes

483–4

About this recording

483–4
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • Henry A. Kissinger
  • Stephen B. Bull
  • Ronald L. Ziegler
April 20, 1971
Conversation No. 483-4

Date: April 20, 1971
Time: 9:46 am - 11:15 am
Location: Oval Office Conv. No. 483-2 (cont.)

The President met with H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman; the recording begins at an unknown time while
the conversation is in progress.

The President's schedule
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors
-Possible remarks
-Press interviews

The President's press interviews
-Remarks
-Staff preparations
-Des Moines
-Future preparations

The President's schedule
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors
-Welcome
-Remarks
-Television cameras
-Agriculture
-Importance
-Press coverage
-Speech
-Advantages
-Upcoming meeting with International Red Cross committee
-Upcoming meeting with US Jaycees officials
-Resolution
-Presentation
-Story

William P. Rogers
-Press conference
-Timing
6

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Announcement
-William H. Sullivan
-Testimony
-Paul N. (“Pete”) McCloskey, Jr.
-Timing
-Administration's possible position
-Testimony regarding war powers
-Schedule
-Trip to Israel and Egypt
-Publicity
-Press conference
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Middle East
-Press conference
-Timing

Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg, April 19, 1971
-Reporters
-Kissinger
-Schedule
-Meeting with Israeli official
-Deputy Prime Minister
-Suez Canal
-Reporters
-New York Times
-Los Angeles Times
-Washington Post
-St. Louis Post-Dispatch
-Los Angeles Times
-Conversation with reporters
-Timing
-Williamsburg Lodge
-Duration
-Aides
-Victor Gold
-Roy Goodearle
-Peter Malatesta
-Malatesta
-John A. Scali's view
-Administration's policy regarding People's Republic of China [PRC]
-Calculated leak versus discondant policy
-Conservatives
7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Possible confusion
-Policy regarding PRC
-Agnew’s lack of information
-Gold's call to Herbert G. Klein, April 19, 1971
-Haldeman's conversation with Klein
-Los Angeles Times

Lighting of buildings around White House Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Constitution Hall
-Red Cross
-Pan American Union
-Corcoran Gallery

Corcoran Gallery
-Red exterior design
-Leonard Garment
-Modern art
-Abstracts
-Modern art
-Kissinger's paintings
-Corcoran
-Exterior design
-Los Angeles County museum
-Metal structures in court yard
-Corcoran structure

Lighting of buildings around White House
-Constitution Hall
-Red Cross
-Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR]
-Pan American Union
-DAR
-Finances
-National Symphony
-Kennedy Center
-Fees
-Prospects
-Capitol police
-Thelma C. (Ryan) (“Pat”) Nixon's views

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg
-Haldeman's possible conversation with Scali
8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Scali's view regarding the President's PRC initiative
-Effect on Vietnam critics
-Asia
-Peace
-Circumstances
-Reporters
-Congressional campaign
-PRC reference Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Discussion on press
-Gold
-Judgement
-Associated Press [AP] reporter's [John Roderick] story on PRC ping- pong team

PRC
-Agnew's view
-Ping-pong team
-Use of second string team
-Art
-Food
-Use of second string team

The President's schedule
-Harry S. Dent
-Robert H. Finch


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15
[Privacy]
[Duration: 41s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 15

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


Personnel

UN staff
-[Charles W. Yost]
9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-George H.W. Bush
-Removal

Stock market
-Publicity
-Rise
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Associated Press [AP] reporter [Dave Burke] Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-View towards administration
-Washington Post
-New York Times
-Washington Post compared with New York Times
-[Burke]
-Instructions for Klein
-Ethnic background
-Unknown AP reporter in Laos
-Klein
-Lyndon K. (\"Mort\") Allin
-[Burke]

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg
-Scali's analysis

Stock market
-Rise
-Value of stocks traded

The President's previous meeting with Republican Congressional leadership
-Attendees
-George P. Shultz
-Topics
-Draft
-Agency for International Development [AID]
-Topics for future meetings
-Clark MacGregor

The President's schedule, April 21, 1971
-Bipartisan leaders meeting
-AID
-State Department

AID
10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Rudolph A. Peterson
-Peter G. Peterson
-Public relations aspects

United Nations [UN] commission report
-Henry Cabot Lodge
-Release
-Timing Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Publicity
-President's meeting with Lodge and committee

-President's position
-Lodge
-State Department
-Lodge
-Possible reassignment to Southeast Asia
-Report
-President's position

President's schedule
-Israel
-Kissinger

UN commission report
-Release
-President's position

President's schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger

Haldeman talked with Kissinger at an unknown time between 9:46 am and 10:13 am.

[Conversation No. 483-4A]

Request that Kissinger join him

[End of telephone conversation]

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 9:46 am.

Kissinger's schedule
11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



The President's schedule
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors
-Press
-Upcoming meeting with International Red Cross officials
-Photo
Bull left at an unknown time before 10:13 am.

Agnew's press interview in Williamsburg Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Judgement
-Remarks regarding PRC
-Reporters
-Circumstances

Kissinger entered at 10:13 am.

Rogers
-Conversation with the President
-Trip to Middle East
-Invitation
-Timing
-Itinerary
-Europe
-Middle East


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[Duration: 15s ]


MIDDLE EAST


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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


-Trip to Middle East
12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16
[Privacy]
[Duration: 3s ]
Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)

END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 16

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


-Conversation with the President, April 19, 1971
-Itinerary
-Israel
-Jordan
-Egypt
-Administration's Position


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17
[National Security]
[Duration: 3s ]


MIDDLE EAST


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 17

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

-Joseph J. Sisco
-Invitations
-Suez negotiations

Israeli-Egyptian conflict
-Suez negotiations
13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Sisco
-US policy
-Sisco
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-Suez negotiations
-Possible Israeli position
-Kissinger's initiatives
-Egyptian reaction Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Possible deadlock
-Administration's initiative
-State Department
-President's conversation with Rogers
-Suez negotiations
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Israelis
-Rogers plan

Rogers
-Itinerary
-Israel
-Reception
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Dobrynin
-Andrei Gromyko
-Possible Summit
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting

Sisco


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 18
[National Security]
[Duration: 14s ]


MIDDLE EAST


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 18
14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



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



Rogers
-Possible visit to USSR
-Gromyko
-Dobrynin Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-President's position
-Dobrynin


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19
[National Security]
[Duration: 4s ]


USSR


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 19

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


-Suez negotiations
-Prospects
-Israel
-Kissinger
-US policy

USSR
-Possible summit meeting

US-Israeli relations

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg, April 19, 1971
-Story recounted
-Unknown reporter
-Time of meeting
15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Topics
-Press
-Campaign
-Duration
-Remarks on PRC
-Possible effects
-Administration's position
-Scali's memorandum Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Calculated leak versus discordant policy
-Vietnam
-Conservatives
-Possible confusion
-Possible administration reaction
-Haldeman's conversation with Klein
-Klein's view regarding Kissinger's role
-Difficulties
-Possible statement by Ronald L. Ziegler
-Press
-Stories
-Reporters
-Drinks
-Possible scenario
-Agnew and Gold
-Agnew, Goodearle, and Malatesta
-Press
-Off-the-record remarks
-Kissinger's possible briefing
-Vice President and foreign policy views
-NSC
-Agnew's possible statement to press
-Ziegler's possible statement

Ziegler entered at 10:25 am.

The President's PRC initiative
-Ziegler's conversation with Agnew at previous Republican leadership meeting
-Ziegler’s press conference
-Comments
-Gerald R. Ford
-Ford
-Ziegler’s background
-Press
16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-President's position
-Ziegler's statement at press conference
-Agnew’s support of US policy
-Expressions of news in NSC meetings
-Agnew’s role
-Policy regarding PRC
-Ziegler’s conversation with Agnew
-Agnew's position Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Possible PRC reaction
-The right
-US Public opinion
-Liberals

Ziegler's activities
-Press briefing
-Republican leadership meeting
-Ford
-Hugh Scott
-McCloskey
-Joseph McCarthy
-Economy

The President's schedule
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors

Agnew
-Foreign policy views
-President's position
-Ziegler's possible press statement

PRC initiative
-Opposition tactics
-Agnew

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg
-Ziegler's conversation with Gold
-Remarks regarding PRC
-Circumstances
-Gold

Ziegler left at 10:32 am.
17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



President's PRC initiative
-Agnew Briefing
-Haig
-Agnew's views
-Judgement
-USSR
-Chiang Kai-Shek
-Taiwan Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-USSR
-Agnew
-Foreign Visits
-Taiwan
-Korea
-Taiwan
-William F. Knowland
-Chaing Kai-Shek
-President's policy
-Agnew
-Recognition of PRC
-Admission of PRC to UN
-Trade
-Taiwan
-Henry Kearns
-Conversation with Chiang Ching-Kuo
-News story
-Hubert H. Humphrey


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 20
[National Security]
[Duration: 7s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 20

******************************************************************************
18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)




-US bureaucracy
-Possible discussions with PRC
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters
-Kissinger's possible initiatives
-Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield possible visit to PRC
-Nicolae Ceausescu
-Walters Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Senators
-Mansfield
-Ceausescu
-Kissinger's forthcoming activities
-North Vietnamese
-Vietnam negotiations
-Kissinger
-PRC
-Walters
-US/PRC discussions
-Contact with President
-Warsaw


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 21
[National Security]
[Duration: 10s ]


PRC


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 21

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


-Jean Sainteny
-Georges Pompidou
-Walters
-PRC emissaries
-State Department
19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Kissinger's possible initiatives
-Possible contact
-Agnew
-Development/preparation
-President's meeting with American Society of Newspaper Editors [ASNE], April 16,
1971

Agnew's press interview Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Publicity
-Knowledge of foreign policy
-Possible impact on Agnew

McCloskey
-Testimony
-Timing
-Scali
-MacGregor
-Sullivan
-Testimony
-Rogers's upcoming press conference
-Laos and Vietnam
-Administration's position
-Rogers
-Schedule

Rogers
-Middle East visit
-Israeli/Egyptian conflict
-Press conference
-Laos and Vietnam

Kissinger left at 10:40 am.

Kissinger's schedule
-Laos
-Scali

Monday night dinners
-Haldeman, Kissinger, John D. Ehrlichman, and Shultz
-Informal discussions
-Time
-Peter G. Peterson
20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Shultz
-Loyalty
-Peterson
-Staff attendance
-MacGregor
-Ziegler
-Peterson
-Area Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Location
-Shultz, Ehrlichman, and Kissinger
-Morning staff meetings
-Kissinger

Rogers
-Middle East visit
-Conversation with the President
-Invitations
-Kissinger's view
-Prospects
-Kissinger's view
-Israel
-Credit
-Visit to USSR
-Middle East visit
-Previous conversation with Haldeman
-Itinerary
-Israel and Egypt
-Jordan
-Saudi Arabia
-Turkey
-Central Treaty Organization [CENTO]
-State Department
-PRC
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Shultz
-White House
-Kissinger
-Visit to USSR
-1970 European trip
-Publicity
-Visit to USSR
-Summit
-Edmund S. Muskie
21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Dobrynin

Middle East
-Kissinger's reaction
-Possible motivation
-Credit
-NSC
-Rogers Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)

President’s schedule
-Meeting with Republican Congressional leadership

Scott
-Defense of McCloskey

McCloskey
-Ford
-Peter H. Dominick
-William B. Saxbe
-Dominick
-MacGregor

White House Youth Conference, Estes Park, April 16, 1971
-Weather
-News story
-President's resignation
-Weather
-President's possible attendance

The President's appearance at DAR, April 19, 1971
-Support for the President
-DAR women
-Appearance
-Presidential appearance

The President's speeches
-Raymond K. Price, Jr.
-Anecdotes
-Personal and other
-Importance
-William L. Safire
-Upcoming speech
22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-US Chamber of Commerce, April 26, 1971

The President's address at DAR
-Anecdote
-American flag
-Prose
-Story
Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
Stories
-Importance
-Type
-Historical
-Biblical
-Biographical
-Speech writers
-John K. Andrews, Jr.
-Price
-Safire
-Patrick J. Buchanan
-Unknown

President's address at DAR and at Republican governor’s conference
-Extemporaneous remarks

Kissinger
-Work habits

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg
-Remarks regarding NSC meeting
-Attendance at NSC meetings
-Remarks regarding NSC meeting
-Press story
-PRC policy
-Opening
-Two China policy
-Press story
-Quoted

Agnew
-Position within administration
-Behavior
-Beliefs
23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Press
-PRC policy

The President's forthcoming meeting with US Jaycees officials
-Handshakes
-Presentation of resolution
-Remarks
-1970 convention Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)

Agnew
-Staff
The President as Vice President
-Staff
-Robert L. King
-Robert Ladd
-Christian A. Herter

Agnew
-Staff
-Malatesta
-Goodearle
-Relationship with the Vice President
-Problem

The President's speeches
-Preparation
-Study
-Ideas
-Jaycees
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
-Whitney M. Young, Jr.
-DAR
-Republican Governors' Conference
-Young
-Television coverage
-Nature of event
-Chamber of Commerce
-DAR
-Governors
-Mileage
-DAR
-Demagoguery
24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-President's appearance
-Length of speech
-Emotion
-Ziegler
-Klein
-Press reaction
-Governors
-Television coverage Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Welfare reform
-Guaranteed annual wage
-Ehrlichman and Shultz
-President's position
-Department of Health, Education and Welfare [HEW]
-Busing
-Integration
-Credibility
-President's position on issues
-Buchanan's intuitions
-Integration
-Busing
-Abortion
-Guaranteed annual income
-Abortion
-Ziegler

Ziegler entered at 11:03 am.

Supreme Court decision on school busing
-Garment
-Findings
-Charlotte-Mecklenburg case
-De jure/de facto segregation
-Pasadena case
-Los Angeles County case
-Garment
-Robert C. Mardian
-Ziegler's conversation with Richard A. Moore
-Justice Department
-Ziegler's possible comment
-Administration's position
-Parameters
-Review by departments
25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Issue
-Parameters
-De jure/de facto aspects
-De facto segregation
-Local options
-Court's intention

The President's schedule Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors
-Story
-Statement
-Cameras
-Pool
-Cameras
-Wire story

Ziegler left at 11:07 am.

-Press
-Meetings with groups
-Wire coverage
-Upcoming meeting with Jaycees
-Wire
-Press
-Photo pool and reporters

Supreme Court decision on school busing
-Charlotte-Mecklenburg case
-Constitutional amendment
-Freedom of choice

Agnew
-Qualities
-Haldeman's conversations with John B. Connally
-Pace
-Connally’s possible involvement

The President's schedule, April 22, 1971
-Meeting with Connally

Agnew's press interview at Williamsburg
-Statement about NSC
26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Compared with George W. Romney and John A. Volpe
-Maurice H. Stans
-Wage and price controls
-Vice President's responsibilities
-Support for President

Rogers
-Possible visit to USSR Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-Prospects
-Gromyko
-President's position

UN commission report

Loyalty of administration members
-Holdovers within government
-Resolution of doubts

Clifford M. Hardin
-Job offer at Purdue
-Possible acceptance
-President’s possible action

Reassignments of Cabinet posts
-Hardin
-Secretary of Agriculture
-Stans
-Secretary of Commerce
-Hardin
-Agriculture
-Rogers C.B. Morton
-Interior
-Volpe
-Romney
-Hardin

The President's schedule
-Upcoming meeting with agricultural editors
-Greeting

Supreme Court decision on school busing
-Wire story
27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 9/08)



-Constitution
-Desegregation
-Racial composition
-White/black ratio system
-Charlotte-Mecklenburg district
-Opinions
-Earl Warren
-1954 court case on segregation Conv. No. 483-4 (cont.)
-North Carolina anti-busing law
-Constitutionality
-Implementation of desegregation plans
-De jure plans
-Involuntary busing
-Blacks
-Administration's position
-North Carolina anti-busing law

Haldeman left at 11:15 am.
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