Secret White House Tapes

579–3

About this recording

579–3
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • Charles W. Colson
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • Stephen B. Bull
  • Henry A. Kissinger
September 28, 1971
Conversation No. 579-3

Date: September 28, 1971
Time: 12:04 pm - 1:40 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Charles W. Colson.

The President's previous trip to northwest United States

The President left and returned at an unknown time before 12:15 pm.

Public coverage of the President
-Amount
-Comparison
-Announcement of trip to People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-Newspapers
-Date
-Leads from television
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Detroit Economic Club
-Impact from the President's appearance
-Crowds

US economic policy
-Stock market
-Aberrations
7

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Points
-Atmosphere in US
-Announcement of Phase II
-Business
-Labor
-Cooperation of labor
-Labor practices
-Controls
-Profits
-Prices
-Businessmen
-Colson's conversations, September 27, 1971
-Flow of money
-Amount
-Cash reserves
-Buying
-Consumer confidence survey
-Actual reflections of consumer buying
-Albert E. Sindlinger survey
-Unknown survey
-Variable numbers
-Time magazine
-News story
-Board of economic advisors
-Estimate of Gross National Product [GNP] for 1972
-Amount of growth
-Walter W. Heller
-Otto Eckstein
-Alan Greenspan
-Effect on stock market
-Stock market
-Effect of the President's Detroit Economic Club speech
-Predictions compared to unpredictability
-Figures
-Phase II
-Certainty compared to uncertainty
-Herbert Stein's economic statement for the President
-Labor
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson
-Hubert H. Humphrey
-Meeting between George P. Shultz and Colson
8

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-George Meany
-Reactions from public
-American Federation of Labor/Congress of Industrial Organizations
[AFL-CIO]
-Political following of the President
-Leonard Woodcock
-[Joseph] Lane Kirkland
-Organization support in election
-Comparison to amount of money for support
-Votes
-1968 campaign
-Humphrey
-Votes
-Louis P. Harris's views

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 12:15 pm.

Funeral for Justice Hugo L. Black
-The President's attendance
-John N. Mitchell's suggestion
-Chief Justice [Warren E. Burger]
-Justice John M. Harlan
-Justice Thurgood Marshall
-Location
-Memorial service
-Purpose
-Winston L. Prouty's funeral
-Atmosphere
-Respect for Court
-Politics
-The President's relationship with the Court
-Politics
-The President's attendance or non-attendance
-Possible effect
-Television coverage
-Effect
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell's suggestion
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Funeral attendance
-The President's relationship with Justice Black
9

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Black's views of the President's administration
-Ku Klux Klan
-The President's schedule
-Meeting with the President of the Organization of African Unity and five
African prime ministers
-Delay of meeting
-Possible impact
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell
-Respect for the Supreme Court
-Lawyers
-Colson
-Leonard Garment
-Richard A. Moore
-Ehrlichman
-Possible appointment of liberal judge
-Ehrlichman
-Garment
-Moore
-Mitchell

Supreme Court
-Appointments
-Supreme Court Justices
-William J. Brennan
-Type of service
-Marshall
-Byron R. (“Whizzer”) White
-Rhodes scholar
-Potter Stewart
-Type of service
-Abe Fortas
-Black
-Harlan
-Black
-Fortas
-Earl Warren
-Burger
-Backgrounds
-Burger
-Poff
10

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Black

Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Ronald L. Ziegler
-Secret Service
-The President's seat at church
-Public display
-Reasons
-Mitchell
-The President's seat at church
-Ehrlichman
-Public display
-Secret Service

Secret Service protection
-Secret Service position stations for limousine
-Appearance
-The President's instructions to Robert Taylor
-The President's previous trip to Alaska
-Secret Service agent
-Injury
-Consequences
-Crowds' belief
-Protection of the President
-Secret Service agents as shooting targets
-The President as target

Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Informing press corps
-Decision
-Timing
-Advance man
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Exploitation of funerals
-Press coverage
-The President's funeral
-The President's strategy
-Ziegler
-Preparations
11

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Timing
-Mitchell
-Length of attendance

Supreme Court
-Harlan
-Funerals
-Prouty's funeral
-Ages
-The President's attendance

US economic policies
-Haldeman's conversation with John B. Connally
-Meeting
-Accomplishments
-Japan
-Negotiation

The President’s schedule
-Proposed meeting between the President and Pierre-Paul Schweitzer
-Connally’s conversation with Burns
-The President's forthcoming meeting with Schweitzer
-Length
-Reception for International Monetary Fund [IMF]
-Connally's presence
-Burns's presence
-Other people in attendance
-Presence of Burns and Connally
-Length of meeting
-Reception of IMF
Time
-The President's meeting with Andrei A. Gromyko
-Time
-IMF
-Reception
-The President's statement
-Preparation
-Time
-Meeting with Gromyko
-Meeting with Manlio Brosio
-Medal of Freedom ceremony
12

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Preparation of statement for IMF reception
-Timing
-Meeting with Brosio
-Reception by the President of IMF
-Time
-The President's meeting with Gromyko
-Time
-Preparation of statement for IMF
-Time
-Meeting with Brosio
-Time
-The President's meeting with Gromyko
-Preparation
-IMF reception
-Time
-Meeting with Gromyko

Haldeman left at 12:30 pm.

Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Health of others
-Harlan
-Marshall
-William O. Douglas
-Harlan's funeral
-American Bar Association [ABA]
-American Medical Association [AMA]

Funerals
-Living person
-Letters
-Communication
-Family members
-Colson's attendance at Prouty funeral

Supreme Court
-Appointments
-Confirmation

Michael J. Mansfield amendment
13

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Time duration
-Politics
-[Agnew's] response

Vietnam
-Mansfield
-Political abilities
-Mansfield amendment
-House of Representatives
-Vietnam War
-Democrats responsibility
-End of war
-Effect on the President
-Colson's attendance at dinner party
-Clark MacGregor
-Carl B. Albert
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mansfield amendment
-Impact
-Constituents
-Type of issue
-Effect on Capitol Hill colleagues
-Draft bill
-Debate
-Authorization bill
-Delay
-MacGregor
-Anti-war issue
-Elections
-Press coverage
-Public apathy
-Colson's conversation with Louis P. Harris
-Trip to the Soviet Union
-Vietnam War
-End of war
-Prisoner of War [POW] issue
-POW wives
-Elections
-Mansfield amendment
-Military Procurement Bill
-Senate
14

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Effect on House
-Vote on conferees
-Delay of vote
-Senate
-Albert
-Support of the President

US economic policy
-Activity on Capitol Hill
-Trend of economy
-Prime rate
-Inflation
-Employment
-Growth rate
-Effect on buying trends
-Unemployment
-New York figures
-Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] figures
-Correspondence with Colson
-Annual federal figures
-New York
-California
-Illinois
-Ohio
-Pennsylvania
-Types of figures
-Seasonal
-Monthly
-BLS
-Employee
-Conversation with Colson
-Figures to reflect administration's desires
-Commerce Department
-Head of \"Presidential Commission on Statistics\"
-Credentials
-W. Allen Wallis
-University of Pittsburgh
-Geoffrey H. Moore
-Burns
-Employees
-Jewish
15

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Democrats
-Answering Colson's questions
-Trend of economics
-Media coverage
-Economic reports
-Type of reports
-National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC]
-Retail sales
-August 15, 1971
-Available money
-Spending money
-Spending activity
-Harold C. Passer
-Report on retail sales
-September 1, 1971
-The President's statement on August 15, 1971
-Sindlinger
-Impact
-Retail sales
-Louis Harris series
-Reaction to economy
-Economic trend
-Harris
-Public attitude
-Politicians
-Recovery of economy
-Milton Friedman's views
-Recession
-Public statement on economy by Jackson
-Humphrey
-Economic trend
-Response by administration officials
-Vietnam casualties
-George Romney
-Speech
-Maurice H. Stans
-Press conference
-Media response to the President's ending Vietnam War
-Reactions to administration's statement
-Lack of coverage
16

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



Press relations
-The President's statements
-Reaction of press
-Foreign policies
-Peace and war prosperity
-Prosperity without war
-Democrats
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Speeches for administration
-Out of town location
-Denver, Colorado
-Coverage
-Comparison to Washington, DC

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.

Henry A. Kissinger's schedule

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm.

Public affairs
-Leonard Bernstein's Mass
-The President's appearance
-News coverage
-Editorials in Catholic Standard
-Daniel and Philip Barrigan
-Angela Davis
-Patrick J. Buchanan's possible statement
-Catholic Standard's comments
-The President's relations with Catholics
-Knights of Columbus
-Administration's position
-Knights of Columbus speech
-Terence Cardinal Cooke
-Brochure
-The President's remarks
-Catholic community

Polls
-Harris poll
-Public attitude toward government
17

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Election campaign

Bull entered at an unknown time after 12:30 pm.

The President's schedule
-Meeting with Kissinger

Bull left at an unknown time before 1:04 pm.

Polls
-Harris
-Support for the President
-Current times
-Minority support
-Public attitude
-Impact
-The President's trips around US
-Type of crowds


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 6m 29s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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

Race relations
-Busing
-Constitutional amendment
-Administration's position
-Unknown Michigan judge
-De facto segregation
-Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD]
-Busing
-Robert P. Griffin
-Boston, Massachusetts
18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Integration
-Blacks
-Schools and colleges
-Housing
-Slow procedure
-Irish Americans
-John A. Mulcahey
-Italians
-Stratification of white society
-Elmer H. Bobst
-Human nature
-Forcing issue
-Results
-Prohibition
-Comparison to busing
-Human nature


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 4m 1s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

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


President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with President of Mauritania
-Africa

US economic policy
-Citizens committee
-Washington Post
-Support
-Money

Kissinger entered at 1:04 pm.
19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)




Vietnam
-Politics
-Mansfield amendment
-House of Representatives
-Head count
-Conferees
-Impact on administration
-MacGregor
-Deadlines
-House of Representatives incentive
-Capitol Hill
-Members of the House supporting the President's policies
-Deadline
-Vietnam and China
-Democrats
-Republicans
-Number
-Relationship with the President
-Election
-Albert
-Conferees
-Mansfield amendment
-Possible consequence of passage
-End of war
-Congressional action
-Facts compared to allegations
-Effect actions on Capitol Hill have on negotiations
-The President's conversation with Mansfield
-Success of ending the war
-Question of who did it
-Credit for the President for ending the war
-Democrat party caucus
-Administration's response to opponents
-Gerald R. Ford
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Administration's options
-F. Edward Hebert
-Albert
-Type of vote
20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Effect on negotiations
-Matter of timing
-Mansfield amendment
-Troop withdrawal from Vietnam
-Politics

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 1:10 pm.

Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Motorcade with Mitchell
-Time
-Departure
-Press coverage

Haldeman left at 1:12 pm.

Vietnam
-Mansfield amendment and effect on Vietnam negotiations
-Filibuster of Defense Procurement Act
-Cut back on military programs
-Deadline
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Previous results
-House of Representatives
-Possible reaction by Hanoi
-Resolution
-Deadline
-Delay of bill
-Date of next troop withdrawal announcement by the President
-Politics
-Negotiations
-The President's conversation with Mansfield
-Negotiations
-Possible damage by Mansfield amendment
-Republicans
-House of Representatives
-Kissinger's conversation with POW wives
-The President's efforts in Vietnam
-Effect on Democrats
21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Mansfield
-Albert
-Hebert
-Southerners' patriotism
-Support for the President
-Negotiations between US and Vietnam
-Congress
-Money
-Mansfield amendment
-Possible modification
-Voting
-Results
-Negotiations
-Effort by the administration
-Record
-Effect
-Comparison to the President’s August 15, 1971 speech
-Credit
-POWs
-Amendment
-Kissinger's knowledge
-POWs
-Number of remaining troops in Vietnam
-Negotiating strategy
-Bombings
-Negotiations
-Mansfield Amendment
-Delay
-Compromising
-Effect on US position
-Draft bill
-Hebert
-Support for administration
-People’s Republic of China [PRC] announcement
-Hebert
-House of Representatives
-Support for the Administration
-Military Procurement bill
-Hebert
-Instructions
-House of Representatives
22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Hebert
-Committees
-Possible veto
-Change of language
-Delay
-Filibuster
-Mansfield amendment
-Vote
-Timing
-US interests
-US history
-Troop withdrawal
-Timing of vote
-Election in South Vietnam

Colson left at 1:22 pm.

The President’s schedule
-Forthcoming meeting with Moktar Ould Daddah


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[National Security]
[Duration: 36s ]


-AFRICA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


US foreign policy
-State Department area desks
-Africa
-Latin America
-Gromyko meeting
23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Kissinger's memorandum

Mansfield amendment
-Ford's conversation with Colson
-MacGregor
-Statement at Godfrey Sperling's breakfast
-Possible November 15, 1971 announcement of US withdrawal
-Colson
-Support for the President
-Congress
-Responsibility
-The President’s conversation with Kissinger, September 27, 1971
-Announcement of next troop withdrawal
-October 5, and 12, 1971
-Effect

The President's schedule
-Haldeman
-Accidental War Agreement signing
-Gromyko
-Press coverage
-Foreign policy leadership

Accidental War Agreement
-Press coverage
-Gerard Smith
-Conversation with Kissinger
-New York Times
-Smith's reaction
-Kissinger’s reaction
-Significance of agreement
-Compared to accomplishments of John F. Kennedy
-Possible motivation
-Kissinger’s view
-News summaries
-Reactions
-Questions to the President
-Detroit, Portland
-President’s schedule
-Possible attendance at signing
-Effect on Soviet Union and PRC
24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-PRC announcement
-Announcement on Accidental War Agreement
-Backgrounder
-Smith

Vietnam
-Plan
-Paris
-Timing
-PRC announcement
-Soviet announcement
-Letter or note to North Vietnamese
-Nguyen Van Thieu
-Possible resignation
-Election
-Negotiations
-Response by North Vietnamese
-Speculation
-Public announcement
-Date
-Thieu
-Election
-Gromyko's forthcoming meeting with Kissinger
-Middle East
-Kissinger's schedule
-Moscow
-Comment prior to the President's forthcoming November 15, 1971
announcement
-Troop levels
-Ground combat
-\"Vietnamization\"
-\"Vietnamization\"
-Timing of announcement
-POWs
-Residual forces
-Possible announcement in January 1972
-The President's forthcoming November 15, 1971 announcement
-Impact
-Congress
-Rogers
-Melvin R. Laird
25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Trip to Vietnam
-Preparation by administration
-Critics of the President's policy
-US position
-Negotiation
-Rogers and Laird
-Possible leaks
-Knowledge
-Forthcoming announcement, November 15, 1971
-PRC announcement
-Message from US to PRC

Soviet Union
-Position in regards to US
-Possible implications of spy scandal in Great Britain
-Seriousness

Mansfield amendment
-Effects of Congress on foreign negotiations
-Supreme Court nominees
-Mitchell
-Congress
-Congress
-Supreme Court nominees
-Delays
-Responsibility
-Kissinger’s view

South Vietnam
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.'s trip
-Status
-The President’s press conference
-Timing

The President's schedule
-Meeting with President Daddah of Mauritania
-Kissinger’s possible attendance
-Duration of meeting
-French language

Haldeman entered at an unknown time before 1:35 pm.
26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)




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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9
[National Security]
[Duration: 4s ]


AFRICA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 9

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

The President’s schedule
-African ambassadors form the organization of African unity
-Number
-Duration of meeting
-African ambassadors
-Participation in meetings
-Time duration
-Funeral for Justice Black
-The President's attendance
-Mitchell
-Martha Mitchell
-Richard G. Kleindienst
-Mrs. Black
-Bill signing
-Delay
-Photographs
-“Big Four” Congressman

Kissinger left at 1:35 pm.

US politics and foreign relations
-Colson
-MacGregor
-Conversation about the President's position
-Kissinger
27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06) Conv. No. 579-3 (cont.)



-Speculation
-The President's forthcoming announcement, November 15, 1971
-Actual response to questions on announcement
-Kissinger

Funeral for Justice Black
-Wire services
-Public announcement
-The President's schedule
-Attendance at funeral
-Funerals and religious services
-Exploitation

Haldeman left at 1:40 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

579–3

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