Secret White House Tapes

632–11

About this recording

632–11
  • President Richard M. Nixon
  • H. R. Haldeman
  • Ronald L. Ziegler
  • Alexander P. Butterfield
December 8, 1971
Conversation No. 632-11

Date: December 8, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:14 am and 12:30 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

The President's talk with George H.W. Bush
-Bush
-Press conference
-New York Times
-[India]
-United Nations [UN]
-Aggression
-Democracy
-Dictatorship
-Other countries
-Possible US assistance
-Use of force

The President's recent talk with John B. Connally
-Office of Economic Opportunity [OEO]
-Forthcoming veto
-Controversial issues

Bush and Connally
-Praise from the President
-Henry A. Kissinger

Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] Christmas special
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s schedule
-Memphis, Tennessee
-[Dwight] David Eisenhower, II
18

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)



-Television special
-Time change

Republican youth voting registration drive
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Request to be honorary chairman
-Political figure compared to member of the First Family
-Television appearances
-Limits in the future
-Difficulties
-Separating political figure from family figure

National Broadcasting Company [NBC] program
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-John A. Scali
-Timing
-Length
-60 minutes compared to 90
-Use of film
-Possible ratings for program
-Possible public reaction to program
-Compared to [Tricia Nixon Cox’s] wedding
-John W. Chancellor interview
-Value of program

Television
-Talk shows
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon
-Tour of the White House
-American Broadcasting Company [ABC] show
-President’s opinion of show
-Barbara Walters
-Douglas L. Hallett
-One-on-one
-Feasibility
-Audience
-Public opinion
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Probable public reaction
19

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-Accuracy of NBC program
-The President’s schedule


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 14s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2

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


-Birthday calls
-Number
-[Gary Washington]
-Athlete
-Five women generals
-Meetings
-Julie Nixon Eisenhower
-Kissinger
-King Timahoe


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[National Security]
[Duration: 26s ]


CANADA


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3

**********************************************************************
20

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)



Polls

Ronald L. Ziegler entered at 11:27 am.

Press briefing
-Timing

The President's talk with Bush
-UN vote on India-Pakistan
-Result of vote
-Anti-aggression
-Bush’s report
-Democracy comparison
-Size of country
-India compared to Pakistan
-Aggression
-Type and size of government of a country
-Justification for aggression
-UN General Assembly vote
-Vietnam comparison
-Bush’s previous conversation with the President
-India’s size
-The “Establishment”
-India’s democracy compared to Pakistan’s dictatorship
-Kissinger’s backgrounder
-Bush’s analysis of UN vote
-US position on aggression
-US overwhelmingly on side of world opinion

OEO legislation

Pension legislation
-Vesting rights

Brussels announcement
-Robert Strausz-Hupe nomination
-US Ambassador to Belgium
-Unknown person
21

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


Forthcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] meeting
-David M. Kennedy
-Location
-William P. Rogers
-Announcement
-Timing

Forthcoming trip to the Azores, December 12, 1971
-Accommodations
-Number of rooms
-French press accommodations
-Transportation
-Supersonic transport [SST]
-Types of airplanes
-French
-Georges J.R. Pompidou
-President offers congratulations to Pompidou and the French

Ziegler left at 11:35 am.

Ziegler
-Difficulty of Ziegler’s job

Scali
-Briefings
-Possible performance

Kissinger
-John Kenneth Galbraith dinner
-Importance
-Paris diplomatic group
-Possible failure
-Vietnam negotiations
-Le Duc Tho
-Blow to Kissinger
-Assessment of blame
-Congress
-Ziegler
-Rogers
-Cambodia
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
22

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-California
-State of the world
-Kissinger’s staff
-Responsibility
-US
-Biafra
-State Department
-Rogers
-Neutral stance
-Charles E. Goodell
-US position
-Haldeman's talk with Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Nelson A. Rockefeller

Haig
-Trust

White House staff

Kissinger
-Negotiating skills
-Communiqué
-People’s Republic of China [PRC]

“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Future programs
-Networks
-Democrats

Press conference
-Timing
-“A Day in the Life of the President”
-Offering insights on the Presidency
23

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 26s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6

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


Kissinger
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Plan on how to deal with Kissinger
-Haig
-PRC and USSR trips
-Kissinger’s possible attendance
-Possible resignation
-Rogers
-PRC trip
-USSR trip
-The President
-Request for Kissinger’s attendance during trips
-Rogers
-Connally
-Possible job performance
-Confidence
-Compared to Rogers
-Rogers
-Vietnam
-Troop withdrawals

Alexander P. Butterfield entered at an unknown time after 11:35 am.

The President's schedule
-John W. McCormack
-Location

Butterfield left at an unknown time before 12:30 pm.
24

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


Official dinners
-Time of year
-Supreme Court
-Congress and the Vice President [Spiro T. Agnew]
-Cabinet
-Clifford M. Hardin
-Maurice H. Stans
-Timing
-Walter J. Hickel
-Honoring retired members
-Supreme Court
-Conservatives
-Votes
-Lawyer votes
-Understanding
-Press coverage
-Mrs. William O. Douglas
-State dinner
-Mrs. Emilio Garrastazu Médici and daughter


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 1m 10s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7

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

Dinners
-James Earl Jones [?]
-Mike Royco [?]
-Attendance
-Rose Mary Woods
-Invitations
-Difficulties in arranging dinners
-Diplomatic
-Ambassadors
25

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-Benefits of dinners to the President
-Contributors
-Dinner attendees
-Meaning


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

BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal Returnable]
[Duration: 7m 5s ]


END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8

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


India-Pakistan situation
-UN vote
-Importance of vote
-Communist countries
-Bush
-Kissinger’s plan
-USSR
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-Indira Gandhi
-Possible US course of action
-Potential aid cut-off

Public relations
-Sports-celebrity rally
-Poll data
-Drug issue
-Importance to America
-Dr. Jerome H. Jaffe
-Salute to Hollywood
-Opera
-Leonard Garment
-Nancy Hanks
-Music
26

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-Entertainment at White House
-Violinist at White House, December 17, 1971
-Itzhak Perlman
-Compared to Isaac Stern
-Health

Dinners
-Salute to Hollywood and sports rally
-Supreme Court
-Swearing-in ceremonies
-Chief Justice
-New Associate Justices
-Protocol

Peter G. Peterson
-Secretary of Commerce
-Chief Executive Officer
-The President’s possible staff reorganization

Maurice H. Stans
-Trip to USSR [?]

John N. Mitchell

Kissinger
-Appearance on “A Day in the Life of the President”
-Feelings
-Rogers
-Diplomatic wires
-Backgrounder
-Meeting with Haldeman
-Possible outcome
-PRC and USSR trips
-Kissinger’s skill as a negotiator
-Middle East
-Job stresses and performance


The President's schedule
-Azores
-Distance
27

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-Florida
-Washington, DC
-Latitude
-Press conferences
-Timing
-President’s concern
-Types of press conferences
-Duration of visit
-Christmas decorations
-Invitation to the press
-Press corps reception
-Timing
-Number of press at reception
-Briefing
-Press assignments
-Florida
-Azores
-Press
-Mrs. Nixon
-New York
-Decorations
-Timing
-Time magazine interview
-Bermuda to Florida
-Dates
-Christmas
-Proposed work schedule
-Time magazine interview
-Length
-Christmas tree lighting
-Press conference
-Christmas decorations
-Time magazine interview
-Suggested dates
-New York
-Timing
-Scali
-Press
-Questions
-Possible press embargo
-Bermuda
28

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 632-11 (cont.)


-Vietnam War
-Rogers
-NATO meeting
-December 16 and 17, 1971
-Press corps reception
-Christmas tree lighting
-Bermuda
-Length of trip
-Football games
-Television
-Florida
-Willy Brandt meetings
-Proposed dates
-Press article
-Jerrold L. Schecter
-Separate from Time interview
-Tour of the White House

Haldeman left at 12:30 pm.
Secret White House Tapes |

632–11

This recording is currently not available on millercenter.org. To listen to it, please email Mike Greco at mdg4u@virginia.edu

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