709–15

Conversation No. 709-15

Date: April 17, 1972
Time: 11:35 am - 12:02 pm
Location: Oval Office

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

Richard G. Kleindienst confirmation
-John N. Mitchell's report
-Negotiations with Samuel J. Ervin, Jr. and Paul J. Fannin
-Robert Mardian
-Clark MacGregor

Vietnam
-William P. Rogers's testimony, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
-Rogers’s hearing
-Press coverage
-Clifford P. Case's questions
-Support for the President and Vietnamization
-Criticism of air war
-Press coverage
-Rogers's bearing
 33

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-14 (cont.)


-Frank F. Church's questions

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:35 and
11:50 am

[Conversation No. 709-15A]

[See Conversation No. 23-1]

[End of telephone conversation]

Vietnam
-Rogers's testimony

The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 11:35 and
11:50 am.

[Conversation No. 709-15B]

[See Conversation No. 23-2]

[End of telephone conversation]

Vietnam
-Rogers's testimony

Kleindienst confirmation
-MacGregor
-Mitchell
-Advice on Kleindienst
-Speech
-Scheduling
-Ervin's tactics
-Delay of testimony
-Michael Gravel case
-Supreme Court
-Privilege of Congress
-Criticism of Ervin's position

Vietnam
-Rogers's testimony
 34

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-15 (cont.)


-Substance
-Haldeman’s opinion
-Television appearance
-Bearing
-Criticism of invasion
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Plane loss
-Figures and casualties
-US bombing
-Military reasons
-Diplomatic reasons
-Importance
-Talents
-Legal abilities
-Public relations sense
-Clarity
-Compared with Henry A. Kissinger
-North Vietnamese intentions
-Negotiations
-Possible offer from North Vietnam
-US bombing
-Cessation
-Conditions
-Violations
-Cessation
-Demilitarized zone [DMZ]
-US bombing
-Conditions for cessation
-Changes of policy under the President
-Compared to 1968
-Troops
-Retaliation for attacks
-Protection of troops
-Rogers compared to Kissinger
-North Vietnamese invasion
-Mechanized forces
-Source of supply
-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
-Petroleum dependence
-US attacks on dumps
-Purpose of bombings
 35

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-15 (cont.)


-News coverage
-Edmund S. Muskie's resolution
-Comments
-Dangers to Democrats
-Henry M. (“Scoop”) Jackson's criticism
-George C. Wallace

Wallace
-Tax reform
-Letter to the President
-Congress
-Donald H. Rumsfeld’s reaction

John B. Connally
-Return from Texas
-Timing
-Haldeman's call
-Appointment with Haldeman
-Vacation in Texas
-Benefits
-Lyndon B. Johnson
-Need to get back to Texas

Vietnam
-US bombing
-Haiphong
-Supporters
-William F. (“Billy”) Graham
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Charles W. Colson briefing
-Albert E. Sindlinger poll
-Hawkishness of public opinion
-Voluntary reaction
-Sindlinger's press conference
-The President’s previous conversation with Kissinger
-Desire for negotiations
-Possible partial deal
-Negotiations with the USSR
-Blockade
-Imposition
-Timing
 36

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-15 (cont.)


-North Vietnamese troop withdrawal from South Vietnam
-Blockade
-Johnson's compared with the President's policies

White House staff
-Donald B. Rice
-Job with Rand Corporation
-Meeting with the President
-Value
-Departures
-Meetings with the President
-Kissinger’s people
-Rice
-Meeting with the President
-George P. Shultz
-Reasons
-Departures
-Meetings with the President
-Scheduling
-Alexander P. Butterfield
-Individuals to meet with the President
-Stephen Hess
-Capitalization on White House job
-Meetings with the President
-President’s view
-Unknown accountant [?]

Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's schedule
-Mix-up with pandas
-Two People's Republic of China [PRC] related events on same day
-Rescheduling
-Constance M. (Cornell) (“Connie”) Stuart
-Upcoming conversation with Haldeman
-Work with Ronald L. Ziegler
-Soviet trip
-Ziegler's staff
-Plane
-Reason for trip
-Favor to Mrs. Nixon
-Haldeman's conversation with William R. Codus
-Stuart’s staff people
 37

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-15 (cont.)


-Problems
-Mrs. Nixon's trip to Africa
-Codus
-Stuart
-Job description
-Assignments
-Work with Mrs. Nixon
-Lucy A. Winchester
-Soviet trip
-Restrictions
-Hairdresser on Soviet trip
-The President’s insistence
-Work on previous trips
-Helpfulness
-Value to Mrs. Nixon

Soviet trip
-Warsaw stopover
-Announcement

Vietnam
-Rogers's testimony
-Haldeman's call
-Complements
-The President's call
-Blockade
-The President’s previous conversation with Rogers
-Rogers's statement
-Options
-Exclusions
-Ground forces
-Nuclear weapons
-Rogers's testimony
-Blockade question

Stephen B. Bull entered at an unknown time after 11:52 am.

The President's schedule
-Luncheon with William M. Colmer
-Meeting with Rice
-Length
 38

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. 10/06)
Conv. No. 709-15 (cont.)


-Next job
-Rand Corporation
-Family
-Gift
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-MacGregor
-Ervin

Bull left at an unknown time before 12:02 pm.

Kleindienst confirmation
-Ervin
-Meeting with MacGregor
-Jack Gleason

Haldeman left at 12:02 pm.