724–5

Conversation No. 724-5

Date: May 15, 1972
Time: 4:54 pm - 5:05 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with George P. Shultz and Caspar W. Weinberger.

Greetings
-Weinberger

George C. Wallace
-Shooting
 31

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 724-4 (cont.)


John B. Connally
-Appointment as Secretary of Treasury
-Duration
-Reasons
-Extension
-Reasons

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at 4:56 pm.

Wallace
-Shooting
-Location
-Condition
-Other victims
-Alabama state trooper
-Dora Thompson
-Weapon
-Assailant
-Race
-Age
-Apprehension
-Secret Service
-Other victims
-Secret Service agent
-Assailant
-Motive
-Background
-Attire
-Condition
-Effect on President's schedule
-Blue Room reception
-Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon's knowledge
-Services offered by the President
-White House press release
-Preparation

Haldeman left at 4:57 pm.

Connally
-Resignation
-Announcement
-Political implications
 32

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 724-5 (cont.)


Shultz
-Nomination as Secretary of Treasury

Weinberger
-Nomination for director of Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-Work with Shultz
-Meeting with the President
-Time
-Delay
-Work with Shultz
-\"Troika\" and \"Quadriad\"
-Characteristics desired

Connally
-Resignation
-Loss
-Reasons
-Political work

Weinberger
-Acceptance
-Difficulty of work
-Pay
-Perquisites
-The President’s view
-Compared to Chiang Kai-shek

Budget
-Connally's appearance at hearings
-Philosophy
-Stringency
-Taxes
-Effect on OMB
-Vetoes
-Fiscal policy
-Business Council
-Herbert Stein's presentation
-Reception
-The President’s view
-Donald McI. Kendall
-The President’s view
-The President’s view
 33

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Jan-02) Conv. No. 724-5 (cont.)

-Compared to Ivy League college presidents
-Defined

New appointees
-Weinberger
-Intentions
-Shultz
-President's and Connally's decision
-Weinberger
-President's and Connally's decision
-Decision
-Time made
-Secrecy
-John D. Ehrlichman
-Haldeman
-Unanimous choice

President's anecdote
-Leonid I. Brezhnev meeting with Henry A. Kissinger
-Opinion of elite

Goodbyes

Shultz and Weinberger left at 5:05 pm.