826–4

Conversation No. 826-4

Date: December 19, 1972
Time: 11:27 am - 11:51 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with William D. Ruckelshaus and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr. The White House
photographer was present at the beginning of the meeting.

Greetings

Budget
-Surplus

[Photograph session]

[Environmental Protection Agency] [EPA]
-Ruckelshaus’s job
-Problems
-“Hawks”
-“Doves”

Environment
-Credibility of administration
-Ruckelshaus’s credibility
-Birds
-People
 -34-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)

Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

*****************************************************************
[Begin segment reviewed under deed of gift]

Ruckelshaus’s plans
-Senate candidacy in Indiana
-Birch E. Bayh, Jr.
-1974 election
-Popularity
-Controversy
-Judgeships
-Polls
-Vance Hartke
-Compared to Bayh
-Party divisions
-Ruckelshaus’ decisions
-Timing
-Mayor of Indianapolis
-Richard G. Lugar
-Governor
-Conflict
-1975 Presidential election
-John B. Connally
-Party change
-1976 Presidential nomination
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Southerners
-Justice Department
-Age
-Indiana Governor
-Otis Brown
-Speaker of Indiana House
-Edgar D. Whitcomb
-Indiana
-Support for the President
-Midwest
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
-Ohio
-Senate candidacy
-Bayh
-Hartke
 -35-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)

Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

-Personality
-Health

[End segment reviewed under deed of gift]
*****************************************************************


Second term reorganization
-Ruckelshaus
-Attorney General, judge
-Law enforcement
-Judiciary
-Cabinet
-Water
-Withholding of funds
-Controversy
-Background
-General Counsel, Attorney General’s office, Indiana
-Indiana House of Representatives
-Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division
-Law enforcement
-Administrative ability
-Lawyers
-Deputy Administrator [Robert W. Fri]
-Work with people
-EPA
-Establishment
-Turf fighting
-Credibility
-Air and water pollution
-Louis P. Harris poll
-Timing
-Background
-Harvard University Law School
-Princeton University
-Indianapolis
-Ivy League
-Grandfather
-Republican state chairman, 1900
 -36-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)

Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)


Ivy League
-Charles W. Colson
-Brown University
-Opposition to the President’s decisions
-Cambodia, May 8, 1972; summits
-Presidents
-Little Three
-Amherst College, Trinity College, Williams College
-Polls
-Faculties
-Students
-Caspar W. (“Cap”) Weinberger
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Quality
-Civilization
-Possible course
-Harvard University, Princeton University
-University of California
-Stanford University

The President’s philosophy of civilization
-Leader class
-Decline of society
-Britain, France, Roman Empire
-US
-Non-Communist nations
-West Germany, Japan
-Konrad Adenauer
-US
-Opposition to the President
-Universities, networks
-Compared to national editors
-Opinionmakers
-Georgetown
-1972 campaign
-The President’s conversation with Alice Roosevelt
Longworth
-George S. McGovern
 -37-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)

Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

-Permissiveness, US withdrawal from Vietnam,
welfare
-“Libs”
-Conservatives
-1964 campaign
-Reactionary right
-Barry M. Goldwater
-Tennessee Valley
Authority [TVA]
-Marquis Childs
-James B. (“Scotty”) Reston
-1972 election
-Results
-Press relations
-Television
-Intellectuals
-Environmental issues
-Air and water pollution
-Racial issues
-1960s
-Mississippi
-Universities
-Football
-Stanford, University of Southern California [USC]
-Vietnam War
-Environmental issues
-Earth Day
-1971
-Zero population growth
-Articles
-Timing
-Ruckelshaus’s position
-Intelligence
-Lack of character, courage
-Economy
-Congressional relations
-Budget ceiling
-Editorials in New York Times, Washington Post
-Withholding of funds
 -38-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)

Conversation No. 826-4 (cont’d)

-Water
-Ruckelshaus’s meeting

Ruckelshaus
-Retention
-Politics
-Future
-Primary

Donald H. Rumsefeld
-Politics
-Conversation with the President
-Senate
-Hamlet
-Polls
-Adlai E. Stevenson, III
-Adlai E. Stevenson, II
-The President’s view
-Risks

Robert H. Finch
-Politics
-Senate
-Alan Cranston
-Toughness

Politics
-Risks

The President’s appreciation
-Budget
-Cole

Ruckelshaus left at 11:51 am.
 -39-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. July-08)