Date: October 24, 1972
Time: 4:16 pm – 6:30 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President met with John B. Connally, John N. Mitchell, Clark MacGregor, John D.
Ehrlichman, Charles W. Colson and H.R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
Greetings
-Connally’s television [TV] appearance, October 20, 1972
The President’s schedule
1972 election
-Vietnam negotiations
-Timing
-Connally’s view
15
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Possible public perception of a settlement
-Political ramifications
-The President’s view
-Potential problems
-Nguyen Van Thieu’s situation
-North Vietnamese
-Deadline compared with flexibility
Manolo Sanchez [?] entered at an unknown time after 4:16 pm.
-North Vietnamese claim
-Thieu’s blocking of possible settlement
-Delicacy of situation
-The President’s recent conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
-The President’s role
-Public perception
-Connally’s view
-Compared with Kissinger’s role
Sanchez [?] left at an unknown time before 6:05 pm.
-Possible question and answer session
-The President’s view
-The President’s frequent consultation with Kissinger
-Ronald L. Ziegler’s possible statement
-Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
-The President’s strategy
-George S. McGovern’s campaign
-McGovern’s fears
-Thieu and possible statement
-Questions and answers
-Type of settlement and timing
-Kissinger’s statements to North Vietnam and Thieu
-Timeline
-The President’s possible military action after election
-The President’s conversation with unknown person
-Cambodia and Laos
-Vietnamese people
-South Vietnam’s future
-Thieu
-MacGregor’s possible appearance on the Today Show
-MacGregor’s recent meeting with Paul {last name unknown]
16
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Paul C. Warnke’s possible appearance
-The President’s position
-White House statements
-Kissinger
-William P. Rogers
-Possible statements
-Status of negotiations
-Kissinger
-Pham Van Dong’s interview with [Arnaud de Borchgrave]
-Type of settlement
-Survival of South Vietnam
-Possible response to MacGregor statements
-Necessity
-Congressmen and Senators
-Haig and Kissinger
-MacGregor’s possible Today show appearance
-Response to Warnke’s statements
-Cease fire
-Melvin R. Laird
-MacGregor’s strategy
-Haig and Kissinger’s view
-Portions of the President’s previous speech, January 25, 1972
-The President’s record
-McGovern’s plan
-Withdrawal
-Laos, Cambodia
-Surrender
-Prisoners of war [POWs]
-Current issues compared with past record
-The President’s view
-McGovern’s statements
-Compared with the President and Hubert H. Humphrey’s statements
in the 1968 campaign
-Effect on negotiations
-Attacking tone
-The President’s view
-Possible statements
-Effect of Democrats on negotiations
-McGovern’s actions and statements
-Trip to Vietnam
-The President’s policy
-POWs
17
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Coalition government issue
-South Vietnamese self-determination
-Thieu’s possible resignation
-McGovern’s plan
-Peace with surrender
-Effect on negotiations
-Ziegler
-Statement about South Vietnamese
Press
-New York Times story
-Connally story
-Source
-Retraction
-Bob [last name unknown]
-Washington Post story on Connally
-Telephone conversation
-Democrats for Nixon
-Los Angeles Times story on Connally’s salary
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-George E. Christian
-Samuel W. Yorty
-Wilbur D. Mills
-Campaign practices
-Author
-Edward M. Kennedy supporter
-Knowledge of Donald H. Segretti and Watergate
-Role in Democratic party
-Connally’s support for John F. Kennedy
-Financial records
-Corruption charges
-Response
-Robert J. Dole
-Get-out-the-vote effort
-Watergate
-Quality of reporting
-Ziegler
-Segretti
Forthcoming TV appearance
-Today show
-International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
18
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Issues and Answers
-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew
-Samuel A. Donaldson
-Face the Nation
-William P. Rogers’s appearance with Daniel L. Schorr
-Possible Meet the Press appearance
-Rogers, George P. Shultz
-Agnew
-Connally
-The President’s view
-Advantages
-Democrats
-Issues
-Democrats
-October 20, 1972
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 8m 51s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 2
*****************************************************************
1972 campaign
-The President’s forthcoming radio speeches
-Crime and drug abuse, October 15, 1972
-Rural America and Farms Ten Goals for America [“Birthright of an American
Child” November 5, 1972]
-Coverage by newspapers
-Sunday compared Monday papers
-Omnibus veto signing statement [Memorandum of disapproval of Nine Bills,
October 27, 1972]
-Bill signing [Statement about decision to sign 37 bills, October 28, 1972]
-TV compared with radio
-The President’s view
-Connally’s view
-The President’s previous veterans statement [Radio Address on the American
19
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
Veteran, October 22, 1972]
-Time
-Audience figures
-Newspaper coverage
-Hecklers on previous trip to New York
-The President’s statement
-Tax issue
-Use of radio speech material
-The President’s forthcoming trips to Ohio and Appalachia
-Statements on rural America
-Newspaper coverage
-Quality
-Focus on Vietnam peace settlement issue
-McGovern
-Administration campaign strategy
-McGovern fiscal policy
-Labor unions
-Shultz’s preparation of response
-Price increases
-Tax increases
-Inflation
-National issues compared with local issues
-The President’s statements in Atlanta, San Francisco
-National welfare
-McGovern’s character
-Handling
-Ehrlichman’s interview at Camp David
-The President’s statements
-Herbert Stein
-Inflation
-Unemployment
-Possible statements
-Donald H. Rumsfeld, Stein, Charles E. Walker
-Pierre Rinfret
-Today Show
-The President’s role
-Possible radio advertisement
-Today Show alternate
-Results of McGovern policies
-Taxes
-Prices
-Unemployment
20
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Recession
-Preparation by Patrick J. Buchanan
-McGovern’s inflationary policies
-The President’s view
-Buchanan
-Rinfret
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 44s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 3
*****************************************************************
The President’s rally in New York
-Nassau County
-Joseph M. Margiotta
-The President’s speech on issues
-Senior citizens
-Hecklers
-Agnew
-Margiotta
-Rally cost
-Audience desire to hear the President
-Police action
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 4m 19s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 4
21
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
*****************************************************************
Watergate
-Newsweek
-Segretti
-Alleged recruitment of Arthur H. Bremer
-Dwight L. Chapin memorandum to Haldeman
-Possible release to the press
1972 campaign
-Democratic strategy
-Advertisements
-New York Times article
-Crime
-High pries
-McGovern
-Amnesty
*****************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 24s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 5
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Campaign finances
-Progress
-Maurice H. Stans
-Telephone calls
-Schedule
-Camp David
*****************************************************************
22
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 1m 59 s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 6
*****************************************************************
1972 campaign advertisements
-Amnesty
-Crime
-Food prices
-Marijuana
-McGovern’s statements
-Radio
-Use of President’s speech material
-The President’s schedule
-Coverage in areas of the US
-Midwest
-Chicago
-California
-Times
-Daylight savings time
-Effectiveness
-1968 campaign
-George C. Wallace
-Unemployment, inflation
-Speech topics
-Schedule
-Employment, wages
-The President’s accomplishments during
first term
-economic topics
-Vietnam
-Contrast between the President’s and McGovern’s positions
-McGovern’s emphasis on issues
-Henry A. Wallace
-Timing
-Spending on advertisements
23
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
Campaign finances
-Compared with Democrats
-Contributions
-Collection
-Stans
-Democrats
-Colson’s recent conversation with Frank E. Fitzsimmons
-Progress
-Stans
-Paul C. Hall
-Fund raising
-Time story
-Press coverage
-Newspapers
-Washington Post
-Grand Jury
-Time story on Democrats fund raising
-Comparison of loans and gifts
-Repayment of loans
-Investigation
-Spirit of the law
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 13m 43s ]
Mitchell, Macgregor, Ehrlichman and Colson left at 6:05 pm.
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
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Presidential safety
-The President’s view
-Connally’s view
24
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
-Movement
-The President’s trip to Ohio
-Cities
-Cincinnati
-Cleveland
-Possible stop at a college
-Hiram College
-Radical students
-Assassin types
-John F. Kennedy
-[Lee Harvey Oswald]
-Report
-Motorcade safety
-Problems
-Assassination attempt
-John Kennedy
-Haldeman’s view
-Planned assassination compared to spontaneous violence
-Types of assassins
-Ohio trip cancellation
-Connally’s view
-Chicago
-Compared with Lyndon B. Johnson
Watergate
-Newsweek
-Mel Elfin’s conversation with Leonard H. Marks
-Chapin-Haldeman memorandum
-Segretti
-Existence
-Haldeman’s view
-White House policy on use of memoranda by staff
-Colson’s staff
-Dissemination of information
-Richard J. Whalen
-Press
-Washington Post
-Jack N. Anderson
-Strategy
-White House involvement
-Colson
-Chapin
-Memorandum
25
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF
Tape Subject Log
(rev. Nov-03)
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BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
[Personal returnable]
[Duration: 3m 43s ]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 8
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This conversation was cut off at an unknown time after 6:05 pm.
[An unknown portion of this conversation was not recorded while the tape was being changed]