Date: May 23, 1973
Time: 4:05 pm – 4:58 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building
President met with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
Elliot L. Richardson’s confirmation
-Vote count
President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:05 pm and 4:08
pm.
[Conversation No. 439-47A]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 46-174]
[End telephone conversation]
Veto
Watergate
-37-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Hearings
-President’s previous conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
-Gerald Alch’s testimony, May 23
-James W. McCord, Jr.
-Popular mood
President talked with Elliot L. Richardson between an unknown time after 4:05 pm and 4:08 pm.
[Conversation No. 439-47B]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 46-175]
[End telephone conversation]
President’s conversation with Richardson
-Swearing-in
-Location
-Justice Department
-White House and the Cabinet
-East Room
-Cabinet meeting
-Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] meeting
-President’s attendance
Spiro T. Agnew
Watergate
-White House response
-White Paper
-Hugh Scott
-Statement
-Intelligence
-Leonard Garment’s preparation
-Daniel J. Ellsberg
-Political alignments
-38-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Cambodia action, 1970
-Ellsberg
White House staff
-Organization
-President’s map
-Transitions
-Personality
-George P. Shultz
-Workload
-Energy
-White House
-Peter M. Flanigan
-Charles Di Bona
-Roy L. Ash
-Flanigan
-Subordinate
-Compliments
-State Department
-[First name unknown] Aiken
-Council on International Economic Policy [CIEP]
-George H. W. Bush
-Doctrine
-Dean Smith [?]
-Replacement
-Peter G. Peterson
-Peterson
-Cabinet
-Relationship with Henry A. Kissinger
-Importance
-Knowledge
-Compared to Flanigan
-Reinstatement
President’s schedule
-POW dinner
-Reception line
-39-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Numbers
-Length
-Camp David
-Weekly schedule
-Gen. Brent G. Scowcroft
-Relaxation
-Compared to White House
-POWs
-Briefing by President
-Length of time
-Content
-Press coverage
-Classified briefing
-Security of country
-Norfolk, Virginia
-Negotiations
-Future of country
-Balance
-Security
-Freedom
-Grueling ordeal
-President’s time off
-Relaxation
-Press conference
-President’s conversation with Ronald L. Ziegler
-Timing
-President’s trip to Iceland, meeting with Georges Pompidou and
Kissinger’s forthcoming communique
-Ervin Committee
-Leonid I. Brezhnev and Pompidou
-Forthcoming meetings with President
-President’s public appearances
-Television [TV] speech
-Norfolk, Virginia
-Questions
-Press relations
-Congress
-40-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-President’s public appearances
-Brezhnev and Pompidou
-Relaxation
-Haig’s impressions
-Press
-Press relations
-Ziegler
-Congressional leaders meeting
-Elliot L. Richardson
President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:08 pm and 4:24
pm.
[Conversation No. 439-47C]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 46-176]
[End telephone conversation]
President’s schedule
-POWs reception
-Photograph
POWs
-President’s efforts
-Fate of POWs
-Hanoi
-Credit to President
-Leaders
-Haig’s impressions
Scott [?]
President’s schedule
-Banquet
-41-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Discussion
-POWs reception
-Spiro T. Agnew
-Solarium
President talked with Stephen B. Bull between 4:24 pm and 4:26 pm.
[Conversation No. 439-47D]
[Begin telephone conversation]
[See Conversation No. 46-177]
[End telephone conversation]
President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Scowcroft
-POWs
-Dinner arrangements
-Chorus
-Colors
-Music
-Toast
-Cabinet meeting
-Watergate report
-President’s attendance
-Richardson’s swearing-in
-Garment
-“Fight talk”
-Richardson
-Watergate
-Kissinger
-Report
-Arrival
-Iceland
-42-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
Watergate
-Kissinger’s possible press briefing, May 29
-Conversation with Haig
-Possible press briefing
-Iceland and Southeast Asia
-Ziegler
-Wiretaps
-Plumbers
President’s schedule
-Possible press conference
-Ziegler
-Press treatment of President
-Benefit to US
-Norfolk, Virginia
-Press relations
-Integrity
-Lies
-Cabinet session
-President’s visit to Key Biscayne
-Bi-partisan Congressional leaders
-“Free for all”
-Structure
-William P. Rogers
-Armored Division award
-Award for President
-Award for President
-World War II
-National security
-Economic issue
-Quadriad meeting
National economy
-John B. Connally’s view
-Shultz
-Plan of action
-High profile
-43-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Dramatic
-Meeting
President’s schedule
-Richardson’s swearing-in
-Warren E. Burger
-Haig’s forthcoming telephone call to Richardson
-Location
-Cabinet Room
-East Room
-Style
-Invitees
-Judiciary Committee
-Chief Justice
-Swearing-in duty
-Cabinet members and wives
-Justice Department
-Cabinet
-Events outside Washington, DC
-Weekly allowance
-President’s return from Iceland
-Exposure of President
-Public reaction
-Testimony
-San Clemente
-Brezhnev’s visit
-Duration
Watergate
-Testimony
-Ervin Committee hearings
-Public reaction
President’s schedule
-Telephone calls of appreciation
-Votes
-Office of Management and Budget [OMB]
-44-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-William E. Timmons
-Precedent
-Republican congressmen
-Camp David example
-Frequency of contact
-Timmons
White House staff
-Haig’s role
-Ehrlichman and Haldeman’s responsibilities
-Bryce N. Harlow
-Assistance
-Peterson
-Return
-Telephone call to Haig
-Shultz’s role
-Workload
Watergate
-Possible press conference by Kissinger
-Ziegler
-Content
-J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-Garment
-Press briefing, May 24
-Ziegler
-Gerald L. Warren
-White House response
-White Paper
-William L. Safire’s opinion
-President’s guilt
-Scott’s statement regarding President’s decisions
`-Richardson’s confirmation
President’s schedule
-Camp David
-Relaxation
-45-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Republican congressmen
-Timmons
-Telephone calls of appreciation by President
-Brezhnev
-President’s visit to Iceland
-Republican Congressional leaders meeting
-Morale
Watergate
-Press coverage
-Washington Post
-White House staff
-Morale
-Survival
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Release of memorandum
-Intent
-Walters
-Leak
-White House response
Haig’s schedule
-Meeting with state whips
-Leadership meeting
-Phone calls
-Richardson
Harlow
Kissinger
-Possible telephone calls
-Nelson A. Rockefeller
-Ronald W. Reagan
Watergate
-White House response
-Ervin Committee hearings
-46-
NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
Tape Subject Log
(rev. August-2011)
Conversation 439-47 (cont’d)
-Testimony by Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Charles W. Colson
Haig left at 4:58 pm.